Good News Reminder

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

Last week I counted my blessings; or at least created a list inspired by Thanksgiving. There’s a broader, more global list. Let’s see where this more global exercise takes me. (Writers beware, I begin this without a mental outline or a goal in mind. Scary, eh?)

The economy is improving.

The US election is over.

  • Whatever your philosophical, ideological, political, or habitual leanings, the US federal elections once again were one of the most peaceful in the world.

Nature continues to impress.

Sudden wealth happens.

  • Hey, I’m glad to see someone win the lottery. (And I look forward to it being me. Trust me, I’ll share.)

Community is becoming the norm.

  • Thanks to the internet, people are connecting up with less regard for borders. Support happens. So do celebrations.
  • Thanks to digital media, story, both fiction and non-fiction, is permeating the planet with fewer gatekeepers and censors.
  • Thanks to gas prices, oddly enough, people are spending more time with neighbors and reinforcing physical community.
  • The Whidbey community has witnessed the power of community via drewslist, something that the rest of the world may witness soon.

Health is improving.

  • Lifespans are increasing.
  • Infant mortality is decreasing.
  • Alternatives to western industrial medicine are gaining proponents, improving lives, and doing so at lower costs.
  • Local and organic farming is coming back into favor.

Technology is improving.

  • Renewable energy is becoming mainstream.
  • Decentralization is democratizing real power.
  • New tech can do the same job with less power, resources, and hazardous materials.
  • Cars are becoming more efficient.

Alternative lifestyles are more accepted.

Is the list complete? Of course not. You’ve undoubtedly thought of several that I’ve missed. Put them in the comments. Make this list longer. If there’s anything the world needs more of, it is good news. And as a conversation on facebook (and my recent post) reminded me, sometimes we just have to stop, step back, and take a look around.

Scatchet Head Rainbow Sunrise

Scatchet Head Rainbow Sunrise – the view on this morning’s walk.

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Take A Breath

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

Take a breath. Step back and look up. I didn’t do much of that for the last two weeks. The first half of that time I was helping a client with their manuscript. The second half of that time I was preparing and publishing my newest book, Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland. Hours and days of staring at the screen. There is a time for everything, including a time for work and a time for play. A time to lean forward and concentrate and a time to stand back and relax. That’s true for me. That’s true for we.

I’m definitely in work mode. Partly that’s because a lot of long term projects, like five-year photo essays and introspective travelogues, are finally coming to fruition. Mostly it’s because I’m trying to make enough money to pay the bills. Regular readers have heard enough about that. Anyone new who is interested, scroll back through the posts. That’s what they are there for. (Maybe start with Rule of 7.)

The good news is the wealth of tools available to individuals. The photo essay and book I’ve just mentioned would have taken a lot of darkroom work and months of negotiations with agents and publishers twelve years ago. Now, with some hired help it all gets done for less than most folks spend on a vacation. My friend and client may have moved his book ahead a few months by using my fresh eyes to see the missed words and commas that are filled in within the mind of the author. But, the important part is the amazing amount of creativity and productivity that is unleashed by decentralized tools empowering people.

Use some of those tools and it is easy to fall into them, learning their nuances, bumping up against their limits, and eventually producing a personal creation. It becomes a positive self-reinforcing cycle. Ah, I created my first whatever. Now I know how to create a better second whatever. There’s a bit of a pause after the first, that allows for the reflection, which produces the improvement in the second. Take a breath, find a new perspective, and things improve.

For the last two weeks, I’ve been so focused on this computer screen that I have to make sure I step back and stand over by the window every hour or so. Otherwise my back tries on a new shape, my eyes forget that they can focus at more than one distance, and various muscles are either over used or almost neglected. I know it is time to take a break when I feel my neck and jaw tightening.

I’d like to celebrate the publication of the book (and the subsequent sales on amazon – on sale for $2.99!) by taking a step back and catching my breath for a few days, but many projects have been neglected in the meantime. Fewer resumes have gone out (though I edited them a bit at the specific advice of a few friends). I still have to get around to sizing a wing for a collaboration. (Unfunded, of course. Anyone want to help create a new kind of airplane?) There’s research to do for a philanthropic incubator. Consulting proposals for my business aren’t going to be written by anyone else. And we finally booked a date (January 26/27) and venue (Mukilteo) for the next self-publishing workshop. Details must be arranged.

Work and money and life must be kept in balance. For a while I lived my ideal. The mornings were directed towards making money. The afternoons were spent with life maintenance. The evenings were for socializing and definitely for dancing. Each day was different, but the proportions were about the same. Life is different as my money has temporarily departed my vicinity. I look forward to the swing of that balance, and the increased balances in my accounts.

It is common to say that our culture is out of balance. Too much work and not enough play; and the work isn’t very efficient and the play is too proscribed – on a societal scale. Sometimes I think we are fixated on a few topics that are important, but are unproductively elevated to extremes. I’m not surprised. Those issues are important, engage people’s passions, and are usually hard problems to solve. Their advocates may feel that they never get enough support, so they shout louder and raise the stakes higher. Soon, important but dull things like bridges are neglected.

Washington State’s legalization of marijuana surprised me. It’s almost as if, amongst the big debates in other states, tucked away in the upper left hand corner of the map (because you know they’ll draw Alaska in the Pacific beside Hawaii), some folks spoke up just loudly enough, we all took a collective breath, probably inhaled, and voted in legalization and may help prompt the repeal of marijuana prohibition. (A little more than a week away within WA.)

I wonder what we’d accomplish if we dialed down the national debates for a while, took a collective breath, maybe inhaled (just kidding, sorta), and took another look at our collective situation.

And then I turn that mirror to myself. I learned that lesson. That was why I went to Scotland. I needed and wanted to take me away from an increasing workload, force me to look at something other than a computer screen, and to simply walk and breathe for three weeks. I didn’t do it to write a book, but the walk changed my life. A small, simple thing happened. I found joy. How could I not write about that?

I’ve got a long list of things to do in addition to what I listed above. I continue to abide by my Rule of 7, which means I probably won’t be taking many days off. But I think that after I post this, and share it out, I’ll take my cup of tea and go stand by the window. Maybe the mountains will be out. Maybe the whales will be swimming by. Maybe some simple thought or thing will wander in while I breath.

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Posted on November 27, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

Someone reblogged my post to their site. Thank you. So, they’ve inspired me to repost it to my site. Welcome to my new book, Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland. One man’s search for joy – or at least a Guinness or some good whisky.

Tom Trimbath's avatarA Walk Across Scotland

Welcome to the world, a new book is born. Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotlandwent “Live” on amazon for kindle last night. It feels so good to see the book up there, out there, and ready for readers.

Two years ago I walked across Scotland, for a lot of reasons:

  • partly to commemorate the ten year anniversary of my life-changing bicycle ride across America;
  • partly to celebrate the popularity of the subsequent book, Just Keep Pedaling, and my subsequent redefinition as a writer and author;
  • partly because I figured a vacation was a cheaper and more effective cure than modern medicine for stress relief;
  • and, of course, because I’ve always wanted to visit Scotland, its land, its pubs, and maybe a distillery or two.

When I bicycled across America I did it to lose weight. I bicycled from north of Seattle to south of Miami and ended up at…

View original post 396 more words

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A Tale Of Two Views

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

The last few days had some highs and some lows. I decided to write about both, but some folks only want to read about the upbeat and some folks are more interested in how I am surviving the struggles. So, today I post three posts: this post which has this short explanation, and two other posts linked from here so readers can choose which story to read. And, of course, you can read all, either, or none.

The upside: Affordable Luxuries
The downside: Mortgage Company Tactics

Be assured, I’m writing the upside second because I don’t want to dwell on the downside; but, I write about both because both happened.

Ah, life can be a tangle, eh?

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Affordable Luxuries

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

Giving thanks on Thanksgiving is one of my favorite American traditions. I think it would make a fine global tradition. Okay folks, let’s pick a date that makes sense for everyone. The day after Thanksgiving I reflected on how much I enjoyed the day, yet nothing I’d done was exotic, expensive, or complicated. Several people have complimented me on my attitude amidst my financial troubles. I give credit to living simply, frugally, and consciously; lessons I’ve learned from several sources; my parents, an excellent Nine-Step program, various bits of wisdom floating through culture. They add up to an appreciation that is priceless.

Ironically, or maybe because of it, I recognized this on Black Friday. Shopping was being celebrated across America, on an unofficial holiday that is the antithesis of appreciating what we already have. A pair in contrast: Thanksgiving, thanks for what we have; Black Friday, getting more – though, every purchase is a gift for someone else, right?

Thanksgiving was a day of cooking, eating, and drinking. I enjoy cooking. It isn’t a chore, it is a joy. I cook simply: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and spice cake. I eat slowly, and enjoy. Cook’s bonus, nibbling throughout the day; from prep, through tasting, through dinner, then nibbling on bits as leftovers are put away. Drinking wasn’t more complicated than brewing a pot of tea, uncorking a bottle of wine (probably the most expensive part of the meal), and then brewing another pot of tea (loose leaf from my friends at Dandelion Botanical.) It was a one man show, which meant visiting the kitchen for fourteen hours of cooking and cleaning. (I’m still proud of my kitchen sink sculpture and share it here again.)

Most days aren’t spent in the kitchen. That was a feast day. Most days that time is replaced with doing work I enjoy, enjoying where I live, being glad to be part of my communities. One handy thing about being a gregarious moderate is that I know right and left brain types, liberals and conservatives, optimists and pessimists and those who see both sides, rich and poor, mainstream and highly unconventional folks. Conversations can be fascinating. I purposely chose Whidbey and this house, my home, because a life is quiet and simple here. A walk down the street is a walk that some fly thousands of miles to enjoy. A walk down the hill gives me a million-dollar view and access to untrammeled nature.

My consulting, my writing, my photography, my teaching, are all things that take very little in terms of equipment, and connect me with my passions of people and ideas. Listening, then helping, someone with their project and their passion is immensely gratifying. Providing a simple perspective on nature and culture is natural for me through my words and photos.

For years I did things that should make me happy. It wasn’t until recently that I learned that the happiness was internal and could be found by being aware of my emotions, and allowing intuition to chart a course that follows them whether logic applies or not.

Welcome to the theme of my book about Scotland. The book looks like it is only about walking across Scotland, but the story is really about the internal journey. Here’s an excerpt where I learned a simple way to find joy.
“A smile could turn into a chuckle and a laugh and, as long as I stopped before hysteria, I’d found that I’d enjoyed a bit more of the day.”

A similar thing happens when I dance. When I dance, I smile. I recognized that soon after moving to the island. I enjoy introspection for awareness, understanding, and growth; but, I realized that there was no need to analyze the feeling. The trip to joy was surprisingly short. Why purposely lengthen it and turn an easy celebration into a momentous feat?

Entertainment doesn’t have to be expensive. Even movies and games don’t have to cost much. DVDs, Netflix, Yahtzee, old computer games, books, and music don’t cost much to buy and last so long that the amortized costs are incredibly low. I’d even go to the movies here on the island if the price of gas wasn’t so high. One downside of moving out of Langley is not being able to walk to The Clyde which only charges a few bucks for new movies, and a dollar for popcorn. And, of course, the cheapest and most valuable entertainment is spending time with friends.

There are plenty of other affordable luxuries. Seeds don’t cost much, and can produce many kinds of value – as long as the slugs, bunnies, and deer don’t harvest first. Meditation is free. Running and bicycling are somewhat expensive, but not really compared to golfing, skiing, and boating. Karate, at least the way I practice it, is as cheap as meditation. Sleeping in is wonderful. A fire, either in the fireplace or outside (where legal of course), creates ambiance and warmth; and can be a focus for socializing or reflection. Even a candle can suffice. Light a candle at dinner for two, or light a candle as a sign of hope, or just light a candle to light a candle.

Mix and match out of that string, add things I didn’t include, (oh yeah, I just remembered affection and intimacy and such, but that’s another story), and it is easy to fill a day.

I buy lottery tickets. Like I say, I am an optimist. When I had a lot more money I dreamed of winning the lottery and buying this, doing that, giving here and there. As I’m passing through this time I realized that what I want to buy with winnings are certain feelings. Yes, I’d pay off the mortgage; but the main benefit would be the relief gained from security. Yes, I’d renovate the house and car and computer, but the main benefit would be the feeling of ease to get things done. Yes, I’d give here and there, because there are people that would appreciate good news. I’d probably even host a dance party because that would be a lot of fun, and that’s a good enough reason.

We live in a society based on money, but after the essentials are acquired, there is a lifetime of luxury available that doesn’t cost much at all. Enjoy.

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Mortgage Company Tactics

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

Yesterday I got The Call, the call from the mortgage company when they switched from good cop to bad cop. The call was expected. The tone surprised me. My options are clearer now.

The call was expected because October’s payment was very short, and didn’t get to them within the grace period. I knew it was going to be short, but I thought I’d mailed it on time. Some of my backup plans for generating money are gaining traction: my consulting and art revenues are up; and the sum of “we’ll call you about work when we get a few things sorted out“s should add up to something significant soon. The primary plan, my stock portfolio, hasn’t been doing so well. Selling stocks has been the source of almost six years of living expenses, including mortgage payments. All of them are trading at less than $3/share, despite buying them at far higher prices and holding them through profitability (except in two cases). I continue to advocate for Long Term Buy and Hold (LTBH), but I’m running into personal Long Term limits. Plan D, the plan in place in case Plans A, B, and C don’t succeed, is selling the house. Even a price drop hasn’t generated any traffic.

What surprised me about the call wasn’t apparent until after I hung up. It was intense, ungracious, and accusatory. It wasn’t until the phone was parked in its station that I realized that we were trying to have two conversations. I was trying to discuss a financial arrangement, my circumstances, possibilities, contingencies, and intent. She accused me of playing hardball, of living in their house for free, basically trying to cheat them out of their due. Her half of the conversation was directed at the negative and emotional. The sneaky part that made me recoil in the moment was when they insisted I give them access to my checking account, as if they should have more control over my funds than I do.

This was a shock, especially the morning after a Happy Thanksgiving.

I learned a few surprising things.

  • One, I know that I don’t expect to live here for free either, and in good faith I paid what I could. It turns out that any partial payment is ignored, put into escrow and not counted for anything. (Yes, Stephen, you were right.)
  • Two, she was adamant that, while people have been living in houses for free recently, that no longer happens and that they will remove me. (Anyone have any evidence of that?)
  • Three, that they never referred to the terms of the mortgage agreement, specific clauses, paragraphs or legalese.

It’s that last one that strikes me now. It’s taken that long for the emotional turmoil to ease for me to see our different points of view. I see buying a house as a financial arrangement. We agree to terms. We each do our best to meet the contractual obligations. If for some reason those aren’t met, then the contract contains clauses, contingencies, and procedures to rectify any shortcomings. I plan to abide by those. They never mentioned them.

So, as I sit here typing, and my chest tightening a bit as I replay the event, I wonder what those terms are and whose paperwork applies.

I bought this house, the only house I’ve bought that I have truly called home, in January 2007. (Thank you, Kathryn Hawkes. It only took us a year to find this place.) So, in almost six years the mortgage has gone from my preferred local bank, Whidbey Island Bank, to Crossland Mortgage, to Bank of America, to Green Tree, who just UPS Expressed Enveloped a letter to transfer my mortgage to Quicken Loans (at a very nice interest rate). I’m pretty sure I only signed paperwork once, with my local bank. Do those terms and conditions apply? If I’d asked, would she have had the appropriate terms and conditions available to her? If the terms and conditions have changed, then what is the validity of the subsequent contract if I never signed off on the changes?

I suspect I’ll be finding answers to these questions, unless I make enough money from my stocks, my business, a job, a windfall, or by selling the house.

I’m glad that a logical part of me survived their emotional onslaught. The assault was successful enough that it ruined a day, and caused me to cancel a meeting with a friend who is rarely met except through facebook. I’m saddened when I consider the effect their tactics must have on people who emotionally respond to the threats. No wonder some people literally spend days under the covers after some of these encounters.

I never expected to witness such an event. I expected companies that succeeded to have stocks that succeeded based on the worth of the company. If that was the case the mortgage would be paid off by now. I expected fifteen months of applying for jobs to have resulted in a job that pays at least well enough to maintain my frugal lifestyle. And as an entrepreneur and artist, I am an optimist and know that what I do and what I create is worth more than enough – though that isn’t fully reflected in my bank account, yet. And I know that this house is worth what I am asking. The view alone is worth it. (The view within a short walk is even better.)

a short walk from my house

Once upon a time I was assured that I would succeed in unexpected ways. Well, the unexpected is happening. Next comes the success.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, a few hours after the call I was thankful that, even though I’ll take almost any job, I wouldn’t want hers. I felt sorry for her. Either she’s had that tough of a life, is required to act that tough, or uses it as anger therapy venting herself onto strangers. How many people like her have such jobs? I don’t want to know.

Stay tuned, because we’ll both find out how this plays out. And thanks for reading.

Now for a mental and emotional sorbet go look at some pretty pictures (they might as well be mine) and then read the upbeat post by reading Affordable Luxuries.

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Happy Thanksgiving 2012

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

Here’s a Thanksgiving post written as my writing kept me company for the day. I could put this in a notebook. I could write this on paper and ritually offer it in some fire. I could leave it in my mind. But why not store it on the web where I can recall it and find it from anywhere?

Whether you read the rest or not, Happy Thanksgiving – of all the holidays celebrated in the US, this is the one I think the world should celebrate because it is amongst the heights of our cultural contributions. Maybe it makes up for our reality shows.

Thankful for, and in no order except chronological:

  • A full propane tank; well, 80%, but they always have to leave 20%; and 80% should get me through the winter and spring.
  • My skills, talents, experiences, the gifts that living has brought.
  • Health, of various types
  • Wine, How many grapes went into any bottle? Amazing.
  • Tea,  simple pleasures
  • Bacon, decadence
  • Thanks to all of the plants and animals that have sustained my life. I wouldn’t be here without you.
  • Good furniture bought to last that’s with me decades later, like this stout kitchen table patina-ed with past feasts.
  • Hardwood floors that are easy to clean and fun to dance on, ah, the memories and the expectations.
  • The power is on, not a given on the island.
  • Drewslist, and of course Drew Kampion.
  • My house, my home, good roof, walls, floor, heat, light, plumbing, shelter.
  • My view, the world, and specifically the Olympics, Puget Sound, and Cultus Bay.
  • Nature. Yep.
  • My ancestors, for their efforts and their struggles and their perseverance.
  • I’m glad I like to cook and I’m glad I like my cooking.
  • Friends and family, in thoughts, at least.
  • Patrons and readers, otherwise why do it; well, I guess I might do a bit for myself.
  • Customers and clients, glad and happy to help and a source of true joy.
  • Earth, Sun, Moon, ancestry at the galactic level.
  • Frugality, an appreciation for the value of all that surrounds me.
  • Clothes that last and are comfortable.
  • Self-esteem, self-made.
  • Dancing, I dance I smile, and my partners tend to smile too.
  • Books, those I read and those I write. Imagine all of the work that went into a library.
  • Movies, modern books because story is story.
  • My various communities: liberal and conservative, conventional and un-, young and old, men and women, right-brain and left-brain and ambi-brain.
  • Faith, hope, serendipity, synchronicity, and optimism and enthusiasm.
  • And this little space heater that’s taking the chill off now that the cooking is done.

And thanks to ritual.
Thanksgiving – a chronology of a ritual
Welcome to my ritual. I somewhat mimic a bit of what my mom and her sister prepared for the big Thanksgiving dinners of my childhood. I’ve enjoyed holidays at others’ houses, but since I moved away from home I’ve found that this ritual reminds me of home and family. It is a simple thing, yet valuable, and I’m always glad that I respect it.

  • Begin daily morning commiserations – skip that – think about the logistics of cooking – skip that – get up and go for a run and make some endorphins.
  • Run.
  • Stretch while watching Hannah Hart’s, “My Drunk Kitchen: Thanksgiving for Juan” (Juan = one, get it?).
  • Make tea.
  • Plug in an epic movie for background (LOTR) Cue up Fellowship of the Ring.
  • Remember, it is a feast; use the whole onion – without the skin of course.
  • Prepare for hours of dishwashing.
  • Carhartt bib overalls, better than any apron for a day of serious kitchen time.
  • Stuffing stuffed. Turkey in the oven.
  • Take a break to play a game. (Which crashed, maybe Civ III isn’t compatible with OSX 10.6.8)
  • Ok, time to grab a bottle from the collection so it can be properly chilled. A 2005 Trimbach (any relation?) Reisling, which I’ll leave outside because it is about 42 degrees and just about right.
  • Fill a main course cooking hiatus (turkey takes three hours, potatoes and stuffing take one) with making frosting for dessert. Hmm, frosting.
  • Lick beaters and bowl.
  • Wash dishes.
  • Play a game.
  • Put weeks of work away so I’m not distracted by my various projects.
  • Well, that uncovered a bill or two. I’ll look at them after the first, or second, glass of wine.
  • Back to my tea and a game.
  • Nearing noon. Potatoes must be peeled.
  • Two Towers time.
  • A peek in the oven and the bird is browning nicely.
  • Boil those potatoes.
  • Open that wine.
  • Potatoes mashed.
  • Veggies steamed (with herbs from the yard and some blue cheese.)
  • Stuffing out of the oven.
  • Turkey out of the oven (and an eleven pound turkey is heavy.)
  • Carving, er, chunking of the turkey
  • Lay it out, plate it up, eat, drink, enjoy.
  • Wine isn’t supposed to age in the bottle, but this is some strong wine.
  • Nap? Why, thank you, I think I will.
  • Hey, I forgot dessert! Hey, I remembered dessert!
  • Squeeged the steam from the windows so I could see outside.
  • OK, time to dive into a pile of pots, pans, and scrubbing.
  • Thanksgiving kitchen sculpture
  • More tea!
  • The stock is already simmering, and it isn’t even dinnertime.
  • Leftovers stored in the fridge.
  • Culinary plans in mind.
  • Make a salad with, surprise, fried chicken instead of turkey. The local and excellent grocery, The Star Store, has fried chicken half off after 5pm. I was there yesterday and took advantage of the excellent deal.
  • Yet a different surprise, a request for art as a gift, effectively a commission. I’m intrigued. Yes, I’ll see what I can do.

Is the chronology complete? No, but I’m not going to wait until I lay in bed before hitting the upload button. I hope you have things to be thankful for, and the chance to enjoy them.

And with that, I thank you.

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My Jobs Report Month 15

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

The good news: I was too good for the job. Welcome to month 15 of applying for jobs. This is a habit I want to break.

Within the last month everything changed, or at least that’s what the political dialogue suggested. Yes and no I suspect. Yes, I suspect the Republican party will undergo a revolution of sorts. Maybe some of the secession talk will act out internal to that party. No, the balance of power and the effectiveness of the government may not have changed much. I’ll stay tuned. The great debates have little effect on my life except to provide wonderful material for Stewart and Colbert.

I watched some of the coverage because I do care, and am interested; just not to the level of many others. I also enjoy good oratory, which is why I watched Rachel Maddow’s marvelous post-election synopsis and President Obama’s acceptance speech. One line from his speech resonates with me. “If you are willing to work hard you should be able to find a good job.” I agree. Friends are more likely to tell me that I am working too hard, not hard enough. Allow me to pair that quote and my circumstance with something I’ve heard more than once. “We decided to hire someone else because you’re too good for this job.” No, really, I can be as bad as you want.

My backup plans continue to progress at various rates. Of course, I’ve been busy applying for jobs, which is my Plan C. Really, the compliments are nice. Hopefully, the resume changes inspired by the resume consultant will help. Plan A, my investments, continues to languish. Plan D, selling my house, where dropping the price $15,000 has had no effect. But Plan B, my business, has been very busy.

In the last month, I’ve been – pause to catch breath before launching into this list – proofreading a client’s book, helping publish another client’s book, selling art to patrons who couldn’t get it off their minds after seeing it at the Studio Tour, helped a few clients with their businesses and social media platforms, met for several collaborations, gave a few talks about publishing and art, committed to a collaboration for a publishing workshop, installed art at a local venue, worked on my next book, edited a description of my consulting services for a specific audience by request, and taught yet another class in social media. Add it all up and the business checking account was able to reimburse my personal checking account. After over a decade and eleven months my business may actually turn a profit.

On a more basic level, I also had a carport sale, sold my class ring, sold my membership in a local club, and sold the last of my Pixar posters on eBay. Throw in a very nice gift and my checking account is healthier than it has been in months, maybe since I’ve been applying for jobs.

Pixar shareholder movie poster

Add it all up, subtract what it takes to live, and my net worth has dropped enough that I found it necessary and prudent to only send in a partial mortgage payment. The mortgage company got the check this week. Last night, UPS drove to my house far later than I’ve seen them on the island, and delivered an Express Envelope. Inside was a one page letter from the company my mortgage company wants me to refinance through. Stay tuned. I’ve done the math. My expenses aren’t the issue. The issue is my income. I’m a fan of living on less than I make, but making zero makes it hard to live on a negative number.

Aside from the consultants and coaches, I’ve received some wonderful insights from people who’ve quietly approached me with their stories. They were quieter amidst their challenging times, and support me telling my story here. They also passed along anecdotes that speak to a non-denominational faith. As one friend put it, “You step off the cliff and hope to grow your wings before you hit the ground.” One friend told me how she didn’t have the money to drive to an interview, looked down, and saw $26 on the sidewalk. Another found the best technique, networking, working for her. One of her friends talked to another and she had an offer for a nearly six-figure job by the end of the week. I’ve heard some enticing possibilities from my network. Now’s the time to move from enticement to commitment.

Some find money on the sidewalk. I am feeling good about my business. Potential clients are becoming paying clients, and we both enjoy the experience. (Paraphrased: “I thought working through this was going to create an ulcer, but you kept that from happening.”) Emphasizing the balancing of life and money, what I’ve been encouraged to call “Consulting For Life in Transition“, fits well with my passion for helping people. People who have complimented me on my art are calling back to buy it. Helping people polish and publish their manuscripts and books feels good too; and, is good practice for the release of my next book. (One man’s walk across Scotland – due out on Kindle by Christmas, really.) I wonder if my years of effort have finally satisfied The 10,000 Hour Rule, which historically has been an accomplishment that has marked the celebration of the overnight success.

I’m writing this a few days ahead of the monthly anniversary. That’s partly to work through so much of what’s going on in my head. My various Plans take up so much time that I’m working until 8 or 9 each evening. There hasn’t been much time for reflection and I suspect a part of me wants to get this out and off my mind so I can relax and enjoy on Thanksgiving.

Those friends who’ve been through similar circumstances tell a common story that I’ve witnessed too. Amidst turmoil and anxiety is an appreciation for joy in the moment. There may be less time for reflection, but as moments of joy pass by they stand out in such contrast that they are much more noticeable. I now recognize that they are always there. Want to know why I’m really writing the book about walking across Scotland? That’s the theme. Joy’s the theme. The beer and whisky were fine, but I found the awareness of the every-presence of joy there, and here now too.

Today I have a few other things to do. The gift to my checking account was delivered with a requirement that I get a haircut and beard trim. Sure! I’ve got to visit the bank and make deposits. Ah. And I get to bake dessert tonight for tomorrow’s feast. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by people who understood basics: one group that was recently re-educated by another group that understood them for generations. I celebrate the day by replicating a bit of what my mom and her sister cooked when I lived at home: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and more. Of course, the stuffing will be gluten-free cornbread and bacon, I won’t have to sit at the kids’ table, and there will be a nice bottle of wine; but, you get the idea.

Happy Thanksgiving, and I give thanks to you who are helping me see this through. (Let’s make sure the Christmas post isn’t a report from Month 16.)

Here are some links to my books and my photos for those who want to shop online. The photos are prints, of course, but they are also available as gift items like mugs and such. Call if you need help with the sites.

My non-fiction books on amazon  (Just Keep Pedaling, Twelve Months at Barclay Lake, Twelve Months at Lake Valhalla, Twelve Months at Merritt Lake, Dream. Invest. Live.)

My photos of Whidbey Island and the Washington Cascades

My books of Whidbey Island photos

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Waiting For PicoP

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

I’ve been seduced – by technology. So goes the accusation, and I admit there is evidence that it’s true. This week, forced obsolescence and a failing memory meant that I had to get a new cell phone. The good news was that the failing memory wasn’t mine; it was my old cell phone’s SIM card. Even without that failure, my phone had become so old that the cell phone company called to tell me that they were dismantling the hardware that would listen for my calls. I had to get a new phone. I’ve waited this long because I was waiting for a particular phone I’ve heard about and seen, but that hasn’t been released yet. It’s a cell phone that includes a projection TV in basically the same package as a smartphone. I’ve waited for years, not seduced into thinking I needed one, but seduced by the prospect of the disruptive technology and the potential for my investment in the responsible company, MicroVision. Alas, their PicoP phone has yet to reach the market. Alas, MVIS has yet to get me out of debt.

Somewhere among these posts I’ve chronicled my history of anticipation with MicroVision and MVIS. Maybe I’ll remember which post by the time I upload this post. I’ve held MVIS stock since 2000, back when I first learned about this amazing technology that would eliminate the majority of monitors in the world. Put on a pair of glasses or look at your cell phone and the image would be painted directly on your retina, a true retinal display. Because the light didn’t have to fight past ambient sunshine the image was viewable in daylight, except for maybe in the Arabian Desert or on a glaring ice sheet. So, no, while I was seduced by the technology, I wasn’t blinded by science. I used a demo of the device and was impressed without any damage to my eye. No more need for bulky monitors, their toxic chemicals, chassis of plastic, enormous packing boxes, warehouses and shelves to store it all, and ships, trucks, and trains burning oil to transport them. I bought more.

The idea is simple. Resurrect the idea of old television sets. Take three light sources, red, green, and blue, turn them on and off rapidly, and then move the light in a pattern that covers the screen. Except, in MicroVision’s technology the light came from either LEDs or lasers, and the light was moved by oscillating a mirror on a chip. The entire device was about the size of my thumbnail. It was small enough to fit in almost any device, used very little power because the lights were only on when needed, and the laser version was always in focus. Prototypes of cell phones, camera viewfinders, automobile displays, and game controllers proliferated throughout the last several years.

All prototype and nothing for pay makes a company a fun place to play – and a lousy investment. But, Ta da!; rather than wait forever they produced a standalone projector in 2010: the ShowWX. It didn’t paint the image on my retina. They decided to skip that for a while and instead made a normal projector, but one that was only the size of an iPhone.  I put my money where my money was and bought one. My experience unwrapping it is chronicled in my old blog. For a while I used it to watch DVDs and as a side monitor for my laptop. It was handy. It had enough resolution to fully display DVDs, and was always in focus. I could watch a movie on a pleated curtain if I wanted.  A cell phone that would let me show my art portfolio to prospective galleries? Excellent! A camera with a daylight viewable display of what the camera’s chip saw? Marvelous. I’d seen both possibilities since before I bought my ShowWX. I’m patient. I’d replace my equipment with wonderful upgrades paid for by a profitable stock price.

But what I wanted was for the company to get past the prototype phase and into major production – which was going to happen any quarter. The investing community wanted that too. The problem was that the technology wasn’t ready. I’ll skip the technical details except to say that making enough affordable quantities of one component, the green laser, meant the ShowWX wasn’t profitable; which meant the company wouldn’t be profitable until the production issues were resolved. Allow me to restate a bit of that last sentence in the correct tense. The company won’t be profitable until the production issues are resolved. Sadly and unfortunately, the expected profitability of the company has been delayed so long that it has undergone massive dilution and an unsuccessful stock split.

The camera isn’t discussed anymore. The cell phone that was supposed to reach the market a couple of Christmases ago is at least a Christmas away. The standalone unit that was described as an introductory product that would be eclipsed by embedded products has been described as more practical than an all-in-one device. The primary claim to product fame is to be a Head Up Display (HUD) for cars, correctly on sale in Japan for thousands of dollars the last I checked. The stock continues to pop around Apple product announcements because there are many Apple patents that accommodate embedded projectors that have specs that only MicroVision’s technology could meet. Then it retreats when MicroVision isn’t included. My iPad has two cameras. My new cell phone has a camera. Neither has an embedded projector.

Disruptive technologies travel rough roads with many detours. Remember the Apple I? How about Windows 2.0? I actually have one of the earliest tablet PDAs: a Newton MessagePad. Nice idea. Immature tech. A few generations later iPads are marvels and ubiquitous.

Many miraculous lives include hard journeys through tortuous times. There’s a good chance that I’m on such a path. I think that’s true of our society as well. Maybe it is true of MicroVision. A friend and I were using facebook to trade quotes from Shakespeare’s Henry V.
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more . . .”
I’ll skip the exact quote about the English dead. Ick. But the message is that persistent prevails.
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
               For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
               Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile
               This day shall gentle his condition:
               And gentlemen in England, now a-bed
               Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,”
Whether King Henry ever said that or not, that day the English won at the Battle of Agincourt despite being outnumbered as much as three to one by the French. I suspect the play is correct enough in showing that there was so much confusion that the English didn’t know they’d won until the French told them so.
“I know not if the day be ours or no.”

I sit here, cell phone beside me, iPad resting in its dock, MVIS at $2.28 (effectively $0.285 pre-split). Over the last twelve years I’ve invested about three years living expenses in MVIS, and currently my holdings are worth about a month’s living expenses. My total portfolio is worth less than a few months living expenses, though I am stretching that by only making partial payments to my mortgage. But, supposedly within the next few months or a quarter or so the green laser production issues will be fully resolved and very large shipments will potentially make MicroVision a success, which is hopefully quickly reflected in the price of MVIS.  Despite MicroVision’s rough road, the potential persists. Once upon a time, there was an estimate of MVIS for about $128. That was before the split. Call it $125 and do the math to end up with a current price for MVIS of $1000. Skip the emotion. Look at the math. That’s a potential that would appease me and my mortgage company.

Some things sound too good to be true, and so far MicroVision has sounded good. But good things can come true. That’s the holiday spirit.

I’m not solely relying on MVIS to recover and attain those heights. My investment in MVIS is one part of one plan, and I have at least four major plans (investments, entrepreneurship, employment, real estate + collaborations.) Diversification is important, eh? Even if only half succeed half as well as they can my finances will be more than enough.

In the meantime, there is art to market, distribute, and sell. There are a couple of books to finish. There are clients to consult with. There are jobs to apply for. I work because I can’t just wait.

Addendum

Ah ha! I found the chronology. I’ll repost it here.

A personal MVIS chronology – abridged

1/6/00
Bought shares of MVIS

2000 Attended Annual Stockholder’s Meeting (ASM)
Monochrome available. Color soon.
“I wonder if there aren’t some shareholders that are losing patience and are therefore anxious, but who also recognize potential and are therefore hanging in there with the company.” my commentary

2000 news article
Seattle Times Business section suggests that Microvision will attain profitability in 2003-2004

2002 ASM
Microdisplay should be packaged later this year with production in late 2003.
The goals are to be profitable in mid-2004.

2004 ASM
Some analysts have projected cash flow breakeven for 2H05.

2006 ASM
New CEO.
The PicoP – mini-projector was there.
The first high volume product (hundreds of thousands or more) will be available late 2008 or early 2009.

2007 ASM
The embedded devices will reach commercialization in early 2009, but sample may be available in early 2008.

2008 ASM
A customer survey largely confirmed price point of $300 for the standalone unit.

2009 February – First VIP Club communique
“The current shipping schedule is planned to begin with initial quantities in mid-2009.
As VIP Club Members, you’ll be among the first to get dibs at the commercial product when it becomes available.
For non-VIP Club Members well, those individuals might just have to wait in line.”

2009 ASM
Embedded in 6-9 months after standalone is more like, “probably in time for Christmas 2010.”
Competitors are selling at $300-$600. Microvision will sell at a premium and with better margins outside the US.
The VIP customers (8,000) are competing with large corporations that may be willing to buy the entire inventory. Details to come.
AAPL news? Be patient.
ShowWX officially Launched

2010
March 8 Show WX goes on sale – Limited Edition $999
March 22 Show WX goes on sale – VIP members $549
I order one ShowWX with dock. ~ $700
(Seven day delivery plus next day air)
March 24 Show WX goes on sale – general public $549
March 30 email
Your order has been shipped and your credit card has been charged.
March 31
Show WX delivered. See above.

2013
?

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Living On Debt

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Tom Trimbath

 

Tough choices must be made. Amidst the cloud of abstractions and advice wrapped around people in economic hard times, this post is about a bit of reality. Yesterday is the first time I’ve sent in a bare fraction of my mortgage payment. I’m sure the mortgage company won’t be pleased. I’m not either. But I made sure to send in something, and I made sure to put it in perspective. I’m going to let one large, slow peril snarl at me while I fend off a faster, nearer hazard. The mortgage may not be fully paid, but I do so to tear into credit card debt. Not an easy choice, and too common in America.

I’m an optimist. Optimism, and an appreciation for the present, keep me going. I like to base my optimism on the past. This worked before, so there’s a good chance it will work again, whatever “this” may be. That’s why I was reasonably confident about Plan A, my investing strategy that had succeeded for thirty years. But I had backup plans. Plan B was and is my business in consulting and teaching, as well as my writing and photography. The income is nice, but barely keeps the business alive. The compliments are much more numerous, but compliments don’t pay the bills. So, Plan C was initiated to go find a job. I’ve enjoyed engineering in the past, time to return and be well enough paid to carry me into the future. Not yet. I’m in month 15 of looking. Nice compliments, but overqualified still means no job. Welcome to Plan D, I’m optimistic someone will buy my home. The view alone is worth the price. I’m waiting.

My optimism is like the compliments. Neither pays my bills.

My optimism is also why I let the credit card debt accumulate for a while. As my stocks dropped, I knew the company fundamentals continued to provide enough value that the stocks would recover. That will probably be the case, but not yet. I thought it would only take a quarter or two, in which case the credit card debt could be eliminated within a year. My optimism also encouraged me to delay the end-of-month payments because my main stock, DNDN, moved with monthly earning announcements that came on in the first week of the month. I’d wait for the news, hope for a recovery, then sell no matter what because I had to raise the money for the mortgage and leave time for transfers. The 12th (credit card due date) and the 15th (end of the mortgage payment grace period) became prime dates in my monthly calendar. Until this month I never missed a payment, though one or two were a day late when I got the timing wrong.

My optimism continues, but reality isn’t as patient.

The credit card has an interesting feature. For basics like food and gas I can charge without interest as long as I pay off that food and gas total every month. But those interest payments on that large balance continue. I’m about halfway to my limit and that remaining half is my emergency cushion. I could maintain that balancing act, but if I slip, those interest charges ramp quickly and the cushion deflates.

My mortgage has a much lower interest rate and a much higher balance. I love this house, but the payments for it are much larger than the payments on my card. The risk with my home is that the property is the collateral for the loan. It is hard to put that at risk.

My credit card and my mortgage represent two basic needs for life: food and shelter. Ironically, and unfortunately, those are the two sources of my debt. Of course, many other things could be sources of debt, but I live so frugally that if I can’t afford them I don’t buy them. Effectively, I am living on credit.

Every ping of an email, every ring of a phone call, every hello on the street can be the moment when my business turns the corner to profitability, or someone is contacting me to offer me a marvelous job, or someone has offered to buy my house. My money problems can disappear in a moment, and that thought is kept fresh every hour. (Though I must admit that the mantra is becoming a bit rote.)

Those pings and rings and hellos aside, I had to make a choice, so I decided to start paying down my credit card debt, reducing those payments and reinflating that cushion. I don’t expect a Thank You from the credit card company. I do expect a string of phone calls and letters from my mortgage company. I sent along a letter apologizing for the dramatically reduced payment, not because I think it will make a difference, but because I continue to think the Golden Rule is a good idea. When someone delays payment on a session or some art I appreciate their effort at making the call. And everyone has eventually paid – I think.

My choice can sound like a numbers decision, logically initiated and acted upon; but, it wasn’t totally. There was a physical catch in my throat as I wrote the check and the letter, and as I sealed and mailed the envelope. I take my commitments seriously, and each bill represents an commitment for me to pay for the goods and services I’ve received. As long as we have a currency-based economy that act will include money. Emotionally, I am committed to repayment, but they want finances not accumulated good will.

There are synchronicities in life. The same day I mailed the check I also received a phone call from a neighbor. They saw my artwork months ago and couldn’t stop talking about it. They wanted to come by and buy. And they did. They spent the same amount on my art as I had sent in to the mortgage company. I wonder what they would’ve bought if I’d sent in the full amount.

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