Gonna Be Short on Shop Time

Vaughn McMillan

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ABQ NM
Looks like I'll be cutting WAY back on my shop time. I just accepted a job offer that will put me about 800 miles east of my shop 5 days a week for the next few years. The job is in Albuquerque, so I'll be close to my dad and sister who live there. On the other hand, my wife has been at her job in LA for 20 years, and has no desire to leave it. She also has no desire to leave our house or her friends here. (I also don't want to get rid of our house.) So I'll be staying in a small borrowed condo in Albuquerque during the week, and flying back to LA as often as possible, likely a couple of times per month at first. (I'll be building up a lot of Frequent Flyer miles on Southwest Airlines.) As time goes on, and the project matures, it's likely that I'll be able to do some portion of my work remotely from LA (hopefully a lot of it), but particularly at first, I'll be needed in the Albuquerque office full-time. My shop's gonna become a pretty lonely place, with the exception of the occasional weekend visit.

I've been unemployed or underemployed for nearly three years. Technical writing/editing jobs in LA have been scarce and low-paying. Woodturning ain't paying the mortgage. And as much as I enjoy it, I can't afford to hang pictures as a career. This new job looks like a perfect fit for my skill set, and it'll put me back into the middle class again. I'm not really looking forward to being away from my wife, my house, my shop, and SoCal, but on the other hand, I've gotta pay the bills. In this economy, you do what you have to do. wink.gif

I start the first week in December, so I've got just a few short weeks to get my ducks in a row and tie up any loose ends I've got here in LA. I have a couple of orders I need to finish up in the shop, but after that, I'll do a good cleaning and waxing and shut the door on my way out. It'll still be waiting for me whenever I come back. In the meantime, I suspect I'll be doing a lot more guitar playing in the months to come. (I can fit a guitar in the back of my SUV a lot easier than a woodshop, and I'm going to need some type of artistic outlet for my spare time.)

My life has always seemed to go through major changes on a seven-year cycle. We moved into this house in the fall of 2004. This change is right on schedule. wink.gif
 
Well my friend, I wish you all the best on this new job. If anyone can pull it off, I think you can. I fully agree with the missing home and wife, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Keep us posted on happenings. Aloha, Tony
 
Best of luck with the new job!

I've done the long-distance job thing - but only for a year at a time - and it can get pretty stressful. ...But you gotta do what you gotta do. So long as both you and the wife are supportive of one another it'll work out just fine.

Bummer about the shop time, though.:( (Maybe a mini-lathe in the condo???):p
 
Vaughn, I agree with the others saying the distance from the wife will be tough. I thankfully have never had to cross that hurdle. I do understand doing what you have to do to pay the mortgage and survive. Who knows what door(s) this job will provide and possibly open for you. Like Stephen stated, one of those minis would fit and maybe provide your turning fix. Miniature turnings seem to go over very well also. Am glad you will get to see dad more often and converse with him. I can't imagine the turmoil you have been in and what kind of agonizing this situation created. I am impressed with your positive demeanor on here throughout this tough time in your life. My hat is off to you my friend and I sincerely hope all the things you want to happen with this new arrangement happen 100 fold. Give the wife a few mini vacations and fly her to you every now and again. Good luck Vaughn and Mrs. Vaughn.
 
I'm excited for you and this new opportunity. When I worked in silly-cone valley through the rise and ruin of the dot-coms I felt like I lived in an airport. LOML lived 600 miles apart for a long time and it worked just fine. I think she just pretended I was in the shop :D.

You can indeed have some fun wih all those frequent flyer miles. During one period of time I was away from "home" 240 out of 255 workdays. Once you earned a Southwest guest pass, the person of your choice could fly anywhere you flew for free. This sort of thing can support those too rare weekends together that take the strain off a bi-state relationship (being able to pay the bills doen't hurt either :)). We'll look forward to hearing of your adventures. Congrats.
 
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Congrats on the new job Vaughn, you have waited a long time. Rough on being so far away from home, but as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Best of luck to you and your wife in the new venture:)
 
Vaughn,
Congrats on the new job bro. You do what you have to do to survive. Just think the time your home with your wife will be even more precious.
 
Great news Vaughn. Being away from loved ones is tough, but as others have said...you do what you have to. I think it's time to take the buffing wheels off the old wilton lathe and take it with you! :thumb:
 
Congratulations Vaughn! I've done some long distance commuting for projects a few times, but nothing like this. I'm sure you'll make the best of things!

Well, there goes your job of peeking into the bathrooms of the rich and famous! Oh wait, that doesn't sound quite right....
 
That is a huge change, but it sounds to me like a positive one!
Thank goodness for Skype!
I imagine you will have a good laptop with you so that will help.

Best of luck, keep us informed!

Any Family members from that area, maybe you could do some shop visits?

Cheers!
 
vaughn i am glad and sad both for you as others have said the lond distance relationship gets taxing and another group that they forgot about is your best freinds the dogs.. you will miss them almost as much as the wife and shop..but you wil have friends and family close by and that wil help..what about that guy that you went to meet ,,maybe he will loan you shop time once in awhile,, cant remebr his name but he likes spalted maple, and has a swestern logo as a avatar and has dogs too:) congrats and good luck dude!!!
 
I know it's been a long couple of years for you, glad to see you back in the saddle again. I assume you worked out getting a company laptop with wifi/broadband. Just make sure they don't block FWW or the deal is off! ;)

Hopefully they will get you to telecommuting soon, mean while, enjoy being closer to home and seeing your family there. :wave:
 
Congratulations on the new job, Vaughn! You'll do great!!!

LOML and I lived in seperate places for a couple of years when we decided to buy the place in Georgia. She stayed with friends in Florida and I worked on our new place. You'll survive! Love will see you through it all!
 
Great news!! Any hope for e-commuting/working from home after a while?? . Having spent several years away from my family while in the military I know separate living is tough, but with the chance to fly home frequently you will do just fine.
 
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