Moving Forward beginning with Austin

Austin feels different. Not necessarily as a city. It’s a wonderful city. But it feels different for me from all that I have lived with up to this point. I have lived in Buffalo, Baltimore and Washington, DC. However, with each of these, they all felt the same and none felt like home. Austin feels like home so far. I have not been here very long — 5 days — but the future feels bright. The opportunities feel present. The people are nice. But most importantly, I feel removed from the societal requirement for me back in the Northeast. I wonder if this is a result of my new job with AI Fleet? The company is small and ripe for growth. Most importantly, I am able to focus on where I thrive — constant communication with people, and organizing and developing teams and processes.

So Austin feels different because I do not feel like forced into the typical societal construct of the middle class, as I have detailed below:

• Go to college —17–22.
• Find a stable or well-paying job — 21.
• Find and date a nice woman — 21–25.
• Get married — 25–28.
• Children — 28–32.
• Slow movement up the corporate latter — 22–65.
• Possible divorce —45–52.

Why do I need to follow this path? Who has a gun to my head requiring this lifestyle be followed? Honestly, I just want to meet people. Talk to them. Look them in their eyes. Hear their enthusiasm. I want to learn new concepts, new ideas, new cultures as often as possible. Who is forcing me to live such a stable life? Stable may be the wrong word… Let’s say stymied or pigeonhole or bored. Yeah — Bored. That’s a subjectively accurate characterization. I love a happy family, don’t get me wrong. Family is the backbone of this world. However, right now, I don’t want that restrained, controlled lifestyle. I don’t want to live a life like everyone else. I applaud the freewheeling life Leonardo Da Vinci lived. Steve Jobs like his own life. Few others can say this. I want to work on something difficult and unique, while meeting passionate and, again, unique people. I want to live a life that is worthy of the uniqueness of my surroundings. People have built beautiful bridges, buildings, songs, formulas, codes, and much more — I want to live up to those standards everyday.

Everyday.

Thanks,

Drew

Let’s see where time will take me, and how Austin grows on me.