Oh, I’m still going on strike, and we’ve figured out a preliminary budget and an income goal which keeps our charitable giving about the same, though volunteer time is replacing some cash, pares down our lifestyle and reduces our taxable income pretty far. I get an abundance of free time, including more time for doing things I used to pay to have done for me (i.e. cooking instead of eating out), volunteering, blogging and just basking in the knowledge that I’m no longer subject to forcible wealth redistribution. I will give to whom I please – and no others. But not quite yet.
It’s turning out to be a TON of work to shut this business down. I have to get all my clients transferred off of my server – moving files, software applications, email accounts… not to mention a new writing project. I have 11,000 words – 19 single spaced pages – that I need to pare way down and merge with another document. Multiply that by 5, as it’s an ongoing project…. with more to come. And I’m teaching an advanced database class later this week and need some prep time. So this week posting will be light.
This would be a good time to wrap my brain around the concept of Twittering – I told you I’d be reading more than posting, and I certainly hope no one who followed me feels disappointed! – but honestly, that’s not likely to happen. The only things I can think of to post – sans research – are details of my life that even I find tedious. Does anyone really want to know about the cute thing my cat did, the frustrating problem my client dumped into my lap, or what I’m cooking for dinner? I barely even want to know that stuff; I can’t imagine anyone else does. What I’m really interested in twittering is quick comments and links about news… and in order to do that, I have to take the time to actually read the news.
There seems to have been a run on Galt-related domain names! I snapped up wearejohngalt.net and galt.me, and I was scraping the bottom of the barrel. My LegeWatch buddy and I are starting up a new site for those of us who are going on strike. I can’t wait to start on it. The fast I can close this business, the happier I’ll be.
Roughly a year and a half ago I went on strike. I earned a nice 6 figure income working on straight commission for 30 years without any benefits other than the ones I bought for myself. I paid full tuition at two private colleges for my two sons, one of whom was in a six year doctor of pharmacy program without any help except some minor academic grants my kids earned while others went tuition free to the same institutions. As the financial aid officer told me after a few drinks at a social function we both attended, it was his job to find people with money, take it, and give it to people without money. I paid twice the social security tax for being self employed for 30 years. I paid income tax out the wazoo. I paid my mortgage early and now am being asked to pay someone elses. Finally, I had enough. Last year I made about 40k, this year about 30k. I plan for the day my joint income falls to a point where it makes sense to start collecting social security. If things were different I would choose to remain productive. Yes, it is a sacrifice but so what. When I think of the things my immigrant grandparents went through and the things my parents fought for my strike pales in comparison. I urge other producers to do the same as I did.
Exactly. Our immediate goal was to earn less than 60k while still giving as much as we’re accustomed to give to charity. The nice thing is that since I’m generally working less (and will work even less than that once I get the company closed down completely) is there will be more time for cooking at home (cheaper) and making things that I used to buy. So our lifestyle won’t change as much as I thought it would. And it’ll be nice to get off that financial treadmill.
I’ve been thinking on this since before november, I really want to quit my job if it means keeping barry hussein’s adminstration from getting my tax dollars. If all responsible US citizens did it, where would the socialist government get their money for their “wealth distribution” plans? How long before they MAKE us go into the fields? How long before they try to sell our land? maybe lighting a fire like that would get a revolution of conservative Christians to rise up.