The Wildebeest News Report
In case you’re wondering just what the heck happened to yours truly…
Well the good news is, I didn’t fall into a deep hole. And no, I didn’t become a fugitive from justice, change my name, and move to Gondwanaland, either. And, uh, I wasn’t retrieved by the Mother Ship (although you never know; that may yet happen).
(By the way, if you have NOT been wondering why I’ve not written anything new in a while – well, I’d rather you didn’t tell me and spoil the illusion. Just sayin’.)
Anyhoo – as you may or may not remember, I work in the engineering business, and unfortunately that particular segment of the economy (along with most of the others – with the possible exception of government employment) has been hit pretty hard. Naturally I’ve been searching for work for some time now.
The thing is, over the last few months I must admit to a certain lack of, well, inspiration when it comes to writing. Perhaps you know what I mean, right? As for me, my Muse decided to pack a bag, take a vacation, and went trippingly out the door with nary a backward glace. I mean, not even a postcard! Sheesh!
Yup; that’s sorta what happened to me. Thus, not a single written word for about two months now.
However, the good news is I am once again fully employed! YEEHAW! (sound of crowd cheering and throwing their hats into the air) That’s right, y’all; the ranks of the unemployed have been reduced – to 8,499,999. (That is, if you accept that 8-1/2 million-jobs-lost number the U.S. Labor Department throws around. Sadly, the evidence suggests that number is ‘waaay bigger).
The Shape of Things to Come
The thing is, my new job is going to keep me a lot busier (as opposed to… not working), so needless to say, posting frequency is of necessity going to be greatly reduced. But then again, since I’ve only posted once since Easter, I suppose any posting would technically be an improvement.
Anyway, some things will of necessity have to change here in the Middle Zone.
First of all, the theme here at the Zone (“lessons learned… from life”) will continue. It’s been a winner for a long time, and I see no reason to change directions. Life will always have a great deal to teach, and I hope to continue capturing and sharing at least a few of those lessons for as long as I’m still breathin’.
Having said that, though, you can probably expect any future posts to be on a somewhat irregular schedule, and likely no more than a few times a month. At least, until I get back into the swing of things. You know how it is, right? What with work (yay!), commute, sleep, church, and quality time with Mrs. MZM, well, there ain’t that much time left to write. Oh, I know; lots of folks manage to juggle all those balls and more without missing a beat. But I’d rather take my time and make sure the priorities get taken care of before taking on too much. So I’d rather work my way back up to something more regular over time. So let’s just see how it goes.
I’ve sadly decided to suspend our monthly What I Learned From… projects for a while. Hey, we’ve had a great run over the last three years, with nearly 1,000 entries from hundreds of folks. But I simply don’t have the time to keep it up right now. Maybe later we can start ‘em up again, but for now, feel free to enjoy the archives. Believe me, there’s some real gems in there.
Also, my social media time (which was, ahem, never much to speak of) has become virtually non-existent, and I don’t see that improving much in the near term. Oh, I’ll still be around, commenting on the occasional post or two. And I still use my RSS reader to keep track of my favorite bloggers. So just know I haven’t completely abandoned y’all; I’ll still probably be lurking there in the background. Really.
Finally, something else I’ve recently gotten into is photography. Thanks to an amazing turn of events, I recently acquired a “really nice” camera and have caught the photography bug. Alas and forsooth, once again there are only so many hours in the day, so while I’m happily learning something new – my writing will of necessity suffer because of it. Hopefully I’ll be able to combine both writing and photography in the future.
If you like, you’re welcome to observe my journey from budding neophyte to professional photographer (yeah, right!) by following my Flickr stream here . And yes, I do manage to peruse some of y’all’s Flickr streams as well. Keep up the good work!
Please Subscribe!
In the meantime, by all means, please continue your subscription to Middle Zone Musings via RSS or by email. I truly appreciate your continued patronage, and hopefully things will pick up soon. In fact, even as you read this I’ve got another post in the making. So stay tuned!
Oh, and a big ol’ tip o’ the hat to ya!
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By the way, you may or may not be wondering why on Earth I called this post the “wildebeest news” report. Well, it’s a sorta play on the way a certain word sounds in English. See, sometimes a wildebeest is called a “gnu”. And “gnu” rhymes with “new”, as in “latest”. Thus, “The Wildebeest News Report” translates into “The Latest News Report” Get it? Huh? Huh? (sound of audience groaning)
I’m tellin’ ya; sometimes I crack myself up.
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Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Oh Robert, I’m so happy for you! Not that you haven’t had time to write you understand, but that you’ve got a job… I know it must have been a trying time.
Your MZM plan sounds great, as does the photography – I don’t know about you but I find I get a lot of writing (and life) ideas from taking photos, so I’m sure they’ll combine into something fantabulous at the time when the muse is ready
Sometimes you crack me up, Robert. Congratulations on the new job! Yay!
Peace,
Geoffrey
Hi Robert, Congratulations again on the new job! I’ll miss your regular writing, but thrilled everything is falling into place.
@Brad – Thanks, Brad; it’s been a long haul for sure. I have no idea where this project is going to eventually take me, but it’s lookin’ like a real adventure!
@Geoffrey – Thanks for the kind wishes, Geoffrey! Someday we’ll have a chance to laugh together – I’m sure of it.
@Joanna – I think you’re right about the photos inspiring the writing. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a post on the way right now because of one of my photos.
Congratulations on the new job, Robert! I’ll miss WILF but will be delighted to see you posting again.
Congratulations again on the new job! I missed your regular postings. However I am glad about every post I will read on your blog, be it once a week, twice a month or once a month!
Howdy Robert, It’s so nice to see you back, and congrats on your new job. I was wondering what happened to you, and now i’m glad everything is going up hill for you again. For sure, I will keep checking on you to see if you left any new post, but I will understand like others that you are just busy, and you will be posting when you can. Best of luck!
Congrats again on the new job Robert! Yes, you have been missed and this post provided a much needed Zone fix! Glad you’re back in the saddle!
@Lillie – Hey, thanks, I appreciate that. Just a little slowdown.
@Ulla – Thanks, Ulla! Hopefully you’ll be seeing a post or two soon.
@Paula Jo – Thanks, and a tip o’ the hat, Paula Jo! New posts coming… Real Soon Now. He said.
@Karen – Heh, a “zone fix”, Karen? Not to worry; I think there’s a cream for that! Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Er, sorry.
Consider me part of that crowd cheering and clapping. I thought something was wrong with my RSS. Balance is a very good thing in life and it seems to me you have chosen the best parts to spend your time on.
I am an amateur photographer myself- it goes so well with my passion for gardening and all things outdoors. Looking forward to your picts. and occasional posts that usually make me smile.
@Kathy – Hey, thanks, I appreciate the vote of confidence! I promise – new stuff comin’ soon!
Congratulations on your job as well as the new found passion! Your sabbatical should definitely gear you up to deliver some great stuff. Looking forward to witnessing some excellent posts from you all over again..
Bob,
Having been down the ‘lots of free time for the wrong reasons and then having none for the right ones’ road, I’ll have plenty of patience while you sort things out.
All the best,
Mike
@Tom – Thanks a herd for the kind remarks, Tom!
@Mike – Yeah, I knew you’d say that!
Congrats again on the new job Robert! Yes, you have been missed and this post provided a much needed Zone fix! Glad you’re back in the saddle!
Glad to hear you have a new job, not just for your sake (which is great!) but also because it may indicate some improvement in the engineering field. After hearing for years that engineers were needed, our son graduated in mechanical engineering – right as the economy tanked. He has a related job but would prefer something more challenging. Maybe there’s hope. Good luck in your new endeavors!
@Amy – Thanks and a hat tip to ya, Amy!
@Wendy – I keep hopin’ that too, for the sake of my “still searching” friends. Thanks for the kind wishes and tell your son good luck for me!
Hi,
Awesome about your new job! That must be a huge relief. We totally understand the need to prioritize. We all can learn from that.
Your posts crack me up.
Good luck on your photography too…..I got bit by that bug badly about a year ago. I had NO clue there was so much to it, and so much to learn. It’s truly limitless.
Val
Congratulations on your new job, I wish you good luck!
@Val – My posts crack you up? Did you know there’s a cream for that?
@David – Hey, thanks and a tip o’ the hat, Bubba!
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