Reverse Gear

Normally, this kind of image appears on our sister blog, Sidewalk Images , and in fact, this particular one did, earlier today.

But it seems so classically suited to the mood I'm in tonight, we have decided to double-dip. Don't worry; if you follow the link, there are lots of treats awaiting you there.



Now that I am a full-time blogger, I thought I should perhaps check how our revenue is doing. I wish I hadn't. It turns out that since May 1, we have hosted 4,325 visits, a modest audience to be sure, but according to Google, only 25 times has anyone clicked on one of those ads on our site.

Thus, our total income over this period is, (woo hoo!), $9.92.



I suppose this illustrates the point I made earlier today about free content. Who but an utterly insane person would write in order to earn roughly two bucks a month. Did someone mention Third World poverty levels?



Of course, we all know I don't do this for money, but for something much more important. This is my living memoir in reverse gear. I have been unrolling my life's story very gradually going backwards.



I admit to a second-week depression. You know, the kind of week when you learn that in order to continue to support your family's health and dental insurance coverage now you are unemployed, you need to pay $14,000 annually.

The kind of week when FedEx delivers you not one but two severance checks. You are thinking that your ex-boss must have been listening when you explained it will probably take six months to find a suitable replacement job, and, given how hard you worked and how much value you added to his utterly unsuccessful venture, he decided to be generous beyond anything you would have asked for.

So, you went to the bank and deposited both checks and went home, feeling that you just might be able to make it through this difficult transitional moment with your retirement accounts intact.

But no, the bank calls you and explains that one of those checks is "pending void."

That's a first for me. I've never heard the phrase before.



"Pending void." Sound very much like the space I am entering.

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