Thanks from Antelope

During the past couple years I have come to meet many wonderful people as a result of spending time at Colonial Fleets, Cylon.org, and also recently at Ship of Lights. I consider the regulars at these sites my friends. I have learned so much about Battlestar Galactica, science fiction in general, and about the loves and lives of so many good people. I have agreed with many of you, disagreed with many but was always grateful for the interest and conversation.

I own a little rental car company that went through some hard times after 9/11. Although rental car companies seldom get news headlines like the airlines have, the truth of the situation is that our industry was devastated by 9/11. Explaining how and why this occurred to our industry is very complex to those unfamiliar but to sum it up half of all privately owned rental car companies in America went out of business in the year following 9/11. On the corporate side of the industry Alamo, National, and Budget all went into bankruptcy protection that year.

My company was not immune from this environment. 9/11 put us in a deep hole which we have been digging out of ever since. Luckily my family's income was not totally dependent on the rental car industry during these tough years. We are doing well but if hindsight was 20/20 we would not have entered the industry.

I made a decision about 18 months ago to exit the industry but I had to do it in a way that made the most financial sense. I am now at the end of that path. Sometime in the next 30 days I will be on to the next part of my working life. I look forward to getting back in the thick of things or at least to seeing the rewards of hard work reflected in my check accounts.

I bring this all up because my current situation results in me having considerable time at work to talk with my internet friends and review what's going on. Your companionship during what could have been a very boring time alone has been priceless.

Soon my life however is going to have little time to peruse the internet so I expect my messages to become fewer and farther between. When I am on this site I will most likely be a lurker. Before my life heads down this new path I just wanted to take a moment before I became rushed to thank you all for your kindness. I also didn't want my friends to wonder why I seemed to "disappear".

Once again Thank you and Good Luck to you all!

[Dawg]

Sounds like things are looking up for you. That's good.

Of course, best of luck to you and I do hope you won't be a stranger as you find yourself actually having to work during the day.



Oh - by the way -

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANTELOPE!!!

No time, since I'm at work, to populate that with the bouncies and vipers and stuff, but I did notice.

Good news today all the way around, isn't it?

I am
Dawg

[jewels]

Antelope,
Congrats on your taking that next brave career step.

I've valued getting to know you, even when we saw things differently.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Jewels

[Gemini1999]

How do I say this...?

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!

Antelope - I'm going to miss your introspective commentary. You always take such time and thought with your posts - like Julie said, even when we didn't see eye to eye, I could always appreciate what you said.

You live so close and now you're going away....

I wish you the best of luck in the next step of your career and your life. It's always changing and the only thing we can do is try to keep up with those changes. I went through some major life changes in the past year, so I can understand the gravity of what you're experiencing.

Always remember this: "When one door closes, another door opens..."

It's just going through that door that's kind of scary at times, but you never know what's on the other side until you do.

I hope that you find time to come back and see us once in a while - you know where to find us and you're always welcome.

Best regards always,
Bryan

[BST]

Antelope,

Echoing the thoughts of those who posted before me, best of luck in your new career. Bryan mentioned that when "one door closes, another opens". May it lead you on a path that is filled with the best that life has to offer. Hopefully, your new career will not intrude too much on the soccer season -- if you're not able to coach, perhaps you'll at least be able to see the games.



Take care and remember, "we'll leave a light on for you". Stop by anytime, even if it's just to wave and say HI!

BST

Thanks for the kind words!

I think soccer will not be affected. The way my life works the moment I leave work it is 100% wife and kids. Kids include soccer. I am still coaching my daughter's indoor team. The season ends on June 4th. Then we take some time off from soccer and start her AYSO outdoor season with practice in August. At this time I have volunteered to coach her under 10 team. There is a small possibility we may be moving out of state this summer and that may throw everything up in the air.

I live in California in a place where as Gemini is well aware our property values have skyrocketed. It would be nice to move to a state where homes are half the price and suddenly we don't need two people working in our family. If house prices don't collapse I don't see a scenario where I will stay in California more than another year to 18 months.

In a perfect world I would get the job I'm looking for in Charlotte, North Carolina and be heading off but I am willing to wait until I have that right job since my wife has a good job out here now. Sacramento is a great place to live but how anyone coming out of high school or college today manages to stay here is beyond me. If you bought a house ten years or more ago and didn't spend all your equity you probably could retire 10 years earlier just by moving. In the last year I have seen a few friends head down that route. I am loosing one of my star indoor soccer players before our last game as her family heads off to Iowa. They are getting a bigger house for half the price of the one they sold and probably paying in cash.

We live in interesting economic times. I don't think it will last and am trying to work things while these opportunities are here.