Good Tuesday Afternoon, and happy 2019 to everyone!
It was a fantastic break out here, I was able to totally disconnect from my phone, email, social media for a couple weeks and enjoy the downtime. That said, 2019 isn’t going to be great for downtime, and I’m not sure what that might mean for this little operation in the coming year.
I/we have a LOT on the table this year:
I am in the “defend the dissertation” part of a PhD program - the hard lift over the finish line - in economics, with a focus on West Virginia. I hope to be done (or near done) by the end of this Spring semester.
I’m getting married this coming summer, and have a wedding to plan and prepare (with some help).
My daughter starts high school this coming fall.
I started a new job in November 2018, and it has brought a lot of new responsibilities.
All of those are good things - but they also are stiff competition for the 24 hours I have in each day, and while I have petitioned to lengthen the day to 27 hours several times, that movement just hasn’t taken off :). That means that something probably will get less attention - and realistically, it’s going to be the time I put into this work. I still enjoy the work and conversing with you lovely folks - and I want that to stay true, so I will write when I have time and feel inspired, versus feeling like I “have to” - hope that y’all understand.
It also means that you are getting a preview of what a great deal of my thoughts (and thus, my topics) will be in the coming year. Family, kids, marriage, and the future of West Virginia. Hope that’s ok.
Hope you have a great rest of your week.
Today’s image is a detail of the Henry Clay Iron Furnace at Coopers Rock State Forest. The historian tells me that it was built in the 1830s, and was last used in 1868. Built by hand, it’s sat, unmaintained, for 150 years - almost as long as West Virginia has been a state. I loved the detail in the handcut stones on the corner, and the texture they show from all of that time.
Last Used in 1868 - West Virginia