I epic failed

hbarcat · #1 07-22-2008, 11:51 PM

At the beginning of March, I quit my job to move to the city of Rockford to be closer to my daughter* and I have to admit it has been a disaster. I haven't been able to find a permanent job that I'm qualified for, though I've been doing temp work enough to keep me from actually going completely broke. On top of that, I moved too close to my ex-wife (within 3 miles) and she kept stopping by my house, sometimes several times a day, when our daughter was with me. Our daughter was more miserable than ever before because she couldn't count on spending enough time away from her mom that she was used to before when I lived 50 miles away.

The worst part was I lived in a genuine ghetto with drug deals going down on my block, sometimes right outside my windows and domestic fights happening almost every night somewhere on the block. I've finally had enough of the whole thing and admitted the plan was a complete and total failure and gave my notice (I signed a month to month lease). Today I got my deposit back and moved all my stuff into storage until I can find a real job and a real place to live. I'm crashing in a back room in a relative's house in the meantime.

Still, I'm not complaining as I have a lot to be thankful for and I know that this is only temporary, but for the first time in almost 20 years I find myself hitting the reset button on life with a fresh start ahead of me just a few months after my 40th birthday. For the time being, I will stay within driving distance of my daughter so that I can see her every week but it's an odd feeling not knowing where I will be living or working in the coming weeks or months. Tomorrow I'm back to hitting the pavement looking for a job.

I'm mindful that what is most important in life is the path one travels rather than the destination.

*Quit job and moving to be near daughter

ynie92992 · #2 07-22-2008, 11:55 PM

Just keep thinking that way.Keep chin up.

Valerus · #3 07-22-2008, 11:55 PM

Stay strong brosef, it'll turn out for the best.

MakiSupaStar · #4 07-22-2008, 11:59 PM

I wouldn't call this a failure by a long shot.

NJL · #5 07-23-2008, 12:00 AM

you can even call this character building

Warpticon · #6 07-23-2008, 12:01 AM

You know what I like about this story? That you a) had the balls to pick up and start from scratch for your daughter's sake, and that you b) had the balls to call your plan a failure and start anew yet again. A lot of people would have just wallowed and settled in a bad spot. Keep that up and you'll get it right eventually.

hbarcat · #7 07-23-2008, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJL

you can even call this character building

Dad, is that you???

NJL · #8 07-23-2008, 12:16 AM

LOL

santucci218 · #9 07-23-2008, 01:29 AM

best of luck man. Its cool that you were able to put aside your interests to make things better for your daughter, i really admire that.

moomoocajoo · #10 07-23-2008, 02:26 AM

As homer simpson would say this is a crisatunity!

Look forward to a fresh start

Big Hungry · #11 07-23-2008, 02:55 AM

Definitely not a fail. You made a choice that you thought would help out your family and it backfired. Then you were man enough to admit you made a mistake and you are now doing your best to change your life around and make it better.

Mark Latimour · #12 07-23-2008, 02:58 AM

You have a funny defintion of fail IMO.

VisualShock · #13 07-23-2008, 05:08 AM

as long as you have learnt from the experience, then it's far from a fail.

Darkstrike · #14 07-23-2008, 05:28 AM

Keep on keepin' on, not a fail by a longshot.

machine gewehr · #15 07-23-2008, 05:37 AM

Since when being close to "the only thing that matters in life" is a kind of a fail?
You did right!

wazzel · #16 07-23-2008, 05:48 AM

You did the right thing. Did not turn out as hopped, but far from fail.

Bard2dbone · #17 07-23-2008, 06:03 AM

I'd call it a learning opportunity. But not an epic one.

Relic · #18 07-23-2008, 07:18 AM

You rock dude. You're a good dad. This is a momentary set-back but not a fail by a long shot. Being able to acknowledge a mistake and man up to it also tells me that you'll get past it and be back on track in no time. Attitude makes all the difference

jkritchey · #19 07-23-2008, 07:33 AM

Can't win the raffle unless you buy a ticket. You had a go, and it didn't work out. At least you had a go. Some of my best life lessons have occurred while flailing, career wise.

I hope it works out for you, and I think it will.

sarcastro83 · #20 07-23-2008, 08:00 AM

Think of the example you're setting for your little girl. You're willing to stick out bad neighborhoods, few job prospects, and you've been willing to "hit the reset button on life" just for her. She's a very lucky kid, man.

Keep on, keeping on.