Roosl's Graphic Design

This is a special, one time newsletter. I'll be gone for awhile (details below), and this diddy is just one little priority I must address first! I pray you enjoy a great winter's end, and of course the coming spring. Spring is almost here!

Almost. This short newsletter, this one time in a different format, may be my "Swansong" communication. Now brings a major turning point, and an end to an era, if you will, for Roosl.

I will be out of contact for awhile, perhaps a couple of months. I'll be relocating, and will not have much, if any access to email. As well, current phone numbers will soon be inactive.

There will be no newsletter for awhile, at least until we relocate, get settled and I get set up again. The website will remain online though, and will contain a notice, which I will post right before we leave, and will update/remove as soon as I can. At that time, I'll also update the contact page with new information. My primary email address will remain the same, although I won't receive or respond to email for some time.

Due to a long period of unemployment and the resulting financial issues, I have begun the steps necessary to sell our home and will be moving soon. I've decided that the St. Louis area, as much as I've enjoyed it since 1981, is not where I wish to remain since there is no job here for me.

Now, don't get the idea I'm complaining. Now that it's come to this, I'm excited about it! I'm looking forward to a new adventure, and a fresh start someplace new.

What has happened to Information Technology (IT) in this country, and to those of us mature professionals (other than those who lead "charmed lives"), is a good potential topic for the "My Two Cents" column of the newsletter. Maybe later.

I've been in IT for over 22 years. It was a great career until a relatively short time ago. I was fortunate to have been earning, along with a great reputation, a very generous income. The problem with that is common to many in America, especially these days for folks like myself. Like many, we got used to it, took our lifestyle for granted, enjoyed our nice home, and lived at or above our means. The problem with that is, now the proverbial wave has crashed, so we can't keep our home or all the "stuff" in it. But in some ways, well, it is a lot of house and stuff for two empty-nesters. We've been blessed with this beautiful place and the time we had here.

I've thought recently about how much we love our home, but we know now, that it's the only thing keeping us here. Before we knew this home, we each loved the one we had. Before I knew this saga of my life, I was very happy with my old apartment. I mention this because this can be a very difficult situation, and if it happens to you, remember these things. I know in the truth, it all comes down to a house and "stuff". We believe when all this hard part is over and done, we'll be better off.

I've learned from God that prayers aren't necessarily answered in terms of how I want certain things to be, like this job or that, or that things won't change from my comforts and place.

I originally moved to this area because of a job, the job that began the IT career I enjoyed so much. I've decided that if I am now going to have to get just any job, I don't want to do that here. I can do that where the weather is nicer, and get away from the worry of finding another job with the kind of income I allowed myself to get used to. I've read more than once recently, that unemployed IT professionals over the age of 40 can just consider themselves "locked out". I've come to accept that. I now look forward to a new, modest lifestyle, and one that's debt free!

So, off we go! We're putting the Midwest and a lot of memories - good and bad - in my rear-view mirror. The website, graphic design and everything else I am still able to do and enjoy will not disappear (no, no, they can't take that away from me...). If you're still on my list when we land where ever we land, I'll be in touch!

Forever grateful to God for His given blessings, I can't say enough about what His presence and meaning are to me in my daily life (and now forward, into the adventure forthcoming)...