Member Articles

I started writing columns in the third year after my divorce/birth of my child. Up until that time, I was too sleep-deprived and bewildered to do anything more than stay employed and get the baby to and from daycare in between constant diaper changes (him), illnesses (both of us) and crying fits (again, both of us). After nearly three years on an endless cycle of being sick, exhausted, and floundering in an industry hit hard in the down economy, I finally cried “Uncle” and walked away from corporate America.

And that’s when life started to get interesting; when I had walked away from the one thing I was always good at - my job – with no clear plan for what was to come next. Over the next four years I learned how to date after nearly a decade off the market. I learned how to eek out a living freelancing, while longing for the structure of corporate America (not to mention, the nice paychecks and office!). I spent my days trying to be a good parent, when often I still felt young enough to need a parent myself. And finally, I faced up to the fact that I had to readjust my dreams to fit my realities.

So what happens when you walk away from life as you know it and step into the unknown? You learn that in the land of Bad Dates, Babysitters and Boardrooms, there’s no place for perfection; only laughter, good friends, and a well-deserved cocktail (or two).

This is the first of the series of columns that are part of my upcoming book “Bad Dates, Babysitters & Boardrooms: Life on the Far Side of Perfect”. I’d love to hear your input and feedback!