Brian Flannery, Nine Months Later (bolded for skimming)

I am born! Nine months after quitting the normal, stable, steady, secure job, I emerge into another 9 to 5 job. Yes, nine months of incubating alternative employment and we are ready for some income.

In this reincarnation, I return to my soul's mother (alma mater), the Colorado School of Mines. The Physics department has some research work about microchips. My title will be "research faculty" when I start. They have lost my paperwork somewhere between, "you're hired" and "you may begin working."

I graduated CSM in May of 2003 by the hair of my chinny chin chin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Sciences. I had earned enough credits for a master's degree but not the right credits in the right order. Focus has always been a problem for me. I was on track for a double major with Electrical Engineering. At the last minute, three classes away from the double, I graduated instead. I couldn't resist the escape. I was losing steam.

It's good to be back in Golden. I always loved the old buildings and natural majesty of this small campus. After six years in Aurora I had forgotten how much I loved the foothills.

Now I get to make science happen, conducting experiments and measuring results.

Christa and I began our experiment with some money in savings. We intended to try a few business endeavors and jump back into a J-O-B after three months. Three times that schedule, we learned a lot.

We have more to learn. We have not given up on the business ideas:

• A custom printing company that focuses on creating legacy-quality heirlooms.
• A photography partnership. Christa still works a weekend or two every month.
• Several friends with businesses and potential businesses who are trying the same experiment.

We intend to keep learning from our adventures and incorporating the lessons into how we operate. Like a laboratory, we are trying different hypotheses, recording what works or not, improving the process. I thought "the process" was a list of rules in an ugly company binder that no one really cared about or followed. Skip a few tax deadlines and pay the penalties or promise someone their order will be ready and fail to deliver -- then you learn how valuable it is to have a process you can follow that grows and learns with you.

The family survived the experiment. We even acquired a baby. The money is tight, like it should be, encouraging thrift and industry.

Pray for Christa. She had grown used to me being home. Now I'm 50 minutes away. I can't just watch the kids for a minute while she runs an errand. I come home and she's sitting on the couch going, "bub, bub, bub, bub...."

More soon,
-Brian the newborn

PS. The original six month update: http://flannco.blogspot.com/2009/11/brian-flannery-six-months-later.html