Life's curveballs...

Well, so much has changed in the last year of my life!  I found out that I would be able to take advantage of an early retirement...which is awesome.  On the flip side, I had to figure out, on relatively short notice, what I wanted to do with myself once I am no longer in the Marine Corps.  That is something people usually spend years deciding and preparing for and I only had a few months.

I started out by creating my resume and applying to various positions in my field (Human Resources) hoping to find a normal job but it never really felt right.  I just kept thinking that I want something that is going to make me truly happy.  The problem is figuring out exactly what that is.  I wanted to do something hands on.  I would like to be outdoors at least part of the time.  I want to be my own boss and if I do have employees, only a few.  I want to be able to see results in what I am doing in a fairly short amount of time so that I don't get burned out.  I want to be able to work in a calming environment with the ability to occasionally interact with others.  Finally, I want something that my children can be involved in and will eventually be able to take over if they choose to.  I wasn't sure that I would actually find a job that met all of those requirements so I assumed it was just wishful thinking.

A few weeks ago I attended a Transition Workshop and on the last day of the 5 day course I chose to attend an Entrepreneurial Workshop.  We had a guest speaker stop by and give us a brief overview of the business that she and her husband started after he transitioned from the Marine Corps.  I was blown away.  This is EXACTLY what I wanted to do.  I couldn't believe how perfect this would be for me and met every one of my requirements.  They have a training program that would be starting in a few weeks and I could learn everything about the business and about how to start my own.  I was (and still am) so excited that I couldn't wait to get home and tell my husband.

So....what exactly is this business?

Wait for it....wait for it.....

I am going to be a farmer.

Well, a hydroponic / aquaponic farmer to be exact. That means I am going to grow vegetables and herbs, primarily herbs though, in water and a medium other than dirt. I am also going to raise tilapia (fish) to use for the nutrients to feed the plants and to sell once they reach the proper weight of 1-2 pounds per fish.

This method of farming allows small scale farmers to turn crops much more quickly and will allow me to make a pretty decent income.  I will probably have one employee and life will be good.  I admit, I am very nervous but I know I can make it work.  I have already made arrangements to purchase my greenhouse.  It is 20X100 feet.  I also just purchased my first aquarium for my breeder tilapia.  I will be raising fish in the next few days...

So, life is grand.

I can't wait to get to Alabama and start working:)  I will post pictures soon.

Why I Stay...

Deployed again....

But this time I am on a Navy ship in a foreign place.

The good things about the ship are the gym, the hot showers, the clean room, my TV, my internet access and my roommate.

The bad...where do I start? Well, the bad parts are the food, the constant loud noises, the fact that you are never alone, 14 hour workdays, no days off, micromanagement, my command, no WIFI, limited telephone access, and many, many, more.

Why do I do this?

Every year that rolls around I re-think my decision to stay in the Marine Corps. I don't love what I do but there are times when I like what I do. Not for the last two years...but hopefully that will change when I change duty stations in a few months. No, I don't do it because I love it; I do it because I can retire when my children are still young and I will only have to work if I choose to. I do it because I make a lot of money (by my standards) and I couldn't do much better if I changed jobs. I do it because the economy is very unstable and even if I got a dream job, you never know if it is going to last more than a short time. Most people don't plan to get laid off and I don't want to take that chance.

I look forward to the day that I do retire. I have 6 years and one month until that day and I am so excited to know that when I am 40 years old I will no longer have to work unless I choose to. I can take my children to school and go on field trips. I can take them to sporting events and be a team mom. I can go out of town anytime I choose. I will be able to choose where we live and not ever have to move again unless we decide to. I can spend my days laying by the pool if I have nothing else that I want to do more. I can't wait to be free. The most important and exciting part of retirement is this; I will never ever have to leave my babies for a deployment again.