FREE and Unemployed Once Again

FREE and Unemployed Once Again

(response to my asking my photographic friend - 

 fellow Shutterchance member

 if she knew the work of Paolo Soleri

 one of my architectural heroes since 1964)

Dear Elizabeth

I would have be shocked...just kidding

if you said you didn't know Paolo's work.

One of my temporary design professors

who was working on his own masters degree

at Cranbrook:  Glen Small had worked

with Paolo at Arcosanti and convinced

our Dean of Architecture to have him

as a guest speaker for our schools

AIA Chapter.

I was inspired

Considered working with Paolo too

but then I got married.

Many of my dreams never happened

during the almost 10 years I was married then.

Traveling to see great, creative, inspirational architecture and art

Accepting a grant to live in Italy in a small village

I did manage to work with Gunnar Birkerts

a dream job.

But in an extremely stressed state one Monday morning

I packed up some design and artwork and went looking for

a job in advertising or graphic or industrial design

instead of going to my dream job.

two days later I met with one of the best bosses

I have ever, Jack Hilberry, who hired me two years before,

a long time friend of Gunnar's and his partner

Instead I looked for my next dream job for 9 weeks

which I ended up learning about from my in-laws'

next door neighbor, Bob (family name I can't remember this morning)

who knew I had been looking for a design job.

He suggested one Sunday afternoon when I saw him

"I think SH&G is looking for graphic designers."

The next day I called. Set up an employment interview.

Aced it and got hired.

Funny thing as typing this I realized the

similarity to the past 3 years since

I returned from the prison as a FREE person.

In 1970 I was trying to set myself FREE

from my wife but did not consider divorce an option then.

In 1976 I was working at another DREAM JOB

and she asked for a trial separation.

1st she went away for a week 

I learned later with the older man

who would become her 2nd husband

about a year after we officially divorced.

When I went on my week separation

thanks to a friend of a friend

who let me stay in one of his rental apartments

without paying right away

I realized within the next few days

I could no longer live in the same house or stay married to her.

Months later I filed for non-contested divorce

and became FREE once again

FREE and unemployed or NOT WORKING

like I have been for the past 3 years.

Writing this was a release and will post it 

in the BLOG where I post memoir writings.

Best wishes Elizabeth.