How to Celebrate the Quittening
In 2.5 weeks, I will be leaving full-time employment with the State of Michigan, where I’ve worked for almost 15 years. I’m brainstorming how best to celebrate this transition to More Writing and Less Commuting. Here are the ideas I’ve come up with so far…
- Writing-related tattoo! (Probably something with Snoopy at his typewriter.)
- Stormtrooper armor. Or maybe Boba Fett. (Very pricy, and since I’m losing my regular paycheck, this one’s unlikely.)
- Custom lightsaber.
- Dye the beard a random and interesting color. Or colors.
- Fancy new high-quality zoom lens for the camera.
It goes without saying that sleeping 72 hours straight will be a vital part of the celebration.
What do you think? Any other suggestions?
Dave
August 12, 2015 @ 11:24 am
Binge on ice cream and sushi, install full size cutouts of the Libriomancer cast on the front lawn.
UrsulaV
August 12, 2015 @ 11:51 am
I’m never gonna argue against a tattoo, although I do suggest getting “FULL TIME WRITER” in Elvish or Klingon, as a tramp stamp.
…failing that, zoom lenses are pretty awesome.
Alan DeHaan
August 12, 2015 @ 11:57 am
Storm into the Governor’s office and tell him he can take this job and shove it! (Ignoring the fact the Governor is well removed from you *and* is hundreds of miles away)
Hm, the Quittening. I know! Your next book will reveal that all Libriomancers are actually aliens from another planet that were exiled here in a civil war!
Debbie Rice
August 12, 2015 @ 11:59 am
No brainer: buy more books to read.
Daniel B.
August 12, 2015 @ 11:59 am
Huge celebratory bonfire in front yard fueled by W-2s, all but the most essential hygiene related products, and all clothes that are not pajamas.
D. D. Webb
August 12, 2015 @ 12:03 pm
Do you have any coworkers who deserve a display of your literary skills on the subject of why it is a glorious thing that you will never have to see them again?
Andrew Betts
August 12, 2015 @ 12:29 pm
If you weren’t so many hours away I’d have to thwack you for the Highlander 2 reference!
Alan DeHaan
August 12, 2015 @ 12:31 pm
Mwahahahahaha. Once again Distance proves to be my ally to avoid all the thwackings from my former gaming group.
I will continue to use this power for evil.
Sally
August 12, 2015 @ 12:48 pm
Yes. This.
Nick
August 12, 2015 @ 12:53 pm
Fancy new prime lens for the camera, not a zoom!
Adopting a second-shift schedule, just because you can.
Ergonomic keyboard. Really nice ergonomic keyboard.
Building a wall around your computer with promo copies and ARCs of your books.
Jim C. Hines
August 12, 2015 @ 12:56 pm
Why would you recommend a prime over a zoom? (Asks the amateur who’s still trying to figure out what he’s doing.)
Jim C. Hines
August 12, 2015 @ 12:56 pm
Seconding Andrew’s comment!
Eppu
August 12, 2015 @ 1:01 pm
Special dinner with family. Maybe with a theme!
sistercoyote
August 12, 2015 @ 1:50 pm
I’m sorry, there was a Highlander 2?
Really?
I have no memory of this
abominationmovie.sistercoyote
August 12, 2015 @ 1:51 pm
I think all of the above.
But the beard, definitely.
BlueSimplicity
August 12, 2015 @ 2:20 pm
If you do the beard, I think you definitely need to add an eye-patch and a parrot…Wait? What’s that? You’re quitting your job to become a full time writer, not a pirate? Oh. **slumps in disappointment**
Well, I still think an eye-patch and a parrot would be cool.
Congratulations BTW. =)
Terry Karney
August 12, 2015 @ 3:01 pm
I’d go for the lens. It affords a different outlet for artistic urges, and has “oooh! Shiny!”.
Ashley
August 12, 2015 @ 5:48 pm
Dye the beard! Dye the beard!
This option probably has the least reward for you, but it sounds super fun for the rest of us.
Marie
August 12, 2015 @ 7:04 pm
I solved that by avoiding it like the plague when friends had gone ballistic.
Celebrate by going across the street in the middle of the work day and have a friend take picture of you dancing with glee and waving in that direction. You can step in and you can step out while they are still trapped.
Marie
August 12, 2015 @ 7:05 pm
Talk like a pirate day is next month. Do it right!
Mark
August 12, 2015 @ 7:20 pm
Digital Photography School has a good article on the differences between prime & zoom lenses. But basically prime lenses tend to have higher quality glass, cost less (for a single lens), weigh less, and are faster (aperture wise, 1.4 vs 5.6 for example).
joe
August 12, 2015 @ 9:37 pm
or, and i am spit-balling here, a tattoo of a lightsaber that can be seen when wearing your storm trooper armor, but you need the new lens to take the picture and post it……don’t forget the purple splat dye for the beard when taking the picture……
matthew barr
August 13, 2015 @ 12:20 am
Meh.
I have pictures of him getting the last tramp stamp, and I’m pretty sure you were in the room too.
Mind, they wore off, but the possibilities for blackmail!
(Sidekick tells me that he took off his shirt for pictures already.)
Foiled again!
Nenya
August 13, 2015 @ 5:50 am
Ah, but if he’s a writer, he can be as sartorially piratical as he likes, can’t he?
(I also vote for the beard. And/or a temporary tattoo in Elvish.)
Nenya
August 13, 2015 @ 5:51 am
Jim, I like the way this ^ man thinks.
SherryH
August 13, 2015 @ 9:45 am
The beard. Definitely dye the beard. And maybe do some of the other stuff, too.
I mean, there’s no rule that you can only choose one, is there?
Pam Adams
August 13, 2015 @ 11:30 am
I like the beard idea. Being a state worker myself, I hope you stayed long enough to qualify for a pension.
Jim C. Hines
August 13, 2015 @ 12:09 pm
Sadly, I started working for the state in early 2001, and they’d phased out the pension option for new employees by then. (On the other hand, if I was looking at a pension, that would make it more difficult for me to justify quitting…so maybe it’s for the best?)
Jim C. Hines
August 13, 2015 @ 12:09 pm
Thanks, Mark!
athersgeo
August 13, 2015 @ 5:06 pm
*small voice*
I actually liked it…then again, I was thirteen when it came out…
Ed Woychowsky
August 13, 2015 @ 7:40 pm
Congratulations on reaching your Pratchett Point!
Jim C. Hines
August 13, 2015 @ 8:44 pm
I think being thirteen gives you a pass on this one 🙂
Guess
August 13, 2015 @ 11:19 pm
Id recommend getting to work right away and establishing a routine. If you are used to having to go to work all day and being disciplined enough to fund time to work… You can end up with too much time not having to do anything and then you just procrastinate. Its really easy to do that when you go from having a job with requirements to I am responsible for budgeting my time.
Tattoo is a really bad idea… They stretch as we age. It will look like a blob in 20 years.
TrishEM
August 13, 2015 @ 11:32 pm
There can be only one!
Oh wait, I guess they’ve already finished with the Highlander references.
florian
August 14, 2015 @ 8:19 am
+1 for coloured beard, may I suggest nice and shiny gold or rusted copper green?
florian
August 14, 2015 @ 8:23 am
If you’re a slow photographer you may even want to try a manual prime; modern camera features like focus peaking make manual focusing a real pleasure.
Matthew Thyer
August 18, 2015 @ 7:25 pm
The beard shall be purple to match your fabulous hat, so say we all!