"Side Hustle"

            My son works tirelessly to establish his own business that branches out into a multitude of directions. His illustration skills lead him into work ranging from art for educational publications to logo designs to website art. His fine-tuned audio engineering talent means he rocks the house with original beats. He spends days behind the camera taking still photographs or shooting music videos for up-and-coming performers. As a youth, he made extra money selling his original t-shirt art to friends from school. This passion reignited recently, and he spent days researching companies to find the best one to meet his needs for printing and shipping original designs.

            When he approached me a month ago with an idea for my own t-shirt line, I instantly liked the creative outlet that combined playing with words and photography. Before I knew it, and with tons of help and guidance from my son, I started my own line.

            I won’t make a million dollars from this endeavor, but I will possibly have additional income that can let me splurge on a few monthly extras.

This “side hustle” opens me up for a totally new challenge, which I want to do as I get older. I know that keeping a sharp, inventive mind doesn’t happen by inactivity. With this t-shirt task, I will grab my camera more often. Instead of being a slug-a-bug in bed on Saturday mornings, I may head out the door on a photo-shoot at a location that’s totally new to me. I already find myself looking at words and phrases that would appeal to my intended market—women who love comfortable t-shirts, but want something a little nicer than a comic book character or “Best Mom Ever” slogan.

Copyright 2019 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman

              

"Setting Goals"

Today’s “To Do” list:

1. promote blog, novel, and t-shirt designs

2. work full day with second graders (no lesson plans or instructions left, but other grade level teachers pulled rabbits out of their hats with plenty of activities for me)

3. run errands with husband and son

4. do both cardio and weights at the gym

5. grab dinner

6. write new blog post, promote t-shirt designs, and plug  novel

7.  fall into bed (in satisfied exhaustion)

Sometimes, I hate to think about what my life would be like if I’d never retired to care for Mom. I know The Golden Bracelet would only exist in the back of my mind. I don’t believe I would’ve started my blog, Swing in a Tree. The isolated role of caregiver forced me into a creative format to connect to the world around me. My recent foray into t-shirt design spawned from a desire to share my photography to a wider audience than my Facebook, Twitter, and blog followers. I want to experiment with another income that comes from my interests and talents instead of continuing to embed myself within the public educational system.

As I move into my sixties, having health problems appear inevitable. I’ve changed everything I eat during the last nine months. My energy levels soared! A few months ago, I added cardio and weights into my life again. I haven’t worked my exercise routine into a habit that I miss when I skip, but by this summer I may reach that goal.

For me, setting new goals means I’m continuing to grow and change. A constant worry that I always carry in the back of my mind is that I could still have Huntington’s disease. My mother’s late onset means I might possibly have a few years of being symptom free. I scrutinize every mood swing. I evaluate my fatigue at the end of a long work day. I fret if I sense myself dragging my feet about a new project or learning a new skill. These changes were Mom’s first: anxiety, mild depression, lethargy, loss of interest hobbies.

The challenges added into my life, and onto my “To Do” list, give me balance and hope.

Copyright 2019 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman