Great Truths - Preface . . .

I regret there haven’t been any new postings up here for a while. July has been a very busy month – some interesting projects, working on finalizing the transfer of my book publishing business, getting caught up on some accounting and tax work with my accountant and eliminating a lot of debt (due to business involvements). Last fall, as you may recall, if you’re a regular reader of this blog, I took the 2nd step to my “emancipation” when I downsized all of my physical possessions, eliminated a fixed home and home address and began a basic nomadic lifestyle. I say this was the 2nd step because the 1st step was downsizing the publishing business and ultimately letting my last employee go. Of course, all of this was based on the really big step – deciding that I was finally ready to follow my own advice and let go of all the anchors, albatrosses and baggage that was keeping me imprisoned in a jail of my own making.

So, step 3 was to find a way to eliminate the day-to-day involvement in a book publishing business that never really suited my personality or life objectives. Along with that came a lot of complicated accounting and tax work and, of course, a significant amount of business debt due to the rapidly changing technology, publishing industry changes and the chaotic economic climate that began about three years ago and in the last year or so has taken a near vertical nose dive. Step 3 is nearing completion and I feel like my 2nd “Emancipation Day” will be on or around November 1, 2009. At that time I’ll be out of the publishing business (other then in a consulting and advisory position), the accounting will be off my back, all my taxes will be up to date and I’ll have eliminated virtually all my debt.

I will, essentially, be about as free as I can get. I’m determined to remain in a solo or freelance work-style, writing, blogging, podcasting, conducting seminars and workshops and such for the remainder of my life. I’m hoping for another good 25 to 30 years – if the powers of the universe, God, or whatever anyone wants to call them, grant me that. I made that vow in 1985 and was pretty happy being an independent freelance contractor until 1999 when I thought I was helping two friends by taking over the book publishing business. That decision ended my freedom, independence and freelance status for a decade. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not financially well healed. I cannot just sit back and watch the world go by (or crumble to pieces – whichever the case may ultimately be). I do need to generate an income. However, with all I’ve done over the past couple years and, most certainly, since November 1, 2009, I currently live comfortably on less then 20% of what my overhead was prior to November 1, 2009. Does that sound appealing to you? Cut your overhead by more then 80% and still live comfortably? Believe me, IT IS! However, what I’ve chosen to do isn’t going to work for most other people. And, even those that might think it’s for them might not be ready.

I’m starting a new series of postings with this posting. As you can see, I’ve titled them Great Truths. In the next posting I’ll do an introduction to this topic. There will be 13 postings in this series beginning with the Introduction and then 12 Great Truths – and I should tell you now, this series is going to be the basis for a book series I’m going to write and publish in e-book, audio book – and for those who still love the printed, paper page – a hard copy book. The postings here, in this blog, will only be a brief overview of the 12 Great Truths. I plan to interview a number of people to gain their thoughts and insights on each of these truths. I’ll excerpt important ideas from the interviews and quote them in the book chapters. For anyone wanting more, I’ll most likely make each of the interviews available as a downloadable mp3 audio file. But, I’ll fill you in on the details later, when the book is ready. The people I’ll be interviewing will be from various segments of our society. There will be men, women, people of different races and nationalities, various religious or non-religious perspectives, people of financial wealth and prestige and those who may live in poverty, mostly people of middle age and above, though I have met some very wise people (wise beyond their years) who are young enough to be my children – and from all kinds of occupations and educational levels. In other words, I want to examine these great truths from as many perspectives as I can to see how they are defined, accepted or rejected and applied by as diverse a universe as possible – within reason, of course.

Oh yes, there is one other thing. There are more then 12 great truths, at least as I define them. I already have a list that is approaching 36 great truths and I fully expect that it might reach 48. However, I believe 12 will be enough to digest in any one book. So, there will likely be at least three and possibly four volumes of Great Truths over a period of the next few years.

I do look forward to your comments and feedback. So, please feel free to contribute. And now, I have to get back to researching my new (pre-owned, but new to me) “condo-on-wheels” or “land yacht” that will become my home and traveling office as I traverse this continent meeting people, sharing my ideas, learning theirs and living and working free.

Enthusiastically,
Ed