Farewell Toasts and Warm Wishes

The Internet may be a vast and impersonal place, but the blogging community is often a close-knit group. We share life stories, troubleshoot each others’ blogs, encourage each other, and sometimes develop friendships that extend beyond the virtual world. This sense of community is one of the perks of blogging. It also makes it difficult when one of own experiences hardship.

Recently, Dave Fowler shared his struggles over balancing an enriching home life with making money online. As Dave so eloquently illustrates, eking out a living on the Net is harder than most people think. It takes hard work, dedication, and hours upon hours of staring at a computer screen while the world goes on around you. It’s tough.

I put in more hours working from home than I ever did when I worked as a nurse. But that doesn’t mean that I’m crazy for choosing this lifestyle. It fits my needs for this stage in my life, and I’m having a great time. I’ve met some terrific people, I’ve learned new skills, and I get to set my own rules. It’s kinda like building your own treehouse when you were little. You create the floor plan, decorate it in your favorite colors, and decide who gets to climb the ladder to play.

Dave announced last week that he will be leaving Blogopolis. He’s returning to the land of corporate business, or in his case, public service. He wants to take his last few weeks to make up for lost time with his family.

While I am sad to see him go, I am glad he is doing what’s right for him. I wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks to Dave for all the laughs and entertainment he’s churned out over the last year or so. He’s brightened many days for me and for countless others. I hope he finds a few minutes here and there, in between throwing bad guys into jail, to drop in and Tweet or comment on a few blogs. The absence of his unique sense of humor will make the Internet a little duller.

Here’s to you Dave. Thanks for gracing us with your wit and charm. And if I ever make across the Big Pond, look for me and plate of cookies on your doorstep.