12 Days of Christmas Day 11: A Conundrum

One of the things that I got this Christmas (this is Micah speaking again,with many

thanks to Rachel on her fabulous guest post yesterday) was the opportunity to think about

the future. To use a terrible job interview question, where do I see myself in ten years??

Is it really doing this??

(And I don't mean sitting around looking useless sipping Coke like it's a fine wine. I mean writing-- that's just the closest thing to a Hemingway shot I've got kicking around.)

Or possibly could I be doing this??

(This, by the way, is shameless self-promotion: For the second or third time in five years the local paper took my picture while I was working. It was slightly after the 12 days of Christmas ended here, but I just wanted to brag a little bit... the actual link to see it in context is here--http://gtsnaps.smugmug.com/Gloucester-Daily-Times/January-2012/20888528_V3Xjq6#!i=1669576644&k=NTCZJwk )

Could I be doing this below in five years?? (Answer: I hope not. Being the face of a four-armed man, even if the other person is your best friend, is no way to spend your thirties.)

It's a tricky conundrum. I love my current job, which is mostly craftsman-type carpentry and house creations, but I don't think that: a) I want to beat myself up physically like I currently do day in and day out, aa) I don't really particularly want my own company, because sales is less my thing, and b) I really love to write. It's just that whenever I try and lock myself in the basement here and churn out some pages on my novels, well... c) the fact that I have two boys and a wife who don't really let me sit unattended for any length of time at all kicks in. That and d) I can never stay writing on one novel for more than a week-- I blame the ADD that runs around my head. Also, e) writing doesn't necessarily pay up front -- if ever :) So I don't know exactly where it's all headed-- I just had too much time to think about it this past week or two.

I do know one thing, though. No matter what I do, I will be doing it with this lovely lady --

Any thoughts??