Its 2015 .. and in the past 5 years I've ....

Recently I've learned that an adventurer, and thats what we're SUPPOSED to be in life among other things, should start with the end in mind. A vision. A goal, but a detailed one .. in focus. It doesnt mean it cant and wont change, but you are more likely perhaps to stay on course if working towards a detailed picture. So here goes

Its 2015 - and in the past five years I've ....

become somewhat of a well kept secret in the Nashville area among school and scouting groups. I began in late 2010 with a standing ad in the local paper which at first attracted only a few random calls of interest, but once word of mouth took hold I get a couple calls a month for show appointments. This I had to keep flexible due to my shifting retail schedule, and at first I underdid it, with only 1 per month or so. The following summer I tried an advertising blitz and found I overdid it, I couldnt run this as anything more than a hobby and I've since found I have to be comfortable for it to be enjoyable, and found about 1-3 shows a week to be optimal for me.

At first I had grandios plans for workshops, planetarium kits, souvenirs, cd sales etc but found after about a year of failed experiments that I was basically in the EXPERIECE business - give visitors an experience they could only get in my barn. It was all about something different, and that wasnt hard if I followed my own heart, played to my own strengths, and had no expectations. After some time trying to emulate commercial shows I'd seen, shows Id watched, I finally settled on just being me

I found I needed some prerecorded things I could 'play' for visitors - some times I was too tired to talk, some times I imagined people viewed this more as an event or 'show' since I billed myself as a theater with stars just as much as planetarium. I also found I needed to talk and improvise every time too to keep it fresh and unique. I found I really couldnt know what to expect, some times questions were everywhere and sometimes the silence was deafening, with the adults obviously waiting for it to be over.

I ran it year round the past five years, most people could sit in an unheated place for 30 minutes without too much discomfort. I ran into things I hadnt bargained for - people needing to use the house bathroom .. people parking all over the yard .. kids running round the property in the dark ... I had to safety proof as much as possible I never charged admission, being fearful of 'business' liabilities and taxes etc ..

I continually developed new shows, going against my first impulse to develop a couple elaborate shows and 'run them into the ground' .. this got boring quickly and it was essential over the years to keep ME interested, this couldnt be a job. I was much happier when I completely divorced money from all my thoughts.

I found the public side of this weird hobby to be hard to balance with my previous, private 'HPA' side, building, writing about planetariums etc .. but over the years I thought both were worthy of attention and so kept them both as valued things in my life and hopefully the life of some others.

I didnt build what I thought I'd build .. I got lazy in that regard .. I built one other projector and was sortof happy with that .. never say never though

Over the past five years I've tried to remain philsophical about it all - Ive never rekindled the amateur astronomy thing, I never developed an interest in a portable planetarium traveling around, and I never really pursued my publishing dreams. Perhaps I am saving them .. its 2015, Im only 63, theres time yet (I hope)

Ive currently no plans to escalate this into a fulltime 'retirement' job, but I plan right now to keep it going indefinitely, as long as I can 'see' stars the thrill is still there, and I think right now it always will be


written Sept 30, 2010