My Inspiration
by Harris |
April 19, 2011 11:25 AM |
17 comments
Harris
Location:
NY, NY
Favorite Flavor:
Whichever I am currently using.
If you could travel back in time, what era would you live in? The Jurassic Era.
What’s your favorite meal? Do you cook?: Steak...no, I don’t cook (wait, does microwaving count?)
Three things you cannot live without…Josie (wife), Kilo (dog), breathing.
I am a member of the Coffee-mate Brew Crew.
I was recently asked, “What inspires you?”
I responded, “Well, if you’re talking about what inspires me to go to my excruciatingly boring, soul-sucking day job, I would say that my landlord doesn’t accept my beautiful smile (or so my mom says) in lieu of rent payments.” (As a side-note, this lack of motivation may explain why I am such a mediocre accountant.)
“Okay, what inspires you to pursue your other projects, like stand-up comedy and your animal rescue?”
I have to say, it really got me thinking - which is rare. I was trying to think of the last time I felt somehow inspired in the realm of stand-up comedy. I have never seen a stand-up comic onstage and thought, “Wow! This makes me want to go home and write jokes!” Even seeing friends of mine reach new comedic heights, like getting great gigs or TV appearances doesn’t inspire me. It doesn’t make me want to step up my own marketing or networking abilities at all. (This may explain why my comedy career is just plodding along.)
The one aspect of my life that I do feel encouraged is in animal rescue. And it’s not because I admire anyone else who rescues animals, though I do respect them all. I didn’t start my own rescue after a discussion with a veterinarian or anyone else who works with animals. After all, I loved dogs before I met my wife, Josie, but never thought about starting my own animal rescue.
And that’s the answer to the question - Josie inspires me.
A little back-story about my wife - she used to work as a highly paid cubicle workhorse in the telecommunications (that word alone puts me to sleep) industry. Several years ago, she followed her passion; quitting her job and going back to school to earn her Masters in Social Work. She now works for a non-profit agency as a therapist, making a quarter of what she would’ve made if she had stuck with her telecom job.
One month after Josie and I got married, a car fatally hit our four-year-old dog, Stewie. I was despondent – in a deep funk for many, many months. Stewie had been my best friend since he was eight weeks old. We saved and later adopted a shelter dog, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted to do more. I thought about volunteering at an animal shelter but was told that if I was sensitive to the daily euthanizing that goes on there that it wasn’t a good fit for me. So, I didn’t volunteer, and was out of ideas. That’s when Josie suggested I start an animal rescue in Stewie’s name.
At first glance, this was a ridiculous idea. Not only have I never owned a business, but I had a day job (the soul-sucking one), and night job (comedy), a dog (a pit bull named Kilo – no joke!), AND we had a baby on the way. I already drink four cups of French Vanilla Coffee-mate infused coffee every day. How could I possibly do this?
Then I thought about how much Josie sacrifices to follow her passion. How she often works 12 hour days, counsels clients in hospitals after they’ve been assaulted, escorts them to police stations to give their statements, and sometimes cries herself to sleep, only to get up and do it all over again the next day.
And then I thought… How can I not do this?
Stewie to the Rescue Inc. was incorporated June 30, 2010 (and I’m up to six cups of coffee a day).