November 26

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I don’t know if I’ve mentioned yet that both of my parents have had problems with money. Part of my issue with money is that I learned these bad habits when I was younger, so I’m having to “un-learn” them as an adult.

My dad was (and still is) a writer. He left a good job to freelance in the early 1980s, and to pursue his dream of writing for a living. He made good money, but did not manage it well. He got by in a variety of ways, including borrowing money from friends, and used credit cards to fund his writing for about 12 years. He did get four books published, and has some renown in his chosen field. Even after twenty years, one of his books in particular still generates buzz. Students write dissertations on it, and conferences sponsor symposia based on his work. My dad is quite brilliant, and I’m proud of what he’s accomplished. However, it’s hard for me to accept that his debting was so deeply intertwined with his success.

To his credit (pun intended), he cleaned up his act in the mid ’90s. He stopped writing for a living, and got a “real job.” He remarried 14 years ago, and my stepmother helped him develop much greater financial stability. Things aren’t perfect, but it’s quite remarkable that he’s turned things around. It gives me hope that I can do the same.