I think because I am as earnest as I am, people were accepting of my evolving into a certified, legitimate, and grown up and I did take three years off.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I took three years off. I differentiated myself from the industry. Found my identity - sort of... I haven't graduated yet. I'm not legitimately educated yet, but maybe one day.
I was a journeyman chef of middling abilities. Whatever authority I have as a commenter on this world comes from the sheer weight of 28 years in the business. I kicked around for 28 years and came out the other end alive and able to form a sentence.
I had no illusions that my career would be any longer than three years tops.
It took 35 years, but the time was well spent and I think I have established a good stake in the future.
A lot of people say this honor validates my career, but I didn't work hard for validation.
The choices of roles I made had to do with educating and entertaining. And as a result I found myself working only every two or three years.
The reason is that they define how I have gone about my business. I have trusted to intuition. I did it at the beginning. I do it even now. I have no idea how things might turn out, where in my writing I might go next.
Had I pursued my education long enough to learn all the conventional dos and don'ts of starting a business, I often wonder how different my life and career might have been.
After leaving law school, I intentionally said that I never wanted to hold a job more than six years.
Earnestness is stupidity sent to college.