{"id":6162,"date":"2017-03-28T08:00:45","date_gmt":"2017-03-28T12:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/roofingmagazine.com\/?p=6162"},"modified":"2017-03-26T20:14:45","modified_gmt":"2017-03-27T00:14:45","slug":"life-choices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roofingmagazine.com\/life-choices\/","title":{"rendered":"Life Choices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I have a younger brother who makes choices I don\u2019t always understand. I\u2019m quite a bit older than he is, so I like to share my experiences in the hopes of guiding him toward more productive options. Meanwhile, I wondered why my parents weren\u2019t doing more to steer their youngest child and, in a moment of exasperation, I asked them. My mom responded that she and my dad believe we need to figure our lives out on our own. If we ask for help, they are willing to give it but they don\u2019t want to micromanage our lives and decisions.<\/p>\n<p>I started thinking about what she said in relation to my own life choices. I remember when I decided to double major in English and history in college, my dad asked: \u201cWhat are you going to do with that? Teach?\u201d I said: \u201cNo. I\u2019m going to write.\u201d I knew, based on the look on his face, he was certain I\u2019d never find gainful employment but he never said another word about it\u2014not even on graduation day when I didn\u2019t have a job or a place to live.<\/p>\n<p>It was the roofing industry that gave me my first opportunity. After applying for a job I found online, I moved from my home state of Iowa to the Chicago suburbs to begin writing for <em>Professional Roofing<\/em> magazine in late 2000. Writing about roofing wasn\u2019t exactly what I had in mind when I dreamt of my career but, here I am, almost 17 years later and couldn\u2019t be more grateful to this industry for all it has given me. <\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, at this point in my career, I\u2019m faced with another life choice. Those of you who have worked directly with me probably have noticed I rarely return phone calls or emails the same week, much less the same day! During the past five years, I\u2019ve not only edited <em>Roofing<\/em> but also have been editing <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.retrofitmagazine.com\" target=\"_blank\">retrofit<\/a><\/em>, a nationally circulated trade publication that focuses on the renovation of existing commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. Within the past year, both magazines have grown so much (a fantastic problem) that I\u2019ve been having trouble keeping up.<\/p>\n<p>To make matters worse, I never have time to think through new ideas or accomplish the aspirations on my list that I know would make the magazines better. I suddenly realized I was doing a disservice to these magazines and to you, the readers. (Not to mention, having recently gotten married, I\u2019m trying to establish a better work-life balance than I had while I was building my career.) <\/p>\n<p>Therefore, this is my last issue as editor in chief of <em>Roofing<\/em>. I\u2019m thrilled my successor is Christopher K. King, a well-known writer in this industry who previously served as editor of <em>Roofing Contractor<\/em> magazine and has been writing articles for <em>Roofing<\/em> since 2015. (Read his \u201cSpecial Report\u201d, page 58, about how a community came together at the prompting of a roofing contractor to help a deserving couple restore their home.) I know Chris will do an excellent job taking Roofing to the next level and giving it the undivided attention it deserves. <\/p>\n<p>Again, I\u2019m so thankful for the opportunities the roofing industry has given me. Consequently, I\u2019ve decided to dedicate my final issue to the wonderful people and initiatives that make this industry so special. Enjoy! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have a younger brother who makes choices I don\u2019t always understand. 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