“I’ve always had a strong work ethic, but I’ve done my time.”
A stereo fanatic and self-proclaimed introvert who's good with people, Scott surrounds himself with music and art. "I've been home-officing for 15 years now and my home environment is really important to me. I’m 50ish, no family, no kids, no pets - just me and my lady-friend Michelle. That's enough for us."
I did not Want to be the Guy that Lives in One Place his Whole Life
“I moved to Boise from Minneapolis 4 years ago, I guess I left just in time. What happened there..that was my old neighborhood. I lived at 38th and Bloomington, 8 blocks from where George Floyd was killed. Over the years I liked Minneapolis less and less. It’s a big city with big city problems and the racial disparity in the twin cities is among the worst in the nation. Anyone who paid attention knew that.
So I fled to the west to the mountains and wide open spaces, and I’m very glad I did, I love Idaho. It’s one of the fastest growing states - great quality of life and I love the dry desert air. I’m a bicyclist so the lifestyle here was a big draw. Boise’s adjacent to the foothills where there’s a big network of amazing mountain bike trails. I try to get in at least 200 miles a week; if it’s mountain biking it’s only about 10 miles a day but it’s a hard 10 miles.
You’ll Never Meet Anyone with the Same Combo
I’m a Native American Jew. My dad was a Jew shrink from Cleveland, my mom was a Chippewa Indian public health nurse. They met working at the Mayo Clinic - your classic American love story, only they should have never gotten married. They stayed together for 10 years but it was a disaster, about as bad as it could get. My mom told me she locked herself in the bathroom on her honeymoon so she could cry. I wasn’t surprised, but it was sad to hear. My dad was not easy to be around but I forced myself. He passed a couple of years ago.
I Have a Low Tolerance for People who Complain
My mom worked as a nurse 2nd shift, she got home at midnight so I was basically on my own since age 10. It’s not like I was on the street but nobody was there. Fortunately I was self-motivated, I was serious about reading, and learning. I had a paper route, pulled weeds, shoveled snow, raked lawns, washed dishes, I was a short order cook… minimum wage money was the best I could do back then, but whatever I got you can bet went towards bicycles.
What I’m Most Proud Of
So I quit cold turkey for the 100th time, and one day became one week and then one month, and now I’ve not had a drop, zero relapses in 6 years. It still blows my mind. I’d be dead right now if I didn’t stop. One of my uncles died from alcoholism and another uncle came close. Being part Native American I know there’s a genetic switch that can be flipped. That switch got flipped for me in college. I had a physiological requirement to get drunk like every 3 days for 30 years; it’s a terrible way to live. I moved to Idaho shortly after getting sober to change the scenery, be outside all year, no winters - midwestern winters and a drinking problem are a bad combination. Now I’m super healthy, exercise constantly and I’m way more sensitive to what I put in my body.
Success is Independence
For 15 years I worked for software startups doing large scale quantitative surveys and big data crunching in the market research industry - high intensity, 7-days a week. Now I’ll take a 3 or 6 month gig once a year or so, but I don’t want to work any more than that, so I don’t. Why would I? I’d rather be biking! I’ve also become more interested in analyzing the market. It’s not a job-job, but I figured out a way where I don’t have to work anymore, through investments.
Advice
This is a completely crazy time and I think people’s sense of security has been altered as a result, but we have a lot to be grateful for. We have electricity, a roof over our head, clean drinkable water - a lot of people on this planet don’t have any of that.
We’ll get through this, but we have to do it together so no going rogue. Be considerate and be grateful.”
