About Me — Jim Mura
I paint words on an obscure cave wall. For me, only me. Glance at the scrawlings… if you choose
Really, I only purposefully write for me. I am not driven to build readers or followers. I do have a lightly viewed blog. It began as my 200 day countdown to quitting my job, selling our house, giving away our possessions and moving to the beach. And we did it… with a few days to spare!
After decades of self imprisonment in corporate life, I am nearing three years of freedom. Stress free living after vanquishing an existence that was slowly killing me. I discovered the secret of happiness… for me.
Truth
I’m lazy in my freedom. Have one non-fiction book almost complete on Scrivener, ready to publish. Leisurely working on a second science fiction novel. Might self publish someday. But, as I said, I’m lazy and writing just for me… is enough.
Oh, and I’m an underachiever too. Ever since abandoning my marginal basketball power forward skills for an animal house fraternity social life in college. Always eked out an A minus to somehow, almost laughingly, be presented with a Phi Beta Kappa key. Did nothing creative with it. Became a manufacturing finance manager. Completed the Financial Management Program with GE, but refused to go on the corporate audit staff. Seemed like way too much work. And never liked the politics of corporate. Stayed as far away from corporate headquarters as possible. Finance manager in motors, aerospace, aviation, electrical equipment, silicon wafers, business telecom, leasing, Mostly with GE. Short stint with Intel… yuck. Never lost my moral compass. Never.
Loved to live in small towns and suburbs with lower cost of living, lower crime, good schools and slower pace of life… Michigan, Oregon, Kansas, Missouri, South Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa. Came back to Michigan to live on the shores of Lake Michigan… our paradise. Really! Could have lived most anywhere in the world (with decent cost of living) and chose Grand Haven.
With citizenship in this small town comes countless, beautiful beaches up and down the sunset coast of Michigan, blessed with forests, lighthouses, vineyards, brewhouses, artist enclaves, shopping and restaurants.
Did minimalism and loved it! Yet… maybe failed.
I like to think I know lots about lots of things. I state my views on Medium, and much more often on my blog. I never give stock advice. I do guarantee you would be rich if you had followed my meager portfolio moves over the years… and then had done the exact opposite.
A Strong “Maybe”
A short inventory of positive qualities: I successfully assisted raised four children with my wife of 39 years. I’m honest, loyal and truly care about the people in my world. Tho I am not certain it is selfless or selfish on my part… because I enjoy people around me being happy. I am usually patient, love to learn, strive to understand… and change my initial opinions with new evidence. In these highly polarized times, I am probably extremely hard to place in a convenient box.
Box Me
Put me here:
The conditions of a solitary bird are five:
The first, that it flies to the highest point;
the second, that it does not suffer for company,
not even of its own kind;
the third, that it aims its beak to the skies;
the fourth, that it does not have a definite color;
the fifth, that it sings very softly.
- San Juan de la Cruz, Dichos de Luz y Amor
I have occasional trouble with the second, and fifth condition.
So why did I bother to write this? Seemed like the lazy way to let anyone curious about me see inside. If no one reads this… fine. But if you have… thank you!
