Cy Stapleton' HOTLINE Newsletter #8
Copyright February, 1996
On Working With The Spouse
As my readers know, I sold my printing company last summer.
For well over 20 years my wife, Libby, and I had worked together.
In many ways that was really nice, but in others I sort of felt
relieved when she had to be out of town on Girl Scout or other
volunteer work.
Like many printers, I work from can to can't. I would start
at about 3am and go until about 9pm. Lib would come in at about
8:30 and work til about 4:30. When I came home we had nothing to
talk about. We were together all day.
Things have dramatically changed since I sold The Printer.
While Lib still handles the books and works with me on our two
renaissance publications, that is very part time. She has started
back to school to work on her Masters degree in Journalism with
the goal of teaching journalism when she graduates in a couple of
years. There have been many times when I wished she were in the
office to help me on this project or that one, but the upside is
that there has been a dramatic change in the quality of our
married life and that change has been positive. We are finding
that we do have interesting things to talk about and to do
together. I don't come home, crash on the couch, and remain silent
while glued to C-Span or something else on the tube. We talk about
my day at the office and her day at school. I suddenly discover
that I can voluntarily make the time to go out with her to take
photos for her photo-journalism class, argue back and forth as to
just what the professor wants in this copywrihting class, and
listen to her when she critiques a column I have written or a
presentation I intend to make.
Previously, I felt our truly outstanding daughters were what
the marriage worthwhile. However now I no longer wonder why I
wasted some 25 years of my life not truly appreciating this
incredible woman. I now think about what a fool I was to have
wasted some 25 years of my life (and hers) being selfish and
thinking only of myself. It certainly was not wasted, but we
missed out on a lot.
In talking with other printers, I find that I am not alone.
Some of us have been astute enough to share our time with our
family and others have dedicated our entire lives to our industry.
I can assure you that at this late date, I have discovered that
sharing time is better.
I would be very much interested in having my readers share
this newsletter with their spouses and receiving comments from
both the reader and his or her spouse as to their thoughts. At
some time in the future I would like to do another newsletter on
the subject and include the responses I have received. I am even
going to ask Libby to write a no-holds-barred response.
I have thought about this, but it was not until a reader,
Martin Turnbull, suggested it as a topic that I should seriously
think about addressing. Let's see what comes of it.
Til next month, God bless you and yours... cy
To receive a brochure describing how you can have the Helene's Hotline database on your own computer, Email me at hotlinecy@aol.com and give leave your fax number. The Hotline databases, BFP and Ad Specialty BFP give you the ability to easily shop numerous vendors for your outsourcing requirements.
Return HOTLINE Index at http://www.printusa.com/articles/hotline.htm
Return to Articles Index
Return to PrintUSA home page
Date inserted: Tuesday, February 27, 1996 4:06:47