The Great Debate

My lovely husband took me out for a belated lunch today up in Chicago, giving us a good hour drive time each way to chat. I brought up the topic of moving into a full-time online, work-at-home career, just to test the waters with him. I've tossed it around before, but never seriously.

He didn't even flinch. "Okay, why would you want to leave Ivy Tech, a place you obviously love to work at, for something else, be it another job else where or working from home?"

All of my reasons came flying out. "I'd be more available to the boys for things, like when they're sick or they have a field trip. I'd be around more to keep the house clean and keep you motivated in your weight loss efforts. I would be able to dedicate time to research and possibly even pursuing that PhD I want so much, and I might even be able to do more writing, which makes me happy."

His calm reply, "So, what your saying is working from home allows you more flexibility and time?"

"Yes."

"And how many classes, at an adjunct pay scale, would you have to work to make up what you are making full-time at Ivy Tech?"

What a good question. I hadn't really crunched the numbers, I'd just been dreaming. While I was doing the math in my head (I swear, you could smell the smoke), he piped in, "And don't forget to add an increase to our insurance premium. We'll be getting our own coverage, and I doubt it's as good as what we've got with your school." Hmm, okay, might need to add another class for that. "And," he added, "don't forget to add in extra to go into a retirement fund, as you won't be receiving a pension any more." Wow, I really hadn't thought this through.

Finally, into the silence, I said, "Well, maybe ten or so."

"And how many do you teach now?"

"My required five plus one overload, so six." He didn't say another word. The math alone showed me how difficult it would be to cover costs, and then all that "precious time" I wanted would be used up in extra classes.

I hate it when he's right.