Out Of Academia

I will get back to this at some point!

Over the past several weeks I have noticed that many of my friends are leaving academia. It seems to be a nearly daily occurrence on my Facebook feed to see someone leave an academic or research institution for positions in finance, sales, and other, completely unrelated, fields. Having been in that same situation myself, I know both the pros and cons of that field and while there are many great benefits derived from leaving academia there are also a number of things that I miss on a regular basis namely the time and freedom to think, debate, and explore.

While I have enjoyed my career beyond the studious walls, there are times when I think about the work that I was able to do and the pieces I was able to publish. Those are the times when I miss the long days, late nights, and piles of rejection letters. It is a life that is fueled by the occasional kind note, acceptance letter, and rare inclusions in literary journals. And, at least for me on the literary side of things, it is a way of life that is disappearing and is rarely provides a means of financial support. This is the primary reason that I have heard from those leaving academia and it was my reason as well.

Many of us who have departed continue to find small ways to remain active in this unique world. When I first left I continued writing and submitting to publications keeping the daily routine of rejection sprinkled with acceptances. Since those early days on the outside, I did stray from writing and research for a little while but, since then, I have slowly come back to those relaxing and stressful habits.

The industry in which I now work does provide a little bit of the same feeling that I would get in academia. I still write for clients and seek inclusion in a variety of publications… a completely different set of publications but the process is quite similar. However, it has been the personal projects that have brought me back to those productive days namely researching my family and keeping this daily blog.

Even though the results are completely different from what I used to produce (and definitely less polished), I am back in the process and have a daily routine that combines my previous life with my current one. With that said, discovering where I come from, exploring who I am, and sharing both my discoveries and opinions is proving to be just as fulfilling as the work that I once produced. Maybe someday I can even go back to publishing but, for now, I will simply enjoy the process.

Staying Close To Home

After having traveled every weekend for the past couple of months my wife and I decided to take a little break this weekend and instead of exploring somewhere new we visited a place we have been going to for a number of years. It only takes about 20 minutes to get to Fort Washington, Pennsylvania from our apartment but it is still a drastic difference from the constant flow of traffic along City Avenue. There really is not a whole lot to visit up there especially on Commerce Drive where our destination is located.

Not much to look at from the outside.

At the end of a long row of warehouses there is a building that looks identical to others on the street. The blank canvas on the front of the structure doesn’t offer any curb appeal and the location is not going to draw in any foot traffic but don’t let the appearance fool you. Turning the corner and pulling into the parking lot there is nothing that captures your attention but when you look into the windows it piques your interest right away (at least it does for book lovers like us).

The van offers a glimpse of what you will find inside.

The Harvest Book Outlet is store that too few people know about which is both a good thing and a bad thing. It is nice to walk in to a sparsely patroned store and find a wide variety of books that catch my attention and that I will be able to use and enjoy. At the same time, it’s a business, and I want them to thrive in this ever changing book business. E-books are nice but nothing compared to sitting down with folio of ink and paper and enjoying the turning of the page.

For those of you (most of you) that are unfamiliar with the establishment, Harvest is a used book store that allows you to get your literary fix. Adult books out on the shelves are priced at two dollars apiece (buy 5 get 1 free) with the occasional volume priced at five dollars. Children’s books, where I can find my wife most trips, are priced at a dollar with the same buy 5 get 1 free deal. I don’t think I have ever gone there without leaving with at least a few interesting finds. For some of the harder to find more expensive books you can search their online database.

What a beautiful sight. Time to get my fix!

For my wife we have found a wide variety of Wizard of Oz books while I have found a tremendous amount of research volumes to assist me with my genealogy as well as poetry books to keep me connected with my long standing passion. In many instances, this has been the only place (including online) where I have been able to pick up hard to find books and it is one of the few places that doesn’t take advantage of that fact and keeps their prices reasonable. And when you are finished with the book you can bring it back the next time around and get some store credit.  

But the indulgence doesn’t end with books, movie fanatics can go through the DVDs and get the same deal that you would with adult books. Audiophiles can browse through rows and rows of CDs and find a wide variety of artists and genres. Some of the music and movies can even be found still in the shrink wrap.

No matter your creative addiction you can get satiate your needs while staying on a budget. There are few brick and mortar places still around where quantity, quality, and value are in harmony with one another. Harvest is one of those places and I recommend everyone in the Philadelphia area and anyone who happens to be in the area for work or pleasure to stop by Harvest Books, take a look around, and get your fix.