I buy a tiny, mountainous island (um, okay, 100 square miles) in the Pacific and lead a Zen-like existance among my bamboos, bananas and moss gardens. On occasion, I allow small planes bearing friends and family to land on the single airstrip. But no media. No papparazzi. No Oprah.

When I get the craving for civilization, I board my private jet and go to visit my favorite gardens, places and people, and pick up a supply of chocolate and new books.

Can't think of anything else.

I thought this was supposed to be about a change in our lifestyles.

I suppose I can't admit to not fantasizing about living a fantasically wealthy lifestyle, but the thought of living in a constant opulence disturbs me somewhat. I'm not sure exactly why, I suppose it could related to why I'm such a pack-rat. I hate to see most things go to waste, and if things come and go easily (as when you're wealthy) it seems like such an inefficient way of living. I'd much prefer to see everything as a challenge, a goal to be achieved, rather than having everything delivered on a silver platter by multitudes of white-gloved butlers.

-Audric

Are you ready for stardom?

no

I'd like the money that could afford me with a holiday like lifestyle , but would want to live a reclusive livelihood.

no lights, no cameras and just enough action to keep me smilen'.

I'm taking my wad of cash and my stardom and moving to a private lake up north - no phone, no computer, no cell phone (though I don't actually have one now.) I would like mail delivery, though, so I can continue my subscription to Harpers.
Occasionally, a float plane will come to get me and I'll do a kazillion dollar consultation and stock up on beer.
I'll invite all of you once a year for a long weekend.

I already live a reclusive lifestyle.

fame? fortune? no thanks. I mean for gawd sakes, we make plenty of money now and I still drive a 18 year old truck and don't have a tv.

whenever I get "too popular" I unleash my eccentricities enough that it scares people.... ever go to the bank in slippers and a bath robe? ever wear a REALLY big obnoxious turban to a job interview?

screw fame and fortune, I'm here for a good time and a few laughs.

drew

I'm thinking I'm siding along with Mich. Am I ready for stardom - heaven forbid!! Don't want it, glad I don't have it.

I do admit to daydreaming now and again about winning the megamillions lottery.........heck, I'd settle for a long lost uncle leaving me a few hundred G's. I'd bag the design biz (maybe not the nursery job), buy a car that is not always in the shop, remodel my house and play in MY garden for a change. Hang with my daughter who is growing up too fast, enjoy my new kittens and spend some quality time with my other pets and maybe even have a social life again. I'm getting too old to work this hard.

But it's only a daydream, so back to the drafting board :-(

OK, I would become one of the dolled up ladies in the 2 seater convertable BMW. I will stroll though the nursery of my choice and point while a cute young man from the said nursery pulled my cart, loaded the plants and delivered them to my full time gardener, while I went to lunch and shopping. OK today was not fun at work.

Wow, you all are disappointing me. May I remind you that the fame only lasts 15 minutes? : ) I'd have thought you'd regard this as not only an opportunity to make hay while the sun shines, but also to leave your personal stamp on the world, create art for art's sake, do gardens your way, get it right _and_ get paid, etc. But all I'm hearing is how you'd spend the money and hide out and how you love old trucks. Maybe I didn't word the question right, I'm not talking about winning the lottery. Please tell me you're not all striving for mediocrity. Do you fear extreme success? Are you somehow unworthy? Gardengal: "I'd bag the design biz.." the very goose that laid your golden egg? And Audric, they call it "discretionary income" because YOU get to decide whether it's spent on silver platters and white-gloved butlers or a contribution to the Nature Conservancy.

Although I'm in an entirely different field, I would tolerate the annoyance of some temporary stardom in exchange for some autonomy in my decision-making and control of my business. Then once the glam wore off, I'd still have the reputation I built, and be cruising and in control for the rest of my working days.

C'mon, do you remember who was on Oprah in May of 2004? Of course not. Papparazzi? Only if you have Brad Pitt with you on that island, Cady!

Catkim - I never entered this profession for stardom. I entered because it was a seemingly perfect marriage of my design skills and horticultural background, because I enjoyed it, believed I could offer something of value and earn a few dollars along the way.

Striving for mediocrity? No one 'strives' for mediocrity, but some, maybe too many, settle for it. I'm better than most, not as good as some and too old and tired to be interested in setting the world on fire - that's an ambition of the young. I am confident in my skills and creativity, happy to satisfy my clients by providing them with a unique, well-conceived, personalized design that fits their needs, comfortable with the amount of referrals I receive as a result and able to support myself doing so. I don't consider that mediocrity. But it is not stardom - the lack of one doesn't necessarily equal the other

I enjoy a certain amount of local recognition and I can look back on my work with pride. That's all the stardom I need or want.

Everyday that you are alive and can work in a related horticulutral field, that is stardom to me......anyone that doesn't work hard in this field, then stardom has its shortfalls( ie. acting, suits, office-induced careers). Not that I have a real problem of any of the examples I have given, but its hard to say that I you live, breathe, and work in a cubicle without getting your hands dirty, then yes, stardom has its problems. But then again, this is my opinion....I know I wouldn't trade anything for my 15 years in horticulture and botany....

Tao 101... if you go far in one direction, you'll end up far in the other direction.
How many business's die everyday by thier greed? how many die on account of thier lust for recognition?

"growth for the sake of growth is the rational behind a cancer cell."

Is finding a happy balance in life 'striving for mediocracy?
not for me. Business is good enough that I can eat, and I'm holding the profit margin steady while decreasing my workload (and maybe still manage a few tax write offs).

too many people get tied up in thier image being a barometer of thier success....

dp