The Year I Had Nothing to Show
August 23, 2026
I left a thirty-year career for an idea I could not yet explain. For about a year I had nothing to show for it.
Author Educator Speaker
Author Educator Speaker
BLOG
Updates, stories, case studies, and reflections on culture, communication, storytelling, work, and connection across different contexts.
I left a thirty-year career for an idea I could not yet explain. For about a year I had nothing to show for it.
Edgar was the name given to me. Bong was the name of home. Legs was the name of belonging. Ned was the name I chose, and the life I built around it.
My mother wanted me to become a doctor. Decades later, a hospital speaking engagement helped me understand that her dream was never only about a profession, but about care, dignity, service, and a meaningful life.
After 30 years in international media, early retirement brought freedom but also exposed a quieter grief: the loss of title, hierarchy, belonging, and a familiar identity. A reflection on power distance, reinvention, and learning to stand without an institution.