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[DreamGypsy]

200. I'm a blueberry grower.

I was a graduate student in Mathematics. In 1981 I left the PhD program to join a computer startup as an early employee (#4). In 1991, my wife, who/is was a biotech entrepreneur, and I decided we wanted to leave Silicon Valley. I asked if I could telecommute. So, we moved to Oregon and, while we both kept our day jobs, planted and worked 15 acres of blueberries. I was initially telecommuting via a 19.2 KB modem - no internet back then. We both traveled a lot. It was crazy.

In 2002, my company was acquired by, uh, HAL. My wife was on her 8th or 9th startup.

In 2007, we planted ~15 more acres. In 2009, I kissed my corporate employer goodbye and became a full-time blueberry grower. My wife is still working as CEO of a company developing malaria drugs.

We produce ~300,000 lbs of blueberries annually. Fresh blueberries off the bush every morning in season; blueberry pancakes every Sunday year round. Blueberry beer on festive occasions.

A long, strange trip.

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(on edit: added a recent winter photo of the blueberry fields)