Lawyer Quits Job to Walk Dog
By: Jane Wells | CNBC Reporter
Who doesn't fantasize about chucking it all to do something you've always dreamed of?
Tyler Coulson actually did it.
The attorney in Sidley Austin's Chicago office has quit his job to walk his dog. Across America.
The "Above the Law" blogreports that Coulson sent colleagues an email last week which said, "Beginning next week, I am walking from Delaware to California with a tent and my dog, Mabel. I will have limited access to email, but will check messages frequently." He posted a gloomy photographshowing the view from his office as proof it was time to go. That picture paints a thousand depressing words.
The reaction from coworkers? One said it was "the greatest reason to leave 'big law' ever." (Meantime, this being a lawyer, one of MY jaded co-workers snarked, "You know it's all part of his evil plan: walk across USA, have an accident, sue someone, and really retire.")
Above the Law's David Lat talked to Coulson to see if he was crazy, fired, or just refreshingly bold. "I am really going to do this. I have always wanted to do an epic walk of some sort and now I am going to," Coulson told Lat. "The folks at Sidley are great, but big law just isn't right for me right now. I need to get out from behind a desk, I need to move around, I need to have an adventure, and I need to meet some people. It's too easy to forget who you are, sometimes."
Thursday, March 10, was scheduled to be Day One, but Coulson's Twitter accountsaid rain was forcing him to postpone until Friday. "I hope to start walking from Cape Henlopen, Delaware, on March 10th, generally following the American Discovery Trail. With any luck, I'll reach San Francisco in six months." That's about 15 miles a day by my calculations.
Imagine what will change in six months?
By the time Coulson sets foot on the Golden Gate Bridge, food will cost twice as much! Gasoline will be $5! Charlie Sheen will be running for office in California (and be elected)!
And I will still be dreaming of doing something I've always wanted to do, if I only had the courage.
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