This is a personal note to readers that I’ve been meaning to write for a couple of weeks, and I feel today is the right day. Don’t ask me why- it just feels right.
Regular readers may have noticed that for about 18 months, I’ve been somewhat absent from WUWT. There have been lots of guest posts, many press releases, and times when there were many hours in delays in moderation of comments or long hours between new posts. Readers may have noticed that I’ve been rather curt, maybe even “grouchy” during that time. Projects that I have been wanting to get off the ground, such as the Open Atmospheric Society, have languished. All of that lands squarely on me, my physical health, and my state of mind these last few months. I’ve alluded to this before in a previous post a couple of months back but things weren’t sorted out yet, and I really didn’t want to tell you all until I was ready.
Basically, I went through a life-changing experience: an ugly divorce. It was announced to me shortly after my return from London and Bristol in September 2014. All of the things I had hoped to accomplish after that wonderful trip went to hell in a hand basket with an express ticket as I had to sort out new life priorities. I’m sure many of you reading have been through the same thing, and know that when I was told by someone that the only thing more disruptive to your life is the death of a loved one, you can most certainly believe that. This affected my health, my mental well-being, my demeanor, my job, my finances; everything. Those of you that have been through it, you know the drill.
Some of you might ask, “was my dedication to keeping up WUWT a factor”? The answer was: mostly, no. The good thing about WUWT was that I could do it from home, and the multitasking nature of it did allow me to carry on family matters while at the same time keeping up with the state of climate science and posts about it. That said, in the early stages, I did offer to give up WUWT completely and shut it down if it was something that made a difference. There was a day when I actually took all my computers out of the house with the pledge that I would no longer blog from home. It didn’t make any difference because the problems were rooted elsewhere, and as I discovered, unsolvable. I suppose the best way to describe this whole situation is that people change. And sometimes other health related life altering events in the past set people you love on new paths that maybe they didn’t intend to follow. There’s really no blame in this nor really any good answers, it just is what it is, and you have to deal with the regime change the best you can. That’s what I did, and throughout that time, while I suffered, so did the quality of what was presented on WUWT because honestly, there were many days that even bringing myself to the keyboard was an impossible effort. But, like me, WUWT continued.
Now I’m happy to say that I’m out of the dark, and into the light again. Things are completely sorted, the road ahead looks clear, and while I’m bruised a bit and somewhat poorer, I’m OK, and I’ve left my baggage behind. I’ve checked my baggage and told the airline of life that I’d appreciated them losing it for me, and no, I don’t want it back. In fact, they can eject it over the Pacific into that mythical great Pacific garbage patch, because I’m ready to travel to new destinations, new experiences, and new friends. I don’t need the old baggage where I’m going.
I want to thank a number of close friends, some of whom are WUWT friends, who knew and helped me get out of the tunnel. You know who you are. I also want to thank Matt over at Must Be This Tall to Ride for his help in putting things into perspective.
P.S. Shortly after publication, I got an email inquiring about who got to keep Kenji, our resident pooch and the only animal member of The Union of Concerned Scientists. The answer is that even though Kenji technically was a gift to my ex-wife, Kenji long ago chose me as “his person”, and it was decided he’d go with me.
Anthony, you have my sincerest sympathy for what you have gone thru. Been there done that, twice.
My now-wife says she is not my third wife but my LAST wife. We have been together for 7 years through MATCH.COM. We have a 30-year contract but she has not yet activated it…😜 We both hit 60 this year.
Her Mom lost her husband of 63-years a few years back, has a new boyfriend who is 93. Awesome guy…
I had an aunt who got remarried at 88 to a 94-yr old. He lived to 102, they had 8 awesome years together.
The point is life moves on, the only regrets you should have is for what you didn’t do, not what you did do.
I have always loved your website, referred 100’s to it.
We have a spare room if you make it to the Seattle area, along with 5 rescue dogs who would love to meet you.
Hi Anthony, like you I’ve just recently been through a painful divorce – got the final paperwork through in June. On the personal front I’m only just starting to come out the other side. it’s such an emotional roller coaster. Feelings of failure and lack of confidence – it was all there for me to wallow in. Sometimes the only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that the roller coaster does – inevitably – go back up again. Pleased that you can say you’re back into the light again. It’s important to focus on positive things. You have so many accomplishments to be proud of – not the least is that you managed to keep this wonderful site functioning while having to deal with these enormous personal issues. I’m so grateful that you had the strength to be able to soldier on through it all. Heartfelt best wishes for better days ahead. Onwards and upwards mate!
As one who is 17 years the other side of this issue, believe me, life gets better as it all fades into the past.
I have a new Country, a new house and a new wife. The sky is very very blue from my window and the grass is greener than ever before. Best wishes to you.
Sorry to hear of your pain.
Happy to hear that you have worked through and emerged into the light again.
Life goes on and the wounds will slowly heal although the scars remain and occasionally remind.
Carpe diem!
Good to have you back. I have been there &, after the pain, life is now wonderful.
It’s always hard to replace a loved one, but you will. There will be someone out there who will appreciate your decency, honesty and integrity. You’ve been released from a troublesome time and now things can only get better…it may take time, but they will.
In the meantime…keep up the good work with this site fighting the good battle…it means so much to us all.
Welcome to the Happily Divorced Club! I nominate you as Chief Climate Skeptic of the Club
I know something of what you’ve been going through as it happened to me after 12 yrs & 2 kids.
I came home after a weeks work in Belgium to be told “fc uk off you don’t live here any more” totally devastated (it’s a great way to lose weight), divorce was nasty & vindictive (I still don’t really know why it happened).
I floundered around for 2 years then met Jan, instant soul mates & best best friends; that was 30 wonderful years ago (we hope to get another 10yrs).
You’ll be bruised for a while but the world IS full of nice people (it’s only the bastards get the publicity), good luck & stay strong …..We’ve got a war to win !!!
Thanks for all you do for scientific sanity,
John & Jan.
& remember to — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo
PS:
Anthony, if ever you come back to the UK we would be very happy to put you up, our nearest airport is Manchester (MAN).
We can offer – a mild climate (97% of the time), mountains, seascapes, green rolling countryside & a great welcome.
Just email us.
My heartfelt sympathies to you Anthony. Glad that you’re over it. The future is bright.
Anthony,
Sorry for that complicated time you had – my best wishes for your way ahead. Good to hear that the path is clear now. You are one of the key persons in providing a perspective in the global discussion around the AGW issue.
Again wishing all the best to you – good that you have closed that chapter,
Matt from Chile
Anthony, like most of your followers I was sorry to read of your experience, like many others here I too have travelled that road. It is as you have experienced bumpy, with all that means, it is good then to read you have once more stepped out into the sunlight, joining the rest of us who appreciate your contributions to the our world. Best wishes for the days to come.
I remember when I was in the middle of this experience almost 20 years ago a friend who had also been through it saying: “Right now, you’re thinking about this almost all the time. I can promise you that in one, two, maybe even three years, you won’t.” He was right. Congratulations for keeping on keeping on, no matter how hard it has been. I remember our meeting at Nic Lewis’s house on that trip just before the bombshell was dropped with great affection.As for WUWT: it is needed now more than ever. I am so pleased you managed to keep it going.
You and me both, Anthony. I am aware of the hiatus to your life something like this causes, particularly when it comes out of the blue. Good for you, for bouncing back – I’m not sure I have, yet, and it’s been dragging on for over six years.
Sorry to hear of the breakup. Glad to hear you’ve come thru’ it. The responses above say it all. Thanks for sharing.
Anthony, you have my deepest empathy, as a fellow traveller through that dark desert 12 years ago, I can tell you with great hope that the sun rises on a better day and the past stays there right where it belongs. Forgive yourself of any guilt, forgive those who have crushed you, and open yourself up to all the great things the universe had to offer, because you wouldn’t wish anything less for someone you care for. Keep telling yourself you deserve only the great things life has to offer and nothing less.
P.S. My dog got me through the darker days too. Always with a happy greeting on the crappiest day and and that beautiful non judgmental look as they sense your sorrow and more than happy to lick away those tears. All the very best to you fellow traveller.
PTSD is far commoner than many realise. Most folks associate it with Gulf War veterans. I can tell you from experience that you can experience it after a serious vehicle accident in which you weren’t actually injured. Not on the scale of Gulf War veterans, to be sure, but it happens.
So I’m sure a divorce can trigger it too. Suddenly having the stability of life taken away from you. All the things you took for granted not being there any more. Having to face the world alone again, when you had gotten married precisely because it was better to face it together….
What it does do, though, is tell you what you still truly value and what is past its sell-by date.
Sometimes, one thing which triggers a separation is others telling you what is still important to them should still be important to you, when it no longer is. I’ve completed many natural cycles in life and been scolded for having done so by those who’d never even followed the journey I’d seen through to a conclusion.
Journeys are just that: journeys.
WUWT has been a unique insight on the world, OK from one particular lens, but all of life is to be found on this blog. How you choose to see the world, who you choose to associate with, what your value system encompasses, how to communicate respectfully even with those you profoundly disagree with at the deepest philosophical level.
I’m sure when you look back on your life many years into the future, one thing you’l put in the ‘things I am really proud of achieving’ will be founding, building and maintaining WUWT.
You are one of the pioneers of a new paradigm in influencing global events: engaging direct with the people, not because you are rich and powerful, elected to powerful office or whatnot. But because you believe in something and would like to share that belief with others.
It’s the 21st century paradigm: bottom up engagement, not top down dictation.
You are helping to establish it thought the world.
As a reader of this blog for 6 years +, I salute you for that, Mr Watts…..
Now you can make the “Kenji does not aprove” Mugs
You must have been through hell. It is a wonder that you managed to keep WUWT going. But as all the responses that have been posted (in just over 12 hours) show the site has made friends for you all over the world. Good luck for the future.
Thank you, Anthony. WUWT is a precious asset and honest seeker for truth. ‘Magna est veritas, et prevalabit’.
Been through it Anthony – know how it hurts but knowing that there are people who really care about you despite the disaster is what pulled me through to the lighter side.
Hope new pastures are rich and fertile – best of wishes
Mark
Thanks a lot for everything that you did, and allowed to continue being done here despite your awful personal circumstances Anthony. You are an example to follow in about everything you do. I can see myself in those same circumstances in a very likely not too distant future, as things currently go, and I am scared as hell. I hope I can be as strong as you have been when the bad comes.
Glad to see you have managed to find a way through it all. Good luck for the future.
Anthony,
BTDT, and I know how terrible it is to hear those words. But, like all such things, it does get better. As you can read in all these responses, your work at WUWT makes a big difference in the world. God bless and, as Churchill said, KBO.
Good luck, Anthony. May you draw comfort from the support of all of us in the WUWT community!
Graham, please, please post again. You are obviously the exact kind of person needed by the skeptic cause. Please.
Anthony, your ability and willingness to share from the heart is one of the things that makes me a regular reader. The candor you offer to the public is without equal in journalism. Thanks for being who you are.
With sympathy for the trial you have had to endure and optimism for your personal future.
Steven