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.
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I too, concurrently it seems, went through a nasty divorce that I was obliged to initiate. Life is decidedly better now.
Godspeed. Your work is a treasure.
I’m late to the party, but I wanted to say that you’re a class act for being so brief with the details and not throwing your ex under the bus. I’m cursed with insatiable curiosity, but I’m happy for you that you don’t feel the need to air dirty laundry or publicly blame somebody. God speed Mr. Watts.
sorry to hear that anthony. as someone that strikes me as a cup half full kind of person with positive outlook on life it is not nice to hear you have been through some bad times recently. i wish you all the best for the future.
Amazing that you kept WUWT going.
Do continue to use guest articles, and don’t try to be a news service.
Anthony, I was aware of some trials and tribulations in your family but, of course, didn’t know the depth of your pain. I’m happy that you have emerged from the worst of it and are back in the light again. It is my observation of almost 80 yrs that those with the biggest heart are tasked to suffer the most. But a big heart and some choice friends can put you back together again as appears to have been the case with you. I’m thankful to you and those friends (and I’m sure concerned scientist, Kenji helped).
A loss of WUWT would be a serious loss to a world which has become somewhat unhinged and whirling in dangerous paths. You set out to save the truth, but it turns out that doing that is, indeed, saving the planet. Bless your heart and keep up the good fight. WUWT will some day be must-reading for anyone wanting a centered vantage point to understand this rabid period in our history. Wattsupwiththat? will become a catch-phrase on lips a more vigilant future society when they detect something fishy going on.
Hi Anthony I just read your post. I am really sorry you had to go through this. You have provided us all, in your discussion of your experience and message, an excellent example of a profile in courage when faced with such a serious life challenge. With My Very Best Wishes Roger
Thanks Roger.
I’m so sorry to here you’re experiencing a troubling time in your life.
You’ll emerge a better and stronger person on the other side of this tribulation.
Thank your all your courage, dedication, hard work and perseverance, which are all virtuous traits that will all serve you well to get through this.
Sorry I missed your personal note before, Anthony. You have my sympathy for what you have been through, and my encouragement for a better future. I had a very unpleasant divorce many years ago, (unfortunately involving three wonderful children) and I can attest that there is life after divorce. I recently celebrated my 40th anniversary with the love of my life, and have great relationships with my aging “kids.” Wishing you the same good fortune and hope that you continue with WUWT. The world needs you!
I missed your first post.
I’m both sad and glad to read it now.
Sad … because.
Glad … because you posted it, and are moving on.
I’ve divorced once (amicable) and split up a few more times over the years.
My final (I think) girlfriend first “chucked” me (as we say in Blighty) and *then* died of cancer. How inconsiderate was that?
Fortunately we’re both Christian folk so I live in the “sure and certain hope” that we may sometime talk about the many and stupid ways in which it all went wrong…
In the mean-time, I’m (mostly) having fun doing my own stuff. Hope it works out well for you!
And, btw, you blog is a thing of worth 🙂
Very sorry for your troubles. I’m sure that many here can sympathize.
Apologies also for late condolences.
I’ve been traveling for two weeks, and, as you may know, iPhone’s Safari browser blocks WUWT links from my gmail account.
Transitions, such as deaths in the family, divorces, being laid off, whatever, are absolutely horrible to go through. But on the other side of such transitions is the opportunity to redefine who you are. Pause, reflect, strive. Change may be an opportunity to advance.
Good luck for your future ……. who knows what is just around the corner …… sounds Glib ??? ….. But having been through your situation TWICE, I know the dark tunnel comes to an end. Something will arrive unexpectedly out of know where and bite you in the bum ( I am English !!! ). All the very best from a Brit in SoCal ……. Keep you head above the clouds and your feet in the grass ……. Cheers
Dear Anthony, I am so sad to read of your trials and tribulations, but hopeful that you are well into a better phase of new life. You mean so much to so many here, and let’s hope that you enjoy some solace from all the you have created and contributed here. I haven’t been online much in a long while since i am going through my own long dark tunnel here (both my parents are slowly dying in front of me and I am assisting them round-the-clock), but when I do spend time online WUWT is always a treasured source of news and insights. Best wishes always!
Your story is very immediate for me. Though not going through a divorce I am having other life issues and I fully understand the effects of depression having gone through it before in my life. I am off to the doc to hopefully get some meds. Anthony, find help; one of the best ways is to share with caring people and for me exercise. Hang in there; we can make it!!!!!
The category is Climate Lunatics, for $1000……
Who is Allen Eltor (current asylum unknown)?
My life was destroyed when my husband sent me packing, after 13 years we have been together.I was lost and helpless after trying so many ways to my husband back to me. One day at work, I was distracted, not knowing that my boss called me, so he sat and asked me what it was all about, I told him and he smiled and said it was no problem. I never understood what he meant by it was no problem getting back my husband, he said he used a spell to get back his wife when she left him for another man, and now they are together till date and initially I was shocked hearing something from my boss. He gave me an email address of the Prophet abuvia which helped him get his wife back, I never believed that this would work, but I had no choice coming into contact with the sayings that I get done, and he asked for my information and that my husband was able to propose to throw him the spell and I sent him the details, but after two days, my mother called me that my husband was pleading that he wants me back, I never believed, because it was just a dream and I had to rush off to my mother’s place and to my greatest surprise, was kneeling my husband beg me for forgiveness that he wants me and the child back home, when I gave prophet abuvia a conversation regarding sudden change of my husband and he made clear to me that my husband will love me until the end of the world, that he will never leave for another woman. Now me and my husband is back together and started doing funny things he has not done before, he makes me happy and do what it is suppose to do as a man without nagging. Please if you need help of any kind need, please contact Abuvia Prophet for help. His email is prophet.abuvia AT g m a i l. com his website is prophetabuviasolutiontemple. webs. com
Saddened to read this. Be strong. I’ll never forget your wonderful kindness at my nadir.
As you well know, I have followed you since the inception of WUWT on the Enterprise Record’s NorCal Blogs. Remember our exchanges way back when? Your enthusiasm for science and the scientific method and vigilance against the corruption of science has always held me in awe.
I thank you for your friendship and indomitable spirit in the face of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. You have many enemies, but have more friends.
I’m mostly a lurker here at WUWT, but I did want to leave a note letting you know that what you are doing with this site is important and appreciated. Hopefully that thought will help you through the tough personal times.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/281263939204409223/
Hope this comes through. It is not about the getting knocked down it is about the getting up! Congratulations!
God bless you, Anthony, and all the best for the road ahead.
Anthony
This comes to you from Oz late in the sequence. You will probably read it at some stage. WUWT, Climate etc and Jo Nova keep me on track.
My recent preoccupation has been attempting to untangle the madness of the Australian Federal government Renewable Energy Target and the South Australian state government policy on ‘renewable energy’. These two policies have combined to provide the residents of South Australia with the most expensive electricity in Australia on most days of the week. This explains my delay on catching up with postings on WUWT. My interest in ‘renewable energy’ [surely an oxymoron given that energy can neither be created nor destroyed] and the ability to analyse the situation comes from my economics training assisted in no small measure by several years of semi regular WUWT reading for which I am grateful.
I was a lawyer for about 25 years after working as an economist. My speciality in later years was Family Law so I have an understanding of the divorce/property division process in Australia but not the precise detail of the Californian law. I imagine that the principles are broadly similar. In addition to my professional training and experience in the area, I have been divorced once and my present wife has been divorced twice. She also was a family lawyer and a Judge in the jurisdiction before we both retired. She now refers to her prior marriages as work experience.
My family law background was of limited assistance to me during my own divorce/property settlement. My thinking was not particularly rational. It was of greater assistance when I formed a relationship with my present wife. She had two young children living with her. One of them took great exception to me. My training allowed me to deal with her calmly and rationally. We now have a good relationship.
The time is approaching when you will have the same relaxed approach to your own experience and in due course to persons you meet in any future relationship.
Speaking selfishly, I am pleased that your offer to give up WUWT was not taken up.
Your work is much appreciated and used by me in my own amateur climate/weather research. Keep up the good work and consider giving us an update on your psyche in (say) 18 months.
Jim Hutchison
Glad to hear you’ve emerged from the long dark tunnel, Anthony. None of that “been there, done that” malarky, everyone’s experience of divorce is different. The only way is up, now. Cheers, Mike.
Apologies for the late reply, been busy with stuff and missed this momentous post until today.
Anthony, I wanted to add my personal words of support to all the others.
I find your site to be a beacon of commonsense and rational thought in a world gone increasingly mad to an extent I would never have thought possible. Thank you for your commitment and tireless efforts.
I hope your emotional well-being is well on the road to recovery. I complement you on your courage to openly reveal your personal travails to your readers and I hope that the comments of support are helpful.
My personal suggestion: No matter how “ugly” the divorce was, your best strategy is to treat your ex as an “adult.” To the extent that you have a future relationship, don’t respond to anger/provocation with the same. Walk away –if you have to–or do your best to be objective. I don’t think you have children, but (as an example) parents still have to be parents, and to do that well, they need to work together. Frankly, I used this strategy early on. It worked well with me, and we are now are good friends and have great relations with our kids. It might help to remember that there must have been a lot of really good times that validate the relationship that can serve to counteract the recent poison you are recovering from.
Sorry for the late response, but I have busy and missed your original post.
All the best for your future physical health and emotional well-being.
Flourish
rg
Anthony: WUWT is such a great piece of work that it has kept running. But, of course, it is better to have you back with us.
Best regards
I’m very much on the side that AGW is real, but I wouldn’t want this divorce trauma imposed on anyone. Wishing for a speedy recovery.