Today, we’d like to introduce you to Jim Padgett.
Hi Jim, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been retired from working for over 24 years. My life of 68 years has gone through many changes. I have worked 22 jobs in my lifetime, and I am enjoying my current job as a househusband to my wife. It is the best job I could ever have.
I have been a househusband for over 24 years. Most recently, I completed my autobiography. It is titled “22 Ways: A Nonfiction Portrayal.” The book carries me through the 22 jobs I have worked in my life. It is a complete history of many true events that happened in my life. It spans the longest time I have held a job. That is the job of the househusband.
The second longest job I held, I retired from. It lasted 12 years. I have a Master of Arts degree from 2005 and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from 1980. I received both degrees from the University of Houston Clear Lake. My wife and I have been married for over 31 years. I was the age of 37 when we married. Prior to our marriage, we neither previously married anyone else.
We live in Deer Park, Texas, a suburb of Houston, about 30 miles from Galveston Bay. I enjoy life all I can. I am a born-again Christian, with my faith built on Jesus Christ. I am an active member of my church.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I spent the entire year of 2023 completing my autobiography. It was a tremendous onslaught of re-living every item of many events I experienced. I wrote a few examples of short phrases in the book to describe some of the challenges, trials, and traumas I lived through. Many situations required me to make major life-changing decisions.
Changing jobs 22 times over 60 years requires more decision-making (for survival income) than a great majority of people experience, I have found. I used such quips as, “How much is enough… just a little bit more,” to describe a decision I made determining the amount of money I might need for retirement. I have a chapter titled “Straighten Up and Fly Right.” Nat King Cole wrote a song in 1941 with those words as a title. That chapter tells of my worst period in life. That period in time was bewilderingly difficult for me. It was the years before I turned the age of 30.
Deep in debt with no job, living alone in a new apartment, I described in that chapter a time in life I went through nearly 40 years ago, termed “the change of life” period. Back during those years, the phrase was spoken commonplace and mentioned by someone very often in conversation. Yet now, I do not think the phrase has a widely known connotation. Much less, may a majority of people under age 25 understand “the change of life” I depressingly mentioned.
Addictions have plagued me for over 5 decades. With help from the Lord, my wife, and “Anonymous” Members’ clubs, I have overcome smoking, drinking, and gambling. Most recently, of the 3, I have not gambled on anything since 2016. The most addictive habit for me to stop was nicotine. I smoked for 20 years and chewed nicotine gum for 15 more years after I stopped smoking.
I praise God for having these habits behind me and pray for healing from my current obsessive compulsion to eat food many times during the day and night.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
I am a Digital Artist and a Published Author of 2 books. I have a US Patent Trademark for my over 1,000 pieces of Digital artwork. Twenty of my Abstract art pieces were on display at Agora Gallery in the Chelsea District of New York City for over one year.
I have many paintings in businesses around town (outside southeast Houston) and have painted 2 artwork logos for local businesses. I love to sing and am currently in 2 of my church choirs.
What were you like growing up?
I have lived all my 68 years in Deer Park, Texas. Swimming and sunbathing at Galveston Island, a lifelong reality, taught me to enjoy “oceanic” water and its beaches. My siblings and I grew up very disciplined, my father a veteran of the Korean War.
I was taught a strong work ethic from a very early age and have carried it all my life, knowing that almost anything worth having is obtainable through working. I earned my own money to pay my way through 4 years of college while living at home with my parents, mom’s cooking, and no rent expenses. We siblings were told at a young age that we were responsible for paying our way through college after high school.
A place to sleep and food on the table would always be provided. After high school, without attending college classes for some semesters, I did have to pay rent (not much) to live at home. I grew up going to church every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night (every time the church doors were open). My mother was the church organist for 60 years.
We siblings were expected to be present with our mother for every church service as well. I always hated missing Sunday night TV shows. I was never able to watch “The Wonderful World of Disney” as I had always wanted. Over the years, however, I thank God for blessing me with the good parents that He gave me and the disciplined lifestyle they raised me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.paintingsbyjim.gallery
