Middle America: Even people who "support" you kind of pat you on the head "oh that's nice" because they don't really get it.
Even my parents reacted like this. For a while my Dad thought it was little more than a pipe dream. I'm sure he secretly thought "What the hell is this boy doing? He gets back from Afghanistan, decides not to finish college, and instead moves out to Boston for some Internet... thing? WHERE DID I GO WRONG?!?!" ;)
He now understands things better and though my parents still don't really understand the entire idea of a "web business" and "venture capitalists" (which obviously aren't a web-only thing, but they are from Ohio after all...) and all that rot, they are now more realistic about it and "get" why I did this... why I had to, even.
The 13 hour stretch from Cincinnati to Boston was easily one of the best days of my life. Shedding the shackles of mid-western suburbia to embark on an adventure, having no idea how or when it would end or where it would take me. I'd never felt so... free. Where I came from exhibits quite the contrast; a society content to live firmly within the lines of what is considered proper, reasonable and safe.
Even my parents reacted like this. For a while my Dad thought it was little more than a pipe dream. I'm sure he secretly thought "What the hell is this boy doing? He gets back from Afghanistan, decides not to finish college, and instead moves out to Boston for some Internet... thing? WHERE DID I GO WRONG?!?!" ;)
He now understands things better and though my parents still don't really understand the entire idea of a "web business" and "venture capitalists" (which obviously aren't a web-only thing, but they are from Ohio after all...) and all that rot, they are now more realistic about it and "get" why I did this... why I had to, even.
The 13 hour stretch from Cincinnati to Boston was easily one of the best days of my life. Shedding the shackles of mid-western suburbia to embark on an adventure, having no idea how or when it would end or where it would take me. I'd never felt so... free. Where I came from exhibits quite the contrast; a society content to live firmly within the lines of what is considered proper, reasonable and safe.