posted
It's 10,001 because I posted 10,000 in Mrs. M's thread. I had intended to do this landmark before I posted anything but I was too excited about her ladybug to refrain from posting.
Okay....what to do for 10,000? I had several ideas and discarded them and that reminded me how much indecision plagues me, so I decided to do this landmark on my inability to settle the question of what to do when I grow up.
First, I don't want anyone to think I'm whining or complaining. I have the most fortunate situation in the world. Because my husband does such an excellent job providing for us and because he loves and supports me so much I can do anything I want to do. I can stay a full-time Mom for the rest of my life if that's what I want. I'm in college right now to finish my degree and can major in anything I want. Any future career I desire is within my grasp. And yet, I don't know what I want.
Quick background - I went to college right out of high school, majoring in English intending to become a high school English teacher. Changed my mind constantly - thought about psychology, thought about pre-law, thought about biology thinking I could go on to vet school. Obviously at 18/19 I wasn't ready to make a career choice.
But you'd think at 34 I would be ready. Especially since I've spent years working in the corporate world, and had five years at home with my kids to think about it.
When I finally decided to go back to school I was certain that working as a school librarian was the perfect career. I love kids, I love reading, I love technology and I love teaching and helping people. But when I took a closer look at actually majoring in education, I realized two things: it would take a long time to get the education degree and I only wanted to be a librarian in an elementary school because of the schedule. The schedule is just not a good enough reason. I realized I'd like to work in a public, medical, or academic setting more than I would a school setting and if that were the case I didn't need to major in education.
So that settled it, I'd major in something else that I would enjoy, I'd finish faster, then I'd get my MLIS degree and try to get a job in a library setting. I chose communication because I loved the subject, and had done some work in corporate communications/corporate training before I quit working and I loved it. A communications degree was a good choice as a prelude to the MLIS, so I was on track.
And yet, as I've been planning out my schooling for the communication degree I've been thinking that hey, I like this corporate communications stuff so much I'm not so sure I wouldn't mind just working in that field.
Then, another possibility came on the radar. My mom is looking to retire from working full time and develop her consulting business more. She is already in demand in human resources consulting in the area, and thinks she could retire and help out with the kids more and consult on the side. She made the point that I would be a huge asset, doing training and communication audits, and such.
Then, I talked with my Speech instuctor, telling her how much I loved the class and was planning on studying communications, and she told me if I loved training and I loved communications then I should get my master's in communications and get a part-time job teaching speech at one of the junior colleges around, which would leave me time to consult on the side. When I told her I would worry that I wouldn't be able to find a job teaching speech on a college level she just told me to check it out online. And, every junior college and two universities in the Birmingham area are taking applications for part-time or full-time instructors in speech communication. Apparently there's a huge demand, and the junior colleges especially like to hire part-time instructors because it's cheaper, no benefits and the like.
So that is now on the radar and it's very, very appealing to me. At the moment.
So that brings us to writing. I've been all over the map with writing. I was sure I wanted to just stay home with my kids and write at one point. At another point I decided to give it up entirely and only write for fun and never seek publication again. Then I decided to try and get published and was successful - got four short things published and was paid for all four of them. So like everything else, I can't seem to make up my mind.
As for where I am now with writing - I'm working on a novel. It's actually going quite well, I'm excited about the characters and the storyline. It's fantasy, written for the 14-18 year old age group. At the moment I plan on trying to get it published when it's finished. Next week I might feel differently.
So there it is. Ten thousand posts on Hatrack and still no real idea what I want to do when I become a grown up. Maybe I'll take door #3 and just never really grow up, at all.
I love you guys, and want to thank Uncle Orson and all the mods who make this such a welcoming place. I'm really glad it's here.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:It's fantasy, written for the 14-18 year old age group.
I've been doing a lot of research lately to correlate with starting my own publication. One thing that I've learned is this: If you write something hoping to hit a demographic (i.e. white women 30-35) you'll get every part of the demographic to look, but you won't get them to buy. You need to "flesh-out" your reader (i.e she stays at home, changing diapers, without make-up, her husband works 12-14 hours a day etc.). This way you can connect more with the reader.
I've found this advice very helpful in my writing and thought maybe you could benefit from it as well. So take what you will, or use it to prove how much of an idiot I am.
Regardless, I liked you Landmark.
Posts: 1660 | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
Sometimes not making a specific decision, is making a decision just the same. A million pathways ahead of you, opening up with opportunity. You'll succeed at any of them, as long as you keep on being Belle.
posted
Belle, I'm right there with you. I've worked in computers and education and child care. I'm going to be a full-time mom until the kids are in school and I'm taking a real estate class in the fall. I also want to be a social worker in the distant future.
It used to bother me, but then I read that the average person will have 3 careers in his or her lifetime. I also have friends who have had the same job right out of college and are bored and miserable. To be fair, I have plenty of friends who have had the same job since college and love it.
Belle, the teaching and consulting sound great. I hate to bring this up, but have you thought about HR training? You already have a HR background (right?) and so many companies need good trainers (for sexual harassment seminars, etc.). It's part time and extremely lucrative.
Thanks for using your 10,000 post for my Ladybug!
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
Belle, it has been fascinating to watch you work through this process over hte last few years. You seem to have thought your way out very carefully -- I'm sure this could work out well for you. It's a career very suited to your meticulous and methodical intellect.
Posts: 831 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I can't really decide whether to be comforted or worried by the fact that if I don't know what I want to do with my life now there's no certainty that I'll know in ten or twenty years...
but either way, good luck in whatever decision you make!
Posts: 3420 | Registered: Jun 2002
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