I’m a non creative professional, but one of my 2022 goals is to figure out a place to put excess energy that is not career related, but still serves me somehow (ie not parenting). Intellectually I know that setting career goals and achieving them won’t make me THAT happy for that long to make the grind and emotional roller coaster of things outside of my control worthwhile… but as an American it is so hard to let go of ambition. But I’m trying!
Career dreams: I’d love to write a short fictional story and publish it. I completed a few with potential, but they weren’t quite there. I used to write for an art magazine that folded. With a required word count and deadline I was able to produce work. Without a deadline or potential publisher I haven’t been able to motivate and cultivate a writing practice. Today I had a chunk of time and spent it reading: Julian Barnes ‘The Sense of an Ending’, The NYT music issue magazine from Sunday, The New Yorker, and Architectural Digest. I also filled party bags for my daughter’s birthday this weekend and spent too much time figuring out my son’s soccer, guitar, & school schedule for the week. I do write in a journal for about an hour every day. I keep thinking there might be useful material in there to work with. They haunt me- I’d be devastated if anyone read them, but can’t bring myself to toss them. I’d like to go back and edit the journals- it’s daunting considering there are boxes. I loathe the term ‘journaling’, but maybe if I’m honest what I write isn’t much different than flow of conscious venting. I’ll have to check out ‘Better Things’. Currently watching ‘The Gilded Age’. Last night after avoiding the news, I consumed several articles on Ukraine and looked at horrific photos which I’m sure shaped my nightmare last night. Ukraine combined with the anti-abortion laws combined with the lack of vaccines globally available which means the pandemic will never really end is a lot to take in. Yet, my life is pretty safe and sheltered which makes me concerned that my writing may lack enough substance. But I know “everyone has at least one worthwhile story in them”, etc…
I love Sense of an Ending. Also, wow, I am impressed by the journaling. I just bought Body Work by Melissa Febos which is all about writing about one's life. She has one essay in it called "In Praise of Navel Gazing." Maybe this book would be of interest to you and give you permission to write the personal.
Thanks, I’ll check out ‘Body Work’’! As much as I enjoy reading memoir work- especially David Sedaris, I could never expose my family or friends in that way. I’d like to learn to take real life experiences as inspiration and then manipulate and shape them into fiction. Appreciate the book rec! Also, just started Season 3 of Elena Ferrante’s ‘Brilliant Friend’ series on HBO - so good!
Ha! I'm a geriatric Gen X-er with millennial tendencies. As for career goals, I recently got back into teaching. I'd taught undergraduate courses when I was in an English literature Ph.D. program. I left academia without finishing my Ph.D. and never thought I'd teach again (cue tiny violin). Nearly 20 years (plus a law degree and career) later, I'm teaching legal writing at my former law school. AND I LOVE IT. And apparently I don't suck at it? I just learned that in my law school's intramural moot court competition, 4 of the 5 highest-scoring legal briefs were written by my students from last semester. The crazy thing is, I HAD ONLY 5 STUDENTS last semester. But perhaps I simply won the registrar lottery and got brilliant students. (Not sure what happened to student #5. Can't win 'em all!) So that's one of my career goals: Teach more future lawyers how to write in actual English and not legalese.
Thanks! Small sample size, but STILL. Maybe I should retire from teaching while on top? As for the wine...sigh. After taking wine classes (and exams! Less fun than it sounds.) for several years, I received my Wine and Spirits Education Trust Diploma in 2019. I even attended a graduation ceremony in London! The next step would be the Master of Wine (MW) credential, but that requires 3 years' industry experience before even applying. Plus, most candidates take 3-6 years to obtain the MW, which involves prodigious work and a significant amount of tuition. I have a day job and one side gig teaching already, so I don't know if the MW will happen without a complete change in career. But here's the thing—if I switched to a career in wine, I'd need to embrace making half the $$$ I'm currently making. There's a saying: "How do you make a small fortune in the wine business? Start with large fortune." Would I rather know more about wine and be unable to afford it, or should I remain satisfied with my current knowledge but be able to buy wine that I like? Also, call me spoiled, but I prefer being able to buy wine rather than having to worry about how to pay my utility bill. Anyway, TL;DR (cue orchestra of tiny violins). Enjoy your writing retreat!
Wow! That is a very nice car!!! And so much less than a Tesla. Congrats and I'm glad that I still have some sway over others!
It's VERY fun to drive! (Especially compared to the minivan...!)
Also love, love, love Better Things and so glad it's back! And cute haircut!
Thanks :)
I’m a non creative professional, but one of my 2022 goals is to figure out a place to put excess energy that is not career related, but still serves me somehow (ie not parenting). Intellectually I know that setting career goals and achieving them won’t make me THAT happy for that long to make the grind and emotional roller coaster of things outside of my control worthwhile… but as an American it is so hard to let go of ambition. But I’m trying!
Ooh I love this--what will it be? Ceramics?! Tie-Dye?! Kung Fu?! Please report back.
Just here to echo - I love, love, love Better Things. Every episode is a perfect little being.
AMEN!
Career dreams: I’d love to write a short fictional story and publish it. I completed a few with potential, but they weren’t quite there. I used to write for an art magazine that folded. With a required word count and deadline I was able to produce work. Without a deadline or potential publisher I haven’t been able to motivate and cultivate a writing practice. Today I had a chunk of time and spent it reading: Julian Barnes ‘The Sense of an Ending’, The NYT music issue magazine from Sunday, The New Yorker, and Architectural Digest. I also filled party bags for my daughter’s birthday this weekend and spent too much time figuring out my son’s soccer, guitar, & school schedule for the week. I do write in a journal for about an hour every day. I keep thinking there might be useful material in there to work with. They haunt me- I’d be devastated if anyone read them, but can’t bring myself to toss them. I’d like to go back and edit the journals- it’s daunting considering there are boxes. I loathe the term ‘journaling’, but maybe if I’m honest what I write isn’t much different than flow of conscious venting. I’ll have to check out ‘Better Things’. Currently watching ‘The Gilded Age’. Last night after avoiding the news, I consumed several articles on Ukraine and looked at horrific photos which I’m sure shaped my nightmare last night. Ukraine combined with the anti-abortion laws combined with the lack of vaccines globally available which means the pandemic will never really end is a lot to take in. Yet, my life is pretty safe and sheltered which makes me concerned that my writing may lack enough substance. But I know “everyone has at least one worthwhile story in them”, etc…
I love Sense of an Ending. Also, wow, I am impressed by the journaling. I just bought Body Work by Melissa Febos which is all about writing about one's life. She has one essay in it called "In Praise of Navel Gazing." Maybe this book would be of interest to you and give you permission to write the personal.
Thanks, I’ll check out ‘Body Work’’! As much as I enjoy reading memoir work- especially David Sedaris, I could never expose my family or friends in that way. I’d like to learn to take real life experiences as inspiration and then manipulate and shape them into fiction. Appreciate the book rec! Also, just started Season 3 of Elena Ferrante’s ‘Brilliant Friend’ series on HBO - so good!
Ha! I'm a geriatric Gen X-er with millennial tendencies. As for career goals, I recently got back into teaching. I'd taught undergraduate courses when I was in an English literature Ph.D. program. I left academia without finishing my Ph.D. and never thought I'd teach again (cue tiny violin). Nearly 20 years (plus a law degree and career) later, I'm teaching legal writing at my former law school. AND I LOVE IT. And apparently I don't suck at it? I just learned that in my law school's intramural moot court competition, 4 of the 5 highest-scoring legal briefs were written by my students from last semester. The crazy thing is, I HAD ONLY 5 STUDENTS last semester. But perhaps I simply won the registrar lottery and got brilliant students. (Not sure what happened to student #5. Can't win 'em all!) So that's one of my career goals: Teach more future lawyers how to write in actual English and not legalese.
Wow, 4 award-winning tutees?! Amazing! That's great you're back into that. What about the WINE?!?!
Thanks! Small sample size, but STILL. Maybe I should retire from teaching while on top? As for the wine...sigh. After taking wine classes (and exams! Less fun than it sounds.) for several years, I received my Wine and Spirits Education Trust Diploma in 2019. I even attended a graduation ceremony in London! The next step would be the Master of Wine (MW) credential, but that requires 3 years' industry experience before even applying. Plus, most candidates take 3-6 years to obtain the MW, which involves prodigious work and a significant amount of tuition. I have a day job and one side gig teaching already, so I don't know if the MW will happen without a complete change in career. But here's the thing—if I switched to a career in wine, I'd need to embrace making half the $$$ I'm currently making. There's a saying: "How do you make a small fortune in the wine business? Start with large fortune." Would I rather know more about wine and be unable to afford it, or should I remain satisfied with my current knowledge but be able to buy wine that I like? Also, call me spoiled, but I prefer being able to buy wine rather than having to worry about how to pay my utility bill. Anyway, TL;DR (cue orchestra of tiny violins). Enjoy your writing retreat!