Half Life
Yesterday I visited the Women’s Center that acts as this area’s Small Business Association. The Center offers two programs that fit me. One caters to “displaced homemakers” and the other helps people wanting to start their own businesses.
Under the displaced homemaker’s program, The Women’s Center will pay for me to attend some classes offered at one of the colleges here in town. I’m rather torn between wanting a job that “makes money” and one that is light on cash but heavy on connections to people I may need to know as I pursue my writing career. For example, the center would pay for me to become certified in many different types of health care jobs (aging baby boomers are making the career field lucrative). However, I don’t want to work in health care. I barely have patience when my own children are ill…why would I want to inflict myself on aging ill people?
Actually, I’m not torn. I don’t care about the money. Not right now. I’m willing to work hard and make a name for myself…but I do hope the money comes at some point! I wanna be a writer. So there. But I’m willing to forgo the “starving artist” mentality if something comes my way that fits me well. Maybe the money will come easier than I think; I won’t know until I put myself out there.
Under the business program, the center will help me write a business plan and introduce me to people in the community in the writing field, at the paper, at area magazines, etc. I look at a business plan as verification that the service I have to offer is a viable commodity. Is there a market for my writing? What topics pay? Where? How much can I earn freelance? What’s the best way to become published? Would it be better to get a day job (related to writing) right now and write my little arse off in my down time?
Will doesn’t pay attention to the labor forecasts because he knows that there will always be a market for “him” – he is very skilled at both soldiering (there’s more to it than wearing on a uniform!) and mechanics. He’s proud of his blue-collar mentality, and frankly, so am I. I’m a big fan of a good day’s work.
Will and I differ in that I see pursuits such as writing and art as valuable. Creating a work of art (whether it’s a story, a website, a painting) is challenging and rewarding. It’s not exactly blue-collar, callous-creating work, but that is okay. We each have our different skill sets, and I’m tired of putting my skills at a level lower than his. Yes, “he” places my skills at a lower level, but I have been the one who went along with it.
I don’t much feel like going along any more.
How the heck did Will get into this post?! I didn’t mean to drag him into this.
I suppose that Will and his ideas will be in my head and heart for quite some time. They’ve been here for almost half my life already.?
Some of his thoughts I will miss.
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