I am thankful for… projects

This year I’m doing NaNoWriMo, the project in which you write a novel in one month. I’m also doing NaBloPoMo, the project in which you write one post every day for one month. The problem is that NaNoWriMo is on the same month as NaBloPoMo. To compensate for this, I’ve decided that this month shall consist almost exclusively of posts explaining what I’m thankful for. These “30 Days of Thanks” start today. Special thanks to boogiemum for the idea.

When I graduated from college, I was glad to be done with the whole of homework. Never, I thought, would I have to face another standardized test or be in an artificial environment again. I graduated in Journalism, but not the shiny, fun journalism. My focus was a bit more… scattered. I was a paginator. I was a designer, be it page layout or design. I put the pages together with the copy editors while the rest of the staff went home to sleep with their beautiful cats and fichus plants ((it’s a little known fact that most journalists suck at relationships. They are also overwhelmingly women (although men hold all the decision-making positions). I have still yet to figure out why that is.)). Luckily, I liked the job and was good at it.

I didn’t like the schedule of the daily paper I worked at, so I switched to a weekly. But even that didn’t settle with me. I was a college graduate and I was making a pittance ((also, journalism pay sucks)). That would have been tolerable if not for the constant dread I had for my job and the fact that I felt like I was gaining weight, losing my vision, developing carpal tunnel syndrome and getting stupider. And that I couldn’t stand! ((I could hirple, but stand?  Never!))

So I quit and went across the country with the most fun, awesome person in the world. While on the trip I realized that the only thing that had remained constant in my life was my need to challenge myself and learn new things. Then I realized that I didn’t owe any of the rest of my life to anybody or any concept of how you should live your life. THEN I realized that I really wanted to know more philosophy. I realized I desperately wanted more of what had previously only been a fun mental exercise. So I decided to go to grad school and get my doctorate.

When I got back to New Mexico I felt more energized and with more to do than I ever did when I was working. I felt productive as I studied for hours every day for the GRE. I felt the thrill of getting a great score. I felt curiosity and fascination as I read Unto Others and Moral Minds and all of my research into the evolution of ethics. I felt dread and invigoration as I worked on my writing sample and sent it out for comments. Then I felt the same when it came back with more red ink than black.

Now I only have to write my personal statement and do the clerical part to finish my applications. Now I’m going to go through immigration to see if I can help my cousin and her kids move to this country so she can work on her Bachelor’s. And while I’m doing that, I’m going to post daily and write a novel. THEN, as soon as that is done, I am going to move to Seattle to be with some friends and get a job.

I’m not sure what’ll happen after that, but I’m sure I won’t mind the break. You can only be invigorated for so long before you want a [[respite]]. However, I’m glad I have motivation now and am not going to stagnate in a dead end, boring job until I retire.

I am thankful for… projects.

This year I’m doing NaNoWriMo, the project in which you write a novel in one month. I’m also doing NaBloPoMo, the project in which you write one post every day for one month. The problem is that NaNoWriMo is on the same month as NaBloPoMo. To compensate for this, I’ve decided that this month shall…