I've been asking myself that question for a very long time. I've run the gamut - everything from veterinarian, to dentist, to landscape architect. Each time I get really excited about this new direction, do lots of research, talk a bit game ... and then *pffft* ... it fizzles. I was sure I had found *THE THING* a while back when I ran across a blog that talked about being a Garden Historian. That pretty much summed up what I wanted to do at that time. The stumbling block for that path came in the form of no school in the United States offers this type of Graduate degree. Sure - I could pack up move my two crazy dogs and go to the UK, but wasn't financially feasible. So I went back to the drawing board.
Then I thought I'd bite the bullet and go for a MLA from Texas A&M University and get a Historic Preservation graduate certificate to go along with it for good measure. An MLA is expensive and really way beyond the scope of what I was dreaming up in my head. It just wasn't the right fit ... again. I have realized that part of the problem is that I'm not really sure how to define what I want to do post graduate school. What kind of job do I want? What kind of life am I hoping for? What kind of impact do I hope to have on ... well on anything? Am I just bored with my life and looking for something/anything that isn't what I'm doing now?
Several years ago someone asked me what would be my dream job. Without hesitation I answered "to write for a travel magazine." (I told you - gamut). To this day I would still say that is my dream job. So why am I looking in all of these different directions? What about writing for a travel magazine still holds my fascination? Knowing me it's because I haven't tried to figure out a way to make it happen.
My last post has opened my eyes to my Luddite tendencies. I prefer to hold a book (and to catch a whiff of "old book" as well) rather than a Kindle. I miss getting letters from friends. I've never been a fan of long drawn-out phone conversations - so I admit to liking the texting trend, but I still prefer a live conversation with an actual person over both of those options. Sure there are conveniences that come with technological "improvements", but I sometimes worry if we're losing our connection to (and possibly our compassion for) our fellow humans. It just feels like we're all in such a rush to get somewhere, do something, be faster and "better" ... we're missing the point and passing by some really amazing and beautiful things.
I've been reading and hearing about a newish trend. People are seeking out their roots. They are looking for "the old." It's like history is the "new thing" again. This makes me happy. While I think "Who Do You Think You Are?" is a fun TV show, I'd like to see more people have that kind of access to get in touch with their own heritage and roots. I hope that this emerging trend of Heritage Tourism is a lasting one - and yet I hope that those historical places aren't trampled in the process of people exploring their past.
Call it kismet, a month ago I received a LivingSocial deal to get half-price fee for an 8 hour photography class. I had recently bought a new DSLR camera and was clueless on how to use it (I even bought the Canon T2i for Dummies book!) so I decided to do it.
Best. Decision. Ever!
I have found a new (and lasting) love of photography. I started poking around the Internet (ok - that's another technology convenience I do like) and looking for jobs that involve photography. I started thinking about that dream job again. I started wondering if it was shallow to want to travel, take pictures, and then write about it. I was a little worried that once again I was being distracted by the newest "shiny" idea. I started trying to fit together all of these pieces of a puzzle and make it resemble some kind of new picture of the future. It's really hard to do put together a puzzle when you aren't sure what the finished picture is supposed to look like.
One of my favorite quotes is "Not all who wander are lost." I've done a lot of wandering (and wondering). In this recent wandering I've been trying to identify *what* exactly appeals to me in each of the options I've considered in the past. I love being outside. I love exploring. I can hear a story being told by a place and want to capture it and share it. I love digging in the dirt. I love taking photos. I want to be able to tell a story with a single picture. I love to see a completed project - and knowing that "*I* did that." I love to write, but recognize that I am out of practice and need to hone those skills. I love opening perceived borders and boundaries in the world around us and letting people see there is more beyond their own neighborhood. I have a desire to preserve our past by sharing the stories of significant places and people and their role in getting us to where we are today. I want children to learn cursive (ok that one is just a personal mission and has nothing to do with the rest of this).
Now, I just have to figure out how to package all of this into one degree (if that's even necessary). Can someone please tell me how you label this "profession"?
Until next time ... keep wandering my friends. You'll discover some amazing things when you choose to meander rather than rush.
