Career-ish Choices

I am thinking seriously of choosing a next career and possibly going back to school. As many of you who have read this blog before are well aware.

First but not foremost we have comedian. Ok, so I do think I can be funny. Can I be funny consistently and to the masses? I think I can be. Really. I do. Honestly. I am not joking. Trust me. Damn, I said it. Poop. Anyway, moving on.

Psychologist - helping people part with their money so I can tell them a) things they already know and b) things they think they know and don't want to hear and c) things that they will probably never understand and think that I am just having another acid flashback. (Sorry Jeff - this is still in the running...)

Game designer - computer games specifically. If there is a methodology, I would like to learn it, apply it and transcend it. Mr. Modesty rides again.

Hair stylist - so, I love hair - I love women - most people who go to hair stylists are women. Ipso facto it would be a good career choice - at least for the short term. I don't think that anyone mentioned this in the brainstorming session! (Thank you everyone who came out for that - you are awesomeness personified!!)

Then there are the also rans - or rather the fields of study that it would just be cool to know - chef, rocket scientist, shoe salesman, pizza maker, heavy machine operator, pilot, massage therapist (though I have already taken enough hours and performed enough massage that I could probably pass an exam and get a license in the states that need one...) etc.

Did laundry and some shopping yesterday. Got a cool picnic basket that was a smidge too large for what I wanted it for - as a food storage place for the car. Oh well. It is still cool. And in a few hours, we hit the road and head for NC. Huzzah!

Pictures from June 23, 2011:


I am handy - I just don't really like to be - so mom and I are thinking of hiring a handy person - I like that this handyman is a handywoman. I'll call her when we return from NC.


The New McDonald's building is proceeding apace. They were working on paving the roads near it while I was doing laundry.


If I were a painter, this is what I would paint. I just love clouds and sky pictures...


The house and kitchen are chock full of great things - like this wide mouthed funnel! Perfect for anything you want in something else that could use a funnel but is too big for a regular one!


Remember when I mentioned wanting to clean out the front room of the attic - this is its current state...

Grrr and Such

Today has not begun auspiciously. I didn't sleep particularly well and found myself awake at 6:15. Nerp. I then realized that I didn't hear the pattering of little feet. My housemate and her son, Cate and Daniel, were not awake. I think they are supposed to be heading out the door at 6:30 to make it everywhere on time. As I pulled on my sweatpants and rounded the corner, I saw that Cate's light was indeed on. She overslept. And apparently, so had Daniel. Yikes! They were out of the door close to 6:30. Amazing. For them. For me, no going back to sleep yet. I did just do about half an hour of meditation. Some really icky stuff bubbled up first, but after a while, it calmed down. Now, I am planning my day.

The icky stuff - love, money, work, mom. Love - not going to get into it just now. Money - sigh. Work - there is a job I would love. Buddhism teaches not to be attached. I do try to attain that. Without trying, obviously. I mean, duh! So, "I don't care," is a thought that I often find myself saying. Actually I say it about a lot of the above mentioned subjects. The job - teaching theatre at Peace College - would be ideal and I would be great at it. There are, no doubt, lots of others who would be a good fit and are probably better qualified than I. So, not caring, not being attached will have to suffice. Putting it out there to the Universe and letting the cards fall where they may. Goodness, I love cliched phrases!

Mom - I just get depressed thinking about her and her declining mental abilities. Sigh.

But I choose not to dwell on the ickiness. I like to acknowledge that it exists, take it out for a walk and see how I feel and what is going on with it, but I do like mostly to ignore the bad stuff and focus on the good stuff. Or just the perfection of minute to minute nowness.

That being said, I also like to have some semblance of an idea about what I would like to happen. I am a planner. I am sure I have written this before, and I am sure I will write it again. I like to have a plan. The plan does not have to be detailed, nor include options for every eventuality. It just is pleasant if it is there.

Today's plan: get up, play a bit, do my morning stuff (self cleaning, yoga), work in the basement/playroom (Daniel won't be helping today, so might as well get some done while he is at school), eat lunch, more something - maybe work on my self help book - then at around 2:15 head out to pick Daniel up and take him to meet his mom at Atomic Hair Salon in Raleigh. After dropping him off, to the Saucer go I. I have two coupons that are really old and I hope I can still use them. I am notorious for not using coupons. I have two or three living social coupons that I am actively not using - house cleaning, a massage, and a Segway tour. Sigh. Anyway, Saucer for a bit and then food shopping. I have gotten it into my head to make sushi tonight - rolls actually - I am thinking California and maybe Spicy Tuna. Either with a friend or at home - it doesn't really matter to me on a cellular level. :) I know which I would prefer, and that suffices. Then, sushi and whatever the night holds. That's my plan. And if it doesn't happen that way, it will still be a good day.

Oh, one thing I am going to do later today is post yesterday's pictures!

The Results

Hi everyone out in blogoland. The results are in from the brainstorming event. All in all, a bunch of fun was had. That is the best thing! Fun fun fun! And a lot of great ideas. Here is a somewhat culled list...

Teach at a charter school
Radiation tech or similar
Run Brainstorming events
Study Marketing and Making Beer
Motivational Speaker!
radio talk show host
interpreters for traveling executives
volunteering
Law enforcement
professional gambler!
international flight attendant
beer tour guide
beer rep positions
Write for beer advocate
historian/guide on a cruise ship
Politician
Painter
Resort Activity Director
Assisted Living Activity Director
Cruise Ship Cruise director
Photographer
Photo Journalist
Career Counselor
Event Planner
english teacher overseas
direct a movie
Medical Marijuana Grower
Radio Disc Jockey
Puzzle write for papers/magazines
Teach Chinese to like US Microbrews
Animation
Translator
Inspirational speaker
talent acquisition for the arts
documentarian
teach Chinese how to make a beer Americans like
Augustus Adventures on Travel Channel
Entertainer
Event marketer
teacher
Author
Corporate Trainer
professional game show winner
llama trainer
photo journalism
comedian
interpreter for political/hospitals
wedding planner
Traveling salesman - maybe software sales in China Germany or France
Translator or teaching border guards to speak Mexican or English
(Part-time) - Directing/producing tv shows with local tv stations
Teach Chinese how to make a beer Americans will like - teach Chinese how to like American “microbrews”
Facebook event planner
computer/is
pc/sn/db training, design, development
helping Chinese see us perspective
Gaming in Vegas or Atlantic City
Acupuncture
companion
set up flower arrangements in hotels
security guard
set up a community to survive this economy
house sit
teach skills at Senior places or night classes or community centers - ie juggling, cards, taking chances
Party planner
Drive people ie to airport, shopping, etc.
Get a job and run a WA WA
Cut grass
Manage apartments
work for the state
work for the post office

I will have to read through this list a few more times to see what I can see. And as always, if anyone has anything to add, please let me know!

Brainstorming Session - Third Post

We have had the event. Overall, I am very pleased. My two main goals were a) to have fun and b) to be inspired. Both occurred. Yippee! A group of about twenty people came. As prognosticated, only about half of the people who RSVP'd "yes" actually attended. One or two maybes and a few that were otherwise unaccounted for appeared. The space was just large enough and it all worked out. At about 7 I made a little speech and did some brainstorming on my giant yellow ruled post-it flip chart pad. And I chatted with a lot of the great people who came out! The youngest participant was Leland at 13 (I hope that is the right age) and the oldest was Nancy (not Eric's Nancy) at some age greater than 60.

Now, the next task is to transcribe all of the thoughts and see if anything inspires me further. Deus ex machina, where are you when I need you? :)

Thank you one and all thus far!

Feeling Virtuous

I am feeling virtuous for having sorted not one, but two pen drawers just now. In preparation for the grand event on Wednesday, August 11, I decided to take some pens along. My original thought was to buy a ten pack of pens - but I realized that since I already had at least 50 pens, I might as well sort through those and see which ones might be up for the adventure. I ended up through 10 or so away. This is huge for me. I also found a few pencils and a few other odds and ends. And a pair of laser tag pens that seem to mostly function sort of. I also accomplished my trip to Staples, achieving Sticky flipchart paper that looks like yellow ruled tablet paper! Woohoo! I for one am getting excited!

Bought Markers

I am so excited. I bought two packs of markers for the brainstorming event. Next on my to do list is go through all of my myriad pens in my pen drawer and figure out which ones work and which ones ought to see the inside of the circular file! I have decided to also take notecards so that people who are reluctant to write large on the walls can write small on a card. I need to find the cards I have somewhere as well. I love using up things that I have been keeping around for 40 years. Ok, 25 years. Tomorrow I need to get my resume copied while I am shopping at Staples. This is another thing about which I am excited. I love office supplies. Which might mean that I ought to be an office manager so that I could play with office supplies all the time! Hmm.

As for the attendance. So far 14 people have said they are attending. 48 are maybes. 101 have responded no. And still waiting for 129 people. I am going to seriously consider defriending anyone who hasn't bothered to respond. Is that harsh? I don't think so. I am sure there is some dead-ish weight on my friends list. Tomorrow, the unresponsive will get another email. I think total will be around 20 people. 10 of the 14 yeses will show. 7 of the maybes will show and three people who are not on Facebook or otherwise accounted for will appear. 20 isn't bad. I hope that it is enough for critical mass. We shall, of course, see.

Brainstorming Session - Second Post

So I sent invitations to all of my Facebook friends and to about 20 other people through email. I never did get around to creating an Evite. Most of the people I know are on Facebook. Except Daniel. Anyway, I so far have 11 yeses, 37 maybes, 72 not attending and 169 awaiting reply. I think I am going to harass the awaiting reply people once a day and see what happens. I like that Facebook allows one to target the four different replies. Yippee! (I got ice cream in my hair.) I am still debating what to do about the people who eventually end up not replying at all. Hmm. Thoughts?

Brainstorming Session

Hi there, long time, no blog. Life is that way sometimes. Anywho, I met a great woman named Valerie who did a cool thing. And I am emulating her. She asked her friends and family to get together to come up with ideas on what she ought to do with her life. Career-wise, ostensibly, but life-wise in reality. So that is what I am doing. August 11 from 6 to 8 in the back room of the Raleigh Flying Saucer, I am having a brainstorming session to see what thoughts people have for and about me. It will, if nothing else, be fun. A very diverse group have already RSVP'd that they are coming - though if typical party statistics prevail only half of them really will. A bunch of maybes - two or three of whom will make an appearance, and maybe one or two random people not otherwise accounted for will grace us! We shall see. In any case, I will post the results here at some point! Yippee!

West Coast Trip April 2010 - Summary and Recap

19 days. X (where x is a large number) number of miles. Y (Not that large a number) number of dollars.

Great trip, all things considered. True, I didn't have any great thoughts about what my next job will be, but other than that, it was well worth the time and effort.

During the course of the trip I spent time with 14 friends and family members. Not as many as I had hoped, but I did get to reconnect with a lot of my favorite people!

Also, during the trip, I tasted at least 40 beers in local Brewpubs. I also went to 12 of the fourteen flying saucers. I took a lot of pictures, a few of which were ok. I also took 23 movies, only two or three of which were intentional. I am going to edit the movies all together, someday, and post it. Probably on Facebook. Also a photo album will go up there.

Sadly, I had no epiphany about what to do for a livelihood for the next five to fifteen years. I figure by that time, something else will have shaken loose. I will be married again, the world will have ended, one of my books will have been selected by Oprah. Who knows?!

West Coast Trip April 2010 - Day Four

I did not sleep particularly well. The Air mattress that Sam had purchased for my visit was comfortable enough as air mattresses are concerned, but it also suffered from the same issues that all air mattresses suffer from - they can get really, really cold. It was set up on a stone floor and through the night the cold air seeped into the mattress and permeated it and then started trying to permeate through me! I eventually took my blanket and wrapped myself in it like a cocoon, which seemed to do the trick!



My plan for the day was simple. Go to the Austin Saucer, go visit my old apartment complex, head to UT to visit the theatre department where I had spent three years of my life and visit Sam in his office. I accomplished most of these.

First stop, my apartment complex. The last time I was in Austin (for work a few years ago) I failed to find the apartment. :( This time, I found Pecan Grove almost immediately! It hasn't changed in all these years...



Next stop, Flying Saucer!


I think the Austin Saucer is the next to newest Saucer - well, one of the last three for sure. :) I discovered from my server, Laura, that Richard, the local top Beerknurd, usually came in at lunch time. How fortuitous. I also learned that two of the three women from the calendar still worked at the Flying Saucer, just not that day. She did, though, call and leave messages for them and one (Janeese) actually came in!



Richard is trying to finish enough plates to get to go to the GABF. He does plates because for him it is like a game. Apparently he is good at it! On his ninth plate already!!



I got to chat with two other servers, both very nice!


I also chatted with the bartender a bit - Derron


The Manager on Duty looked vaguely familiar. Frank had asked me to say hi to him.



Later, a man who looked even more like the Dude came in and we chatted for a bit.


After I was all Saucered out, I headed to relive my Grad School days a bit. I wandered around my old stomping ground, the Theatre Department at UT Austin!



Next on my list was a slight replenishment of travel supplies. I ended up at a cool, funky HEB. Kind of like a cross between a food coop and a high end supermarket. I fell in love with Magic Pop! One day I will post a movie of the magic!



During the afternoon, we took the dogs and Lewis, my nephew, for a walk and play period at the park!






As Joanna pointed out, playing at the pet park is sort of like hanging out at a pub!




Post park, I got to hang out with my friends Jess and Nancy and their daughter Laura. I met them when I was at grad school - Jess is a fellow juggler! We had great food that Nancy mostly picked out.



Laura sold 2500 boxes of girlscout cookies - just by smiling and waving! Over dinner we talked about lots of things, including what I am going to do with my life next. Still, sadly, no answer has emerged to that query...



Then a toddle back to Sam, Joanna and Lewis's house for a much more restful night's sleep!

Have to do something!

Muse still requested...Anyway, I am stuck and don't know which way to move forward aside from the crawling forward that occurs without much volition on one's part. I need to do one of the following: find work that appeals and pays, find work that doesn't appeal but pays, find work that doesn't appeal or pay. While that is happening, it would also be nifty to finish writing a book - a book about relationships, a book about the Flying Saucer or a self help sort of book. And I still hope to take my trip cross country, though now it is looking like a spring thing. Yippee! At least I have my options enumerated. Now I can go back to sleep. :o)

Delayed Departure

The delay may be for a day or for a few months. Sad. Life is that way sometimes. This morning I woke up around 6:30 and thought it best to do some fiscal checking. Turns out that my unemployment ends on Jan 31, not Feb 28. Who knew? Which means that I either need to find a source of income or figure out how to live without money coming in. Suggestions?