Thursday, October 1, 2009

Time for Change

Hello. Hello? Is anyone there? I guess that's what happens when you treat your blog like a spider plant. If you stick it in the corner, don't water it and neglect to breathe dragon breath on it while talking to it in funny voices, it kind of withers up and dies on you. At least, that's been my experience with spider plants.

Sigh.

Sorry, SWC.

I think it's time for a career change. When we started this blog, I was starving for a writing outlet. I had some fiction projects that I kept close to the vest, worked on a friend's online journal, submitted a few pieces of fiction to various journals, some of which were accepted and most of which were rejected. That left me with plenty of time and energy to spout off here on the blog. I waxed poetic about food porn, other people's jobs and just about any kind of nonsense that struck me as amusing or infuriating at the time.

Then Slippy came calling with her siren song of copy writing and magazine work. It was splendid! It was marvelous. I got paid to write and all my dreams were coming true. I learned so much about so many things, and had so much fun. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. That includes freelance writer/editor budgets at small private schools in economic crisis. When there are salaried staff members who are supposed to be able to do what I was doing, paying me doesn't seem to make a great deal of sense economically. I'm still dabbling at Slippy U, but when there's just not a lot of work, what's a girl to do?

I'm still slaving away with the nuns. The novelty has worn off, but dammit if I don't have a wellspring of affection for those gym teachers for Jesus. So, out of a sense of obligation, affection and "what the hell else do I have going on," I'm still working with them.

The library thing, you ask. Heh. Well, that. Have you ever told someone to "Take this job and shove it--I ain't working here no more?" Let me just tell you that although it may reveal a real asshole side to you, it feels great. In fact, I would have struck that off my "Things To Do Before I Die" list if I hadn't pretended to blow my nose and wipe my ass with a paycheck once. That was actually way cooler, especially considering I was a temp and it took them five whole business days to fire me. I am sure there isn't a HR department in the world that wouldn't say, "Send that little bitch packing pronto." I imagine miming using your paycheck as a personal paper product precludes an employment violation lawsuit.

Anyway, it seems my freelance writing career has gone by way of my teaching career (never really started that one in an official capacity), my bartending career (didn't feel like doing that one pregnant) and my internet start-up career (quit it as soon as I had enough saved up to backpack for six months). That is to say, a long-term career path and I seem to get along as well as a chauvinist and a feminist.

That is to say, not well at all.

So, now that I haven't been doing much writing-for-hire, I've regenerated some of my creative yen to blather on about whatever crosses my mind. This whole experience has made me realize something, though: I never wanted to be a chef or a hooker, because I knew that as soon as I started to get paid for doing something I love, I would start to hate it.

Not so with writing.

I haven't stopped hoping that I can get paid to write, and now that I don't have obligations, I can work on some of my own projects that sat fallow while I was workin' it. I'm just sort of hibernating now. So come, join me in my cave. You bring whatever you've foraged and I'll tell some nice stories ...

10 comments:

Costa said...

More o' that there bloggin' comin', huh?

(An' a surfeit o' apostrophes, too. I'm a likin' shortenin' stuff.)

I'll wait here to read more.

Jude said...

You should have stuck to your original career choice....it also had a limited time allowance,small wardrobe budget,but a great view of the city!!! It's probably not too late to reconsider..and babycakes would love it on take your kids to work day....

Nora said...

Jude refers to my first goal. When I was five or six, someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said, "A lifeguard because they only work in the summer."

Amazing how little I've changed.

River said...

I'm still here :P Can't get rid of me all too easily

Jenn said...

I MISSED YOU!! Can't wait to read more! YAY!

Anonymous said...

The Change

Nora, a writer we love,
Her job didn't fit like a glove.
She told them to stuff it,
And now she will rough it,
Playing B-ball with nuns from Above.

An author named Nora we know,
Her writing gig's starting to slow.
A best-seller's waiting,
So stop hesitating,
Your heroine's ready to go!

Jim "Poetry Man" Duley

Patrick Smith said...

I have nothing to do. Entertain me.

Anonymous said...

A month since the last post and there is no Nora to be found. Hey, "No" begins "Nora." In fact, it's exactly half of the name. Learned something, didn't you, hmmmmm?

Meanwhile, according to an inside source, our friend, Informal Grae, has taken a writing sabbatical. Seems he's dealing with some personal "stuff" and his Muse has skipped town.

That's all the news I can muster. Come back soon. I don't write poetry for just anybody.

Jim "The Informer" Duley

informal said...

Hi, Nora, Jim, Costa et al,

Informal very nearly took the long walk, then tried the short drop, (but obviously not with much success)and here he is on New Year's Eve 2009 /2010 battered, bruised and very nearly beaten.

Nothing much in the way of writing is happening (be it the mental change, heavy medications, or just good old life) but as one year passes, the next may bring new opportunities. It's not gonna be quick, or easy, but maybe, in time, the muse may come back.

if you want to drop me a line I have mobile e-mail with

gprs2009@ovi.com

I'd love to communicate with some of the gang. Keep in there, wherever you are and whatever you're doing.

Take care - i.g.

Anonymous said...

Where did you run off to, Nora G.?
Maybe you're sailing on the open sea.
Or singing in a band in Parsippany?
Perhaps hiking up to Salisbury?

I'm writing in rhyme to report our former favorite writing site, EditRed, will soon be no more. Seems it was no longer viable, according to the site owners. C'est la vie, oui?

And now I'm off once again. The Muse has left me for another, I'm afraid, so I'm must return to my day job.

Costa and Grae, peace to you both.

Jim "Checking In" Duley