Optimist Under Siege

As I continue my career path introspection it’s hard to ignore the fact that I’d be a really amazing pastor. Except for that whole believing in god thing. I suppose that’s probably a deal breaker!

But I’d give awesome, dramatic sermons and I’d be so encouraging of everyone. And I would deliver weddings that would have people looking forward to the ceremony, not just the booze awaiting them afterward.

Maybe I’ll have to start my own non-god focused cult because, damn, I’d be an awesome spiritual figurehead.

This is my politically incorrect career thought for the day!

With the weather as nice as it’s been for the last week or so I have of late gotten this incredible urge to do something quintessentially fall-like, but am not really sure what that is. I’m really just looking for an excuse to be outside, crunch through piles of leaves, smell the trees and enjoy the colorful landscape. And yes, I’d like to also throw in some apple cider drinking and perhaps pumpkin pie eating.

But I’m not really sure what to *do*. There is, in fact, a corn maze a couple of hours west of Boston that sort of fits the bill, but it seems awfully silly to rent a zipcar for a day just to walk a corn maze.

Hmmm…I guess I’ll just have to keep brainstorming fabulous fall activities. In the mean time, I did have a pretty tasty locally made pumpkin ale last night. That’s on the fall side of things!

One of the coolest things ever is to know someone who is going to school for massage therapy. Because you know what that means? They need to practice! And what’s more, they act as if you’re doing THEM a favor by volunteering to be massaged. It’s the best scam ever!

So this happened on Saturday evening. A friend’s girlfriend came by with her table and massage oil and everything and gave me a massage. And when she was leaving she wholeheartedly thanked me for letting her practice.

Oh my goodness…”YOU’RE WELCOME!!!” (No, really, you’re welcome anytime…day or night…I’m here for you!)

How can you be sure, or at least 95% sure, of what you want to do for a career before you do it? I had a great talk with a fabulous career counselor from my alma mater, Bates College, and feel like I’m making progress on finding the right career for me.

But what if my chosen career requires a masters degree? Now, as you may or may not know, I have NO problem with going back to school. I love being a student and learning and everything. If I could find a patron, like artists used to have during the renaissance era, who would sponsor me to be a career student for life, I’d probably do it! But considering that that particular path isn’t a realistic (or reasonable) option, I’m trying to find the right actual career.

And in fact, I already have a masters in French literature from back when I thought I wanted to be a French professor. But here’s the problem.

I promised myself that I would NOT go back to school unless I had a clear plan, intention, and career goal in mind. So I don’t want to go back to school until I’m as certain as possible that I have found a compatible career. Aggravating the situation further is the fact that people who know me know that I like school, know that I’ve switched careers a lot, and that in and of itself creates even more pressure for me NOT to go back to school.

I don’t want to mention my new plans and have my friends and family internally rolling their eyes that I’m going back to school AGAIN!

So I’m left with the question of how to get to know a career without actually doing it. My current plan is to do as much research as possible through books, the internet, professional associations, and talking to alumni who are actually in the careers I’m considering.

But will that actually help me to really know? I’m doing my best to make it so.

I went out with a friend last night for Manicures and Martinis (it seemed epic enough to capitalize!). It was basically the perfect girly event. As you can see, we had our lovely fingers made even lovelier before heading out to grab some girly martinis. The fabulous martini in the picture is a key lime pie martini with a graham cracker rim and whipped cream garnish. It’s really one of the best things ever! The hand you see is actually hers, not mine, and is quite pretty, no?

As I recall, I rebelled against girliness somewhat while I was growing up. I was by no means a tomboy, but didn’t wear much pink, had never had a manicure, and didn’t really know how to apply makeup (I can’t really say I’m ALL that good at it now, to be honest!). In recent years, however, I have learned to embrace my girly side, to revel in the pink, sweet cocktail, cool clothing, mascara, frilliness of it all! I will drink my girly beer (ie. blue moon or wachusett blueberry), wear my girly high heels (thank you DSW), do my yoga (my husband claims this is a typical girl thing to like…so be it!), and read my cheesy Laurell K. Hamilton books (hey, I like them…back off!).

I would say that I am, at least mostly, at home with my girliness. Pink is not such a bad color after all. And manicures and martinis is just about the best thing to spend a Tuesday evening doing!

It’s funny. As I explore various possible new career paths I seem to have moments of complete clarity, knowing exactly which job is right for me. And then the next day comes and I have an equally enlightening flash of clarity, but unfortunately it tends to tell me something different from the previous day’s epiphany. It’s a funny process!

So here’s what I’m currently considering. Basically everything with the word “trainer” in the title seems about right. The theory is that one of my strongest talents (as well as one I quite enjoy exercising) is being a facilitator and a motivator (I’ll refrain from using the word “enabler” which sounds bad!). I’m good at cheering other people on. Rah Rah, Go Team! (And NO, I was NOT a cheerleader, thank you very much! No offense to any cheerleaders out there!)

The current “trainer” careers I’m researching and mulling over are: Corporate Trainer (gotta train those business execs!), Personal Fitness Trainer (just 200 more reps…yeah!), and Career Counselor (aka: career TRAINER…rah rah shish boom bah…get a job!).

And of course, I still think I’d be a kick ass flight attendant (the exits are located at the back of the plane).

Any other “trainer” career suggestions would be much appreciated, silly or serious. Hey, maybe I’ll give a prize to the person who correctly predicts my career choice (or who comes up with the funniest, semi-realistic one!). One in 50 may win…!

Today’s happy thoughts:

*I finally remembered to buy rice krispies and marshmallows. I haven’t made rice krispie treats yet, but I am VERY excited about the prospect!

*I did a solid “crow” yoga pose at the gym today, and a short version of “crane.” Yeah me!

*My WOW druid is level 70 and can fly as of this week. Yes, I’m a dork (or would that be geek?).

*I’m going to King Richard’s (Renaissance) Faire this weekend and I get to dress up. Huzzah! (Still a geek.)

*I have an excuse to put the light-up jack-o-lantern out in the living room.

*And it’s Friday. Enough said.

As you may have guessed from the occasional, but ever more frequent, whiny blog posts, I’m reevaluating what I “want to do” (career-wise). This will be about the millionth reevaluation. Yeah, I’m one of THOSE people, the kind who had trouble picking a major, a first job, an industry, a second job, third…etc. I’d call this the popular new buzz word, “quarter life crisis,” except that I already had that one a few years ago. So I guess this is the “a few years after quarter life crisis.” Catchy, no?

For the last year or so I’ve been building websites and doing affiliate marketing while working at home. I love the flexible schedule, but have been finding it less and less satisfying, which I’m sure is in large part because there are no other PEOPLE involved. I don’t deal much with people (except for a bit of blog camaraderie that I love and appreciate!).

So I’m rethinking once again, with the added brainstorming and support of my husband. Who knows where it may lead…?!

Do you think people become career counselors because they never figured out what they really wanted to do? I wonder.

That’s my deep thought for the day.

P.S. As I ruminate on possible new career choices it occurs to me that I’d make an excellent flight attendant. Don’t you think? Obviously my ideal profession is Queen, but I haven’t found any job openings for that lately!

I’m flying down to Philadelphia tonight for another fabulous excuse to dress up and wear pretty clothes…um…I mean…to attend a wedding! I just LOVE having the excuse to dress up. And being in a situation where my husband is forced by social convention to dance with me, that’s excellent in my book! (Although, to give proper credit to my husband, he’s generally willing to dance if I ask him to.) And you know what else is great about social conventions?! They also mandate that he has to wear a suit. And those of you who have significant others who work in business casual offices understand how nice it is to get them to dress up.

So between the dressing, dancing, and vows, it should be a pretty fun event and I look forward to telling you all about it!