It’s the beginning of a new year! No matter if I stop teaching or working in academic settings…I will always see August/September as a time to refresh, re-evaluate, and get new pens. As the last few weeks of summer smolder in the fire, I am diligently color-coding my planner with my impending schedule for the fall semester; pink pen means fun trips, blue pens are my days at the museum, etc.
I consider myself lucky because my jobs are different everyday; maybe God knew that I couldn’t sit in an office and that’s why She hasn’t given me a permanent, stay-in-one-place job yet. I have a lot of flexibility, and in most instances (as in the role of Professor) I am the Boss. As Boss, I can make the syllabus reflect my own personal academic interests, and of course my own personal travel schedule.
Often times it’s easy for me to feel like a failure because I don’t have a regular job, and I can’t easily sum up at cocktail parties what it is exactly that I “do”. I have never turned down anything (which is why I am teaching a Writing course this fall!!), but this semester I am working on cultivating other parts of my life, and relinquishing control from the Career section of my life.
I had a professor in grad school that generally embraces what I believe to be a healthy attitude towards Life and Career. He didn’t get his PhD until his 50s (after an MFA in Music), he had a stint as a drummer in a band, and he spends his summers traveling. As non-tenure track faculty members, we know that you take anything you can get to try and scrape together a respectable salary/CV/career. Famously, the Chair of the Art department once asked him to serve on a very prestigious committee. When he found out what day the committee met, he responded to the Chair: “Oh, sorry, can’t do it. I ski on Wednesdays.”
For the past two years I have exhausted myself filling out lengthy applications for jobs that I am infinitely qualified for, but will never get. I’ve stayed up nights worrying about money and my own personal failures since grad school. This year I am going to do my jobs, but focus on other parts of my life. It is important to dedicate time to the things we enjoy; if I could ski on Wednesdays, I would.
My New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Read more of the “classics” instead of re-reading Harry Potter books
2. Volunteer my time to an organization about which I feel strongly (begun, check)
3. Visit my friends that live in exotic lands like Iowa
4. Learn how to garden; then, plant things
5. Try recipes from my “Baking with Julia” cookbook
6. Write.
Because aren’t these things as important as a job?
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Don't forget to take your husband with you on your exotic travels!
ReplyDeleteI think these are very impressive things to "do," and infinitely more interesting than talking about how your Outlook went down again.
what means Outlook?
ReplyDeleteI love your "to do" list. Let's have a book club. and what is the organization with which you are volunteering?
ReplyDeleteAround this time of year I always get excited about what color my new "August to August" planner will be... usually it's what yours was last year.
I have done some volunteer work (office work) with NOW. They do lots with gay rights, as well as women's rights.
ReplyDeleteLast year my August to August planner was sky blue, this year it's black. What do you think this means???
Jobs definitely don't define us - they are part of us (and a gross requirement of being an actual adult) - but I totally relate to the career thing. I tell people what I do and their eyes slowly glaze over and they say "nice". Well, someone actually said, "Really? I'm surprised. I thought you would be doing something so much more..." More what???
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your list. Let me know how the gardening/planting thing goes. I singlehandly wiped out about $150 worth of plants in 1 month. Has to be a record.
I love YOU! Keep writing and do NOT stop. I am so excited that I get to share exotic places with you, and even better, read your incredible journeys into your imagination. Pure beauty.
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