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Work, Life, and Where Things Are
Jan. 22nd, 2014 10:38 pmSo there's a Women's Network at Work. A good one, which if you're in a real facility holds things you can go to. I went to one or two of them held Somewhere Else way back when we had a facility here too. Now all I get are the emails about various things like some of those events in places I am not near, the kudos to Our Own for being awesome leaders, and articles about feminism, how to be a high-up corporate woman, and how you can't have everything--you have to pick and choose. It was the transcript of an interview in the vein of that last bit that came through today. I looked through it casually, knowing that my role at work is one I'm happy in, and having no desire to "rise up the ladder", and in doing so, leave what is my profession. I like my job.
***
Tonight I was re-watching Criminal Minds, and caught the quote at the end, recognizing the author hazily, and that he was a cartoonist. So I searched for the quote from the episode, then looked up the author, Bill Watterson. Ended up on a site with more of his quotes. Wandered the Internets and found a tribute comic in his style based on the same quote. Which, I also discovered, came from a commencement ceremony speech he gave at his alma mater back in 1990, the year I started college. I read the whole thing, and realized that this, THIS, is what I subscribe to.
Do what you love. Even when people around you don't understand, or think it's odd. He was doing this back in 1990, when I was entering what he called "formative years". I read his comic in the actual newspaper. I remember his railing against the syndicate, and the sad lack of Calvin and Hobbes merchandise. I, and a good part of the world I live in, seem to have absorbed the message he gave to his college.
As I read the speech, I thought of my friends who have worked to find their writing careers. I have friends who work unconventional jobs so they have the flexibility to do what they love. And I, I work as non-corporate in a corporation gig as you can get. From home, with flexible hours, and with people one time zone as well as halfway across the world. So I can be at the bus stop, and catch a Boy as he runs and jumps into my arms. So I can take part of my lunch hour and spin yarn, or dash out to the Scout Shop for the achievement pins for this month's pack meeting. I work with words, my cerebral love, and at times get to flex the semi-poetic muscles in my brain to match the words with what we really want to say. And at night, I play with yarn, or beads and wire, or fabric, and work with my hands.
Do I have it all? No. There's a messy house and filthy tub that will testify against that idea. But I have enough of the things that matter to me. I am content. I have no need to climb a ladder. I have made my choices, and I am happy in them.
Are you happy in yours?
***
Tonight I was re-watching Criminal Minds, and caught the quote at the end, recognizing the author hazily, and that he was a cartoonist. So I searched for the quote from the episode, then looked up the author, Bill Watterson. Ended up on a site with more of his quotes. Wandered the Internets and found a tribute comic in his style based on the same quote. Which, I also discovered, came from a commencement ceremony speech he gave at his alma mater back in 1990, the year I started college. I read the whole thing, and realized that this, THIS, is what I subscribe to.
Do what you love. Even when people around you don't understand, or think it's odd. He was doing this back in 1990, when I was entering what he called "formative years". I read his comic in the actual newspaper. I remember his railing against the syndicate, and the sad lack of Calvin and Hobbes merchandise. I, and a good part of the world I live in, seem to have absorbed the message he gave to his college.
As I read the speech, I thought of my friends who have worked to find their writing careers. I have friends who work unconventional jobs so they have the flexibility to do what they love. And I, I work as non-corporate in a corporation gig as you can get. From home, with flexible hours, and with people one time zone as well as halfway across the world. So I can be at the bus stop, and catch a Boy as he runs and jumps into my arms. So I can take part of my lunch hour and spin yarn, or dash out to the Scout Shop for the achievement pins for this month's pack meeting. I work with words, my cerebral love, and at times get to flex the semi-poetic muscles in my brain to match the words with what we really want to say. And at night, I play with yarn, or beads and wire, or fabric, and work with my hands.
Do I have it all? No. There's a messy house and filthy tub that will testify against that idea. But I have enough of the things that matter to me. I am content. I have no need to climb a ladder. I have made my choices, and I am happy in them.
Are you happy in yours?
