Masters bound..

With the last semester of my Bachelors degree approaching I have been doing a lot of soul searching. What to Master in?

I considered furthering myself in Psychology (my Bachelors focus) but not to be a therapist. Honestly I could never do that job. I don't think I have the patience (compassion?) to listen to people whine incessantly about First World Problems. Don't misunderstand me, there are people who have genuine problems and I am so glad there are therapists to help them. If I DID continue my Psychology degree I would want to be a Life Coach. I feel like I already do that in so many ways at my present job.

I considered an MBA. I have an Associates in Business with a focus on Small Business. MBA's are hot in demand and expected to remain so. I would have to have Masters level Accounting and Masters level Economics. No thanks. I know, I know, I always tell people to face fear and conquer it.. but this is not just average fear, I know my capabilities and I barely got out of Economics and Accounting (1 and 2!) at the undergrad level - Grad level will slay me. So I find this a logical decision.

I love my job. With a passion. I have never in my life loved a job the way I love this one. I have a purpose. I make a difference (at least I think I do!) I am hands on with college students. I feel (Cue the corny music) like I found my calling. So what can I do with my educational future to support my current job? Well it just so happens that there are such things as Masters programs in Student Affairs (Student Services, depending on the college). A Masters degree that ties into my job?! It's perfect.

Will I be as marketable as I will be with an MBA? Nope. Will I be happier continuing this path of fulfilled happiness than I would be if I ventured off into another one of material paychecks? Yep.

I'm not trying to say I don't like a good paycheck. I like things. And I love conventions. So yes, please pay me! But I will absolutely get work in the Student Services field with this degree and the experience I already have. I really think I will be a happy person with this decision.

A load is off my shoulders now. I see the path before me. It isn't full of golden leaves and diamond sidewalks, but it is full of joy and fulfillment. I choose happiness. I hope you will choose your path of happy, (even if for you it's the material stuffs.. be happy!)

keep smiling,
DJ

P.S. If the universe chooses to reward me with happiness AND money I will certainly not complain! Just sayin.

Passions vs Paychecks

I have come to enjoy the luxuries in life such as food, electricity, running water, the interwebz.. and of course I need a roof over my head to have these things. In order to have the roof over my head I need a paycheck. That means a job.

I love my job. Let’s be honest here – I have worked many many jobs in my life and this is really the only one where I didn’t dread dragging out of bed at 6:05 in the morning. I sometimes even look forward to going back to work after the weekend is over. I truly and honestly adore my job. It pays the bills so I try not to whine about salary. I come home happy at night and we have plenty to eat – a lot of people are not as lucky as I am.

Still, there is something else in me that itches to get out. My passion for writing. I AM a writer. I am constantly writing – even if it’s just in my head. See me staring out the window looking like Homer Simpson? I’m working on the novel right up there in the ole noggin. My mind is NEVER quiet. Well, it was quiet for about 20ish minutes on that cruise I took last week but that’s a teeny teeny part of a 4 day “relaxing” cruise. My mind is too loud for relaxing.

When I do have time to let my brain free onto paper I will find myself in any number of lands with any number of people. Basically, it’s write or die.

Being a full time student again (gotta get that Masters degree!) and a full time employee has really put a damper in my writing time. I still have some, but not nearly as much as I wish I did. I enjoy learning in these classes, and let’s be honest about me.. I just love learning. I would be a full time student if I could get paid for it. But it’s really cutting into my writing time. Most people whine about their social life suffering. Lucky for me my social life doesn’t exist. But my starving novelist life does.

Some people risk it all and run off to Hollywood with $28 and the clothes in their backpack hoping to make it. Some people do. Most of them don’t. I can’t run off to Scholastic Press and camp out hoping some agent will hear my thoughts and sign me up to write a novel.

So I plug along in the freetime I find. Write today, edit tomorrow, do nothing for 3 weeks because papers are due and an event is coming at work and whatever else life thing is happening – then I write again and don’t write again.. it’s a never ending cycle.

Some day I know I will finish an editing.. and then.. then I begin camping out and pimping my books all over town.