For those of you who come here regularly, hope to have Thursday Poem Share back up after New Year’s! Happy Holidays!
July 4th 2007 was my first day of “independence.” By this I mean I left my full-time office job of 9 years and became a graduate student, house wife, and writer. I left that job for many reasons, but mostly it came down to three things: 1 – commute 2 – type of work I was doing 3 – discomfort with at least one fellow employee.
5 and a 1/2 years later I find myself not working full-time again and my reasons don’t seem too dissimilar although the commute issue wasn’t as bad this semester as it was last fall when I was driving to Salisbury everyday. As I go back to look at my posts from the last five years it does sadden me a bit that I’m still posting about wanting to lose weight
otherwise I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made in listening to myself regarding the “career” bits of my life.
After I left my old non-teaching job I focused on school, writing, and my house for two years. I’ve actually self-published two essays on this site about whether or not I wanted to teach composition versus waiting around to see if any creative writing teaching opportunities appeared (Modern Grammar and Higher Education). I’m going to weave these two essays into my presentation for AWP in March: Stranger in a Strange Land? The Poet in the Composition Classroom. The second deals more with what it was like once I finally went into the composition classroom as an adjunct. I was an adjunct for a year before I went full-time. I, of course, posted a blog after my first year of full-time teaching as well.
Even as I wrote that blog and took the summer off I wondered about going back to full-time teaching. I was, however, excited about my new schedule, with people who had moved into new leadership roles around the college, and with ideas I had for restructuring my classes.
I went back, but the semester was rough for me on many fronts. Life outside of school through a lot in my path as well. The workload was wearing me down like a piece of paper folded and folded again. My father passing away was sort of the final crease. I needed to take some time to help my family, and to find myself again.
I’m not sure where my path will take me next. I’m focusing on freelance editing and teaching, but I’m not opposed to maybe picking up a class or two at one of the local colleges or universities if I’m needed. I’m not sure if my spouse and I will ever be mobile enough for me to look at some of the bigger creative writing schools so I can only hope (for now) that I can find a way to fit into the academic and literary community in my area. I have dreams about what that could be like so for now I’ll dream away.
Good luck with the next chapter in your adventures, wherever your pen takes you. Unfold the paper … and keep writing.
Your friend,
Kevin
Thanks, Kevin
I still want to teach in some way. Maybe I’ll even think about going back for the PhD so I can work more with teaching teachers.
Oh Jessie, that sounds really great . .the teaching teachers.
Wishing you the best always, and just believe with you that this was the right move for you at this time. Looking forward to one of your workshops!
Thank you! I am getting ready to share some more details about the 1st class as registration is open. We shall see
Cut yourself some slack but never stop dreaming. You have so much to offer, but no job is important enough to destroy you.
Thanks, Helen. I know I’ve made the right choice for me at this time.
Good luck! Good for you to have the courage to keep doing what is right for you. And, of course, keep dreaming…it will happen for real someday!
Thank you, Maya
I hope you are still writing!
I am, thanks for asking! Been a bit slow on sending work out or even putting it together in some cohesive form, but I’m hoping to get back in business soon.
Bit by bit! Good luck to you with it in 2013
I agree with Helen, Jessie. Never stop dreaming. I’m on your support team!
I really do appreciate my online support team
I know what you mean. I too feel like a piece of paper folded and folded again. Like the others have said, take courage and keep on going.
Maybe I’ve just never left the “Paper House” of my first book
Thank you!
Jessie – Give yourself time to absorb your difficult year and be kind to yourself. I think sometimes we focus too much on what is not perfect in our everyday lives. Instead, think about all you are able to accomplish – write, edit a magazine, teach – and the things that do make you happy. Ideally, we would all be able to support ourselves doing exactly what we love, but that is often unrealistic. Being a public school teacher for over 20 years, I love my middle school kids, but there are certainly days when being retired and writing full-time seem a far away dream. Keep dreaming and give yourself permission to be happy where you are right now. Happy New Year!
Bless you teaching middle school! I subbed for middle school briefly. Whew. I have considered going back to doing some sub work as well. I work hard to stay on the positive side of things. Like this morning I’d like to focus more on the fact that I got to sleep in rather than the sore throat. LOL
Very touching post…thanks for sharing with us Jessie. I might not know when to stop with my venting
I do have to be careful! One of my issues that came up at work was a few times when I did vent I found that the person I vented to went and told other people. Ugh! I hate not being able to trust people!!