Pin Stripes
I need to be more serious. Expensive shoe wearing, fine leather bag carrying, author portrait where I’m looking over my shoulder in some way, serious. A scarf that’s not fuzzy with every color in the crayon box is in order or maybe even…lip liner.
If I become more serious, play the part, then I will be a better writer. I will write about serious things, real things like far off places, human injustice, conflict or even cultural and world affairs. I need weight, good lighting, titles and letters after my name.
Last night I sat down to write my resume which in my world is tantamount to, let’s say…a public pap smear. Maybe not quite that intrusive, but listing who I am, what I believe, what I write about, my strengths and why I am so super fabulous that people should hang on my every word…not my thing at all.
In my attempt to put together my curricula vitae, which, by the way, is slightly more serious than a resume, I began with my education which was easy and then I moved to a simple list. I started writing down my accomplishments, honors, awards, publications…at this point I reached for the peanut butter as my chest began to clench.
It is startling when you reach that moment in your life when you are not sure what the hell you are doing or have ever done for that matter.
It could very well be that I am rife with accomplishment and accolade, but they are things that don’t translate to paper? Maybe? I will think on this a bit longer after Downton Abbey, but in the meantime, I’m going to start channeling very serious, brooding even.
My thoughts from the laundry room. Strict Curfew.
age crazy life education job hunting life lists meaning thoughts websites work working writers writing culture humor life people resumes self expression thoughts whatever winging it Words work Writing
Maybe that’s what I need to do…actually get dressed. But I don’t have any inner personality to improve my skills. I’m a mom who stays at home with my children—who have all moved out—one has returned—so now I’m just unemployed with no current skills to get a job other that a burger flipper–I have seriously made an art of that skill.
Hey, don’t knock burger flipper. Mine always fall apart, so that’s something. Hahaha. Thanks for reading and relating, April.
I’m not knocking it–I have made an art out of it. Burger flipping is one of my best skills—right along with cleaning toilets. 🙂
Public pap smear. Perfect. Being more serious is often a goal of mine, too. And then four minutes later I’m convinced unicorns are real and trying to prove it. Nice to meet you!
Wait…they’re not real? So nice to meet you too! Thanks for reading.
They are TOTALLY real. Yay!
i hear you.
applied for an artist’s residency last month
writing the resume was an exercise in procrastination & torture (great at both activities…)
a trusted friend’s encouragement made all the difference:
back in 2000 when i applied to massage school, my friend was on staff at the school – that i had “plastering” written on my resume (i used to do renovation work in Brooklyn) made an impact on her
so
perhaps there’s something like that in your very personal, unique & no doubt, beautifully rich life story.
…
listened to this the other day
with the wish that it offers something of benefit
http://www.onbeing.org/program/sarah-kays-way-words/4548
Maybe that is it. Unique would be great because all of the traditional gold stars seem to have passed on me. Plastering…very cool and unique. Thank you so much for sharing Sarah Kay with me. I’ve listened to it twice. So wonderful.