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Friday, March 14, 2014

'I'm not a grown up yet' Giveaway FYBF

Its very strange how you can live for almost half a century and never feel grown up. Well except for those times where you're doing domestic duties and just want to lie down for a nap at four in the afternoon. 

Where am I going with this? Well lets first talk about what most adults do - work. 

As regular readers would know, I've been going through a few career changes, which means I've been jumping through a few jobs lately. I left my lovely comfortable position at the English school as it was about to close down and leapt into an independent high school where my sanity was tested and my health was threatened (do ulcers just come and go?). Once I got to the point where I didn't want to get up in the morning, I looked for an escape hatch. That seemed to be an ideal job in a small company that was promoting something I could believe in.

This did not work out. 

At this point I started to think there was something wrong with me. I've spent a lifetime (literally, for some, if their life has only been 28 years long) working hard in maybe half a dozen companies in a career I didn't quite choose but was good at. Office work. That can cover many things, I know, but in summary its administration and computer work.  I've had a think of what I've actually done since leaving school after year 10 and this is:

Library assistant
Database administrator
Office assistant
Receptionist
Contracts secretary
Environmental law secretary
Leasing executive secretary
Retail manager secretary
Legal secretary
Events coordinator
Financial administrator
Website sales
Web developer and editor
Desktop publisher
Human resources officer
Curriculum administrator
School registrar/secretary/first aid officer
Office Manager

These are all respectable jobs but its not what I chose so much as fell into due to previous experience. 

In fact what I was wished to be when i was at school was a writer. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is now I must go back to my 15 year old self and get on with it. What is encouraging is that in the last three years I've done more writing through this blog than I have in my entire life. Its no 'great Australian novel' but I've just had some fresh inspiration from a book I'm reading (a most lovely birthday gift from my family last week) by Janice McLeod called Paris Letters. Its her story how she lived her dream of having enough to live and travel through Europe for two years. Of course she was single, no kids and in her thirties, but her narration is very similar to what goes on in my head. She even blogged throughout it all. 

And don't worry Mr Moneymaker and spawn. I'm not going to shoot through and disappear (though most days they might dream about not hearing my nagging), but the whole concept of her paring down her life and not putting up with soul destroying work, was an attractive idea. 

Anyway now I need to get back to that book (I'm on a Katoomba bound train for the Blue Mountains Blues Music Festival) and stop typing on my phone.  Though there's so much more to say (not least about people watching on a Friday night train!). 

So is there any career you would have liked to venture into and just never got the chance?  Best answer (I've just decided) will win a prize of a cocktail shaker kit (which I've been meaning to give away for ages!).  Closing date midnight 27th March 2014.


5 comments:

  1. I always wanted to be a fireman but didnt happen. I'm pretty happy with the diversity and experience i've had but i guess if i was to go back and choose i should have become a pastry chef - think i would have been good at that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wanted to be a ballerina, not original I know. The problem is not only the fact that I never had lessons, but that I have zero dancing ability & move like a dump truck on prozac.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Veery nice article, just what I needed.

    My blog - diy cubby house plans

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am still dreaming of my career taking off.Perhaps it is because I can't decide.It started off as an Air hostess, model, builder, interior designer and window dresser. Working in fruit n veg gives me all of those...except the model. I dont wear bananas well but carry off a nice pair of melons.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry for the delay but good news! You're the winner! Cocktail making set on its way to you.

      Delete

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