Shaken, But Not Stirred
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I’m so frustrated lately with my job search! I keep applying for writing gigs, but I only apply to things that really seem like a good fit. And running into the same old problem of not really fitting in anywhere.
Where is everyone?
This last one was a blog ghostwriting service. They literally wanted me to do what I do here, for money. On whatever topic was provided. I let myself get excited when they responded positively because it seemed like a natural step.
So today when I read they were “going another direction” (I’ll go whatever direction you want, that’s the whole idea!) I was unprepared. And embarrassed at being so upset.
But I really needed this right now. Hubs got laid off two months ago and has been focusing on school. At the end of it he’ll have a high-powered degree. I have been teaching and working at the restaurant, but Breadwinner just isn’t a position I am a good fit for at the moment.
The little guy is 21 months old, and is finally starting to get over the awful rash he’s had for two months. He’s been a delight to be around since he’s feeling better, playing toddler games and learning new words every day.
When I come home after a day (or night) of work, too often all the pacifiers are lost. He’s been laid down for the night in shorts, scratching his scabs open. I don’t know what he’s eaten. Clothes are misplaced. I missed something adorable and unrepeatable.
Gotta keep it together!
When my 5th grader was little, I took advantage of living with family to stay home with him as much as I could. I worked sporadically, part-time, trying to get a foot in the door of my chosen field. But I hadn’t turned my whole life around to not raise my child.
When they’re bigger we pack them off to school, largely so they can find their own footing in the world outside home. It’s natural that they begin to build their own experiences and friendships.
Little ones, younger than 3 or 4, have a stronger need for a connection with one main caregiver. They are constantly changing and unable to communicate most of their needs. More than this, they need a near-constant guiding hand they can rely on.
Don’t get me wrong – My family does a good job taking care of him. They might let him stay up later than I would, but he always gets a nap and his meals. He gets played with and loved on.
Maybe part of it is my own selfish need as a mother to KNOW he’s okay. I understand that many women are not maternal in the least. Until I had my own, I wasn’t either. But when that switch flipped, it flipped hard. Most of the time, it’s actually easier for me to relax with him around.
And when he isn’t I am constantly distracted. I could work more hours and have more money, but I already feel like tearing my hair out.
So I try to use my real skills. I don’t have a journalism degree; sometimes I can’t escape the feeling of being punished for chasing my dreams instead of being practical. But I never appreciated how my capacity for wordsmithing could serve me.
If only people would let me correct them!
Yesterday I read a HuffPost article with an entire paragraph from the beginning repeated at the end. An entire paragraph! Someone got paid good money to not proofread that!!
I see this stuff all the time and it drives me insane –
Misspellings.
Poor word choices.
Sentences so badly put together I have to reorder them in my head to understand them.
On Huffington Post.
On MSNBC.
On Medium.
The New York Times still holds a pretty high standard, but New York Magazine is better.
While attempting to keep up with news and culture I am bombarded with reminders that I am good enough. Either someone will give me a gig or I will piece it together until I can raise my head above the fray and shout, “I am Brazen!“
None of my switches can be unflipped, it seems – Not Motherhood, and not my newfound sense of agency. I have slain my dragons and a strange, unexpected feeling of deep calm has come over me as the dust settles. My fury only fuels me. My time is coming.
You have no idea how much I can relate to the professional writing job struggle! I too have been frustrated w/ my job search in an attempt to land a full-time perm communications role close to home or remote - and I have a creative writing degree! It also drives me up the wall when I read professional publications w/ typos and all sorts of textual fails. I've even taken the liberty of reaching out to a few of those agencies and offered my proofreading services...crickets! At least I have a side gig as an online writing tutor, but damn, when will the "big break" happen for us?
Omg I think we just need to be as loud as possible! I have been doing a lot of research on marketing and whenever I have extra money I’m throwing it at advertising. I’m very conscious of trying to build a brand and what it stands for. I’ve taken a few entertainment business classes and the idea is to do everything for them, give people a very clear roadmap to where you want them to go. And take tons of notes. Make records of everything. File folders are old-fashioned but I freakin swear by them.What about this - Every post we cross-share on our social media. Signal boosting in solidarity because together we are louder lol 👊