Evaluation 2010 - Manifesto heading into 3rd decade
It's been one year since I've been back in Calgary.
When I came back, I was homeless, only owned a suitcase with some clothes and books and really wasn't sure what the future held. Northeastern Arizona cleaned me out pretty good financially, spiritually and after beating my head against the wall for two years, I concluded that it wasn't the place for me.
I now have two jobs, my own apartment and while still not quite happy where I am, am a long way from where I was a year ago. I got saved, got to vent a lot of my frustrations lifting 100 plus pound boxes on the pre load shift at UPS and am right now in fantastic physical shape. I'm not the biggest or strongest guy you've ever seen, but I feel fit. I even have a muscle now. Wow.
My writing has turned a corner or three, I'm with friends and I don't have to worry about starving on a regular basis. All pluses.
The question remains now...what's next? What do I want to do?
I've hit a wall you see. At the moment, my two jobs allow me to exist in Calgary, but that is as far as I can go. I cannot proceed to the next level.
It was when I redesigned my resume(s) that it hit me.
I can do much better.
Putting words to paper has been a blessing in so many ways. I just wanted to be a writer, but in so doing I've become an organizer, accountant, designer, manager, promoter and a myriad of other job listings. All the things I've had to learn pursuing this have given me a wide range of skill sets. Skill sets I'm not using at my current level of employment.
Skills I want to use.
So I'm no longer applying for mediocre jobs. I'm applying at big companies for big positions. I'm applying for jobs that can stimulate me intellectually as much as financially. I'm tired of using my back and working hard. Any chimp can do that. Any cog in the wheel can do that. No.
I want to use my brain. I"m sharp and smart and motivated. Nothing can stop me and nothing will. If I can do all the things I've done already, I can do oh so much more.
I cannot tell you how good that feeling is. Realizing that, I'm not settling for anything anymore.
I figure I have one more year in Calgary before I go wherever I'm inclined to go next. So I want...
I want to make decent money working for someone. Enough so that I can focus on my own goals and even save a little money.
I want to go home and visit my family. I haven't been there in a dog's age and I have good reasons for going.
I want to travel. I'm debating about trying to go to China next year after I leave Calgary. It's another piece of the process I want to go through.
My goal is to see some of these things happen in the next year.
And it begins with this:
I have a comic to publish for the fall. I have been working on projects for about a year. I'm excited about all of them but this one is the one I want to do first.
After that, I want to do another poetry book.
After that, something special.
Money isn't the end goal here. The goal here is to have fun. I do these things not for millions, but for kicks. It's fun for me to create and make some of this stuff. And i just want to continue to have fun.
And while I have fun, to do my best to be at the level of pros, or better in terms of quality if not money.
This concludes my evaluation and manifesto which in short is to do this...
1) Do things that stimulate me and allow me to grow as a person
2) Do things that are fun
3) Enjoy Calgary while I'm still here.
4) No matter what, produce.
More to come.
JP
When I came back, I was homeless, only owned a suitcase with some clothes and books and really wasn't sure what the future held. Northeastern Arizona cleaned me out pretty good financially, spiritually and after beating my head against the wall for two years, I concluded that it wasn't the place for me.
I now have two jobs, my own apartment and while still not quite happy where I am, am a long way from where I was a year ago. I got saved, got to vent a lot of my frustrations lifting 100 plus pound boxes on the pre load shift at UPS and am right now in fantastic physical shape. I'm not the biggest or strongest guy you've ever seen, but I feel fit. I even have a muscle now. Wow.
My writing has turned a corner or three, I'm with friends and I don't have to worry about starving on a regular basis. All pluses.
The question remains now...what's next? What do I want to do?
I've hit a wall you see. At the moment, my two jobs allow me to exist in Calgary, but that is as far as I can go. I cannot proceed to the next level.
It was when I redesigned my resume(s) that it hit me.
I can do much better.
Putting words to paper has been a blessing in so many ways. I just wanted to be a writer, but in so doing I've become an organizer, accountant, designer, manager, promoter and a myriad of other job listings. All the things I've had to learn pursuing this have given me a wide range of skill sets. Skill sets I'm not using at my current level of employment.
Skills I want to use.
So I'm no longer applying for mediocre jobs. I'm applying at big companies for big positions. I'm applying for jobs that can stimulate me intellectually as much as financially. I'm tired of using my back and working hard. Any chimp can do that. Any cog in the wheel can do that. No.
I want to use my brain. I"m sharp and smart and motivated. Nothing can stop me and nothing will. If I can do all the things I've done already, I can do oh so much more.
I cannot tell you how good that feeling is. Realizing that, I'm not settling for anything anymore.
I figure I have one more year in Calgary before I go wherever I'm inclined to go next. So I want...
I want to make decent money working for someone. Enough so that I can focus on my own goals and even save a little money.
I want to go home and visit my family. I haven't been there in a dog's age and I have good reasons for going.
I want to travel. I'm debating about trying to go to China next year after I leave Calgary. It's another piece of the process I want to go through.
My goal is to see some of these things happen in the next year.
And it begins with this:
I have a comic to publish for the fall. I have been working on projects for about a year. I'm excited about all of them but this one is the one I want to do first.
After that, I want to do another poetry book.
After that, something special.
Money isn't the end goal here. The goal here is to have fun. I do these things not for millions, but for kicks. It's fun for me to create and make some of this stuff. And i just want to continue to have fun.
And while I have fun, to do my best to be at the level of pros, or better in terms of quality if not money.
This concludes my evaluation and manifesto which in short is to do this...
1) Do things that stimulate me and allow me to grow as a person
2) Do things that are fun
3) Enjoy Calgary while I'm still here.
4) No matter what, produce.
More to come.
JP