On the weekend of my 19th birthday I went to a psychic convention. No, I’m not psychic, it was my first visit time going for a reading. I walked around the arena full of booths and tables with placards that offered all sorts of things. Palm readings, tarot readings, energy readings, numerology and Past Life readings. It was a smorgasboard.
Before I finished my first walk through of the arena, one booth really caught my attention. Monday Jones was his name.
That was 17 years ago, and I still remember his name. I also still have the tape of the reading he gave me. Although I don’t listen to it often (I’d say maybe every 5or 7 years) certain things stick in my mind, and pop into my head at the oddest moments. And when one of his warnings or comments does that, I pay attention.
I find it very amusing that, even though I’d never really thought about being a writer, other people saw it in me. I remember Monday Jones gripping my pinky finger during the palm reading and saying, “And you have a little bit of a writer in you.” It surprised … and thrilled me.
You see, i’ve always been one of those people who never really had a specific dreeam career or a drive to have a specific job. I travel, I waitress, I bartend, I’ve worked as a photo lab technition, a martial arts instructor, a personal security guard, hmmm what else have I done? I’ve been a sales girl at The Gap, an all night stock supervisor for WalMart and a restaurant manager. When I was in my mid-twenties I gave being a travel writer a brief thought. But after writing the first draft of one artcile I went back to waitressing two jobs and never thought about it agian until I was in South Africa four or five years ago.
Then I decided to actually give it a shot as a writer. But I lacked direction. I wanted to write travel stories, fiction, thrillers, erotica, screenplays. After signing up for an online writing course to help me out…I was pointed to the direction of starting with erotica because of my salacious imagination. 😉
A few months ago, maybe even a year ago, as I finished my shopping and was leaving a department store, someone called my name. It was a girl I’d gone to high school with and hadn;t seen since I was 17. We chatted for a bit, those of you that have been reading my blog a whie might remember this becasue I blogged abotu how everyone we talked about, all our old friends, were all maried with kids and such now…except me. However, one thing that sticks fro me there is also that when I’d mentioend to this old school frined that I was writing now, her reply was. “Well, you always were a writer.”
It had shocked me, because while I do remember doing a couple of friends essays for them, I myself had never thought of myself as a writer or enjoying it or doing it as a career until years later.
I’m not sure why I’m blogging about this today, just that sometimes it seems funny that others see us so much more clearly than we see ourselves. 😎
So tell me…. what did you want to do with your life when you were in high school contemplating the future, and have you attempted to chase the dream? If not, what stopped you?
Funny that you should post this post today. Yesterday a similar thing happened to me, meeting an old friend in the grocery story after coming back into the country from a work trip and her telling me that I was such a “writer type”. Odd thing to hear for a 51 year old guy who only starting writing a few months ago! I guess others see things in us that we don’t.
I never had a goal or something I wanted to be. Just an odd sense that I wanted to work in creative things, and that I loved technology. OH, and that I hate scheduled 9-5 kinds of work. I had no idea what I wanted to do and like you. have wandered around a while. But each job change seemed to bring me closer to what I wanted to do, or at least how I wanted to do, and now I’m in a pretty happy place workwise, where my work feeds my soul and my curiosity and gives me outlets for both!
Bought and finished “Bound” by the way. Wonderful work!
JT
Hmmmm…. I’ve wanted to be a writer since third grade. :blush:
Along the way I’ve done some odd jobs, typesetter, newspaper reporter, secretary, technical writer, legal assistant, library worker…
Yet here I am, closing in on 40, finally, FINALLY, a published author.
I think it’s very cool that they saw in you what was simmering ‘neath the surface. :great:
I always wanted to write, but I wanted to do a lot of other things too. It wasn’t until the last year or so that I took writing seriously. I think your list of jobs is interesting and I’ve noticed a lot writers seem to have that kind of background. I’ve been in the Army, managed a bookstore, waited on tables, been a photographer, and done the aimless school thing. It’s all training I think lol. 😆
My husband was just saying to me last night that I’ve always been a writer even though there were years I didn’t write, or wrote very little. My mom has always said I was meant to be a writer. Maybe other people really do see us better than we see ourselves.
When I was young, I decided there were 3 things I wanted to do with my life. The first was become a “fireman” to which I was later told that girls couldn’t! (Oh well, wrote about one instead!) The second was that I wanted to teach. I followed that path without fault, and here I am, a full time teacher. The third, which I decided when I was about 9, was that I was going to write “stories”. Sure enough, that’s what I’m doing too.
Last week, I went and joined the volunteer fire brigade, so I guess I’m going to be a “fireman” as well, LOL. You know, I’ve always known what I’ve wanted, and went after it with all guns blazing. Now, people ask me what I want since I’ve “achieved” everything I’ve wanted, but there are different aspects to my teaching and writing that I haven’t tried, and I’m always striving to be better at what I do. Honestly, right now, there’s not much else I want to do but write and teach.
Wanted to write.
Oh, also wanted to toy with art, photography, etc. But ALWAYS wanted to write for a living.
Maybe I’ll get there one day. ❓
Hi JT. THANKS! I’m glad you enjoyed BOUND.
Creativity seems to have been a part of you always, in many shapes and forms. I’m not surprised, and I am thankful because I enjoy your photos and writing (I’ve only read one thign, but I enjoyed it!)
Beth, Youa re a writer through and through. Your passion for it is obvious in your work. :attack:
I just think that guy is passionate, and cute..so you get him 🙂
Loribelle. I agree. It’s all training and filling the creative well so we can put what we do know and experience into the characters! PS: Your DH sounds like a good man.
YAY LAURA!!! Three out of three.. Wonderful!!:jump:
Raine, You’ll make it all the way, I know you will….just don’t give up!!