accomplished1. Get a job.
2. Move into the city.
3. Write for the Coast or at least blog / write frequent reviews. Be sure to act as much as possible.
4. Voice lessons! (& relearn the piano)
5. Save up for…
- B.Ed, good for teaching: expression, freedom, long vacations, ability to write, ability to get involved in high school activities like film clubs and drama
- Law, good for getting into entertainment law? See how the downtown situation goes with regards to acting.
- Master’s Degree (also an option, depending on the outcome of 1-4)
- Or borrow some money so that I'm spending more time at job-ideal than job-transient?
6. Write a novel.
7. Get it published.
8. Write a really really awesome second novel.
(not necessarily in order anymore)
9. Teach self math and physics. I'm my best teacher, and Paul Lutus did it. I doubt I'll be called upon to engineer the electrical systems on the space shuttle like he was, but I've got to start somewhere.
10. Learn about people. Man, people are... er, crazed up. Many of the obstacles I've stumbled into have related to my past complete inability and presently compromised-but-improving ability to handle people.
11. Raise a family? Ye gads, that’s a lot of work! =) Also requires me to accomplish numerous prerequisite things that aren't yet on this list!
12. Build a cottage on PEI? Ah, must restrain my arrogance here. This depends on how serious my Aunt is (she and relatives own a large field in Fortune with a strait view). And even just bringing in utilities costs megabucks. You have no idea. Setting up the power poles probably requires completion of tasks 6 and 7 alone!
Anyway, so if anyone asks me "Oh, so what do you plan to do?" as they often do at parties and such things, I now have at least a shadow of an answer. It would be so much better if they asked, "Hey, what do you think about XYZ?" - Ah! You know what? I shall do the same for others! Yes, I will make a concerted effort to ask for (and remember) people's opinions. What could be a better conversation-starter? If all you talk about is school and work and plans and people, you only get to have a good conversation IF you have certain things in common, and even then you might be stuck in the commiserative or sycophantic realms - and although only the former is really destructive, both are equally brainless.
Sheesh. I can't believe I just figured this out now. The would would be a much happier place if we all had the benefit of learning these things in early childhood, where these things ought to be learned, in my opinion.
Well, nothing to be done about it now! Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...
* * *
I'm excited about the play. I think we had a pretty good rehearsal today, and for me it got quite a bit better as time went on, my post-party sluggish dissipated, and I stopped missing cues. =) I don't know if I'll quite be able to approach [director] Glenn's idea of gravitas, especially with my tenor voice and innate exuberance. I'm having fun trying, though, which is a sea change for me.
Well, back to the books!
Your Pal,
~ Will