sunrise over the sierras

sunrise over the sierras
Photo by Ian Parker

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

This is the house that Jenna built.

Where to start?  It's been close to 3 months since I've written, and a lot has changed since then.  I finally found a place to live in August, and as the last remnants of summer fade away I'm finally feeling at home again.  I'll most likely be leaving again in January, but there's no need to be ready to run quite yet.

My new job is going well.  Like anything, it has it's good days and it's bad days.  Thus far the good days have far outnumbered the bad, but today just so happened to be a not-so-good day.  The position I'm currently in is temporary, which means come January I will either move into another temporary position, be offered a permanent position (unlikely), or find another job.  I've had a lot of difficulty facing the reality of the situation lately, and although I believe I have a good handle on things I can't help but feel a little disillusioned in the reality of job hunting.

I've spent my life building an education - I've spent countless hours in the library, reading, studying, and generally committing myself to the pursuit of an education that would help me lead a comfortable life.  More than any of that, I have spent my time ensuring that when the time came to find work, I would be doing something that not only suited me, but that I felt passionately about.  Today I came to the realization that progress may actually end when you enter the job market.  As soon as you settle into one position, it becomes increasingly difficult to move away from that.  You have a steady paycheck, you build relationships with your coworkers, and inevitably become very well qualified for the position you are in.  If you stay in one position for long enough, where is the opportunity for growth?

So this is the house that Jenna built.  The house that she built by reading the books that got her into the school where she met the people who helped her grow and have the confidence she needed to network with the people who gave her the job which makes up the foundation of the house that Jenna built.  I don't know where I'll go from here - but I know that like most home improvement projects, this probably won't ever be finished.

Listen to "Speechless" by Lady Gaga