Opportunities... and danger
Okay, I admit it: I am thinking of that borderline cliche in the corporate world, the one about the Chinese word for "crisis" being made up of the characters for "opportunity" and "danger." It's late and I've had a long week (yes, on Monday). I deserve to think in cliches! (I deserve to think, period, but that's another rant.)
All right, anyway. I've been bitching to several people in my "inner circle" (my husband, an editor, and a writing mommy friend) about two things. First, I miss having a life. Post-Hamlet and pre-Puck, I realized that I could seriously recharge my batteries by heading on down to the city to walk around and write in coffeeshops. I did that about once every month or two. Bliss. And now it's been more than a year since I was able to do that.
Second, I miss writing articles. These represented my social world outside of mommyhood; I got to talk with adults about more than missed naps. Also, I got to use my brain. I still use my brain for what I'm doing now. It just isn't consistent.
Within the same week, opportunities popped up that would help me deal with both problems. I got interest to blog for a new website that will launch early next year (yikes, does that sound familiar?) and the guy putting it together wants to meet with me. In person, in the city. Meanwhile, I'm getting ready to interview the police chief in the town where I lived for 12 years - the site of a recent major incident. I was a police cadet there when he was a patrol sergeant 15 years ago, so I know both the town and the department pretty well.
So: serious opportunities. And serious danger, at least that which exists in my head. This meeting in the city? I'm excited, because it will mean dressing in something other than mommy-clothes and talking business. Partly mommy business, yes, but business. In the city. I hope to all that is holy that I sound at least reasonably intelligent, because most of my business happens over email, and any face-to-fact conversation consists mainly of "Sweetie? Please don't sit on your brother's head. He really doesn't like that" or "Dear, would you please not let him watch SpongeBob? I reallyHATE THAT SHOW don't think that's appropriate."
Which brings me to opportunity #2: The Police Interview. I haven't done one of these in an even longer period of time than I haven't talked business. I've stayed current, but that doesn't mean I'll be as quick on the uptake as I used to be, directing an interview with a source who, by the way, remembers me from the Acne Days, when I was still a girk playing cop. What was I thinking?
My main source of comfort is, oddly, the memory that my brain used to shut down on interviews before I had children. Then, I could usually get away with, "Sorry. My last thought just went clean out of my head" and frantically scouring my notes for inspiration. Most sources were pretty understanding; after all, doesn't that happen to the best of us? The ones that weren't so understanding - well, I found it didn't matter so much in the end, as long as I did my best.
(There. Full circle. I began and ended with a cliche. Gotta love 'em - especially when your brain isn't working.)
All right, anyway. I've been bitching to several people in my "inner circle" (my husband, an editor, and a writing mommy friend) about two things. First, I miss having a life. Post-Hamlet and pre-Puck, I realized that I could seriously recharge my batteries by heading on down to the city to walk around and write in coffeeshops. I did that about once every month or two. Bliss. And now it's been more than a year since I was able to do that.
Second, I miss writing articles. These represented my social world outside of mommyhood; I got to talk with adults about more than missed naps. Also, I got to use my brain. I still use my brain for what I'm doing now. It just isn't consistent.
Within the same week, opportunities popped up that would help me deal with both problems. I got interest to blog for a new website that will launch early next year (yikes, does that sound familiar?) and the guy putting it together wants to meet with me. In person, in the city. Meanwhile, I'm getting ready to interview the police chief in the town where I lived for 12 years - the site of a recent major incident. I was a police cadet there when he was a patrol sergeant 15 years ago, so I know both the town and the department pretty well.
So: serious opportunities. And serious danger, at least that which exists in my head. This meeting in the city? I'm excited, because it will mean dressing in something other than mommy-clothes and talking business. Partly mommy business, yes, but business. In the city. I hope to all that is holy that I sound at least reasonably intelligent, because most of my business happens over email, and any face-to-fact conversation consists mainly of "Sweetie? Please don't sit on your brother's head. He really doesn't like that" or "Dear, would you please not let him watch SpongeBob? I really
Which brings me to opportunity #2: The Police Interview. I haven't done one of these in an even longer period of time than I haven't talked business. I've stayed current, but that doesn't mean I'll be as quick on the uptake as I used to be, directing an interview with a source who, by the way, remembers me from the Acne Days, when I was still a girk playing cop. What was I thinking?
My main source of comfort is, oddly, the memory that my brain used to shut down on interviews before I had children. Then, I could usually get away with, "Sorry. My last thought just went clean out of my head" and frantically scouring my notes for inspiration. Most sources were pretty understanding; after all, doesn't that happen to the best of us? The ones that weren't so understanding - well, I found it didn't matter so much in the end, as long as I did my best.
(There. Full circle. I began and ended with a cliche. Gotta love 'em - especially when your brain isn't working.)
posted by Christa M. Miller at 9:58 PM
7 Comments:
Best of luck, on both counts!
LOL!! And good luck with all of it. Hope it recharges you some. :)
Thanks!! Based on the chief's feedback, I do think the interview will be a good one and am looking forward to it, even after almost a whole week of being cooped up in the house with the Crazy Brothers!
Social panic is something I'm getting better at handling. By now if an interview goes wrong, I just figure it wasn't meant to be. I try to walk into it with no expectations, just my questions. I think generally that helps!
I guess it doesn't help much to say I'm getting butterflies just reading your blog post. Instead of feeling like I'm ready to get back into the world at large, I feel less and less capable. May I live through you?
Aww, ML, there's always a way. You can do it. I believe in you. (((HUGS)))
Wowsa! I'm so glad you commented on my latest essay -- I clicked the link and found your site. It's as if I'm reading my own thoughts. My thoughts + a little extra smarts = your site.
Thanks for visiting my site, I'm sure I'll be back to yours!
SereneBabe, thanks so much for stopping by! "My thoughts + a little extra smarts = your site" is funny because that's pretty much how I think of yours. LOL Take care and Merry Christmas!
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