When I said I was going through a transition, I wasn’t being overly dramatic. Last September I trumpeted getting my first job; two months later I had come to the painful realization that I didn’t really enjoy what I was doing. Maybe it’s the fact that after nearly a decade of freedom in managing my own time, I suddenly had to get my head around a 9-to-6 job that had me sitting at one desk most of the day. I didn’t get a frequent change of scenery, which I’d been so used to during my years in UP. There was no variety in my daily schedule.

Now, recognizing there’s a problem is half the battle; the other half means solving the problem. I hate to say it, but for the past few months I’ve been coasting along feeling as if I’d come to a dead end sooner or later. So, when an opportunity to travel and write for a cable television channel came up, I felt a strong attraction to the nature of the work, despite its freelance and per-project basis. At least it’s directly in the field I studied, and if I work quickly enough it will also allow me time to pursue other interests, like teaching group exercise classes and engaging in sports. Also I secretly hope one day to work on Globe Trekker. I want Ian Wright’s job. Ü

Next week is my last week in Genesis. After that, I’m going into unknown territory to blaze my own trail. Figuratively speaking, of course, but if the project demands it, I would be willing to wield a bolo and hack away at the jungle overgrowth. Ü I think it’s gonna be a great trip.

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