Today is my last day of work and I’m sitting here eating my minestrone soup listening to Mark Lanegan wondering – “Where do I go from here?”
I’m at such a quintessential time in my life and I can feel something momentous coming down the pipeline but I don’t know what it is. I feel as though I am at a crossroads, a time that I can finally reinvent myself and do what I want, the only question left to decide is what do I want?
I think Tristan & I have both been feeling rather introspective since we decided we were moving because we’ve been a lot more at peace with the chaos around us and both have been writing rather frequently. He is so talented, I can’t wait till he decides he’s ready to share his writing with the rest of the world. For now he’s blogging privately on wordpress. :0)
I find myself floating around on the internet, browsing job postings and wondering if I could do this or that, and then day dreaming about what I would really LOVE to do. I’d love to garden, just garden all the time, garden for myself and garden for other people – but I’m not sure how lucrative that would be. I love to write and I love to read what other people right so I’d love to be some form of editor or writer for a magazine. Something Hokey and fun like Cottage Living or something but how do you start on that path? Do you need formal education? Is my obssesive proofreading every where I go enough? Do I have the skill to be a writer? Would anybody hire me? I find myself talking myself out of these dream jobs before I can day dream too much. I want to be a dreamer and a doer, I dont want to just think about the things I love, I want this to be the first day of the rest of my life.
As of 5pm today I am no longer gainfully employed and I have the freedom to do what I want. So what do I want? What do I do?! I wish somebody had the answers for me… Meanwhile I’m going to work on my writing. So here is my call to you, my loyal readers, submit some writing prompts for me! I think it would be a great creative exercise to answer to all different types of prompts so submit them on this blog and I’ll post them when i’ve completed them! Want to play? We can do a Meme of sorts but I’m not going to tag anybody because everybody can play too – join in on the fun and lets see what we can come up with. 
I’m not a writer, I’m a bloggelist. (Moonbeam”s word). I write about my family and pretty much what is going through my head. That’s why I called my blog “Whatever I Think”. I don’t even think when I write. I just write. But my writing probably makes that obvious.
My sister is an avid gardener. Why don’t you write a short essay of how you visualize your perfect garden. Would it have waterfalls and fishponds or maybe little fairy houses? What kind of flowers would you plant? I’d be curious to read that.
Have you seen the blog “The Inspired Room”? (http://theinspiredroom.wordpress.com/) I could see you doing a similar thing, only about gardening. Similar to what Joan suggested. Post about what inspires you, do drive-by photos of local gardens you see that are great, and even some that you see that aren’t. For those that are in need of improvement, write how you could see them improved. As you build confidence, later you could ask people to submit photos and you could give them recommendations. Show off your own gardening talents too, to strut your own stuff, so to speak.
There are so many people out there doing similar stuff and I doubt they have degrees or credentials behind them, but they have talent and a creative eye and the ability to communicate their ideas well.
And they just do it. Give it a try! How will you know if you can or not if you don’t try? I’m sure you can do it! I’ll cheer you on, for sure.
Here’s my suggestion. When you get to your new home, apply for the Master Gardeners course in your area. Focus on it and really learn your subject. When you’ve completed the course you’ll be required to do some volunteer garden work. It will be fun and interesting, and it will give you some contacts in the gardening groups of your area. Pay attention to the local newspapers (even the free ones) and see what kind of stories they publish, what style they write in, average word count etc. with the idea of approaching an editor about doing an article. Have a sample article for him or her to see, one that focuses on local gardening or a gardening event. Your goal would be to get your foot in the door, so you might have to offer to write for free in the beginning until they know you’re reliable. Here’s a link for the Master Gardeners of California:
http://www.mastergardeners.org/
If you want to do it, Aimee, just go out and do it. That’s how I started as a reporter and I was the only one on staff who didn’t have a degree. Of course, I was the car accident reporter for awhile, but you have to be willing to stick it out so you can wiggle your way to where you really want to be. I came up with the idea for a garden column in the E because I realized they didn’t have one. Your local paper might not have one either, so keep your eyes open and read all the local stuff to find a place where they need you. You can definitely do it.
P.S. – In your sample article, use as many local people’s names and quotes as you can. Local newspapers editors are all about the residents and selling newspapers, and the more people’s names that are in the paper the more papers they’ll sell.
Please copy edit that comment in your mind.
@ Wendy – thank you for all of your advice – I really appreciate it & will definitely do all of that! I’ve already looked into the Master Gardener program here, and also there but never follow up on it. I thought about doing some Horticulture classes as well but I’ll probably need a job too! I’ve told Tristan all about you and how you always help out and offer helpful advice & criticism and are a GREAT writer and I can’t wait to read your books – he wonders if you’ll like his writer when he makes it “public”
Too cute!
@littemiss – I have not seen The Inspired Room so let me go take a look right now… I like the photojournalism style but i’m not that much into interior design so a garden type blog would be amazing! Thank you!!
@JoanH – I am going to get cracking on your prompt WRITE away
Har – Har seriously though, I appreciate the prompt and I love it! I’m totally going to start working on that. I think part of my writing problem is I’ve become so used to blogging that I dont think or edit either. I’m sure I could do both but I need to develop more of a writing style and a seperate blogging style me thinks… me thinks me thinks too much.
TO EVERYBODY – thank you for all of the suggestions & comments! Keep them coming, they’re really motivating!
Haha, you sound like me. I love gardening, reading and writing. And I’m at a similar point – what the HELL do I want to do?
I did make a blog! I just haven’t written much yet.
I will soon, though.
And I’m still trying to figure out this website… grumble.
I hope you and Tristan enjoy your free time and California!
http://vommeer.wordpress.com
@ Vommeer/Mer – WELCOME AGAIN! I love reading your comments and please start blogging! Move to california and we can start a fun little pagan earth is grand gardening business. Eh? How’s that sound??
That sounds AWESOME! That’s one of my dreams (one being the operative word, haha). I’ll just live in the gardening shed at our business! Woo!
I shall start blogging soon, once I’ve cleared my mind a tad
@ Vommeer – Start clearing!!!