06 | March | 2012 | Jinxie's World

Sometimes, my bite is worse than my bark. *grins*

I have spent more than half of my life working, and I’m what some would call a “Jill of all trades” because of the diversity of jobs I’ve held, from manufacturing to bartending to secretarial to computer lab technician to behavioral health paraprofessional. Not so different from most of the American population. I did not consider any of these jobs careers because they weren’t careers. They were jobs. J-O-Bs to get me through life for a while. Could some of them have turned into careers? Absolutely. But they didn’t because Life happens, that little fucking bitch.

Then I went to school. I got my A.A. degree, and now I’m five classes away from a Bachelor’s degree in English that I can’t currently finish because, well, that bitch called Life is getting in the way again, even as much as I’m trying to push her the fuck out of the way.

Originally, I was going to be a high school English teacher. I worked for a school district for seven years, got sick of the administration and bullshit red tape, and changed my mind. Now my degree is just a fucking personal goal. Doesn’t matter because I could still use it, if I can ever finish the damn thing. If I ever do finish and go on to get my Master’s degree in English Literature, I’ll consider teaching college.

But my writing . . . now that’s my career. If it were just a hobby, I wouldn’t have started a magazine and publishing company with my friend Sharon. The jewelry? That’s the goddamn hobby, not a career. It’s called extra cash. The artwork you’ll soon see at cons for Zombie Survival Crew? Hobby, not career. But the Zombie Survival Crew itself? Fucking future income and career, bitches.

My passion for writing is my career, regardless of how much or little I’ve accomplished thus far. I have released three books, started a literary magazine in 2008 and a publishing company at the end of 2010. I was a finalist in a pitch contest a few years ago, but didn’t have my head on straight enough to finish the book and send it to the literary agent who chose me (I know, stupid); however, I just entered that book into a major contest, and I also entered a short story into another contest. Both have cash prizes and publishing potential. Could I have done more over the past few years? Oh yeah, without question. But Life has a way of fucking things up for you now and then. However, I will tell you that I’ve completed at least six novels, one of which I released last year. –>