Option FOUR : Career First.

The next time I’m on a dance floor and someone says, “shake your money maker,” I’m going to shake my head like a bobble head doll sitting on the dash of tractor. Writing in advertising allows me to make money with my brain, with my ideas. A good advertisement is essentially just a thought that you tell a bunch of people. And it beats the hell out of slinging cocktails. Even though I went to school for advertising and have already dedicated years to it, I can’t get away from this need that I have to help people. I blame my mom. I think Mother Theresa and his holiness the Dalai Lama secretly had a baby and named her Ruth Elliott. She has practically dedicated her life to helping others. And the thing is, sometimes I feel like my career doesn’t really enrich people’s lives and it leaves me feeling a little hollow.

Over wine the other night, discussing possible life destination options, I said, “Based on votes, I may be teaching English in another country. That would help people and make me feel good. I love writing in advertising, but it doesn't exactly help people.” And my friend Andrew told me that I shouldn’t feel guilty about doing a good job and making a living, even if it doesn’t instantly translate to helping others. And the more successful I get, the more opportunity to help others I have. And he’s right. I could sell all my personal belongings, move to northern India and protest against the oppression of China by participating in candlelight vigils and fasts. Or I could become a badass writer and collaborate with the large network I’d have accumulated, reaching more people with a message of peace. So I told him something I find myself saying quite a lot these days, “I’m gonna blog about this.”

Life destination option four: Career First. Voting for this means you want me to make choices based solely on whether or not it’s going to make me a successful writer. That may mean taking a job at Crispin and relocating to Colorado for a while. Or Weiden and go back to my birthplace, Portland, Oregon. This may even keep me in Los Angeles a little while longer. Will I look back and wish I‘d traveled more? Became fluent in another language? Relocated to New Zealand and met my baby daddy?

It’s not like I can’t do a combo of these things. Or won’t do my best to hone my skills if you don’t choose this. It’s all about where I should focus my energy now. Remember, this is the only life we get. (In this form anyway.)