I wanna be a... something...

Continuing my hunt for gainful employment, I visit the job sites once, possibly, twice daily. Okay, more than that, but not too much more. Four times a day max. I swear!

Alright, alright! Fine!

I visit the job sites every hour on the hour.

Hello my name is Mandy and I’m obsessed. Help me!

I don’t want to be obsessed! I want something more interesting to talk about then what jobs I’ve applied to or am waiting to hear back from!

I’m stalking potential employers and I just can’t stop!

If the competition wasn’t so fierce, with employers receiving hundreds of applications for every available position, I wouldn’t feel so desperate. Right now I’ll take ANYTHING. If it pays well enough, and isn’t illegal, I’ll take it. Who am I kidding I’ll even take something that is MOSTLY legal! I’m kidding! I think.

Never in a million years did I think I would be this person. I had so many plans, goals, dreams. I felt like I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life, and had the perfect path to get me there. When I graduated from high school my family told me to go out and shake the world, and I couldn’t wait to do just that. Four years and two schools later, I was ready. I had my diploma in events management and couldn’t wait to get at it.

This is me at my “graduation ceremony”. Confused? Well, what can I say? I like to be different.



This was actually more like a graduation ambush. I completed my program at Algonquin College and immediately flew to Europe to join my fiancé who was serving in the US Military. I knew I would receive my diploma in the mail and I was okay with that. I had bigger and better things to worry about then attending a traditional graduation ceremony. Apparently, however, my family was not okay with this. My Dad felt that anyone who earned a diploma of any kind deserved to have it presented to them.

It happened one afternoon at my parents’ house in Germany. I was sitting on the couch indulging in my first love, a good book, when my family rushed into the room hooping and hollering. My sisters threw a garbage bag of balloons at me, my Step-mother placed a graduation cap precariously on my head and my Dad presented me with my framed diploma in Events Management, while my brother took fun, but not entirely flattering pictures.

I gotta tell you all, I’ve been to lots of graduations, having the number of siblings I do, and my graduation ambush was way more fun.

Unfortunately however, the smiling youngster in this picture never got to her planned destination. As they say, life got in the way. Marriage, three moves, childbirth and I find myself wondering what it is I want now. Yes, I’m on the hunt for a job, but more importantly I’m on the hunt for a career. I’m looking for a life’s purpose that I can look back on and feel accomplished, fulfilled and proud. I just wish I knew what that was!

Event Planner? I crave a career, but my family time is very important too. Every weekend working an event, is just not an option. Last I heard there weren’t many parties happening in the afternoon on a Wednesday. I love the details of an event. The themes and the staging, the organization and the planning, but to be truly successful as an event professional you need to be a salesperson. I have zero sales skills.

“Excuse me ma’am, would you like to buy the new Chop-O-Matic? It slices, it dices, it blends, it grinds, it cleans your house, walks your dog, pays your bills, and… it comes in PINK!

No? Oh okay, sorry to bother you.”

Yup, that my “it’s okay to take no for an answer” pitch. I know, pretty impressive right? I’ll be a millionaire in no time!

So, now what?

Butcher? Baker? Candlestick Maker?

Or, maybe… just maybe… with a lot of hard work… a few classes… and I don’t know, a successful blog….

Maybe I’ll be a….

Writer?

What do you think?

Committing to a new mission, and chasing a new dream,
Mandy:)