Idle Hands and Post-Its

"Every human being has a work to carry on within, duties to perform abroad, influence to exert, which are peculiarly his, and which no conscience but his own can teach." - William Ellery Channing

I tend to have some problems with motivation, I am easily distracted by shiny objects. Post-it notes and quotes are my current cure for the common de-motivation. Put quotes on the Post-its, and the Post-its over the shiny objects. Problem solved.

My current problem to solve is finding a way to actually utilize my college degree. It’s collecting some dust, and getting a bit annoyed with me. Occasionally (usually while I’m deliriously tired) it will call me up and try to have a chat about our future.

It usually affects some strange mix between a British and Boston accent (which I’ve always thought would sound more Irish), and berates me for not going down to D.C. and “camping out in front of government buildings until someone gives me a job”. But then I point out that “Perhaps there is a better way? Like… putting in resumes?” To which my BA degree replies, “Hm… yes, I suppose so. SO why don’t you get on that?” It tricks me into that quite often.

I proclaim myself unemployed, though only because I am not currently employed in a job that I view as desirable. Unemployment can be approached as an insurmountable obstacle or an opportunity. I have watched others who are unemployed, or employed outside their areas of interest, grow morose and hopeless. In some ways, unemployment is like standardized tests.

If approached as something to fear, it is difficult to fare well. But when approached as a challenge, it becomes something to analyse and defeat. And maybe even have some fun with. That’s not to say a retail job is the best time of anyone’s life, but taking life as it comes works out better than trying to fight it every step of the way.

Oh, and actually settling down and sending in copious amounts of resumes helps as well.

So, perhaps another fitting Channing quote (to place on the Post-it note covering the “Facebook” tab on my browser): "Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict. "