Almost the end of an Era

I’ve been thinking about the fact that my 18-month vacation may soon be over. I do want a job…being an independent direct sales person of jewelry doesn’t seem to move me enough; I’m quite happy with what unemployment gives me and I am not motivated by gobs of money. In the time I’ve been unemployed there have been a few jobs I really wanted, so few I can count them on two fingers. This one is the third.

Since I’ve learned to live on such little money, at one point I had a thought – make a pile of money with the sales skills I have and then take a few years off. So I looked into medical sales, pharmaceutical sales and other sales type jobs that I thought would make me some money…not cause big bucks motivated me, remember, but because I had a bigger picture in mind. I considered going back into politics again, and really building myself a political fundraising business, since I’ve seen what qualifies as a kick-ass fundraising team and I could be there in a year and have all the big guns asking me to join them…but I’d have to want it, and politics is more than a full-time job, and I like my life.

So, after a bit of panic and putting feelers out there and not getting a lot of positive responses I took a step back and decided to just keep looking and not very actively at that. I committed to Bioneers (like pioneers, but with the environment…I’m working on their local branding) and to Mildred’s Daughters Urban Farm for the May Market, and a friend referred me to Oakland Planning and Development to do a community greening initiative.

Then the job at Audubon was listed. They have a Native Plant Center that was started when the highway to the north was built. 279 ran right through some undeveloped wilderness where they found quite a few rare and some undiscovered plants. People from the Audubon Society of Western PA got a group of volunteers together and went out and dug up the specimens, and started propagating them. Now, almost 10 years later, they received funding for a staff person for the center. And that will be me!

The position will be mostly out and about, visiting prospective clients and organizations that we want to partner with and spreading the good word of using native plants! Some of the job will be in the greenhouse growing plants, working with volunteers and making sure there are enough supplies. Totally a job I would love!

However, I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that the things I do around the house at a leisurely pace will, when I am employed full time, be done on the weekends or before or after work, or they’ll not be done. I’ll have to plan meals better, and ahead of time-we haven’t eaten out more than once a month in a long time! Brett will be assigned to dishes again, and he’ll be left with the house to himself all week. My farm hours will be in the evenings and my jam making will be limited. I’ll have to get out of bed in the morning and actually have a routine. Weekends will be special again, and Monday will be the beginning of my week.

On the upside, I’ll have money! I can save up my money and get a new car; I can buy some much-needed clothing and shoes. I’ll have medical benefits so I can go to the doctor and dentist for regular check ups. I’ll have a routine and get more done…that’s usually the way it goes. I can participate in fundraising dinners and make donations to organizations I like. I can get a membership to the museums and conservatory, and support local artists. I can save up money and take trips to places like Mexico, the Grand Canyon, Hawaii, Peru, Australia, etc.

The one thing a job and money can’t give you is time…so I’ll have to come up with a balance. But I’m definitely looking forward to a change of pace...I think…