...and the rest of my life

so, yeah, my birthday was over a week ago. it went well, but i can't believe i'm on the back 9 of my 30s - (and those of you who know me well know that i never use golf analogies, so i must be disoriented!).

my good friend nails and i are both looking for new careers. we're gonna have a resume party over the weekend. she told me that my assignment is to decide what kind of career i want to pursue, so we can tailor my resume and cover letter to it.

i'm having a little trouble with that there decision on what to do with my life - still haven't quite recovered from the whole not gonna be a lawyer thing, probably.

so, let's examine some of my options.

• teaching: i've thought about teaching - high school or otherwise. i'd like to teach at the community college or higher level, but that's out of the question with my mediocre academic record. the high school thing is not out of reach, but it would mean more school for me too, because i'd have to get teacher certification - that's not especially appealing.


• copy-writing/editing: i almost got into this when i graduated college ten years ago. had 3 interviews with an advertising and publishing firm in the detroit area - didn't take the job because i didn't want to move to detroit and i wanted to go with my uncle into the mission field. the opportunities here that are most appealing, again have to do with education, are in school textbook publishing - there's a major such publisher here in cowtown and its high school foreign languages and social studies departments are here. so, that's cool.


• law-related: that is, something that would not require taking the bar and being an actual lawyer, but that would put to use my legal education - something like law clerk, paralegal, mediator, etc. not exactly appealing and not an enriching career path perhaps, but it would certainly pay more than i make now and i'd have evenings and weekends free.


• generi-office jobs: i don't guess i have to go into much detail here - just the generic business job in a cubicle, counting days until vacation... sigh. not appealing, of course, but again, i'd have nights and weekends free.


• the foreign service: yes, i'm taking the fswe (foreign service written exam) again in 3 weeks. it's more than just travel and language training on the government's dime, of course... and it's all appealing. problem is that i'd have to leave my church - (i'm really liking my church).


• and last but not least... there are positions of more intelligence and - more importantly - greater pay opening at the place of my present employment. the hours would still be just as cruddy, but i'd get paid better.

so, i've got some deciding to do, i guess.