Sunday, May 06, 2007

Careers I've Considered

In the hopes of finding something that I love to do as much as acting, I've spent a lot of time (mainly at work) thinking up careers that I might find fun and fulfilling. I thought it would be neat to share them with you, so that you don't think that I spend all my time whining about how much I dislike my job. Look! I think, too!!

Also, since these are creative ideas, I thought publishing them on my site would have the same effect as copywriting, so nobody could claim that they had the idea first (Did you read about the whole "Muggle" fiasco that JK Rowling had a few years back? No fun.) So, without the benefit of any law experience, I am declaring these ideas/images below to be the sole property of the author of this blog, and any use of these ideas/images without my knowledge or consent is prohibited by law. (Fancy words, those - n'est-ce pas? Not that anyone would really want to steal MY ideas.) Here goes.

1. CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR:




This is Henrietta. She's a little horse who is always in a hurry. Things are never done fast enough to suit her. And when things aren't done quickly enough, she is most displeased.




I was going to call the book Hold on, Henrietta!, and dedicate it to the Boy - who always wants things done right away, or not at all. Unfortunately, I can't seem to develop the story more than this. I don't consider myself an author, and I'm a little daunted by the task.

2. PORTRAIT ARTIST

This was actually my original "career choice" back in Grade 9. I was going to be an art teacher who did portraits on the side. I eventually decided against it because although I love to draw, it's really a very solitary career. You spend ages alone in a studio, and rarely become famous until you're dead. I kind of like hanging out with people. Also, I don't really know anyone who wants portraits done anymore. It's really a dying art. Who needs a portrait when you can just take a picture? I should have been born in the 1800's. I would have rocked the world.




Please keep in mind that I haven't done any portraits in years. I did this sketch on a 10-minute break at work. I used a mechanical pencil, instead of my preferred medium of chalk pastels, or acrylic paints. All told, though, it doesn't look unlike the Boy. I could do better if I spent more time on it.

3. CHILDREN'S DRAMA/ARTS INSTRUCTOR

This is still a possibility. I love working with kids, especially doing art and drama. I'm just plum scared at opening my own business. Plus, I'm really not sure how much interest there is for this kind of thing. People don't have that much money for extras, and when they do, they generally spend it on name brand classes like Gymboree. Still here's my company name, and a quick rendering of the type of logo that I would use. I love designing logos. I even reserved a website address for this name, just in case. Who knows what could happen in the future, right?

13 comments:

motherbumper said...

Good golly you are talented! And #3? I could totally see that happening.

btw - when I was testing for possible careers, the results came back with #1 florist and #2 funeral director. I'm not sure what that says about me.

Bea said...

Wow. I love your sketch - there is just such a spirit looking out of that boy's face.

And I would totally take my children to a place called Jam Hands.

Beck said...

Number three sounds WONDERFUL. Children's Art Instructor sounds heavenly!

Mad said...

OK, you have talent in spades girl. If you're white bread, then I want to get my jam hands all over you. I think all these ideas great. I'm just wondering if you've ever considered 2 years of library school so that you could be a children's librarian? They do a lot of programming for kids--not just of the book-reading kind. Kittenpie would know more. Or if starting your own business is too big a financial risk, how about pitching "Jam Hands" to an art gallery? They often offer children's programming. If you do start a business, don't be shy about flogging your wares on your blog. With so many TO bloggers you'd get a lot of word-of-mouth (keyboard?) promotion.

metro mama said...

You're a woman of many talents!

If you do Jam Hands, I'm signing Cakes up.

NotSoSage said...

Oh, yeah, I'm totally thirding on the Jam Hands thing.

And #2 totally looks like The Boy I met...and in ten minutes with a mechanical pencil? I think it's sad if/that portraiture is a dying art. I love portraits because there is more of a (or maybe a different) story to tell than a simple photograph.

Kyla said...

I think you got my share of talent...because yours is at least 4 fold and I'm afraid mine is less than 1 fold. *lol*

I think that #3 would be amazing! Seriously! Do it!

karengreeners said...

henrietta is awesome. hope she gets to have her day.

crazymumma said...

all you need is the right neighbourhood and you are good to go. I really like the Jam Hands idea!

Susanne said...

All three ideas are sounding great. Just keep thinking about them for awhile. (Or go and secure a place to hold your classes that doesn't cost much - or even is free - and hang up a piece of paper in schools, the supermarket or kindergarten.)

MARY G said...

That is a really nice sketch, and little kids are so hard to do, with no bones in their faces and the light refracting everywhere from their dewy skins.
Re kids' book. There are places you can go to learn how to write them. You have the gift of words already, too.
Re Jam Hands -- could you try it out in your local school? I did photo classes as a volunteer for Grade 6 for a while. Ended up with a tangential career to that, but it taught me a lot.
Have you considered looking at your local community colleges? (you're TO area, right?) I went back to school at our local one at age 41, took a diploma course and launched a new career. After I got over the shock of having my daughers' classmates in my program, I loved it all.
You are *so* talented. Wow.

ewe are here said...

Jam Hands - very cool name.

And the sketch is scary good - 10 minutes? with a mechanical pencil? at work? wow

I, too, need a new career...what, I don't know...

kittenpie said...

I could totally see Jam Hands working, actually. Somehow, it seems like lots of people DO have money for extras in certain neighbourhoods.

And? Need a children's author to team up with? Henh, henh? I have a couple of stories lying around... and we could always develop Henrietta as a team. Lemme know, and then we can go harrass Ali into publishing for us!