Introducing Five Minute Friday
Recently I discovered Five Minute Friday (shout out to Twitter friend Beth Anne for the suggestion), a weekly five minute writing challenge to not overthink and just get writing. This might be small beans to you, but for someone recovering from underemployment, starting a full time job, and just figuring out the whole routine, five minutes of writing will help stir my mind and motivate me to write more regularly, especially my much neglected comedy writing. (It’s a essentially a writing oriented link party. Check out the FMF link above for deets and join in!)
Today’s prompt is “grateful.”
I’m grateful for a cornucopia of beautiful things I’ve received recently. I used to make “I love” lists in high school and trade and edit them with friends, so this is a kind of I love list. Rather than “the show ‘Friends'” or “drill team,” I will start off with new jobs. My husband was unemployed for a year and underemployed for a year before that, so when we moved to Chicago in January of 2013 we knew there was struggle ahead, but thank goodness that we didn’t know about the obstacles ahead. This brings to mind the feeling of gratitude I have for unknowing. I’m a brilliant worrier, and I can’t imagine what my anxiety would look like with more information.
Back to gratitude about jobs. After all the technicolor tragedy of last year, my husband fought for and was offered his dream job at L’Arche Chicago, a local group of an international community of those living with and without developmental disabilities. He’s their Development person, and he’s amazing at it and incredibly passionate about it.
For my part, I found it hard to deal with my husband’s unemployment and although I had a handful of great clients as a freelancer, it wasn’t making ends meet, and even after he started his new job, it was taking a while to recover. A Twitter-turned-LinkedIn friend, a fellow writer, asked if I might be interested in a potentially full time copywriting position for the tech company for which she works. After a solid and thorough interview process, I was offered the position, and I’m the newest member of Lextech Global Services‘ Marketing team. And I love it.
Those are just two reasons of many that I’m grateful this spring.
Congratulations on the new jobs.
My husband worked below his abilities for some years and it thrills me to no end to see his joy in now doing work that both challenges him and appropriately rewards him financially!
Thank you, Patty! Isn’t it amazing how much a good fit in a job (or at least not a soul-crushing job) can improve quality of life? Glad you hear you husband found a worthy job.
Congratulations on your new positions. That is wonderful news!
Thank you, Eileen! Yes, we’re thrilled. Very happy with our new companies.
Great news on the employment lines for both of you! Now, about this FMF thing — let’s all join in and make this a fun way to end our week and begin our weekend. Jessica is seriously funny (it’s true, so don’t make fun on my tangle on words!). I know she’ll have some great FMF for us. Keep that comedy coming Jessica, this is the place to start it all!
Thank you so much for your encouragement, Shawn! It means a lot to me. Now that I do have full time work, I’m going to have to get intentional and serious about comedy. 🙂
Yes, the more FMFer’s (?), the better. I better see you there next Friday!