Jobs-where to start?

Today I met with an employment specialist-Jenna Geerson at WEDCO (she's amazingly cool if anyone needs an employment specialist.  Seriously, if you need one look her up) and we got a resume ready for me to apply for jobs.  But, what do I want?  There are so many different things I could do.

For some reason I'm really in love with the idea of working in a museum.  I love the idea of being a docent.  I could spend my days bringing exhibits to life for people.  I love history, I love the world we live in.  That would be the life.  How many of you have listened to me summarize a book or movie that I've loved?  (If you haven't we may not know each other very well.)  The one problem with this idea is that docents are volunteers.  To get paid work in a museum I'd need a library science degree or a museology degree.  I don't have the money to go back to school, so this one is looking less likely.  However I do have plans to start volunteering at two different museums, so who knows?

Teacher Aide?  I'm not really in love with this one.  I want to do it all or nothing, but that's kinda immature.  I feel like I've been working under other teachers for so long now, but I think if I did it I would fall in love with my students all over again and learn to love the job.  I never got the chance to intern in middle school.  People usually love or hate teaching middle school.  As a teacher, the kids with attitude, the kind that talk back, fill my little heart with joy.  I just want to try it, to see if I fit.  Plus if I do it for two years I can get my teacher certification, and maybe still fulfill my dreams of teaching abroad.  Or teach abroad now?  I'm divided on that one.

I've also thought about being a librarian.  Spending all day every day matching people to the right books?  Wow, that's a meaningful life.  To be surrounded by the written word, the stories that shape (and have shaped) individuals and societies.  And then to make them accessible to others?  Just, wow.  But there's still the matter of that pesky library science degree.  You know, the one I don't have?  Maybe some day.

I've thought often recently about being a genealogist.  I've done work on my own family lines for a while now and I love it.  This is fueled by my strong belief in life after death.  (for more on my beliefs, go here.  To see why I got into genealogy, go here) It is a great tragedy to me that people die many times over.  Leaving this life physically can be a happy thing.  The tenderest feelings of my heart surround the memory of those I knew who went on before me.  But the sad fact is that we go on too.  I will fill the lives of my children with the memories I have of my grandparents.  I will share them and try to give my children the strength I gained from these remarkable people (stick with me, this will tie into genealogy, I promise)  But, and this will make some of my blog readers sad, I won't pass on much about my Grandpa Christensen simply because I never knew him.  I don't have any memories to share.  He has died in memory as well as in body once the family line gets to me.  As a genealogist I can bring the records of a passed life to light.  I can share what bare records show about the choices they made, where they went, what they did, who they did it with.  I can make their lives meaningful once again.  I can thank them for the person I am and I can share them with others.  As much as I love the rising generation of children, I also love those who came before me.  Dedicating my life to them is something I could be proud of.

What about teaching music?  This is still my dream job.  To me music is so beautiful, so simple, so complex, so elemental, so sophisticated.  Yes, it can be all those things at once.  It is what I'm made of and I love the job of unlocking the beauty within others.  (Just reread that last sentence.  It needs no expounding.)  I'm more than qualified for this one.  Problem is that there aren't very many of them.  Where do I get a job doing this?  That's the million dollar question (and if I could make a million doing it I'd know I'd died and gone to Heaven)

I like the fact that I'm passionate about all these ideas.  I know with my whole heart that happiness comes from within.  No matter what job I get, I will fall in love with it.  I choose to be happy.  I'm also sure that Father in Heaven has a plan for me.  Somewhere He is guiding me to what's best for me.  I'm just trying to figure out what that is.  Any thoughts from friends/family?  Input is always appreciated and considered.  Now...DISCUSS!

Roommates for Life!

You know how it is when you live with someone, then you don't, then you hang out again and it's super awkward?  Not me!  This week I went back to Phoenix to spend time with former roommie (and current best friend) Katie Sparks Devey.  Have you checked out her blog yet?  Wait 'til you finish this first or you'll never click back here.  When I got home my parents asked me what we did.  We talked.  I was there for around 26 hours and we only spend about 10 of those hours not visiting.  You'd think that hanging out with someone for 16 hours would get old, but not when you're with Katie!

What did we talk about?  Well right when I got there she...okay, I'm gonna censor that one.  Then when Tim got home we had a long conversation about...yeah, I'll keep that one to myself.  Okay, in between all the roommate stuff -we talked about, I don't know- life, hopes, dreams, memories, and funny things we'd heard.  We laughed ourselves silly, then we talked serious, then we started laughing again.  I'll be a little honest and say that my life has felt like a marathon lately.  Some rough things happened and now we are dealing with them.  It was so wonderful to leave all the issues to be with Katie.  I told her what was going on, and she listened.  She's really good at that.  I can share anything with her and she will offer love and empathy and insight.  Victor Hugo, author of Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame is quoted as writing 

"The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved -- loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."  

Katie, to me, is the supreme example of this.  Few people are as familiar with my darker side and my flaws as her.  Few people have heard all my jokes as often as her.  Few people have more reason to be annoyed with me or be as heartily sick of me as her.  Yet she still likes having me around.  And as for me, I never get sick of her intellectually stimulating conversation (your mom!)  Katie has a warmth and a love of people that makes others want to be around her.  She's crazy smart, but doesn't give the "I'm so intelligent" vibe.  She gives the "I'm so happy to be here, tell me about yourself because I find what you have to say fascinating" vibe that every person loves.

I would be remiss if I didn't put in a word about Katie's husband Tim-this guy!

Life would have been awkward if Katie married someone I didn't really like.  The truth is, there are few people I like more than Tim Devey.  My biggest problem with him is that when he starts goofing off, it's over for me. There's no way I can stop laughing, let alone get in a smart remark of my own.  He's funny when there are funny things going on or when someone presents an idea as funny, but knows when to stop.  I love that Tim always helps me find humor and joy in life without ever making me feel laughed at or like I'm being silly (except when we're both being silly.  Then it's just truth.)  At this point he knows me almost as well as Katie.  They are both just loving, kind people with open hearts and open arms.  And they love each other so much it makes me wish I was as happily married as them.