I quit the magazine. I’m actually really, really proud of this as it took me forever to do it, though I’m not necessarily proud with how I went about it. After numerous unsuccessful attempts at trying to withdraw myself from the magazine in various was, I finally ended up working my resignation into my last article. I figured they’d have to read it before the magazine went to press and someone would likely edit the part about me resigning out.
A few days after 2nd anniversary issue of the magazine came out, people started coming up to me to ask if I’d really quit. I was impressed that my intentions to quit had remained intact. Then I got an email from one of the assistants at the magazine, telling me when my next article was due for the next issue and… Wait. Next article? No, no, no. That wasn’t right. And so I had to quit again. But they’ve finally gotten the message and apparently flew right out that week and replaced me with a new advice columnist. That stung a little as I like to think of myself as irreplaceable, but there you have it. I probably deserve much worse.
TV-wise, everything’s hunky-dory, though often dull. I’m still working every other week for the big TV station downtown, anchoring their English language news and editing Chinglish. It’s turned into a job in that I no longer find it all quirky and entertaining. My little local tv station is still postponing the start of the new program (it’s now supposed to start in January) and I’ve been assured that I will be anchoring that as well. The new format involves copying what the big tv station is doing, so I can expect to spend twice as much time doing half-as-interesting things, with the promise that all this work isn’t going to lead anywhere.
The whole not leading anywhere thing is getting to me. I like knowing that what I’m doing has the potential to grow and thrive and turn into something bigger and better than it currently is. I don’t like to sit around and stagnate, and usually I quit jobs once I realize they’re not actually going anywhere. Since our time in China is limited, and I’m likely going to have to quit my jobs once we welcome the new addition to our family, I’m not terribly concerned with the lack of upward momentum this time around. However, I’ve been itching to start working on some skills and qualifications for something I can likely continue to nurse no matter where we end up next (cause once the kids are in kindergarten, this gal ain’t stickin’ around the house, nosirree). I want to do something that will help people, that will help me to grow as a person, and doesn’t rely on the color of my skin or the emblem on my passport.
I’ve been practicing yoga for years, since my freshman year of college. It allowed me to retain some semblance of sanity during break ups, weird relationships, and my pregnancy with Nico. But it didn’t occur to me that I might feasibly do anything with it until recently when friends and gym acquaintances started coming up to me and suggesting I start a class. I’ve been pointing out that there are yoga teacher around here, but still, it got me thinking…
So for my next project, I’m going to get my yoga teacher certification and see what I can do with it.