Contemplating My Dream Job Part 2

Back in March I was given a prompt for my class to blog about my Dream Job. http://bobwalkjr.blogspot.com/2010/03/week-4-discussion-topic-2-contemplating.html

Part of that post talked about the job I applied for at a Music College. Two months after that post and almost one month after graduation, that job is open. Now, with the experiences and education I have gained from my Master’s program, the implementation of an LMS at the school I have been teaching (which has an Arts focus) and the development and implementation of a virtual platform to hold classes when the school building needed to be closed, I feel confident that this job is meant for me. 

This can also be tied into my coming full circle with my Master’s program. I entered the journey based on the let down of applying for this job a few years ago, learning that I needed a Master’s degree. Now I can bring to the table my love of music, ideas and projects that are developed. Online classes and platforms that are being improved and can be incorporated in the creation of online music classes at the school I earned my undergrad degree. Hopefully soon, I can post about the beginning of my next journey in this position. 

Illustration used with permission from www.cartoonstock.com

When Virtual Meets Reality

I had a surreal experience weeks ago. It was graduation day. Under normal circumstances, graduation is a time to celebrate with classmates, family, and friends. This was still the case but definitely not a normal experience at all.

I received my Master’s degree from an online program. There are a number of posts throughout my blog about this experience and the challenges it threw in my way. I also spoke often about the poor timing on my part to begin this program due to other circumstances in my life. There are also many discussions and replies about my classmates. This is a post to bring all of this together.

I have spent countless hours this past year in virtual classrooms with classmates and instructors. We have all signed up for various online communication tools, became friends on social networks, passed around contacts and worked on a number of projects together. We have all shared news of what was going on in our daily lives even though we have lived miles away from each other. Even though we have spent this time together virtually, we all really met for the first time on May 7.

The closest comparison I can come up with is meeting a celebrity. We watch our favorites on TV or on the big screen. We can read stories about them in magazines and even have glimpses of their lives through blogs or other media. We know who they are when we run into them somewhere and talk about it to everyone we know.

I met a group of celebrities at graduation. Instructors came backstage before we processed in to talk to us and make plans for lunch. We all introduced ourselves to each other even though we knew each other. A lot of hugs and celebrations. We seemed to pick up conversations naturally and made plans to spend as much face to face time as possible through the weekend.

It was fun catching up with friends and just celebrating together. We all worked hard to reach a goal and sharing this step of this particular journey was a lot of fun. We ended as we began, creating new bonds and continuing friendships while sharing ideas and future dreams.

I waited a few weeks to write about this as it really needed to settle for me. I didn’t believe I actually earned my Master’s degree. It took walking across the stage with a piece of paper and shaking the hands of my instructors to make it real. I also wanted to settle into life without the large projects due each week to put myself into a new routine. Through these weeks I have had many conversations with my classmates as we have been sharing with each other what we would like to do next. (as well as sharing job openings) It was also great to meet some of our support network. The people behind the scenes supporting us. The classmates that could not make it were with us the entire weekend and connections and plans are still being made to get together and keep in touch as a group. In this case, a combining of the virtual and real worlds is a good thing.

Pictures from: http://www.hellasmultimedia.com/webimages/graduation

My Master's Journey

Here are the past 12 months of my life as a grad student wrapped up in under 4 minutes....

Presentation Video

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is the picture of my content proposal of my thesis media project. 

Here is the video, stay tuned to hear about my final experience on Thursday.

River of Lies

When does a lie become the truth? Is it perspective or the absolute belief a person is correct? Is it hypocritical to call someone a liar when you have no issue making up your own story and changing it as it fits your needs?

Ok, so this is a bitter post today, but questions that I can’t help to contemplate. Recently I have discovered that lies are the new truths. It doesn’t really matter if there is solid proof or evidence available, the person who can tell the best story and get other people to believe it are the ones who will be held as honest people. The surprising part of this is the question of integrity. The honest person’s integrity will be questioned while the ones who make up stories to fit their needs will get away with whatever they send out to the universe. The way to survive then is to become the best story teller no matter if it is a true or false story. 

The best way I can put it is in a song. 

Photo Taken by Bob Walker, Jr NH Floods 2006, Dover, NH
Song: River of Lies ©2009 Bob Walker Jr Recorded by Bob Jr & the Martini Gardeners

My Chips Are Down

Going through an ordeal can take a lot out of a person. It’s something that can eat away at your very being on a daily basis. Then, once you think you are all through and you begin to move on, it hits you again when you least expect it. 

Recently, I was told that my chips were down as a result of an ordeal rearing its ugly head once again. What really happened is I decided to call out a group of people for being idiots in a situation. I wanted to pull the truth out, however painful it may be for me. I got the truth I was looking for and was not surprised at all from the outcome. Most of the group ignored what I had to say. Sometimes silence is louder than words.  Some friends contacted me with words of support and also stated that I am right on target with what I sent out to the universe. Those that really know me even acknowledged the responses I knew I would get from others. 

One response sort of caught me off guard. This is the response of where I was told my chips were down. I’m okay with the full blown rant and ignorance that was thrown my way from this person because it is what I expected. What stuck with me was this one statement. 

So, what it comes down to, is I need to be really happy that my chips are down. My current situation is: I am about to earn my Master’s Degree (I have a GPA of 4.0); I aced my thesis paper; I have an ok job (the pay sucks); I live in a nice home; I’m respected and active in my community; I have a girl who loves me (although drives me crazy on occasion); and I have kids who also adore me. Yes, I could use a better paying job and working in my ideal situation and there are a few rough spots as a result of mistakes I have made along my journey so far. If all of this is considered my chips being down, then there really is nowhere to go but up, so I’m cool with that. I now thank the crazy people in my life for pointing this out to me and will post pictures of my graduation next month if they care to see them. 

Photos from www.coolclips.com

Week 4 Final MAC Post - What is Work?

I was recently told, “anything that has to do with work is not your thing.” This comment brought out a few reactions, the first of which was shaking my head in disbelief that this would be a comment aimed toward me. I then started thinking about what people generally perceive what work is and what I do on a regular basis to possibly see why this comment would be made. 

What I love to do is make music. This is my occupation. I perform, write and teach music. When I am not performing, writing or teaching, I spend time listening to music and help support other musicians. When musicians meet each other, one of the first questions is always “what instrument do you play?” When I tell someone I am a musician, the question is “what kind of music do you play?” No one ever asks what instrument I work or what kind of music I work.

Now that I am earning a technology-based degree, I have to think further. I’ve spent the past eleven months on my computer (it seems non-stop at times). I’ve created music, videos, podcasts, images, web sites and interactive lessons (for playing music of course). I have logged time in SecondLife, Tweeted, posted to FaceBook and even spent a month playing games. Putting these activities together with the fact that I am still a musician, I can begin to believe that work is not my thing. 

I have to now wonder if the term work is an appropriate one. The people at www.whywork.org will agree with me on this one. Isn’t life about more of who we are than what we do? What we do builds our character and some of us are lucky enough to be doing what we love to do on a regular basis as a career. This is the path people should strive for. There are great mechanics, engineers, builders, electricians, and plumbers out there (just to name a few occupations). I even know people that do these things for enjoyment; their career is what they love. I would never second guess their motivation. So why is it I put in long hours honing my craft, as well as twelve months improving my knowledge so I can better serve those I support and teach, yet I am told  work is not my thing or I am considered “underemployed”? 

If showing up to a place for forty hours a week just because it is expected is what it takes to be considered successful, even if it’s drudgery, then I would rather fail. If this is what work is then I guess the comment made to me is correct, work is not my thing. However, if work is the effort exerted to complete a task, or reach a goal, even if it’s something that is considered fun by most, then this is what I love. Maybe I just need to send this person a copy of my current transcript along with the things I have accomplished at my place of employment in a short time. I could also send along the 40+ projects I had to complete these past eleven months. I think, I’ll just enjoy what I call success instead, it’s better energy and not as much a waste of my time; I have too much work to do:-)