If it hasn’t been obvious from my blog posts the last couple of months, here’s the truth – I’ve been a bit scattered lately. Yep – I’ll admit it. I’ve lost focus.
In 2000, I started on a path. I knew what I wanted and knew what it would take to get there. I wanted to work in Information Security – specifically Business Continuity.
I was convinced there were hundreds; no, thousands of organizations that needed to learn how to back up their data…
…then 9/11 taught me there was more to business continuity/disaster recovery than data restoration. I then wanted to help small businesses and non-profits stay afloat even after disasters.
Anyway – along the way to my goal I attained:
An AAS degree in IT from Scott Community College
Various IT certifications
A BSIT from Capella University
And finally, an MSIT in Information Security, also from Capella
That list took 10 years to complete. In October of 2010 when my last course was complete, I stepped back and saw what I had accomplished and thought, “Now what?”
I was already looking for a new job. I love my job, but it’s not going to pay the student loans. And I was involved in organizations that would provide continuing education in BC/DR. I've been working on a book of BC/DR basics for small business.
I started teaching an online course for the community college – not in my field, but a course is a course.
I also found myself with time to spare – school had taken a great deal of my free time, and suddenly I had free time again. After a twenty-year hiatus, I got involved in music again. I sing when I can, you’ve seen what I do the rest of the time.
Which means I also rediscovered photography. There’s a whole story there too.
I’m becoming more involved with church again – after a very long absence.
This weekend I participated in a theatrical production – for the first time in better than 25 years. It was great fun – but it is obvious I’ve been out of theater for better than 25 years!
Here’s the thing – I’m doing all of these … things… but I’m feeling a bit lost. I try to explore what it is that I’m really wanting out of my life. But I’m not getting anywhere. I’m scattered.
My long-time friends don’t see this as anything unusual for me. I’ve always been like a cat in a room full of shiny objects. There are so many fun things to do. And so little time to do them.
I ran into a former coworker last night. Nice guy – I miss having him at work, but we bump into each other often. We talked about which band gigs we had been at over the weekend, and I told him how I was feeling scattered lately. And he said, “Maybe you need to do what you love instead of what you studied.”
I know someone who is doing that. But the bills from school loom over me, so I’m not there yet. Besides, I love so many things, which would I do? Just because I love these things doesn’t mean I’m good enough at any of them to make a living. I think they need to remain hobbies. We’ll see.
Meanwhile – I’m still trying to focus. This is why I’ve split my Information Security posts off to a new blog. I’m still working on that book too. Publish or perish, or so I’ve heard…
…stay tuned.
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