Decided not to write a review of Jaret Ferratusco's novella, I Grew Up in Amaltherey Hill. I think it is an important book.... but not necessary to focus on at this point.
Today I got fired from the only job I have been able to scrounge up in the past few months. I didn't really earn the job, I just knew someone who put in a good word for me. The pay was good, it was a small family owned business and somehow something went wrong.
I believe that I am a hard worker. And I have learned in many circumstances that hard work doesn't always pay off. You can't just grind your nose to success. I went into this job with no interest in pursuing carpentry,electrical, RV sales, dentistry or any other related field of the job. But it was a way to make way more money than the other recent college grads like me working at call centers (if you're one of them reading this right now, could you give me a recommendation?). And I worked and slaved, and labored and toiled. But my work wasn't that great, my angles were never square, my staining was out of control and my clear-coats were speckled and splattered. But damn did I ever apply myself. But I also found myself dozing off into fascinating day dreams about people I know and who I need to call and so fourth. In retrospect, I would have liked to be a fly on the wall.
I couldn't feel more liberated by being fired. I feel so much closer to who I am by knowing that there are jobs out there that I cannot do and that others would succeed as great individuals. My father was an electrician and he taught me a few things, but not enough to survive in the industry. By not succeeding here, it must mean I belong somewhere else, maybe someplace relevant to my interests. I welcome more part time jobs, I've had a few this year and they really do uncover things.... and provide some great stories.
Other things learned about myself: I am highly sensitive to wood stains.... oil based or water based.
On Saturday I will be volunteering at the XXth annual Wordstock here in Portland. I do not know which authors will be featured but I am looking forward to being somewhere where human creative energy is flowing. More to come on this I hope......
