Talk to Me Tuesday 2

I enjoyed this last week - it's really fun to get to know YOU better for a change. I hope that you liked it too, and will continue coming back to talk to me on Tuesdays.

This week, I've had work and jobs on my mind. I've been out of college now for 10 years officially - in August... HOW DID THAT HAPPEN!?! Anyway, since I graduated - I've been working in the world of fundraising for nonprofits. I've done many different things within this industry - from database management to grant writing to campaign mangagement to event planning and even prospect research.

What is prospect research you might ask... well lets just say that it's sort of like playing Big Brother so that the people asking you for money know as much about you as humanly possible. You'd be shocked at the amount of information out there on all of us that is part of the public record.

It's also no secret that the last two office environments that I've worked in have been extremely volitle, stressful, and generally bring a sense of dread on a Monday morning.

The thing however is that it just really at the core doesn't interest me anymore. Or maybe it never really has. I don't know.

So I find myself sometimes dreaming about the things that I'd love to be doing...

Teaching - I've attempted to go back and start this career up... actually got my certification in 2006 and another certification in 2007, but never was able to secure a job. With the current state that the school district around our house is in... it's not likely to happen anytime soon there either. I still believe that I would enjoy working in an elementary school, but am not sure that is within God's plan for me.

Adoption - The more we get into the process of adoption, the more I find myself thinking that I'd love to work within this industry someday. I don't know that I could handle having to break the news to a couple that a birth mother has changed her mind... but there are so many other aspects to it. I'd even think that raising money for an organization in this field might spark my interest in fundraising again... but beyond that I would love writing home studies... or leading some support groups for adoptive parents... or counseling adoptive parents... maybe with some distance - I'd even be fairly effective at counseling couples after they've gone through a failed placement... since I will have that experience in my own background. I just think that this field would provide a career for me with the challenge of a job, but also with the fullfillment of my heart and spirit too.

Writer/Editor - The third thing that I've kicked around would be to write books or even be an editor for a publishing firm. I love the written word so much that I could see this fullfilling me every bit as much as the world of adoption. If only I could come up with an idea for a book - I'd be working on it! If I could sit in a coffee shop, or a home office and help others realize their dream of becoming published - I just know that I would love it! The idea of working from home really makes me warm and fuzzy because it would allow for me to have the benefits of a salary that we need, but also the flexibility to be able to be at home with my children while they are young. I can't imagine a more perfect world.

Alright, now it's your turn:

1) Do you know anyone or have any connections to help me get started in one of these fields? (seriously...)
2) What would your dream job be and why?
3) What is keeping you from going out and realizing this dream?

As always - I'd love it if some of you took this idea and made it your own - just grab my image and let me know in a comment that you're playing along. You don't have to use the same topic as me... just use whatever is on your mind, but you really will love having your readers tell you more about themselves!