career arc

Since I wrote this all up in an email anyway, I figured I'd share it here. The old friend I sent this to was asking about my route to my current job. There are a few edits for clarification, otherwise it's all intact.

Originally I was looking for writing in an academic context, preferably tech-related (but "soft" tech writing rather than "hard" tech writing--error messages rather than technical manuals). I'd also had some interest in academic advising, which is done by professionals at Penn State as well as faculty. Admissions is where I ended up.

Admissions counseling itself wasn't (I feel) the main thrust of my old job (it's technically only supposed to be less than a quarter of our jobs): it was more about marketing writing, really, and that was okay with me. I got to dabble in all sorts of things, which was also ideal for me. I eventually became the go-to person when it came to virtually anything done online--because really, I live it, and very few others in the office do.

The new job is as close to ideal as I think I'll get: a good combination of writing and tech, a lot of leadership and project management, a sprinkle of teaching (I'll also be running our internal training) and instructional design--and all of it circling around our use of electronic communication, which is where my interest really is. I'm working on our email communication, helping redesign our website, I've checked into student blogging (we're not going to do it), I've produced podcasts and videos. You get the idea. And there's more to come.

[Advice was dispensed here about stepping stones when it comes to careers.] The writing position I started in wasn't ideal, but it was getting there, and now I've pretty much gotten there. So yes, I'm absolutely happy with the way my career has shaped up thus far. Somebody going from Admissions Counselor/Writer to Assistant Director (in a new Assistant Director position, at that) in two years is absolutely absurd, especially at Penn State. So I'm pretty proud of it, actually.

Working late, Admissions meanderings

I'm tired, and just stopped doing more work stuff. In this case, poking about (and trying to sign up for) the Teaching and Learning with Technology Symposium, among other things.

As much as I leave my work at work a lot of the time, a lot of the time I don't. Not entirely sure where the healthy balance is there yet.

Also just read an email response from our head honcho (consider that shorthand for Executive Director/Associate Vice President*, both of which are titles he holds) telling me essentially that my work hasn't gone unnoticed, and that he and the rest of Admissions are expecting great things out of me, especially considering this new position and its new role. Admissions to this point has never had anything like this--one person driving and shaping the office's vision in how we communicate with students, tech-wise.

Though, I might add, it has desperately needed it.

And, as my former boss (now an equal) pretty much said today, I came in at a time when they were tech-hungry, and I filled a void, one they may not have realized needed to be filled. Though a college friend's worst insult comes to mind: "You fill a much-needed void." I know that's not the case here, but the thought still amuses me.

I need to stop thinking about work now. I have a forced day off tomorrow: one I have to use or I'll lose. I have a month of vacation saved up. A month. I could leave for that long. Technically. It'll never happen, and it kind of shows you how little vacation I've been taking (stretched thin? me?), but it's a pretty cool thought.

Work = off. Bath = now.

*Whoa. I just realized that technically, he's my grandboss now, at least for awhile. Freaky.

Music, voice, and job developments

I ought to just commit to writing here after yoga every Tuesday, because it seems like I almost always have something in my head to put here afterwards. I blame the brain-expansion.

Normally I don't sing in the car. Today, however, I was belting out Splashdown's "Ironspy" both before and after class. I noted that afterwards was much stronger than beforehand: in that case, I suspect it's the navel work we did, which made me feel and use those muscles much more once I rediscovered them (as I do virtually every time I do yoga, I might add--but between times, I forget about them again. yet another reason to start practicing daily).

You may not know this about me, but when I was younger (starting when I was about eight), I took voice lessons for years. Performed a lot of Phantom and Les Mis when they were all the rage. But, of course, I realize now that I've nigh-forgotten the breath technique I learned then to support my tone.

Then again, there's probably a lot of random nonsense you might not know (Dad, you're an exception, of course). Like that I went to modeling school as well. I might add that I was far too young to do so--nor did I have the appropriate body type. But my mom put me through it anyway.

All this aside, I also realized that I no longer have the same memory triggers with music that I used to. Automatically, at least. Perfect example: Splashdown I first got intensely interested in when I was dating N, so logically one should conjure memories of the other, right? Not so much anymore.

I think it's that I've achieved enough emotional balance that music no longer acts as an immediate trigger. I can let my mind drift to it, but if I don't want to or don't think of it, I don't. On the one hand this is a very good development--certain songs no longer upset me. On the other hand, it's not so great--some of those triggers are what made me enjoy the song in the first place.

As an abrupt left turn, I need to call Uncle Len tonight. Hopefully I'll remember to after this. I also chatted with my ex-grandboss over this past weekend, and as a mental note I need to remember to email him after the Windows Media Player-friendly version of the podcast is up. I don't know what to call him in here anymore, since he's no longer my grandboss. Perhaps just by his initial, as I do most everyone else, which is P. His initials are P.S, which prompts the joke that if he ever created his own university, its shorthand would also be PSU. It was good to talk to him again: hopefully that'll continue now that I won't be seeing him virtually every day at work.

Speaking of work, it's official (to me, anyway--paper signed and all: the announcement has yet to go out to the office, but that'll happen soon enough). That really important day this past Friday? Was my interview for the assistant director position that had opened up in our office. I'm now an Assistant Director for Undergraduate Admissions: I believe my internal title will be Assistant Director of Electronic Communication, meaning I'll be managing any online delivery of information/messaging, internal and external. Which is, I might add, something I've been doing (much of, not all of) anyway, though as only a small part of my former job's description thus far (I've been going above and beyond, as is my wont with things that interest me). It's exciting: new office, new title, new salary, new conferences, new responsibilities, new opportunities. I've been getting management advice from friends and mentors, some of it coincidental, some of it after they found out. I'll do fine, I know I will: I've been doing this stuff already, quite frankly going outside the limits of my job description to do so.

I'm looking forward to these changes, all in all.

daily triumph and big day tomorrow

My one, teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy triumph for the day. The student podcast I helped produce is up on iTunes (please note that you can only listen with iTunes for now: it's free, but we're working on alternatives).

Big day tomorrow. Wish me luck.

leavings

I'm freshly back from yoga, having those pleasant stretched pangs that let you know you've worked.

Today was grandboss's last day with us. Having that in the past tense seems weird--the time between his announcement and his departure seems to have flown past.

I can't even say I have mixed feelings about it, because I don't. I'm going to miss him. I looked forward to his face more than anyone's when I went to work. I mean, it's not like it's "goodbye, goodbye forever" or anything. He'll be over with WPSU doing more than just volunteering now. But it won't be the same, of course.

He had (has!) my respect, loyalty, support, friendship. And trust. Above all. And I enjoyed his company. And I just don't have that complete package with anyone else at work anymore, and certainly not to the same extent. He had more of an influence on me than anyone else I've ever worked with.

If he hadn't encouraged it, I don't think I'd be pursuing the path I am now. And without his support, I'd certainly have been cut off from a lot of things I enjoy about work.

When I told D. and S., S. immediately responded with "oh no! He's your advocate!" And that's true. He was. So not only was he someone I enjoyed working with, but he was someone in a position of authority that could make things happen when it came to my job.

And I'm going to stop there. Abruptly. There are things happening at work that I don't want to talk about yet, even if I could, which I can't. And this sounds horribly catastrophic, but it may be a very good thing. It may also be a very bad thing. Right now, I'm in a "time will tell" state.

Please forgive me if I'm scarce. Negotiating change takes a lot of my headspace, and I need every inch at the moment.

cows at an Ag school

I realize that Penn State is, both historically and currently, an agricultural school (among other things). But it really does tempt me to go vegetarian when I drive in behind a trailer carrying two gentle, sweet-looking cows and I realize that the vehicle is turning into the driveway of the Meats Lab.