My Plate of Beads
I’ve always been one of those people who have a full plate. It seems like as soon as I get something done and off my plate, I find myself putting something right back on. I was reading Cyndi Lavin’s blog the other day and she talked about how she is at loose ends because she doesn’t have some big major project going on. Oh, Cyndi, we are so much alike!
Lately, though, this full-plate syndrome has been bothering more than usual because, if the gods have mercy, I may actually managed to graduate in a few months. That means no more school. No more dissertation. What will I do with myself?
To add to my own problem with this, are the questions I keep fielding from others: “What are you going to do when you graduate?” I’ve had this question thrown at me a zillion times over the past few years, but I was always able to shrug it off with, “Let me think about that after I get out of school.”
And, now, this is actually going to happen, and I really will have to decide what I want to be when I grow up. I keep moving back and forth with my decision. On the one hand, I will be free to work on my jewelry and beading career. Maybe I could make a DVD. Maybe I could start selling kits. Heck, I could start traveling to some of the big bead shows and possibly teach classes.
On the other hand, I really will miss cracking the books. I like being in academia, even if it doesn’t always like me. I’ve even agreed to teach a few on-line classes at my old haunting ground, and honestly, after the way I’ve been treated there…well, let’s just say I got a major eye-roll from my DH when I told him.
So is there room on my plate for beads and books?
When I am already part of a wonderful bead and fashion community on and off line, is it worth it for me to spend the energy to try to keep myself active in academia, a place that is sometimes very, very cold, when I could feel the warm embrace of more bead time?
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POSTED IN: Beading, General Jewelry Musings, Jewelry Design Careers
4 opinions for My Plate of Beads
tanya
Sep 24, 2006 at 6:58 pm
I just finished up grad school but I guarantee that you will find enough things to occupy your time (and you seem to have plenty :0) and you will enjoy not stressing about school more than you will miss it. I’m probably a big geek for saying this, but the thing I miss the most are longer holidays, summer break etc. and not having access to research databases.
Tammy
Sep 24, 2006 at 8:53 pm
I hope you are right. Part of the problem is I started this whole thing with the idea that I might teach at a college or university, and things have changed for me so this probably isn’t possible now. At least as a student, I was part of academia. That’s one reason I agreed to teach again. I’ll at least have my pinky toe in it. Check your library though for research databases. I work at a small public library and while we don’t have near what the college has, we do have Gale and Ebsco.
Christina
Sep 25, 2006 at 12:32 am
“When I am already part of a wonderful bead and fashion community on and off line, is it worth it for me to spend the energy to try to keep myself active in academia, a place that is sometimes very, very cold, when I could feel the warm embrace of more bead time?”
Sounds like you answered your own question. ;) Congrats on getting out of school - I know you have worked incredibly hard to get there. I think you will know what the right thing to do is, when the time comes. Whatever it is, I am sure you will be mightily successful. :)
Tammy
Sep 25, 2006 at 8:03 pm
Well, I’m not out yet. I have to defend it, which isn’t going too smoothly right now, but fingers crossed I’ll be done soon. Thanks for the vote of confidence though!
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