Out of the Cube: One Month

I spent the last five and a half years driving to the same building downtown and in the same cube, well when they finally gave me one. I remember being so excited I actually had a cube, and drawers and a bulletin board to pin pictures of Catasauruses and doodles.

But corporate life was hard for me. I can follow instructions, but not very good at following rules.
Last night I told David that I followed a recipe and then qualified that with well, not all the way but mostly, kind of.

That's me in to the letter. Great employee, hard working and willing to go the extra mile but resentful of rules for the sake of documented I-told-you-so's.

The initial plan in September was to become a freelance copywriter. To be really really out of the corporate world. I still might be headed there, or not. I like the idea of the career un-path. No lines, no ladders, just whatever opportunities come my way.


So I've been a journalist for one month. And I have lots of thoughts.

1. It is a lot harder than I thought to explain to people what I do. Journalist? Yes, a reporter. Like in the media? Yes. I write news stories. But just about real estate? Yes. And you write for the internets? Yes, like a millennial Kermit the Frog.

2. I am constantly battling self confidence and fear of incompetence. It is terrifying putting myself out there for the world to judge. I feel like a tiny baby reporter taking my first steps in a marathon race. Deer.in.headlights.

3. Which brings me to my next observation, this could not happen without the most incredible teacher in the world, my Daddy. Daddy what would you ask this person in an interview? Can I say this? Can I put a quote as the first sentence? But how do you know _____?

Where David spends hours trying to build me up and tell me I can do it, all daddy has to say is

"Stop thinking so much. Just get some words on the page and move on."

Just a month writing and I have more professional respect than ever for his work, his talent, his presence in this industry. He hasn't been with the Chronicle for 10 years and I field at least 3 or 4 emails a week asking if I know Ralph. Legend.

It makes me proud to add my maiden name in my byline. It is meant to be there.