Something To Complain About

My husband gets tired of me always finding something to vent or complain about at whatever job I am doing at the time. I honestly can't say it's something I'm proud of and it's been on my mind more lately. I am realizing that this is a bad habit of mine that I do when I'm tired and/or stressed and it's just part of my nature as a female to want to verbalize my stresses. It's not like I am in a bad job at all. I mean I get to have Kayla with me, which is wonderful in so many ways. Yes, I take a lesser salary because of this, but at least I get to be with her while still making an income. But it always seems it's those little inconveniences (the commute especially in bad weather, the disagreement I sometimes feel with my employers about how to conduct my day with the kids, the pressure I feel that they have no backup care options if I can't make it in for some reason, etc.) that I talk about and let get to me. I do this and yet I realize that no job is without those little annoyances. However, I can recall two full-time jobs I have had previously that I rarely complained about: Bott Radio Network and Penton Media. I loved working at those places for so many reasons, the biggest being the friends I made with my co-workers (still friends with them today) and the overall positive atmosphere. I left Bott Radio when I landed my job at Penton as I was seeking a place with more advancement and more traditional work hours. Though I did maintain a great relationship with Bott and filled in there when I could. I ended up loving working at Penton just as much. Unfortunately for me and the my other two fellow Circulation Coordinators, the company had to downsize and laid us off. I was so sad to leave there. It was such a fantastic place to work. I still miss it. Even despite all that though, there were external frustrations I had when things were not going my way as I had multiple deadlines approaching. So I still had things get to me...just not to the degree that I have with other jobs. 

I think since I joined the nanny world after a stint in graduate school (the cost and wanting to change my emphasis had me taking a hiatus from it, but hoping at some point to finish online), I have come to love it and hate it at the same time. It's such a much more personal type of work and so different than what I had before. It's so much easier to feel and actually be micromanaged. As much as I love children (especially babies), it can be very draining to handle the parents sometimes. You'd think it would be the kids draining me...but not usually. I have really liked the parents I have worked for on a full-time, long-term basis as people very much. They are wonderful and I know they want what's best for their children. I just think that parenting and child care involves so many emotions that it's hard to keep the professional and personal lines from becoming blurred at times on both ends. That is a recipe for drama waiting to happen. Not to mention you are the sole employee, so all the focus is completely on you at all times. It can be incredibly stressful. Yet the job itself can also be incredibly rewarding as you see the children in your care flourish and grow and you get to have fun with them. So it's very much a difficult balance at times. 

I always think what if I could just find my dream job. I mean doesn't everyone feel that at some point? Now the dynamics have changed in my life since I am a parent. I have so many things to consider like how to do child care or if I should work a schedule opposite my husband. I think there are some things I would truly enjoy doing on a long-term basis like overnight newborn care (which i have dabbled in here, but it's very inconsistent). I would actually like to be certified in that, but I need to put in 1800 hours of hands on care experience to get there when the jobs tend to be short term and perhaps not come up as often as I'd hope. However, even there I'm sure I'd have my complaints of being overly tired and something the parents did or do to annoy me. It wouldn't be as in your face as daytime nannying, but it still would be a very personal connection. 

I also think doing some type of broadcast commentary for gymnastics would be amazing as well, but getting there (even with my Bachelor's degree in Broadcasting) can be daunting and typically it requires the type of travel and schedule not conducive to my current life. 

I think honestly though, if you take something you love doing and you make it your career, there's always going to be some of the shine dulled off of it. Once you're making money at it, you're no longer doing it just for the love of it. I think for me, that's why perhaps volunteering to help a mom with her newborn once in a while or volunteering to shadow a sports reporter at a local event sometimes might honestly give me way more personal fulfillment than trying to make a living at it. Once you are tied to it via paycheck, it seems the annoyances become far more glaring and obvious than if you did it just for enjoyment. I recall my dad saying something similar once. He's been a softball coach for years and loves it. I once asked him why doesn't he try to make it his job and get paid for it. He said something long the lines of "No because I do it for fun and getting paid for it would make it become an obligation taking some of the enjoyment out of it." I can say that those words ring very true to this day to me as I contemplate finding my next job (once my current contract ends). I have to keep the understanding that it will have it's annoyances, but that's okay. There is no perfect way to make a living. While you certainly can love your career in a sense, it's not meant to give you a deep personal fulfillment that our other God-given passions can serve to do if we keep ourselves from being obligated to them. 

What are your thoughts on this? Is your career your passion? Do you agree that it's better to keep those things separate? Feel free to comment below. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thoughts on American Idol - Season 13

I have seen a lot of criticism surrounding this year's group of finalists on American Idol across the blogosphere. I guess I just don't feel the same way as those complaining. Is it as great as my favorite Season 7 or the just as great Season 8? Not by a long shot, and that is likely part of the problem. Those seasons are where Idol really peaked with the introduction of instruments being allowed and more artistic performances. Since then, the show has been on a downhill slide. As big as the show has been, the newness has long since worn off as with any show that has a long standing. Then there's also the fact that the major networks have been overrun with new singing shows in the past few years. I think much of Idol's core audience has transitioned over to shows like The Voice for something similar but also a little different. I have never been able to get into The Voice personally. I guess I am and always will be an Idol loyalist. I can't let it go til they take it off the air. Either way though, no show has been able to turn out the stars in the music world that Idol has even in recent years like Scotty McCreery and Phillip Phillips. Going back, the list could get pretty long! It still continues to blow the other shows away in that regard. 

I think one of the best things about this season is the judging panel. The addition of the nearly always astute and hilariously entertaining Harry Connick Jr. has really brought the judging to a much higher level overall unlike last year's mess. Keith Urban was a great start last year, but he often was overshadowed in the Nicki Minage/Mariah Carey drama. Now having Harry to play off of, he has really stepped up his game. Same goes for Jennifer Lopez who made a re-appearance this season after taking last season off. She typically has been not much better than Paula Abdul, but she really has become quite good at giving really good constructive critiques to the contestants lately. It's nice to finally have a truly smart and funny panel, not just a bunch of goofs who spew out one cliche after another. I think though that it is too little, too late. If only they'd done this much sooner! But it does bring Season 13 up a notch in its own way. It's also nice to see the uber talented Sesaon 8 finalist Allison Iraheta singing backup in the band!

Regardless of anything new they try, I think we all know this show is on its way out very soon. I have already heard rumblings that next season will likely be the last and it will only be a truncated version of the show we have come to know, going to 1 night a week and only an hour long. That will be interestingly strange. They've already done something similar to Dancing With The Stars by bringing it down to 1 night a week with the results at the end of each show on Monday nights. However, DWTS still remains 2 hours and has some pizazz to it still. Speaking of which, I will post my overall thoughts on that show next week.  

INTRO

I have decided it is time to commit to keeping an online journal of sorts because it is a nice way to speak about what is on my mind in addition to posting on facebook. I figured this would also be a place for others to join in on conversation on various topics. I look at this is a place to discuss important things like life, faith, motherhood, kids, and also frivolous crap like my favorite TV shows. 

So welcome to Teresa's Talk Spot! If there's anything on your mind you'd like me to post about or that you'd like to write about for me to add here, I certainly welcome your input!