I've been an AWOL poster for so long, and now I'm returning with a trash post like this, but I need a place to vent.

My children's novel was just returned by a publisher who spent nine months looking at it. My book-in-progress on religion and social reform is not going well. My hours got cut at my job helping parents find educational resources. I would like to teach but I don't have a teaching certificate. I can't get a teaching certificate, even though I have a Masters in Education, because my undergrad degree was in philosophy which is not certifiable (save me your s!) If I go back and get my certification, not only will I have to pick up another undergrad major but I won't get any credit for my professional experience, which includes a year of actual public school teaching under emergency certification.

Anyway, I'm almost 30. I'm flat broke and headed towards debt. I spent my 20's "following my bliss" and also trying to do things I thought would help make the world a better place. At the end of it, it feels like I --and the world --have very little to show for it. I've taken some gambles with my life which haven't paid off and I'm not even sure what hopes and dreams I have left to pursue.

Ok, that was cathartic. I'm normally a pretty cheerful person but this year is taking its toll on me... I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow...

Who's Joseph Campbell?

Hey, I'm 28 and my career saving the planet is going, well, not nowhere, but ever so slowly. If I'd gone into computers I'd be a millionaire right now. In Conservation and biodiversity I'm a steal at 15,000 pounds a year, if only anyone in conservation of biodiversity had 15,000 to pay me.

But really, f**k expectations. Pursuing a dream is worth more than anything. That is what I have to remind myself at 3 in the morning, anyway.

"Now, the realms of the gods and demons--heaven, purgatory, hell--are of the substance of dreams..." Even JC said it wasn't easy (No, the Other JC...)

Seriously, I'm very sorry to hear the above. Sometimes it's not even resistance and animosity that gets me down, it's the vast array of cud-chewing stares... The "I don't want to think about that, so I'll pretend it doesn't exist."

The only thing I can think of off the top of my head for encouragement is the fact I often have projects whereI beat my head against the wall for 4 days, then, all of a sudden, things seem to work out the next day. It wasn't 4 days of futility and one day of positive results, it was merely a 5 day task.

That doesn't make day 3 any easier, I know, but I agree with Sunbird-- Ya gotta go for it. Even if you have to take a rest in between rounds.

Can you teach at College level? Most Colleges I know often value teachers and lecturers that actually know something and can make people think about it, instead of merely fulfilling the criteria for union toady-hood...

If you apply to certain schools (especially universities) which offer your undergrad as a course, they may well take you as-is. Hey, my first stagecraft teacher only had a minor in technical theatre and a major in psychology. Oh yes, that was a fun year. But he did give us a good quote, which has helped me once or twice, and I'm not even 20 yet.

"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic."

I prefer a quote from Abby. Or Ann.

"Go ahead and do it. In four years you'll be four years older anyway, but you won't have done it."

That's not a bad idea. In Australia you don't actually need a teaching qualification to teach at university or technical college - they value industry experience and knowledge far more. Of course, this often results in very poor teaching, but I doubt that applies in this case.

You'll make it through. Hang in there and try to get through the day.

Joe Campbell was a mythologist who analyzed the stories of cultures from around the world to derive a single overarching story called either the "monomyth" or the "hero's journey." Many people have adapted that basic story structure to great effect, most notably George Lucas for the first Star Wars.

However, I name-checked him for his oft-repeated advice to "follow your bliss" --that is, to make your decisions on the basis of what makes you blissful.

By the way, I've looked into teaching at the community college level. Unfortunately I'd need my Masters in philosophy to teach that, and no one teaches education at the community college level.

The sad thing is that I'm a really good teacher. I don't feel like I'm making good use of any of my best skills right now.

Kitoba, you say that you want to teach. If you go for your teacher's certification, would that not essentially be following your bliss?

I mean, Joseph Cambell never said that following your bliss would be easy, nor did he say that you'd never have to sacrifice a good amount of time and money on that path to bliss.

I mean geesh, the man himself was in school for ages, and was quite old when he published his first book, wasn't he?

Look into private high schools... you might be able to find one which teaches philosophy. And they tend to have much less rigorous requirements.

And having a masters in education doesn't make you eligible for teaching? Move to a state that isn't completely moronic. Or at least try to work in one.

Geez, that sucks. And I thought my dad's publishing problems were bad.....at least we still have money. I'm afraid I can't offer advice or, indeed, anything more useful than my continued wishes that you manage to get Ix published and live a rather happy life,

A harem and $5 billion without effort would make me blissful...

Have you considered some sort of youth work for your church?

OK I'm over my self-pity party for the moment. No one ever said life was easy. Thanks for all the supportive comments and advice.



Talia, you don't know how many authors would kill for your dad's publishing "problems." It helps to have several previous best-sellers to fall back on!



Thanks, I appreciate it. When I get up the mental energy, I'm gonna do another rewrite and then hit up my B list...

Well, um, it is kinda bad when your publisher terminates your contract and rejects your book for being too political and then you can't find any company in the US at all who'll even go near it. But that's really beside the point. Keep your spirits up!