Shirley In Charge

I think I've been staring at this stark, white text box for about 20 minutes now. I keep thinking, "I can write, I can write, I can write." Yet, my fingers fail to dance across the keyboard. Hell, they won't even take a walk over the keys. This? This is me, clumsily tripping over the keyboard. I thought to write about my job, but I prefer to keep my business life off the internet... or at least untraceable to myself. I suppose if I am careful enough, it might not be so risky to try.

I stopped writing in this blog for months, about 2 posts ago. My job had dramatically shifted from Writer to Event Coordinator to Project Lead. As if the jump weren't death-defying enough, I entered the latter capacity for a major client, acting as technical liaison. Three harrowing weeks later, I became Project Lead on a second endeavor. The most surprising part of this is that I've apparently done an amazing job in just the past month. The team I coordinate has been singing my praises and I recently learned that my boss has done the same, which I heard from secondary sources, meaning he isn't just being kind to me in person. Granted, he isn't the type of boss to be gentle with someone if they don't deserve it, but I've also been told by past coworkers that being mad at me would be "like being mad at a puppy" - a useful quality to have, I suppose.

I have gone from being a regular employee in my life to being a career powerhouse. While I may not have the technical knowledge to engage in intelligent discussions with my teams about the proper way to complete a task, I am very detail-oriented and possess strong organizational skills. I'm able to track their schedules, funnel tasks as needed and I keep lesser tasks from falling through the cracks.

Without getting into any more detail about the job itself, I do want to say that I've discovered Shirley, the Careerwoman; Shirley, the Project Lead; and Shirley, In Charge, if you will. All one and the same.

I like her.

I find myself learning more and more about... myself. Strengths, flaws, habits, all of it. We are all changing creatures and self-discovery, though it has a beginning, never ends.

My passion for food is beginning to lie more in learning about it than teaching about it. I have a great curiosity for technique and innovation in cooking, but I am on a path of discovery.  Hence, the shift in this blog's focus. There are plenty of recipe blogs out there and they do an amazing job. I'm sure I will still post about recipes and techniques as we go. There are plenty of other cooking resources that are more knowledgeable than I in that respect, but what I am here to share is more organic than lessons and steps. I want to share my experiences. I want my readers to grow with me, explore with me and occasionally just let loose.

I want to exercise my writing muscles.

Most importantly, I am learning that wanting and wishing is all good, but none of it matters until we DO. If I want to be a better writer, I need to write more. If I want to be a great Project Lead, I need to be confident about it rather than apologetic.

I need to act like the thing I want to be would act. I am the epitome of "fake it 'til you make it," but the faking portion is much shorter than you'd think. Soon enough, you believe it and become it, whatever "it" happens to be. It takes work and opportunity. Find windows where there are no doors. When even a slight chance to accomplish a goal comes along, grab it before you start second-guessing yourself. There will be plenty of time for second guesses later, as I most certainly took advantage of for the first three weeks of my new position.

Enough self-help. This is not what I am about. In fact, when all else fails, just have fun with your life. You may only get one. Don't. Regret. A thing.

Damn. I should really make a bucket list and ride this "I am the master of ANYTHING!" wave.