My desire to write usually comes from a need to process, thus the subtitle of this blog. The need to process is usually triggered by an issue or problem I’m facing. I want to be more deliberate in writing follow up posts to record the aftermath of my brain storms. Today, I would like to note a sense of peace. Yes, for the last two days, I’ve had a peaceful frame of mind. I haven’t complained about work or given in to the “I hate my job” mantra of recent weeks. I’ve managed to start the day thinking about the tasks at hand instead of what I have planned for the evening. I’ve enjoyed time with my bf with nary a frustrating thought.

I don’t know if I’ve really let go. Only time will reveal that. But I’m aware of God’s response to me and people who are praying for me. His spirit is at work and has granted me peace.

I’ve acquired a few dilemmas and they don’t seem to be going away. One of them is the job dilemma. After searching many months for a job that would allow me to relocate to Shangri La (metaphorically speaking), I was offered a great job opportunity. Thank you Lord! Here’s the shake down: said job was with a great company in a great location, paid well with annual raises, provided new challenges, and allowed me to work with some smart people. A good gig . . . but I don’t like the work. It’s just not my thing. I hate working in a cube in front of a computer all day. I hate being in a techie world that’s all techie all the time.

I really miss engaging with people i.e. patrons or researchers. I really miss working with the material (even if it’s electronic!). I miss the research and discovery of information — especially historical information. I simply miss being an archivist — the profession I pursued with passion.

Here’s the rub: 1) archivist positions are kinda rare even in Shangri La, where there are lots of institutions that employ them 2) the salaries are much lower than said job. Other dilemmas in my life make it nearly impossible to accept a much lower salary, thus the job dilemma is difficult to solve. We’re supposed to solve dilemmas, right?

I’m stuck. Quite stuck.

This venture is long overdue. The time as come. The meanderings of my mind will come to rest here — in print. I don’t quite know what I hope to accomplish. I’d rather not have a set agenda. I don’t think I have enough knowledge or opinions on any particular topic to write serially about it. I ponder many things. Something seemingly trivial may get deep under my skin. Something important may merely be cataloged for future reference. Sometimes I just need to process or figure something out — get it off my chest so I can see it better.

Here it goes!