268. Scenarios

I thought about this for a while now. I was doing scenario A for a while after graduating. I was a sports writer. I covered sports for a living. It was great fodder for conversations with strangers at the airport. I had my own column. I saw my face in the paper on a regular basis. People in the community of Marshall loved my stuff. It was all a good feeling.

I was doing similar things that my classmates from J-school were doing. However, something felt just a little bit off. I dragged my feet when I was going to work. I got surly (not the beer) at times with my coworkers or on my assignments. Contrary to popular belief, I was not having the time of my life covering sports. Working late nights made me tired. Earning a miniscule salary made me anxious about money. Working late nights made me lonely and I did not have much of a social life. So I searched for a few other jobs.

I really hoped for another journalism job, but this other one came up. It fits more into the “B” category. (I have to explain to people what a bar association is.) All of those other things kind of disappeared though. I go to bed at a reasonable hour. (I’m more of a morning person, anyway.) I get paid better. I get to see my friends and I have time to do other things. I like all of my coworkers, and for the most part, enjoying going into work. Things aren’t spectacular, but they’re pretty good, and that’s OK.

I always thought I would be that person who climbs the ranks of a newspaper. I thought I’d get some acclaim for my writing. I think a key part of that was realizing that I don’t really enjoy making sports my job. I enjoy writing. That’s why I’ve tried to continue to write on this blog on an (almost) daily basis. It hasn’t given me the same rush as I had when I wrote the column, but I’ve written a handful of things that I really love, and that’s how writing kind of works. Not everything is going to be great.

I think millennials don’t know how to accept OK. Whether that’s due to the economy we grew up in, the incessant pressure we have to be #livingyourbestlife due to social media and constant bombardment of other things in life. We don’t really get that security that previous generations had, so I think we’re forced to make the most of it.

You know what? I am making the most of it. I know what makes me happy: soccer, a good run, good beer, time with friends, a newspaper. I know what doesn’t. I know what I need to get through the day, and I’m starting to get a hang of all the other important things that come with growing up. All of those things are good things. Underrated, I may not be living the dream in scenario A, but I’m having fun and enjoying myself. There is something to be said for that.