A Little Background...

I have been, for the better part of my professional career, a business communicator. What, exactly, does that mean? It means businesses--well, in my case, nonprofit organizations and governmental entities--have employed me to promote them, generally in a favorable way. This has encompassed everything from press releases to media interviews; from simple newsletters to annual reports; from websites to social media outlets. Most of this writing has been of the "serious" business nature--you know, journalism from a decidedly non-objective point of view.

Along the way, I have managed to pick up a knack for using the English language the way it is meant to be used; that is, I know, and know how to apply, the rules of grammar and punctuation, and I have been known, in my past jobs, to wield this knowledge ruthlessly. It's not rocket science--it never has been--but it is something that takes a little bit of discipline and practice...much like bicycle riding and sex.

That being said, I have, for the past three-plus months, found myself in a situation unfamiliar to me. Along with about 8 to 10 percent of the population, depending on whose numbers you believe, I am currently unemployed and searching for work. Unlike many of my fellow unemployed, I was not downsized, rightsized, or capsized; rather, I left my last position voluntarily and relocated from South Bend to Greenwood to be with my bride of five months (at the time) so that she could continue in her job--a job that she likes more than (I must confess) I liked mine.

Yes, I know what you--the one person reading this--are thinking: "You idiot! How could you give up a good-paying job in this economy?" Honestly, giving up the job was far easier than giving up the money. It's not that it was a bad job, per se--it's just that I had exhausted all I could do in that position, and the challenges just weren't there anymore. And, if I may borrow from that renowned 1970s pop/rock group 10cc, it was also one of "the things we do for love."

So here I am, trying to find meaningful full-time employment in an economy that is seriously lacking both meaningfulness and full-time opportunities. Meanwhile, my ever-cheerful wife, tired of me morosely lying about the house, has insisted I do some kind of writing, believing that it will revive in me something that has been dormant for a long time--creativity. After a false start or two, mainly because I couldn't think of anything poignant about which to write, I decided to write about myself. If nothing else, this will prove somewhat therapeutic, and it is a hell of a lot cheaper than a mental health professional.

So, as I fill my time by completing and submitting job applications, trying to keep the house from falling into a state of disorder, and picking up some substitute teaching jobs here and there, I am going to write about what I know best (and least). Whatever that may be.