21 Things

When you become involved with the National Writing Project, one of the very first experiences you have is the invitation to write (aka: invite to write). Here, one of the facilitators of the event presents something of interest to all the participants. It really varies, and can be an excerpt from a book or an article, a song, a video clip, a photograph, an inspirational story or quote, a piece of art. The possibilities for an invite are limitless, as anything can be a prompt for writing, especially when the expectations are open ended. Participants are simply invited to write. What they create in response can vary as greatly as the invitations themselves. Anything is acceptable and nothing is judged or evaluated. Many, maybe even most NWP members, somehow integrate the invite to write in their lives forever after their first encounter with one. Teachers use them with their students, administrators with their faculty, and some, like my writing circle, use them to inspire personal writing. But from time to time, things surface as my own invitations to write. An old song I love, a beautiful landscape I've seen, a strange encounter with a person during the day; these are all my mini invitations to write. Sometimes they arrive daily, or even multiple times a day, and sometimes I can go days or weeks without an invitation. Essentially, these invites might be considered simply by others as ideas for writing. There are times when we want or need invitations from others, and there are times when they come on their own. This one came on it's own...

I love Alanis Morisette. I have, ever since Jagged Little Pill. Who didn't love that album, right? Her real fans though, have other favorites too. JLP was groundbreaking, very different from the other music of its time, but Alanis was more than a flash in the pan and I think I may like Under Rug Swept just as much as JLP. It certainly doesn't get as much airplay. Last month my Sirius subscription expired, and I decided not to renew it to see if I missed having satellite radio. I felt like it was going down hill a little, playing a lot of the same music repetitively like regular broadcast radio. Radio in general is pretty sucky, and in lieu of messing with my iPad or phone, I decided to dig out some of my CD's from the center console in my jeep. I have a small eclectic collection in there that gathered over time; James Taylor, Los Lonely Boys, Dixie Chicks, Badlands, Alanis, and a few others.  Several of them are in there because I never purchased them on iTunes; why would I pay again when I had the CD's?

Anyway, the other day I got into the car and I chose Alanis. I had both Jagged Little Pill and Under Rig Swept, but opted for the latter for no particular reason. The first song is called "21 Things I Choose in a Lover." Basically, she sings a laundry list of qualities she'd like in her ideal lover. She admits in the lyrics of the song, she doesn't need all the qualities she just prefers them. She sings, "I figure I can describe since I have a choice in the matter. These are 21 things I choose to choose in a lover." Here's one video of a live performance of the song. You can also hear a pretty acoustic version here.

So what about the song? Besides the fact it has some awesome guitar riffing and the assertive bad-ass voice of Alanis, it got me to thinking. She's right. We have choices, and we should be able to set our own criteria for making said choices. For me, it wasn't about my lover, it was about my career and my life, and the choices I make for living. Why don't I have a checklist? How come at work I can have a checklist of criteria for hiring an employee, or completing a task for compliance, but I don't have one for myself for choosing a job or a pastime? Like Alanis, I have a choice in the matter. So by day 3 or 4 of listening to the CD in my car, I found myself singing a Weird Al Yankovic-type song in my head to the melody of 21 Things I Want in a Lover. I played around with various word choice until I was chuckling out loud in the car. I came up with things like:

These are 21 things I choose to do with my spare time...

Read tons of great books shipped free with Amazon Prime

These are 21 things that I want in a career...

Teaching what I know and love to kids without fear

This went on for some time. It's a little funnier if you actually know the song. But admittedly, it's a bit silly. Ultimately, I tried to think of 21 things I'd choose to choose in a perfect job. This is not a dig on my current or previous jobs, just a list. "Not necessarily needs, but qualities that I prefer." I phrased them as questions because that's the way Alanis did it. And before you judge me, or make any snide comments, remember this is if I were to describe a perfect or near-perfect scenario.

Here's what I came up with...

1. Will I make a difference in the lives of some other people, especially those in need?
2. Will I like and respect my boss (supervisor)?
3. Will I be appreciated for my experience and knowledge?
4. Will I have flexible hours with enough time for other pursuits, both personal and professional?
5. Will the mission and philosophy of the organization align with my own?
6. Will I be able to leave for lunch if I choose to?
7. Will I have time to write?
8. Will I be able to go home early if my responsibilities have been met that day?
9. Will I be able to work from home if I feel like it?
10. Will the people around me (my co-workers) be happy in their jobs and show up to work?
11. Will I be trusted to try new things?
12. Will I be able to decorate my own office, choose my furniture and my computer?
13. Will I make enough money to fulfill my family obligations, save, and go on vacation each year?
14. Will I have affordable AND good health care for me and my family?
15. Will I get at least 1-2 weeks off 2 or 3 times per year?
16. Will I learn enough at my job to feel like I've grown during my time there?
17. Will the agency/company have internal power rather than being controlled by outside policy?
18. Will other people want to know how they can join the team I'm on once they know I am there?
19. Will it be okay for me to take a nap if I get tired?
20. Will I be proud to tell people I work there?
21. Will I be able to bring my dog with me if I want to?

There it is, foolish or for real, these are 21 things I choose to choose in a dream job. Not necessarily needs but qualities that I prefer. I figure I can describe since I have a choice in the matter.