The realm of the mundane…an all too familiar locality in which I resided in a few years back. It was plain and stagnant, like a pool of rainwater in a deserted cemetery. From mainstream music to the unending and formulaic idealism of conformity, I was stuck in a rut along with the majority of society.
The most perplexing and dumbfounding life decision I made, that seated me upon the throne of conformity, was to take up Nursing. (Ironically, it wasn’t a decision I made per se. More of an enforced and mandatory pill they had to shove down my throat.) My aunt, a registered nurse in the US, had the best of intentions as she influenced my parents into realizing that Nursing is the way to go. I was outraged. I wanted to take up Journalism, AB English, or Mass Communications but unfortunately, free will and personal choice were not in my aunt’s vocabulary.
Fast forward to March 2007. I have graduated from the course, donning a mask with an infallible smile pretending to be proud and ecstatic of my “achievement”. Yet concealed beneath was an underlying hatred for that which I have accomplished out of sheer obligation.
The following day, I released myself from the binds which have held me for so long. “I have no plans on becoming a nurse.”, I timidly mentioned to my parents over lunch. I swear, those few seconds of silence felt like forever. It was painful for my parents to hear, but they had to hear me out. My bottled-up emotions were finally emancipated by the truth. Thankfully, my parents were very understanding and comforted me when I needed it the most. The key point in letting them see my point of view? Self-Actualization. This was a necessary step, a shovel to help dig myself out of the oppressive pile of conformity I was buried under.
A few months later, I sent my resume to various publications regardless of their ads that specifically mentioned their qualifications of “seasoned writers” and “graduates of Journalism or related courses”. But before that, I am obligated to mention that I’m not an entirely hopeless case in the world of creative writing. I contributed to our college’s official publication and even wrote the script for one of the annual and highlighted nursing events. But still, the chances of me getting hired over a journalism grad for a writing position were very unlikely, realistically speaking.
Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it.
Fast forward to October 15, 2007, my first day on the job as as an ESL Test Developer, a writing position. I am blogging about my life like it’s nobody’s business…realizing that in few hours my co-workers will scrutinize this tiny anecdote, this sliver of my personal life that I have unabashedly exposed for the world to see. This has become my informal introduction to you, dear workmates.
I guess this should have been the appropriate introduction:
“Hi, I’m Justin. Pleased to make your acquaintance (insert your name here). I’m looking forward to working with you.”
And on that note, I digress. I have another blog to make. *winks*
reasons like seasons 