A new wind in my sails, hopefully

Why is positive thinking -- particularly about careers -- just a generally difficult practice overall? And why is it so hard to give yourself credit for the things you can do before you throw yourself into an overdramatic tantrum over the things you can't do? After a series of minor panic attacks and at the request of my friend who studies Eastern thought as well as my family, I'm trying my best to think positively...and this blog is partly a result of that.

I've recently decided two things -- first off, that my primary career objectives still exist outside of the TESOL industry. Even with its ups-and-downs, teaching has been (and remains) a good time overall, but I'm coming to the conclusion that one can only do it for so long. As part of this, my biggest 2007 goal is to get some additional non-TESOL experience to put on my resume so that I'm not completely unemployable wherever I go next (which, for the record, has yet to be determined). So, my objective is to re-build my portfolio and get as much freelance work published as possible. That journalism degree from UConn set me back 40,000 bucks...and although I do hope to get my master's degree, I'm still determined not to let my BA gather dust on a shelf while I get shoved back into the depths of some corporate job.

As many of you know, I've been working (on my off-teaching time) for Provokator, an avant-garde Czech-based culture magazine, since July of last year. My initial story pitch was my Do-It-Yourself: Salzburg tour, and since then they keep giving me assignments each month. In recent issues, I've covered nightlife, sexual fetishes (those were some interesting interviews, let me tell you), the Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments, the Petrin Hill funicular railway as well as previews for music festivals in Cesky Krumlov and Ostrava. My next piece will be about the increase in Chinese studies. I also have a piece on "Hidden Prague" in the March issue of Packed Magazine, a German and Austrian-based travel magazine which is published out of Berlin and Salzburg, and that comes out next month -- and will even include a headshot of Yours Truly!

Finally, after hemming and hawing about it for several months, I just pitched a story to the E.I.C. of The Prague Post, which is the primary English language newspaper here. We had a meeting early on Monday and I believe that it went well. My first story is due next Monday.

Positive thinking, Curtis...positive thinking...