all my life I have been a pianist and more recently a teacher as well. Its what I love, my passion, my chosen major, my calling in life... whatever you want to call it! but its what i have always done, and who i have always been.
since graduating in may and moving to charlottesville i planned on instantly building a studio back up and getting 30 students that would provide a job for me. ... you guessed it, it didn't happen. for the first time in my life i had to brain storm as to what else i could do? i felt intimidated at the thought that i, a 22 year old, have never had a serious job other than teaching piano. i applied for dozens of jobs on craigslist, on websites, through the university, through contacts, etc, etc. here it is... the real world! i was lucky enough to find a job at anthopologie as a sales associate right off the bat, but, retail? really? was i cut out for it?
so, i have expanded myself into the retail world. i interact with a broad range of customers on a daily basis from entitled teens with daddy's credit card, to sweet mothers just out for an errand, to men frantically looking for the perfect gift. i have loved expanding myself to meet new and interesting people. i love my coworkers and the backgrounds they have that are so interesting. i love that my coworker found a puppy on the side of the road and raised it only to realize it was a dingo. i love that most of them have no idea where utah is on the map of the U.S. i love feeling like no one knows anything about me, and i can be anyone i want to be! i love getting more into fashion and having a reason to get cute every day. we get crafty and dirty with glitter and blast music as we close shop, and we work hard. i love feeling like i'm expanding my understanding of people, my relationships, and my horizon.
well, anthropologie wasn't cutting it with our budget so i kept looking and looking. after a couple failures, one in particular that resulted in tears... i found an additional job at uva hospital as an administrative assistant. a hospital? really? was i cut out for it?
so, i expanded myself again and started working at a hospital as well. the learning curve was rough. acronym after acronym of medical terminology almost did me in for good. but after weeks of getting used to it, i felt more and more comfortable and actually at times, confident! every day people of all kinds walk in the door with different stories, aches, pains, and worries. some are just plain nasty and treat me as their outlet of frustration. but most are pleasant and happy to be alive. i'm expanding... learning how to make charts, read tb tests, fax (never knew how to use a fax machine!), report workers comp claims, etc etc. i've learned you never know what someone is going through. like today when i asked a women in the waiting room if she is excited for the holidays. she replied that she hadn't even thought about it, because her 2-months old granddaughter had died 3 weeks ago of SIDS. life is fragile and delicate and personal and you simply have to be kind to everyone no matter what.
my coworkers at the hospital are a riot. none have them have ever been west of the Mississipi, and they are
southern women. every day i am called "honey bunny," "sugar," "cute patootie," and my newest nickname... "tinkerbell." I love the stories of southern cooking and hunting and the greasy can of lard their mamma used to keep on the stove and put in everything they ate. their loud laughter echoes the halls of our small clinic and often times i have people in the waiting room crane their neck around trying to see who is making that racket. they are sooo funny and i love learning more about them and their interesting lives. so different than mine. i'm expanding.
and my third job... teaching. my six students bring me so much joy. it is my passion, and my chosen career, but for now... to have these other jobs and opportunities to meet interesting and new people, and have interesting and new experiences in interesting in new fields is something i will treasure forever. i am grateful for this new experience of living away from home. i am expanding as a person every day.
