Monday, March 21st, 2011

still the right thing

posted by lizzie    « 4 Comments »    tied to artistic endeavors, housewifery, reflections, writing   

Every now and then I think about the fact that we spent a lot of money to get me a masters degree in something that you don’t really need a masters degree in to practice. I think about how I am not currently able to hold a steady, paying job. I think about how it may be years before I’m able to do such a thing. And even though we are just a few months from paying my education off entirely, and even though I am doing all I feel like I can to develop my writing, I wonder if we did the right thing.

But, truly, I know we did the right thing. Maybe not everybody needs to get an MA in Journalism, but I did. And we did it the best we could, saving for years to keep our debt to a minimum. I’m still excited by journalism. I’m doing my best to keep in the loop even while my loop also includes playgroups and potty breaks.

This weekend I listened to this forum discussion about long form journalism while Micah and Simon were away and Oliver was entertaining himself by tearing the covers off of books. It reaffirmed to me that school was worth it back then, that writing the Mother Runner is worth it right now, and that I can still have a future in more serious writing if I really want to. I think there might be others of you out there who are interested in listening to it. It features Ira Glass from This American Life, David Remnick from the New Yorker, Raney Aronson-Rath from Frontline, and Stephen Engelberg from ProPublica.

Comments

  1. stephanie robertson says:
    March 21, 2011 at 5:11 pm

    Awesome! Can’t wait to give it a listen. Maybe when the kids are in bed tonight. Thanks for sharing!

  2. meg says:
    March 22, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    i’m glad you shared this and also can’t wait to listen. i think this will be my reward for cleaning house…

  3. Becca says:
    March 25, 2011 at 7:39 pm

    I’m looking forward to listening as well. Jon’s cousin just got his mission call to France and we’re going to the temple in a few minutes to there to support him.

    Just curious. Will there be a peep show this year? I hadn’t heard anything… but seeing peeps in the store has triggered all sorts of fun memories!

  4. Natalie says:
    April 12, 2011 at 6:10 am

    I think it’s really great that you got your masters in journalism, what a huge accomplishment! And the fact that you’ve been so wise and careful financially makes it even more worth it. It’s a great example to your kids of how important education is, and even more important it’s something you love. :0)

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