Thursday, January 31, 2013

Expectations - Go to Hell

Many of you know that music influences me in many ways. It is an outlet for me when I'm upset or angry and it inspires me when I write. The title of today's blog post is actually lyrics from a Three Days Grace song that I found  myself belting out today as I drove to work (and by drive of course I mean inch along a 5 miles and hour). I realized that I was singing how I felt. All people's expectations of me CAN go to hell. I want to live my life the way I want.

So what if I technically don't use my anthropology degree. So what if I "sold out" and got a corporate job. So what if my cynicism is waning and I flipped flopped on the whole idea of marriage. So what if I'm self publishing my works rather than going the traditional route. And finally so what if the expectations of my caliber of my proposal writing skills by my boss were way higher than I measured up to. The fact is: I'm happy. I love my job, my schooling, my fiance, and my writing. I also still LOVE Anthropology so that is why I will continue to write this anthropologically driven blog even though I'm not "technically" an anthropologist.

7 comments:

Alexis Kennedy said...

Um, technically, you ARE. You have a degree and an interest in it.. the rest of these people can piss off. I'm so freaking proud of you for living life the way you want! I wish I could go back and tell my 20something self the same damned thing.. you go girl!

Sam Curtin said...

Thanks! This post came from a conversation I had with Grant the other night about where my "career" is going. There are some fellow anth students that fully support me but there are others who like to think that because they're the ones actually digging up artifacts, or working in the bio-anth labs that they're the REAL anthropologists. So that why I say... their expectations of what a REAL anthropologist can go to hell.

Also had someone chastise me for getting married after I was so against it before. Um... I'm allowed to change my mind, it's part of being human. Plus when you meet that right person your perceptions can change, it happens to a lot of people. (still hate V-Day though, lol)

Lilac Wolf (Angie or Angela) said...

Yes you are! Just because someone isn't paying you for that, and you aren't in some dusty place digging up pottery doesn't mean you aren't an anthropologist. I love your writing here! And as for your stories - if every author waiting for a publishing company to snap them up, there'd be far fewer good stories out there. Most of the books I review are self-published. I've met some amazing authors, you included. ;)

Alexis Kennedy said...

1. I wonder how many of these anthro students are paying their bills? We both know how difficult that field is to break into.. and you are correct.. they don't get to label you.

2. You are allowed to change your mind any damned time you want to. Grant is awesome.

3. I've never liked V-Day.. EVER, even as a kid.

Lilac Wolf (Angie or Angela) said...

And let me add, it's easy to be against marriage when there's no wonderful significant other in the picture. You fell in love, it's normal you changed your mind. :) I don't think marriage is the problem in America, it's weddings. I had a big blow out with my 1st husband, and a simple super-cheap one with my current husband. The only thing I regret on that one is who married us.

Sam Curtin said...

Aww, thanks Angie! And thank you for all the help and support you've given me; you are a huge driving force in my writing career!

Sam Curtin said...

Yep, and the thing is it isn't as if I didn't try. I spent 5 months trying to get a job at a museum and even got so far as an interview at the Hirshorn, but no dice. You're right it is a hard field to break into and I commend all my friends who were able to do it. Also for me there was the issue of paying bills. I went to a very expensive school (that was worth every penny) and I will be paying it off for a few more years now.

Just a note, I have anth friends who fully support me (like my friend Amanda who is an AWESOME archaeologist btw) but there are those who don't and that's their problem, not mine :)

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