Metapost: Why I didn't apply for the AJC freelance reviewer job

This past month has been a time of big decisions for me, and I feel like I have a lot of balls in the air. I also fear that there are a few up there that will surprise me and bonk me on the head if I don't catch them soon enough. One of the balls I decided not to juggle was the Atlanta Journal-Constitution freelance food reviewer position (view the announcement here).

At first, it seemed to be the perfect opportunity: review one restaurant per week for the AJC working under John Kessler, whom I admire. I took his workshop at last year's Decatur Book Festival and learned a lot about food writing in those two hours (hint: it's a lot like narrative nonfiction writing). I felt like I could have competed well for the job with my wine knowledge, blog experience, and writing samples from this blog and Decatur News Online.

Openness to "OTP" restaurants was a must. This wasn't a problem, as Hubby and I enjoy exploring Buford Highway, and we lived in Lawrenceville for a while and still have favorites up there. Another excuse to meet up with friends in Roswell and Alpharetta would have been great, too.

There comes a time, however, when priorities have to be defined. As I've mentioned before, I'm in the middle of moving my office closer to home, and the picky little details are driving me crazy. One of the reasons I'm making this move is to be able to expand my business, which is going to take a lot of time as well as mental and emotional energy. Having a weekly deadline, even if it means I get a meal out comped (and I actually don't know what the financial arrangements were going to be), would add more stress than I need at this point. Hell, I can barely keep up with this blog and my Random Writings.

Also, there's a psychological principle that a behavior that is internally motivated (e.g., restaurant reviewing) will cease to be rewarding once it is externally motivated (e.g., by being paid for it). I like eating out. It's one of those things that Hubby and I can do to relax after a stressful day or week. I'm afraid that, by doing it for someone else for pay and adding deadlines to it, I wouldn't enjoy it as much, and it would become just another job.

So, good luck to those who are vying for the coveted spots, either as the freelancer or as one of John Kessler's brigade of bloggers! I'll enjoy reading your reviews. Meanwhile, I'll keep eating and writing on my own schedule.

Part of the chaos from my last office move & bookshelf rearrangement:

Metapost: What I did on my winter non-vacation...

I'd thought about writing a long, drawn-out explanation for why I've disappeared over the past two months, but I'd rather focus on the present and future, so I'll give you a brief overview:

Last September: Started business
Last October: Went on vacation to Belgium for family reunion
Last November: Put lots of time and energy into marketing
Last December: Business picked up - marketing worked?
In January: Still busy, got writing bug again
This month: Still busy with business and writing, but took a big hit with contract work and found February healthcare slump. Sulked a bit. Went on vacation.

Now, back to blogging. Why? Three reasons. First, I enjoy it. Second, I've let my life become unbalanced with putting so much time and energy into my practice. I notice a psychological heaviness when I'm not giving adequate acknowledgment to my creative side. This is important, especially since I'm genetically susceptible to workaholism (that's my story, anyway). Third, I have the ambition of being the invited guest for the "Not My Job" segment on the NPR quiz show, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, with the eventual goal of becoming one of the panelists. Yes, that's a random desire, but I am the random oenophile.

Also, in order to be consistent with the goal of bringing more balance to all areas of my life, I'm going to branch out occasionally and talk about my writing as well as my drinking. They go hand in hand, right? I belong to a great writing group, but I know that there are others out there with similar struggles who love wine and food, so this blog will be more inclusive of them, too.

This seems like a good time to set out some goals for me and for the blog. Why now instead of January 1? My birthday is this week -- I'm still moving through my thirties -- so that's how I set my goal years. Plus, it feels like I give myself a little extra time, just like people who delude themselves by filing for tax extensions. The government is going to get the money either way.

I'm in a profession where I help people meet goals, so here are mine, in random order:
1. Drink more French and Italian wines. After we get through some of the California ones we brought back, of course.
2. Get 25 rejections, whether from short story publications or agents, by my birthday in 2010. Those not familiar with the writing world may be confused by this one. If you're not getting rejected, it means you're not sending stuff out, and everyone has to pay their dues. That's what all the writing publications say, anyway. I've finished two novels and a bunch of short stories. It's time to stop being shy and really try to get published. I'll admit that my efforts there have been halfhearted to this point.
3. Post to the blog at least once per week, hopefully twice. My tendonitis has gotten better since I'm not hauling a laptop around all day or working on the computer so much.
4. Finish the first draft of novel #3 by June 1. There. I have a deadline now.
5. Lose 15 pounds. What? We ate well in California. Okay, not 15 pounds well, but I've been intending to lose at least 12 for a while. Don't worry, this isn't going to turn into a Bridget Jones-type blog.

Up shortly: Wine, adventure, and chocolate in California