Tuesday 3 November 2009

What on earth have I done? I quit my job in the middle of the GFC

This is the story so far.

I recently handed in my resignation. In the middle of a global recession I decided that, after nine years in a demanding job, I'd had enough. I was bloody buggered, burnt out and bitter.

I have a cartoon on my fridge by the author and illustrator Tohby Riddle. There are four frames. In the first is a drawing of a joyful young boy, arms flung wide, who says: 'When I grow up I'm going to be an artist!'

In the second frame is the boy grown up in a suit. Still smiling, he says: 'When I get some spare time I'm going to be an artist!'

Are you starting to get the picture?

Frame 3 is a semi-balding grey-haired man: 'When I retire I'm going to be an artist,' he says.

In the final frame is a wrinkled old man lying in a bed, above him a thought bubble: 'When I get off this life support system I'm going to be an artist.'

This is one of the reasons I quit my job.
When I mailed off my resignation to head office I felt a great weight lift from my shoulders, but now I'm sort of like freaking like right out like!

To be continued - after I have a big glass of chilled white wine, which I won't be able to afford this time next year!
Above is one of Tohby's beautiful illustrations of a clever fox, which might be me one year from now. I reckon Riddle surpasses Leunig as an illustrator. And his magical fantastical stories are whimsical, humorous and scattered with marvellous aphorisms - my BIG WORD OF THE DAY.

7 comments:

AJ Blythe said...

Wow Shayne - think of all the time you'll have for writing now! Woohoo.

Seriously, I hope you find your mojo again, and land a plum job (if that's what you want).

Sandie Hudson said...

Shayne, you have to be happy in your job. No use staying if it is tragging you down.

This time next year you may also be a published author.

Shayne said...

Thanks support team!

Anonymous said...

Shayne, I hope you don’t mind my comment on your blog. I’m the guy you once asked about on Anita’s blog. I do have teeth but I rarely bite. ----- Resigning is no big deal when not done in haste or out of spite. --- When all those trips, to and from the office, are broken down along with the waiting in between. It all boils down to nothing more then a slice of ‘filthy’ money. --- I’ll check back in three months. If you have a manuscript ready for sending to a publisher I’ll offer to be your first paying customer, in advance. I’ll wait until they accept and print it to receive my copy. --- This isn’t a brash act on my part I’ve this before and thus far I have a perfect track record. I’ve received all the books I ordered with a lovely signature in the front. --- I know you’ll make the grade. ----- As backup, if in three months you don’t have the manuscript ready I’ll share some accumulated knowledge to help you out. I make my own wine. It’s not a bad drop for wine that comes in at under $3.00 a bottle. --- If in three months time you think you may be becoming one of those people who stay at home crying. I’ll explain how to make your own wine. You’ll be able to afford to cry in style. ---- Hope all goes well, Erin

Shayne said...

Hi Erin
I am thrilled to hear from you! And thank you for your support. I shall keep you in the loop. Put that wine on hold!

Carol said...

She can do it! She's done it before. We wrote a book together - which was published but it's not a romance, that was in the drawer.
See you for coffee next week. Maybe we can do a better job of reading each other's work, and pushing each other to deadlines, than we did last time!
P.S. As your one-time editor I suggest you are probably violating copyright with the illus!!

Eleni Konstantine said...

Shayne - being unhappy in a job and being stressed out just makes everything harder. And takes away your energy to write. So I'm sending positive vibes you find a job that allows you time to be creative for your writing and that you absolutely enjoy.