Storm Clouds

There's just something about storms that makes them the perfect writing weather. When I smell that sweet, earthy smell that tells me a storm is about to hit, I seize my laptop, curl up on my bed or the couch in my jammies, get a cup of hot chocolate, and let the words pour from my fingers.

Words, I must say, that are just infused with the magic of a great and powerful storm. They may be garbage, but there's always something golden about storm-written words.

Perhaps it's because of that old "T'was a dark and stormy night" thing, but there's just something that clicks in my brain when the rain starts to come down.

As it is now. The air is cold, the clouds are dark, and the drops are pounding on the tin roof. God, I love it...

Anyway, I had to take a break from the thunderstorm-induced writing spell to get in today's post. I didn't want to leave y'all hanging. :)

My friend has started an on-line journal of sorts for her pieces of writing that she doesn't consider "serious," like little prompts or creative exercises. She's looking for a little bit of feedback on her "fun journal," as she calls it, and asked me to "pull some of that Internet magic of [mine]" and advertise it for her. So I shall. It can be found here.

Definitely check it out. It would mean a lot to my friend. :)

Aside from loving storm clouds and linkspam, I have some things to share with you, dear readers.

Readers, I'm afraid I've been thinking/A dangerous pastime/I know...

Really, bad Disney song spoofs aside (by the way, if anybody can guess what song I spoofed, you get awesomeness points), I really have been thinking. About my writing, and my career.

[ETA: L.T. Elliot got the awesomeness points. Beauty and the Beast, the song in the bar between LeFou and Gaston. :)]

I feel like I'm about to fall into the classic "reliable career versus enjoyable career" debate. If you didn't know, I'm going to be a junior this upcoming school year. That means that in two really short weeks, I'll be required to start worrying about scholarships and college money and applications and essays and everything else that goes with it. I know I still have a couple years, but it really all starts now.

And I feel a little...I don't know. Scared. I'm not quite sure what I want to do.

No. I take it back. I do know what I want to do. I want to write.

But I know that writing isn't a "sensible" or "dependable" career. Even going into journalism is apparently risky these days.

But it's what I really want to do.

But then again, I want a reliable job that will help me support myself.

But on the other hand, if I just work to live, what's the point? If I'm not doing something I love, why bother?

So yes, I've fallen into that debate.

I fell kind of silly, too, but it's really been weighing on my mind lately. Should I go into something really reliable and high-dollar, like being a lawyer (YUCK, never in a million YEARS)? Decide to do something reliable but still enjoyable, like teaching (maybe)? Or do what I really want to do and study creative writing and journalism?

Again, I feel almost, I don't know, dumb for thinking it. I've always said I'm going to do what I want to do with my life, no matter how "unreliable" it may be. But now I'm starting to reconsider. Not that I'll do something I hate, of course, but I'm wondering if my true passion is really the smartest decision.

*Sigh.* Any advice would be great, although this was really just a pensive, let-me-get-my-thoughts-out sort of post. Maybe reading back over it will give me some answers. Who knows?

Anyway, it's still rainy, and I'm going to try and get some more work done. Also, definitely be sure to check out my friend's journal. :)

Thanks, and ta for now!

-Jenna.