I don't understand why NY is not on your radar if you're ambitious.
Vivien Send a noteboard - 26/04/2011 06:10:06 AM
NY is where the ambitious folk gather. It doesn't even matter if your ambition is corporate or artsy. Maybe you can even do both. (You may have to, unless you have savings you can live off of...) Do you know what I'm doing in a couple of weeks on a wednesday in May?
I'm going to go to KGB bar in the east village and I'll hang out with people interested in speculative fiction. Mostly authors in the NY area and people in the publishing industry but there are also plain fans of sci-fi like me there too. I will meet Elizabeth Bear and Felix Gilman and listen to readings done by them (well I've already met Elizabeth Bear and I've probably already met Felix Gilman, but that's beside the point). Then I will join Elizabeth Bear and Felix Gilman for dinner, (along with others).
The Fantastic Fictions events occur at KGB every single month on a wednesday. I haven't gone every month but I've gone enough times that it feels really familiar and nice. Jealous? You should be.
Is it a big fish in a small pond type of thing? Then again, California's awesome too. After living in Maine, I'm sure it'll feel like paradise. I don't know, maybe you can make connections in the publishing industry in California too, and maybe there'll be stuff like KGB's Fantastic Fiction elsewhere. But what I do know is that NY has EVERYTHING.
Let's take atheism. NY has so many atheists that there's different organizations for them. There's Skeptics, Drinking Skeptically (sub group of the skeptics organization), Drinking with Atheists, Jolly 13 (also a sub group of the skeptics org), Center for Inquiry, , NY Society for Ethical Culture, NYC Atheists, Secular Humanism Society of NY, I'm sure there's more.
The NYC Atheists are the ones that put up atheist billboards, like the “You KNOW it’s a Myth / This Season, Celebrate REASON!” billboard. Well technically it's "American Atheists" but really it's mostly NY. In fact, friends of mine were at the bar when the guy who put up the money to pay for the billboard (atheists aren't poor) made the decision to do it. And then he actually did it! They were actually really afraid that it would be super inflammatory but I think the actual billboard isn't offensive.
There's people that are actually employed by the atheist organizations. Center for Inquiry employs some people as basically public intellectuals. For example, there's 1 guy, he's a couple of years out of college with a political science degree and from what I can tell occasionally he writes some philosophical type writings and he hosts some events and he's a full time employee of CFI. You could do that! You could probably do it better too. I've asked, and apparently CFI gets money from some wealthy undisclosed donors so it can do stuff like that.
Anyway I've made an example of atheism but the point is NY has everything and I could go into as much detail (or someone else could) on anything else.
I'm going to go to KGB bar in the east village and I'll hang out with people interested in speculative fiction. Mostly authors in the NY area and people in the publishing industry but there are also plain fans of sci-fi like me there too. I will meet Elizabeth Bear and Felix Gilman and listen to readings done by them (well I've already met Elizabeth Bear and I've probably already met Felix Gilman, but that's beside the point). Then I will join Elizabeth Bear and Felix Gilman for dinner, (along with others).
The Fantastic Fictions events occur at KGB every single month on a wednesday. I haven't gone every month but I've gone enough times that it feels really familiar and nice. Jealous? You should be.
Is it a big fish in a small pond type of thing? Then again, California's awesome too. After living in Maine, I'm sure it'll feel like paradise. I don't know, maybe you can make connections in the publishing industry in California too, and maybe there'll be stuff like KGB's Fantastic Fiction elsewhere. But what I do know is that NY has EVERYTHING.
Let's take atheism. NY has so many atheists that there's different organizations for them. There's Skeptics, Drinking Skeptically (sub group of the skeptics organization), Drinking with Atheists, Jolly 13 (also a sub group of the skeptics org), Center for Inquiry, , NY Society for Ethical Culture, NYC Atheists, Secular Humanism Society of NY, I'm sure there's more.
The NYC Atheists are the ones that put up atheist billboards, like the “You KNOW it’s a Myth / This Season, Celebrate REASON!” billboard. Well technically it's "American Atheists" but really it's mostly NY. In fact, friends of mine were at the bar when the guy who put up the money to pay for the billboard (atheists aren't poor) made the decision to do it. And then he actually did it! They were actually really afraid that it would be super inflammatory but I think the actual billboard isn't offensive.
There's people that are actually employed by the atheist organizations. Center for Inquiry employs some people as basically public intellectuals. For example, there's 1 guy, he's a couple of years out of college with a political science degree and from what I can tell occasionally he writes some philosophical type writings and he hosts some events and he's a full time employee of CFI. You could do that! You could probably do it better too. I've asked, and apparently CFI gets money from some wealthy undisclosed donors so it can do stuff like that.
Anyway I've made an example of atheism but the point is NY has everything and I could go into as much detail (or someone else could) on anything else.
Like some of you, I'm trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Right?
I feel like I have three options (obviously, I have many more - but most are just a derivative of these three options). I'm curious to see what advice people might have, both based off of their own personal experience, and that which they've witnessed by watching other people succeed or fail.
---
Scenario one: I currently have a pretty good job that's mine for as long as I want it. I earn a really decent living - given my age and location - and I'm fairly comfortable in the metropolitan area that I live in. My company would allow me to take a masters program and would slowly pay for it for me, all the while continuing to pay me more money than I deserve. The masters would likely not be in something I'm interested in, but would allow me to earn ~100,000+ or so within a few years. The program that I got the masters in would likely not be all that prestigious, since I'd work and go at the same time - which would take a while.
Pros: I already have this job, the money is good, I don't hate where I live.
Cons: I'm incredibly bored, it'll never make me rich (which I might need, since I have no familial safety net whatsoever and don't have a strong desire to procreate), you only live once, and I often find myself fantasizing about destroying my computer with a baseball bat.
---
Scenario two: I work for another year at my job, saving money. In the interim period I take my GRE/GMAT, and try to get a really good score on it. I'm fairly good at standardized tests (I passed my CPA exam using $30 books, while most people used $2,000 software. Granted it was fucking boring, baby) and I think I could get a really good grade. I use this really good grade to get a masters in something that will compliment my work experience and education (I'm thinking a masters in information systems or management systems, or something more technically math based - I'm open to suggestions) preferably at a fairly good institution. I'd go the law school route but I'm really not sure what that job market will look like down the road, since all the new grads are really saturating the marketplace.
Pros: It could allow me to really increase my income potential, assuming I move to a much bigger city. It will provide me with greater job security ~5 - 10 years down the line. Going back to school would be interesting.
Cons: I have to quit my job (which is boring, etc). I'll have to incur substantial debt for a couple of years. Maybe I end up basically where I'd be in scenario 1, but with more debt.
---
Scenario three: I save up money for a year. Additionally, I get a smallish annuity payout next year around this time, which gives me a little more buffer. I also have very little debt, so if I don't go back to school or buy a house, I'll be debt free in a year or two anyway. I quit my job and drive cross country, and live somewhere on the West Coast. I get a simpler job and try to write sort of full timish, and give it a year or two and see what happens.
Pros: I've never done anything "cool and exciting" like moving someplace completely different, and I'd love to. I work a lot, currently, and working less would be nice - which would be totally doable, because I'd have a lot of money saved anyway. I've written a few short stories which I've been told are good, and I'd like the opportunity to spend more than ~10 hours a week reading or writing what I love.
Cons: I'd make no money, and good writers are a dime a dozen. I'd know no one wherever I moved to (minor to me - but I say that out of context). I might end up being completely unsuccessful and burning through a lot of money, only to have to go back to one of the other scenarios anyway.
---
Pertinent information: I'm a youngish 28 - nearly 29. I like really dark chocolate, like 80% cocoa content. I often find something I'm afraid of doing, and then try to do it. I prefer brunettes. I agree with George that the cured meats are, indeed, the most sensual - and I also really like roasted beets. Sometimes - even though I read that it was impossible - I try to imagine what it would be like to be a bat.
I feel like I have three options (obviously, I have many more - but most are just a derivative of these three options). I'm curious to see what advice people might have, both based off of their own personal experience, and that which they've witnessed by watching other people succeed or fail.
---
Scenario one: I currently have a pretty good job that's mine for as long as I want it. I earn a really decent living - given my age and location - and I'm fairly comfortable in the metropolitan area that I live in. My company would allow me to take a masters program and would slowly pay for it for me, all the while continuing to pay me more money than I deserve. The masters would likely not be in something I'm interested in, but would allow me to earn ~100,000+ or so within a few years. The program that I got the masters in would likely not be all that prestigious, since I'd work and go at the same time - which would take a while.
Pros: I already have this job, the money is good, I don't hate where I live.
Cons: I'm incredibly bored, it'll never make me rich (which I might need, since I have no familial safety net whatsoever and don't have a strong desire to procreate), you only live once, and I often find myself fantasizing about destroying my computer with a baseball bat.
---
Scenario two: I work for another year at my job, saving money. In the interim period I take my GRE/GMAT, and try to get a really good score on it. I'm fairly good at standardized tests (I passed my CPA exam using $30 books, while most people used $2,000 software. Granted it was fucking boring, baby) and I think I could get a really good grade. I use this really good grade to get a masters in something that will compliment my work experience and education (I'm thinking a masters in information systems or management systems, or something more technically math based - I'm open to suggestions) preferably at a fairly good institution. I'd go the law school route but I'm really not sure what that job market will look like down the road, since all the new grads are really saturating the marketplace.
Pros: It could allow me to really increase my income potential, assuming I move to a much bigger city. It will provide me with greater job security ~5 - 10 years down the line. Going back to school would be interesting.
Cons: I have to quit my job (which is boring, etc). I'll have to incur substantial debt for a couple of years. Maybe I end up basically where I'd be in scenario 1, but with more debt.
---
Scenario three: I save up money for a year. Additionally, I get a smallish annuity payout next year around this time, which gives me a little more buffer. I also have very little debt, so if I don't go back to school or buy a house, I'll be debt free in a year or two anyway. I quit my job and drive cross country, and live somewhere on the West Coast. I get a simpler job and try to write sort of full timish, and give it a year or two and see what happens.
Pros: I've never done anything "cool and exciting" like moving someplace completely different, and I'd love to. I work a lot, currently, and working less would be nice - which would be totally doable, because I'd have a lot of money saved anyway. I've written a few short stories which I've been told are good, and I'd like the opportunity to spend more than ~10 hours a week reading or writing what I love.
Cons: I'd make no money, and good writers are a dime a dozen. I'd know no one wherever I moved to (minor to me - but I say that out of context). I might end up being completely unsuccessful and burning through a lot of money, only to have to go back to one of the other scenarios anyway.
---
Pertinent information: I'm a youngish 28 - nearly 29. I like really dark chocolate, like 80% cocoa content. I often find something I'm afraid of doing, and then try to do it. I prefer brunettes. I agree with George that the cured meats are, indeed, the most sensual - and I also really like roasted beets. Sometimes - even though I read that it was impossible - I try to imagine what it would be like to be a bat.
I Seek Life Advice
- 26/04/2011 02:52:23 AM
1191 Views
It's Sabotage -Go Balls to the wall,Baby! #3 for you, My friend. *NM*
- 26/04/2011 03:00:14 AM
535 Views
Re: If I went balls to the walls I'd run for the Senate in 2012...
- 26/04/2011 03:22:43 AM
595 Views
The common wisdom in Ireland seems to be we are about to do just that to our senate. *NM*
- 26/04/2011 01:19:22 PM
298 Views
Re: I'd love to abolish the US Senate. It's a big, white, Oligarchical nuisance. *NM*
- 26/04/2011 11:42:44 PM
305 Views
I don't understand why NY is not on your radar if you're ambitious.
- 26/04/2011 06:10:06 AM
817 Views
"the ambitious folk" sounds odd to me.
- 26/04/2011 06:55:40 PM
679 Views
Oh, I know.
- 26/04/2011 07:04:16 PM
565 Views
I'm still not convinced two wrongs make a right.
- 26/04/2011 07:37:22 PM
534 Views
Re: I'm still not convinced two wrongs make a right.
- 26/04/2011 08:19:38 PM
616 Views
Move out west.
- 26/04/2011 06:21:43 AM
689 Views
hey, ca is awesome! also the weather is far, far better than the other 2 pnw states 
- 26/04/2011 06:32:36 AM
776 Views
- 26/04/2011 06:32:36 AM
776 Views
I've visited CA many times, but I only started hating it after I moved to the West Coast
- 26/04/2011 06:43:24 AM
833 Views
oh, ca doesn't make women that way, it's time. i have to interact with them *daily*
- 26/04/2011 04:38:36 PM
743 Views
- 26/04/2011 04:38:36 PM
743 Views
What's your personality like?
- 26/04/2011 11:19:59 AM
777 Views
Re: That's a great reply - thanks.
- 26/04/2011 12:03:05 PM
809 Views
That's not very nice.
- 26/04/2011 08:29:11 PM
731 Views
Re: Setting:
- 26/04/2011 08:59:02 PM
625 Views
Come to Ireland.
- 26/04/2011 01:31:55 PM
643 Views
Ireland is a great place for writers. *NM*
- 26/04/2011 04:11:04 PM
323 Views
Suicidal, drunk and otherwise self-destructive writers, yes. *NM*
- 26/04/2011 06:49:55 PM
303 Views
The best kind! *NM*
- 26/04/2011 07:09:06 PM
305 Views
$30? I fucking hate you
- 26/04/2011 03:19:26 PM
617 Views
Re: FAR is a beast - but it's so much more satisfying to do it without Becker.
- 26/04/2011 09:09:11 PM
765 Views
take the the risk and go with three *NM*
- 26/04/2011 05:44:21 PM
460 Views
Re: Thanks for the advice. I'm dwelling on'er. *NM*
- 27/04/2011 12:06:37 AM
308 Views
There will likely come a time in your life when you lose some of your choices about taking risk
- 27/04/2011 05:08:48 PM
795 Views
I have to say this has been the MOST enjoyable thread, in a while. whatever happens...
- 27/04/2011 02:30:05 AM
719 Views
There's been a lot of great threads lately!
- 27/04/2011 07:52:21 PM
739 Views