This is nuts. Who would want to read the baby boomer rantings of a 57 year old female who is still looking for her niche in life? Who would care? But, you know what? I am doing this for me and not for the reader, and if the reader gets something from my postings along the way, that's an extra.
One thing I have noticed is, that if I am feeling a certain way, you can bet that there are plenty of people out there who are feeling the same. I really do believe that I am pretty normal. A little silly sometimes, a little naive many times, but pretty normal.
So, I'll start off by writing about my attempts to find my niche, and I will define 'niche' as that sense of excitement and involvement that makes the rest of the world fade away. (Actually, I feel that way when I am eating chocolate, but that doesn't really count). It's how I feel when I am singing; it's how I feel when I have just written a perfect paragraph. The problem is, that I am not talented enough or assertive enough to be a broadway star (which is what I am convinced I was in another life, because I yearn for it so much) and I am not talented or assertive enough to actually write a novel or be a journalist, or even do the research to get a magazine article published.
But, lest you think that I waste my days pursuing an impossible niche, let me assure you that I have a full-time job and am quite successful at it. And, I like it, too...it's just not my niche.
I have come close to my niche a couple of times that I can think of. The first time was when my wonderful grandmother used to bring me this incredibly delicious salami from New York. It came wrapped in a white waxed paper, which I soon found that I loved to unwrap and re-wrap. For a long time I tried to convince my husband that we should purchase a delicatessan and I would be the one to wrap the meats and cheeses. He didn't even flinch, because by then we had been married for a number of years, and he expected these statements.
Another niche possibility presented itself when I was asked to work the food booth at my sons' Hebrew School Purim Carnival. The menu was very limited, so there was no anxiety involved, and, unlike my one week stint working as a waitress, I found that I was really good at getting people their food quickly, and I loved the fact that, before I realized it, three hours had flown by. (I like it when I feel so involved with an activity that time goes quickly). The problem with this niche was that Purim is only once a year, and a niche has to take up more of the calendar than just that one time span. Get a hotdog cart, I can hear the reader say. Well, that's the thing I would have to decide....would I want this as my niche for 8 hours a day, six days a week? Something tells me no.
So, here's the thing....I have a feeling that I will never really find my niche and I will just have to deal with that reality and enjoy the little fulfillments that come my way every once in a while. But then, you never know, writing this blog could be my niche. And maybe Stephen Spielberg will come across this blog by accident and decide to do a movie about a 57 year old baby boomer blogster and her search for her niche. Or not.
One thing I have noticed is, that if I am feeling a certain way, you can bet that there are plenty of people out there who are feeling the same. I really do believe that I am pretty normal. A little silly sometimes, a little naive many times, but pretty normal.
So, I'll start off by writing about my attempts to find my niche, and I will define 'niche' as that sense of excitement and involvement that makes the rest of the world fade away. (Actually, I feel that way when I am eating chocolate, but that doesn't really count). It's how I feel when I am singing; it's how I feel when I have just written a perfect paragraph. The problem is, that I am not talented enough or assertive enough to be a broadway star (which is what I am convinced I was in another life, because I yearn for it so much) and I am not talented or assertive enough to actually write a novel or be a journalist, or even do the research to get a magazine article published.
But, lest you think that I waste my days pursuing an impossible niche, let me assure you that I have a full-time job and am quite successful at it. And, I like it, too...it's just not my niche.
I have come close to my niche a couple of times that I can think of. The first time was when my wonderful grandmother used to bring me this incredibly delicious salami from New York. It came wrapped in a white waxed paper, which I soon found that I loved to unwrap and re-wrap. For a long time I tried to convince my husband that we should purchase a delicatessan and I would be the one to wrap the meats and cheeses. He didn't even flinch, because by then we had been married for a number of years, and he expected these statements.
Another niche possibility presented itself when I was asked to work the food booth at my sons' Hebrew School Purim Carnival. The menu was very limited, so there was no anxiety involved, and, unlike my one week stint working as a waitress, I found that I was really good at getting people their food quickly, and I loved the fact that, before I realized it, three hours had flown by. (I like it when I feel so involved with an activity that time goes quickly). The problem with this niche was that Purim is only once a year, and a niche has to take up more of the calendar than just that one time span. Get a hotdog cart, I can hear the reader say. Well, that's the thing I would have to decide....would I want this as my niche for 8 hours a day, six days a week? Something tells me no.
So, here's the thing....I have a feeling that I will never really find my niche and I will just have to deal with that reality and enjoy the little fulfillments that come my way every once in a while. But then, you never know, writing this blog could be my niche. And maybe Stephen Spielberg will come across this blog by accident and decide to do a movie about a 57 year old baby boomer blogster and her search for her niche. Or not.
posted by boomer blogster at 11:40 AM
11 Comments:
Have you tried your hand at being a random word generator? Someone can come up to you, ask for a word, and you spew out a completely random one. I could easily see that as your niche.
And FWIW, welcome to the wonderful world of blogging, hope you stick around for a while. And to think -- I'll be able to say I was here at the start.
Not a bad idea aaron; I just have to figure out how i could be coin-operated! Thanks for being my first commenter!
Wow, Where on earth do I begin.
First of all, it is very exciting that you have entered the realm of blogging--your perspective and intriguing stream of consciousness will, without a doubt, be one of the most unique reading that I might do on a given day.
The hot dog cart thing sounds romantic and damn near perfect until you stop to ask yourself where exactly do those guys go to the bathroom--I'm sure the steam kills off any disease and my understanding is that human urine is generally pretty clean, but just to be sure, next time make sure you put lots of kraut, mustard and onions on that bad boy, just in case you want to kill the taste. I've seen you having to use the bathrooms at a state park and I can't imagine that dropping your drawers and peeing into the steamy goodness is your idea of proper foodservice.
Since I haven't posted a damn thing in over a month and really nothing worth reading in about four or five months, I don't have much room to comment on another blog, so I look forward to seeing your offerings and can't wait to catch up on the bizzare misgivings of a youthful 57 year old. Good luck!
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josh: very enlightening take on hotdog carts! also, i see that you learned your lesson when you once called me old in your blog.
dc niecie: i can always count on you to be encouraging! you're the best!
taubaholic: i forgot about the fresh squeezed orange juice pouring. that may just be the answer. thanks
larry: thanks for your confidence in me! i really loved your idea at the end...it brings all my dreams together in a nice package!
me, myself and i: i forgot about your stint in the hotdog business! is it okay if i buy the hammentaschen at costco instead of making them?!
me, myself, and i: YOU are the one who should have a blog!!! Josh will be happy that you cleared up the bathroom situation at the hotdog stand! hope you sleep better tonite.
Gwen: I really don't know why you think that YOU should do the cooking!
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