Tuesday, July 17, 2012

big changes underway

so, here's the news: i'm moving in less than two weeks to Brooklyn, NY! Can you believe it? I can't.

It's really a shame that the internet is so public because I've wanted to post about this entire process from the moment it started, over a year ago, but I had to keep things under wraps until everything was certain. now i can finally, publicly tell the world that come aug. 20, i'll be an enrolled student in the city university of new york's graduate school of journalism. (not to be confused with nyu)

how did this happen?

well, i'm not quite sure myself, but this is a perfect example of how a million tiny little decisions can lead to a major course correction in your life. did i move to dc four years ago thinking, at the end of this i'll be in j-school? hell no! when I took my magazine job, i was in it for the long haul. and i've spent countless hours turning the events around in my head, trying to figure out what exactly happened there. i still don't know, but that's neither here nor there. as my friend evelyn says, there's no room for regret in God's economy.

what i'm thankful for is that leaving my magazine job and going into communications made me realize that a) i don't want to be a magazine editor; and b) i don't want to do communications! HA! i shake my head at the time it took for me to realize this.

here's the thing that killed me about being an editor. we'd spend all this time brainstorming amazing story ideas that were so timely and interesting. we'd look at an issue through a prism, separating out every color until we decided on our publication's perfect angle. this process is so rewarding and fulfilling -- that's why i still think sojourners is one of the best damn publications out there. you should totally subscribe.

but, we'd craft this perfect story baby and then hand the baby over to another writer! no longer. I want those story babies. I want them. (wow. those are the two worst sentences ever published on this blog)

so that's why i'm going to j-school. i'm so excited to get on the streets, talk to people, ask questions, figure out a neighborhood, figure out how the city works, find stories, tell stories, all in the fine city of new york. actually, i'm pretty sure ny is going to kick my butt numerous times over, but i'm going to do my best to keep strong.

so -- that's it! that's the news. i'm scared, excited, nervous, happy ... mostly scared. haha. but i'm thankful for all the support from my family and friends, including you, reader. hope you'll stick with me through the next phase in my life! get ready for a lot of public online cryfests.

5 comments:

  1. Congrats, Jeannie! Really, really happy for you!

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  2. i've been waiting for this post, jc. :) i am SO EXCITED for you.

    and for your story babies, for they shall be grand.

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  3. You've worked really hard to get to this place in your life, Jeannie. Remember all the studying and app work you did?!? It's been a pleasure to bear witness to this journey and you'll be missed. I know you'll do great. You'll dazzle them, I know!

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  4. jeannie, i think you are right on. you want to write stories. ny is a great place to work on this and learn a ton of stuff. and you will get your butt kicked sometimes. so will i, but it'll be fun to do it together!

    here's to your story babies!

    chris

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