I'm obsessed with this project

As some of you know, there are two things simultaneously being fed right now. My creative endeavors and my desire to give back. I am working on a video/web spot for Gutenberg. There is no live footage. No actors. No voice talent. No gear or camera work. No shoot days. No director. No crew. No craft service. No P.A.

There is a list of quotes. There is amazing, originally composed music. And there is me.

I took off a day and a half from work this week and created something I'm very proud of. Of course there are things I would go and tinker with. I am a closet perfectionist after all. And, unfortunately, it hasn't been debuted and approved yet, so I can't post it here. But if you are one of the few readers that will be at Oktoberfuss today...well. Don't be late coming back from lunch. You'll be one of the first to see it.

I'm proud. Really proud of what was created by a few talented people's collaboration and my obsession with the project and Gutenberg. It simply, and effectively asks you to join the conversation (a tag line I came up with and am super proud of the impact.) It is hopefully the rough beginning of a seamless online campaign to attract new students and attention for Gutenberg.

I just keep getting these little urges to go back and change a few things here and there...ah...let it go. Let it be.
I'll post it as soon as I can.

feelings.

I've been in a mood of something I can't put my finger on. If you ask my husband, he'll probably tell you it's due to my cycle in someway. But I think it's more than that. For some time now I've been sad about the state of the world, and most recently, the U.S.

It has a little bit to do with my job I think. I love my job, everyone knows that, and that's not the point, the point is more that after I work really hard on a project, for days, hours, months even, and I've neglected my relationships and my house, and myself. Well, I sort of wonder what it's all for. Why did I work so hard? Yes, I needed to pay the mortgage and all the other bills. But, is what I'm doing actually important to the health of the world, the state of society? No. Absolutely not.

I feel like I should make some public service announcements or something...you know like how celebrities make the Vote ads? At least they're sort of making a difference (?)



I think a bit of this stems back to my teaching days, when people would respond to my job with comments like:

You are doing such a selfless, wonderful thing (not really, they pay me)
That is one of the most under appreciated professions, good for you
Your mother must be so proud
What an honorable thing, to give of your time like that (it is true, I did give a lot of my free time to teaching...and this usually fell under the "they don't pay you for that" column)

But anyways. My job now receives comments like:

That's so cool
Your job is so great
You are so lucky
Oh I would love to do that
Your job is so exciting

And all those things are true, along with my job is stressful, and hectic, and time eating, and long hours, and crazy. And again, I love my job. But really? What am I actually doing?

It's funny that I'm going to say this, but one of our clients is Reach Group Consulting and Lisa Johnson, who wrote Mind Your X's & Y's which, granted is a marketing book, but touches on insight that is honestly relevant and true about Gen X and Gen Y.
Anyways, she talks about a Give Back spirit that resides in our generations. The idea that while we love our computers, music and technology, we also have a desire to give back, to volunteer, to make a difference in the world around us and at large.

I have to say, when I was a teacher I think this desire was satisfied through the impact I had on children and their families. If they struggled with reading, I worked extra with them and their parents to come up with a strategy that would work for them. If they were going through a hard family time, I would give them extra attention on the playground and provide them with a safe environment or be there for their parent to listen and encourage.

But I wasn't doing it for praise, or even really thinking about it, I just did it. But now. Well, I think it's been a while and I'm feeling a gap of sorts.
So. I'm working on it, it sounds weird to say it, but I guess I'm working on giving back, volunteering my time for a cause or something I care about. I can't donate money right now, so I'm donating talent.

I'm working on something right now that's in the very beginning stages, but I'm really excited about it.
Stay tuned.