Meta: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Note to self: professional satisfaction does not always look the way you think it will.
At some point last year, I looked down at my dirty gloves and thought, “This is drudgery.” Reality had set in. I enjoyed professional gardening, but as with ANY job, there were parts I really disliked. The difference here was the reckoning of that dislike — this is my passion we’re talking about. This is my life’s work. This is plants.
At the same time, I found myself writing more about plants. Like, for pay. Well, that was a surprise. I figured my life in plants would be as a dirt worker. The idea I’d be competent and knowledgeable enough that someone would pay me to write about plants was a brand new thing. And hey, I have a journalism degree. Why not put that to good use?
At the SAME time, I missed web design, and web production, and all the web work I used to do. I was (and am) still freelancing, and sitting down for a few hours every day and write code was such a satisfying mental shift.
At some point around, say, July, a light bulb went off, and I thought, Hm. Why can’t I do all these things? And why shouldn’t I? Was I so proud I’d deny what was right for me because I was afraid people would think I’d failed, since it didn’t look exactly what I’d set out to do originally? What if that specific path wasn’t my life’s work? Maybe the secret was in the mix?
I opened my laptop and did two things: I started looking for jobs, and I started a book proposal. Six months later, I’d done it. Late last month, I started work as THE web producer for the (amazing, outstanding, I-can’t-believe-it’s-the) Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum-where for 20 hours a week I’ll be doing something completely different, yet wholly professionally satisfying-while in the rest of my time I’ll be working on the book I sold to Timber Press last week. Yes, THE Timber Press, maker of all my favorite gardening books. (What I can tell you is the book will be out in 2012, and it’s about plants.)
I’ll continue to do landscape design, podcast for Horticulture, some web stuff and, of course, blogging too. And I’ve never felt so energized, so professionally ambitious, in my life.
Watch this space. Twenty-eleven is here, and it’s taking no prisoners.
- Posted by AK on 2011 Jan 18 at 0538
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Love your story! Congratulations!
You’re awesome.
Andrew from my first encounter with your blog you have struck me as a bit of a Renaissance man. Good for you for embracing it. I’ve never felt the phrase “Do what you love and the money will follow” meant you had to be monogamous. Looking forward to your book from THE Timber Press.
Big congratulations, Andrew! I look forward to hearing more about your book.
Congrats…that’s so awesome…I love Timber Press! I think it’s very brave for anyone to recognize what they’re doing isn’t all they thought it would be, or isn’t quite enough to satisfy them. I can’t wait to see where this takes you!
You go guy! (sorry, “girl” obviously didn’t work)…anyway good job for following what felt to be right and not worrying about what was expected, look where it’s got you! Can’t wait to hear more about this book…
Andrew, I applaud you for deciding to actively facilitate the change rather than waiting for it to fall into your lap. I’m excited to hear how enthusiastic you are about all the new venues you’re working in for 2011. And I can’t wait to hear more about the book.
What a great story! As a professional web developer and hobby gardener I sometimes think about what it would be like to work with gardens professionally. It’s neat to hear you successfully made the plunge into professional gardening and professional web development in a garden related way. I love gardening but I also love coding, it’s hard to imagine giving either up.
Thanks SO MUCH for your comments, everybody. I said it on Facebook, but I’ll say it here too: I thought it was important to share how I came to where I’m at today. So many people are struggling to do one thing these days, especially in landscape design, and always writing. If my process helps readers figure it out for themselves, that’s icing on the cake!
So cool, any time you can use the phrase “my life’s work” you’re doing something amazing. I love it when people bravely follow their passion. Very inspiring. I’m looking forward to following all the developments.
So glad you’ve found things the way you want them to be.
Have always admired your writing and its good we are going to read more of it!
Great even!
We only come this way once I think so we just owe it to us to make the best fist we can of it for us.
Best Wishes
R
Thank, Megan an Robert, and have I mentioned you’re two of my favorite readers? Hope you’re both well!