Reading is fundamental

It is.  It really is.  Hello.  My name is Kelly Everitt and I am a book-aholic.

I am the type that reads several things at once.  Online zines, newspapers, traditional magazines, books, booklets, reference, cd liner notes, fiction, non-fiction, comics, instructions on the back of the oatmeal canister, everything.

Usually I only have one or two books going at any given time.  Right now, due to my job search, I am sticking to one.  I am over half way through On Writing by Stephen King.  I write off and on for pleasure.  I have three fiction stories I am working on at present.  I am a published non-fiction author as well.  I find some of my best inspiration from what I read.  This time, I am finding encouragement.

As the first half of the book unfolds, Mr. King goes on about how he kept honing his craft and finding inspiration in the oddest of places, such as cleaning a girls locker room as the sole inspiration for Carrie.  He wrote the entire novel around the scene where Carrie is taunted in the showers.  One scene as the foundation, the rest of the story builds on that..... and sold for $400,000.  What would he thought of if he didn't go in those showers that day?   In other words, pay attention.  Inspiration and ideas can strike at any time.  When they do, you had better have something on which to write them down.

Reading Mr. King's book couldn't have come at a better time.  This morning, I awoke to no less than six rejections for my career search.  Three more came in the afternoon.  Three resumes went out today. 

Two things have latched into my head as a result of reading this far into the book:
1) Never give up.  When a rejection letter comes, impale it on the nail in the wall and keep writing.  When that nail is full, buy a spike instead.  Never throw them away.  Like the bassist of one of my favorite bands tweeted yesterday, "There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can't, what you've got to do is turn around & say "watch me."" (Ashley Purdy)  Take any negativity as a learning point, even if the wording is brash.  Sometimes, like the bulk of the rejections I've been getting, it's all in the timing.  Five of the six rejections was because I was up against PhD's for a position that only required a Bachelors. 

2) Always lug around your toolbox even if all you need is a screwdriver.  You may just be going to fix the screen, but maybe the ties on the tree need to be tightened as well, there's a Frisbee on the roof to be fetched, that shipment of tulip bulbs came early and needs to get in the ground, and the irrigation system is clogged as well.  Maybe not.  Maybe it is just the screen.  Either way, you're prepared for anything.

All of my stuff is boxed up, ready to move, ready for anything.  It has been since April.  All I need is a place to go, even if it is in my backyard.  I have a map of North America with stick pins in every city and town I have applied.  One of them will turn into an address for me to go to eventually.  When it does, I'm ready to roll with my toolbox, and I'm keeping my spike of rejections.