What's Your Job?

I remember when Emily graduated from pre-k many years ago and the teachers had asked all the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up. There were the usual responses like fireman, mom, dad, police man, veterinarian, etc...  All the parents laughed because we knew that the dreams of children, although sweet, frequently change from week to week, month to month, and year to year.

So when I read a book this week simply titled, Mary Smith, I started thinking about jobs again. Mary's job as a knocker-up was to wake people up on time each morning before their were affordable and reliable alarm clocks. Mary went about doing this by blowing dried peas through her pea shooter at the windows of sleeping customers until they awoke. I guess we don't think much about jobs that people in days gone by might have held. Jobs like lamplighter, or whipping boy (a job I would not have wished to hold had I been a young boy). Of course, as good reading material is apt to do, it made me think about many other things.

It made me think about some of the jobs I do both paid and unpaid. Jobs like being a mom and wife, being a children's author, volunteering at my library, and running my local farmers market. And thinking about my job as the market manager made me think of the tasks of the job like taking pictures of vendors and products for our face book page. And as you have probably guessed by now I do love to take pictures, especially of food.

 

 

 

It also reminded me of my dad, who while he was still alive always told me, "You are only a failure if you don't try." The idea of trying new and possibly scary things was also the theme of the second book I read which was called, You Can Do It Bert. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't tell you what Bert, a cute little bird, was being encouraged to do, but I will say I was surprised when I reached the last page. 

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by and join the Literacy Musings Monday Blog Hop where you will find other great blogs, or my personal website, Fun With Aileen, where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own early grade Fern Valley chapter book series and my Quack and Daisy picture book series. And finally, you can find me on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days. 

Steppin' Outside The Zone

I am basically a creature of habit and like most people I don't relish the idea of change. However, I do want to grow as an author and as a human being; so I have spent a goodly portion of the past few years Steppin' Outside The Zone; the comfort zone that is. I have learned to share with total strangers that I am a children's author. Not in a creepy stalker like manner, but in a casual conversational way.  I have learned to become more tech savvy which is not something I feel naturally inclined towards.  I have learned to ask people for help even though my brain screams they will surely turn you down! And I believe it has paid off overall.

Since my book was published, many people have asked me if I did the illustrations as well as the written story; and I laughingly joke that I'm not that talented. The truth of the matter is, a feeling of embarrassment almost envelopes me when I tell people I don't draw that well because deep down inside I wish I did. I have always longed to be able to draw, but that just doesn't seem to be a talent that comes naturally. Despite this fact, during the two years I have been an author, I have met and been inspired by other authors like Jarrett Krosoczka author of the Lunch Lady series and Lauri Lazzaro Knowlton author of  Cowgirl Alphabet.

I met Lauri last year at the Kentucky Book Fair and she was kind enough to show me and an other author how to draw a little cowgirl out of letters, and this year I was fortunate enough to catch one of Jarrett's live studio podcasts where he showed how he draws the lunch lady. More then ever, this made me want to be able to draw as well as write; and so I began to practice. I'm still no illustrator, but I am getting better and I have created a few farm animals characters that I can draw to entertain the children when I do events.

So don't be a Negative Nelly or a Disappointed Dan. Start your own Steppin' Outside The Zone and see what wonderful things you can accomplish if you set your mind to it.

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!