30 Years To Life

In my household, I’m the master of the TV remote, so it’s up to me to determine how best to waste away the evening.  Every once in a while I allow my husband to express his opinion.  It’s always a risky move – he has questionable taste in television.  Even when I point out all of the good reality competition shows that are on, he’ll end up choosing a four-hour documentary on the history of weapons.

Recently, we compromised and started watching The Good Guys.  It’s basically the cop version of The Odd Couple.  In one episode, the detectives must track down a criminal who is stealing technology and reselling it.  Lucky for them, the careless criminal leaves behind a vital clue: a single drop of BBQ sauce!  It turns out that the thief is actually a struggling food blogger who resorted to stealing in order to finance his dream job.

At first, it seemed like a ridiculous premise.  I mean, why would anyone risk jail time to sustain their blogging lifestyle?  Then I thought about it some more.  Would the guy really have been better off slaving away in a job he despised for thirty or forty years?  A job can feel an awful lot like a prison sentence.  Maybe worse. 

After all, I hear that in certain minimum-security facilities, inmates are guaranteed at least two hours for outdoor recreation and weight-lifting.  When I worked in finance, I hardly ever made it to the gym and was only allowed outside for one five-minute coffee break.  And I might actually prefer an orange jumpsuit over those ill-fitting button-down dress shirts.  Not to mention, if I went to prison, I’d get more exposure to Hollywood celebrities, which would be invaluable for my screenwriting career.

Not that I’m going to start stealing any time soon.  I already struggle with an overactive guilt reflex.  I constantly feel guilty for things I haven't even done.  Imagine how bad it would be if said crimes were real instead of imagined.

The point is: maybe it’s crazy not to take risks when it comes to doing what you love.  I’m not just talking misdemeanors and felonies.  There are all sorts of reckless things you can do in pursuit of your dream job.  Take me for example.  I quit my paying job on a whim in order to pursue an unattainable goal while squandering my life savings. 

It just occurred to me that my loyal followers might be concerned that I will eventually run out of money and give up blogging.  Rest assured, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep you entertained.