A Long Strange Trip
What a long, strange trip it's been.
Since graduating from film school eight years
ago, I have worked a glamorous job as a TV writer,
jetting back and forth between Los Angeles and
Denver. I have been a beach bum, supporting myself
as a freelance writer. I have headed the creative
division of a startup children's television
network, only to come to work one Friday and find
the office raided and the president of the company
indicted for fraud. And in the last two years, I
have gone from being a mid-level manager at a
Fortune 100 entertainment-media company, engaged to
be married to a beautiful woman and living in a
luxury penthouse condominium; to a single law
school dropout, working as a security guard and
living in a small apartment in a neighborhood
lovingly called "the Dog Patch."
If my circle of friends and acquaintances can be
viewed to some degree as a microcosm of society as
a whole, I know I am not alone in experiencing a
set of post-9/11 challenges. But solidarity can
only comfort so much. Even as many people stand
around me, all of us trying to cram ourselves into
a tight job market, I feel like the last guy
standing when two captains pick teams for a
baseball game. On some days, it can be hard to keep
frustration and disappointment at bay.
At the same time, however, nothing can instill
optimism like a clean slate. With no strings, all
things are possible. Seven layoffs in eight years
made for an ever-changing employment history, but a
fresh start now can lay a stronger foundation for
future success. Eventually, I'll get my turn at
bat, and will hopefully be a part of a strong team
for the long haul.
Development note: I've
noticed that this site doesn't look like it should
in Netscape Navigator. Rather than waste time
jury-rigging it to look right in a
soon-to-be-obsolete browser, I'll just add the
cliché "This site best viewed with Internet
Explorer."
©2003 Michael
Strickland ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED
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