So long for now, TV

I have two more days left at my current job, which in the TV freelance world isn't usually a big deal, as jobs come and go so frequently. Going away parties are rare as everyone goes away at the same time. But this time, it's different and it didn't just hit me until today. In two days, I'll be done with my work life, done with freelancing, done with TV writing, and done with paychecks, at least for the next year. I actually love working, so leaving my current job and the working world is proving to be more bitter than sweet. Plus, right now I have the greatest job I've ever had. There is absolutely no stress, my phone never rings, I get to write and be creative, there is plenty of time for Scrabulous, and I'm making a nice chunk of change. It's actually absurd and pretty unheard of in the TV world. And I'm leaving it.

How many people can say they actually love their job? Not many. I'm one of those fortunate people and I'm giving it up to go to school and study things like epidemiology and biostatistics. Yes, my co-workers think I'm insane. I think I'm insane. But then I remember my reasons for leaving. One, that freelancing has always been and will always be uncertain. For the last eight years, I've gone from gig to gig, always knowing that an end date was imminent. Even my current job wouldn't have lasted much longer. Two, is that it's ridiculously easy. The other day when I told my dad how easy my job is and that I was sad to be leaving it, he gave me a good piece of wisdom, that no job is worth doing unless it's a challenge. It's true, I have indeed been unchallenged lately in my current job. I'm always much more satisfied when I've worked hard at something, than when I'm complacent. But, the primary reason I'm leaving, however is I'm no longer fulfilled by the shows I've found myself writing for lately. What I actually write and produce gets seen by very few and helps even fewer, if any. I can't in good conscience make writing reality television a career. So, I'm setting off to do something that will hopefully prove to be meaningful. Meaningful with a solid paycheck, ideally.

There are several other reasons why I'm leaving, but they're hard to keep in mind when I'm in the final days at a job that I love. And so, despite my co-workers' raised eyebrows and comments like, "Public health. That's random," "Hopkins? What's that?," "You'll be back here in a year" and "Have fun making no money in the non-profit world!," I'm actually leaving.

And for the record, no, not every public health student works for a non-profit. Especially not this one, if I can help it. I'm all for saving the world, but a girl's gotta eat.