Decisions, Decisions...

I'm faced with a wonderful dilemma. I have too many wonderful opportunities to take up my time, too many choices to earn a living with, and I can't fit them all in. So far I have two main strategies to resolve this sweet pickle but neither has yet panned out.

Plan A: do everything at once.

Right now I'm building extra storage space in my basement, fixing up an old sailboat (I tried it out last week and discovered that it sinks very slowly), building several web pages which could each be a profitable business and trying to decide which ones I have enough motivation to see through to success, reading a few books, writing software manuals for the company I left for my 5-week 2-oceans sailing adventure, discussing a merger of a current web business with new potential partners, fixing a motorcycle to sell, and several other projects.

The good thing about Plan A is that I sort of get a lot done. Until recently, my personal motto was "EVERYTHING! NOW!!!" Life was fun, interesting and exciting, but then I got tired of the constant effort without more deeply-satisfying rewards.

The bad thing about Plan A is that I don't always get a lot completely finished. Even when I do, I'm left asking the same question: what next? What should I do forever?

Plan B: think it through, compare options, and wait for clarity.

The good thing about Plan B is that I don't have to have all the answers just yet. The bad thing is that I have no idea when, or if, I will find those answers.

I recognize, of course, that it's a luxury just to be able to take my time and be so picky. I'm determined to do it right this time - love my job, love my life, accomplish something more satisfying and worthwhile than simply paying the mortgage for another year.

The problem with me, and up to 10% of the population according to some sources, is that I'm a TMA. Too Many Aptitudes. When you have an aptitude, you have to use it or face frustration. When you have too many, it's difficult to find an occupation that satisfies them all. TMAs, therefore, often skip from job to job, never really succeeding. They rarely finish advanced degrees (I felt pretty stir crazy at the end of my MA program). Society's round and square holes are rarely built for these parallelogram- or star-shaped individuals.

Yet I'm determined to find - or create - my hole.

I wish this entry had a conclusion. I wish I could spout off some insight that would begin to bring everything together and point myself in the right direction.

No such luck.

I guess I'll go hammer some boards together downstairs. Or program a web page. Or sail out on the lake and sink slowly beneath the waves.