Talent Antenna

She's got antennas

People's creative processes always fascinates me.  I once asked a friend who was in a band about his song-writing process.  I'm an keen music listener, but I can't write music or even write about music - not melody, not lyrics, not even a concert review.  It amazes me when I know someone who can.  My friend's response was intriguing - he said it's like he has an antenna.  He receives music in forms of riffs and drum lines; he plays them to his band, then they build on them.  Ever since we had that conversation, I've always thought of talents as special antennas people have to receive particular information.  Certain people are more in tune than others - they create more interesting things, while others might struggle with static a bit more.

The following TED Talk given by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, reminded me of the concept of talent antennas.  What it introduced me to, is the idea that even if you've got an antenna, and you've extended it to the fullest, if there're no signals out there, you're not going to get anything.  All you can do is wait and try again.

I often wonder what signal(s) my antenna is intended to receive.  I mean, I'm sure I have an antenna of some sort.  I think I'm okay smart, and can be creative.  There were always a lot of static, and I never knew what to do with the noise.  I can't help but to feel that I've been missing out on something - something impactful, something great.  I wonder what I need to fine tune my antenna, so that I know what signals to grab at.

All in all, it's an effort to define who I am.  I am more than just a physical being - because that alone does not give back.  I cannot continue to let people define who I am - be confined by roles and rules and situations.  I almost feel that I've wasted my 20's being more confused than when I was an adolescent.  But I suppose some things in life you've just got to live through.  And now more than ever, I feel the sense of urgency in bigger breakthroughs.

Since the end of my previous career, I've been taking some time to really figure out what I want to do with my life.  (Did that in my early 20's going to college, and now back to square one.)  I did a Quick Assessment Test online to see what career(s) might suit me, and the results were anthropologist and historian.  It's impossible for me to remember names, dates and locations that I cannot personally relate to - I'm ruling out historian.  Anthropologist, on the other hand, tickled my fancy.  So I clicked on the link for details, and wasn't it ironic:

First of all, I'll never be able to afford the kind of education needed for the job.  Then, if you look at the bottom right corner of the screenshot at the Outlook section:

During 2008, this occupation employed approximately n/a people in California. It is projected that there will be - employed in 2018.

This occupation will have approximately -job openings annually.

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Anyone knows anyone who fixes antennas?