I love learning. However, this love affair is often a hurdle that I place between myself and actually moving forward with something or producing a completed piece of anything. I'm usually conscious of this but often can't stop myself. I've taken many writing classes and lectures because of this, and I've even attended a number of workshops.

The only time I managed to create something without the lengthy schooling process was when I started my t-shirt business. The thought of learning about business concepts was so boring that I knew the actual schooling would be an acute sedative for me. Why pay money to drool on myself in a public setting - or at home in front of my computer? I think this alone allowed me to just jump right in, besides I knew that having a ton of business knowledge wouldn't necessarily translate into a higher percentage of success. Why then do I feel like increased schooling and learning in writing will? While that is an intriguing question, I'm actually making my way to a more intriguing question. Bear with me.

While at the library last week, looking for books that would teach me the structure and basic 'musts' for article writing and journalism, an unrelated title made it's way into my online search. I found it rather serendipitous so I checked it out too. It was "How to start a home-based professional organizing business." My friends have often said I should do something like that, or more so I should do planning and research in which organization plays a critical role. I don't really need anything else to tempt me away from writing, but I started skimming the book anyway. In the introduction the author recalls asking herself a particular question. I loved it. The next time I have quite time (ha!), I will be asking myself the same thing.

Here it is:
"What would I love to do tomorrow? . . . Could I lose track of time doing? And wouldn't care if someone paid me or not?"

The author's answer was "clean out a closet." While I like organizing a closet and find it ridiculously calming I'm not sure I would want to do that everyday and I'm almost certain I wouldn't want to do it for free. Though my answers may differ after some reflection my gut response to this question was "research." I am always researching things and looking for the answers. It goes back to my love of learning.
While I don't think I'll be Diddy's next personal assistant researching the latest and greatest white fashion for his next white party, I do think I can turn research into a career. I can research every little thing I find intriguing, for instance ARE Nittany Lions the largest cat to purr, and sell it to a publication. Research is a fundamental part of article writing. A-ha moment complete.