such stuff as dreams are made on

I had lunch with an old friend recently and we hadn't seen each other in a long time -- essentially since I had gotten my new job as a trainer. I told him all about what I do, how I love teaching, I love being with my students, and I love trying out new techniques in my classes. And how I mostly hate tech, could give a flying leap about computers, and think that there is little on this earth as unsexy as Microsoft Office. (Except maybe ugly goats.)

As I kept talking about the stuff I love about my job, he got this cloudy look on his face and said, "Yeah, but Kate, those are just the processes and procedures of your job. You don't really care about the stuff of your job."

"What do you mean, the 'stuff of my job'?"

"You know, the ideas and energies behind what you do."

"Um, could you be slightly less vague, please?"

"Well, I love politics and policymaking." (He's a lawyer from DC.) "I love the athleticism of the arguments, the negotiations, the science and art of it. I just love it." (And hearing him say this, I am both surprised (since he never talked about it before) and not the least bit surprised, as it suits what I do know about him to a a tee.)

(By the way, what the hell does that saying really mean? I haven't the slightest clue.)

"So the stuff of your job is politics, and lawyering [and by that I mean negotiating deals, arguing points, writing papers, researching statutes, etc.] -- that's the process and procedures of your job?"

"Pretty much."

"Hmmh." I said as contentedly as I could, considering he had just opened a major can of Job Related Worms and there were no fish in sight.

I got to thinking... what is the stuff of my life? What things/ideas/concepts do I really care about, and how would I go about finding a job that addressed those things? My friend encouraged me to pay attention to topics I find interesting -- outside the regular fluff and idiocy that we all enjoy.

("What?" I said, "I can't get a job dating cute guys for the rest of my life??")

So far, what I've managed to come up with is personal -- not personal to me, necessarily, but people-related. Self-esteem, self-regard, confidence, nutrition, lifestyle, attitude and mental state -- these are all things I care about greatly. And I think my friend is right -- while I love teaching, it really is a process or a procedure through which I can pursue something I truly care about.

And I promise I'll do that... right after I get back from vacation!