Should I Do What I Love?: Or Do What I Do - So I Can Do What I Love on the Side? by Katy McColl

Synopsis on Amazon: Should I Do What I Love?: Or Do What I Do - So I Can Do What I Love on the Side?

This book addresses the age old question of "what should I do with my life." OK, it's not an age-old question really. Not too many generations ago people were just hoping to have something to do to earn a living, and were not so preoccupied with their personal happiness. In fact, a conversation with my brother-in-law several years ago revealed that he had the same opinion. "I don't really enjoy what I do, but it doesn't matter. My job provides a living for my family."

Yet, I can't help but ask the question still, and I am not alone in my generation. Money is out there, and for those who don't have money there is credit (for a while anyway). We are more concerned with creating a path for life-long personal happiness, and part of that happiness involves our profession in life. Now the question is whether that profession should just earn the money with which to seek happiness, or that profession should provide happiness, contentment, etc.

I am surprised that I actually finished this book. For one, I was not in the target audience of 20-something feminine individuals who wanted to pursue careers in the arts, but were concerned about the lack of earning potential/opportunity in their field of interest. Katy McColl was in this demographic, and wrote with an artistic lack of professionalism that I generally don't enjoy. And yet the question was posed well, and from my position of personal interest I couldn't put it down.

I generally don't like to give a synopsis, and I never give away the ending, except for this time. In the end the message I got was that if your situation permits it (you can live relatively cheaply) chase your true dream. Do what will make you happy. If you can't live on peanut butter for a while, then it is OK to do what you do just for the money, as long as you put your energy after-hours into what you love so you don't lose your dream and burn out. I feel OK about putting this out there because I am guessing that this book is one of those where 10 people could read it and give 10 different opinions about the intended theme.


Date Completed: 8/26/08
Rating: 3.5

Sir Thursday by Garth Nix

Link to the Amazon synopsis: Sir Thursday (The Keys To The Kingdom, Book 4)

In previous posts on the Keys to the Kingdom series I expressed concern about these books becoming monotonous, or at the very least repetitive. Drowned Wednesday did a good job of involving new characters and new settings, but I was still a little skeptical. Well, after Sir Thursday, I think that Nix is brilliant. The story carried the same style and speed, but the setting was different while still within the context of the book. And that made all of the difference. Old characters and new interact differently, and where we were on the sea careening with pirates in the last book, here we are on the castle walls defending against invaders. The future potential is wide and varied, even if the plot demands a certain direction. As I said, this was a masterful answer to my earlier concerns, and a lesson for me in my own work.

As to the downside, at times the main character's actions seemed ahead of his development. A boy too young to shave, and young enough to be recognized as a boy, is combat trained in 6 weeks, can tromp around in armor, and in the end is given command over others. The author mentions this in the text, I think seeking to answer the objection by admitting it, but that didn't work for me. Still a great read and a high recommendation.

Date Completed: 8/23/08
Rating: 4.1

Drowned Wednesday by Garth Nix

Link to Amazon summary: Drowned Wednesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3)

So my concern after book 2 was that the series was going to get predictable. I think Nix did an excellent job of walking the line. The series didn't take a huge turn in direction, but the resolution at the end came about in some new ways and with some new people. My only criticism is that it felt a bit rushed, almost like it was time for the book to end, so everything just kind of worked out for the hero. It wasn't way obvious, rather just a hint of "I have to get it done in the chapter" kind of feeling. Still a good book, but I doubt that this book will be my favorite of the series.

Date Completed: 8/21/08
Rating: 3.9