Backup Plans

In first grade when you had to say what you were going to be when you grew up, and everyone said cool shit like 'astronaut' or 'superman,' I wanted to be an artist. Then I got older, and learned that when you identify yourself as an artist, it's socially acceptable to be mopey, oversensitive and have no willpower at all, and that sealed it. I'm not technically an artist now – but ballpark-ish, I like to think. So while it's a little alarming to even consider abandoning this giant part of my identity, I'm starting to feel more and more like I need a backup plan. I mean, I don't have much in savings, but I have a 401k. I'm going to be thirty soon (if the world doesn't implode,) and the idea of a safety net gets more appealing every year. So far, here are my backup plans:

1. Write a book
This one is kind of an old plan, obviously, since publishing has been tanking. But I do have a lot of really, really good stories from corporate life. Like, realllllllly good. I can't tell anyone in case I need this backup plan.

2. Start a blog (that's monetizable, not like this one.)
Young House Love is one of my favorite blogs, because I enjoy reading about things that I'll never do. It's a lot like my Martha obsession. But I also love how this super young couple created a thing that is totally driven only by themselves and can raise a kid on it. Some flaws with this plan are the self-promotion, which I'm really awful at, and doing something worth blogging about that doesn't have a thousand other blogs already. Hm.

3. Move somewhere outside of the states and open a B&B
This was going to be my number one backup plan, until I stayed in a B&B and talked to the owner who spent $3,000,000 on renovations and was dealing with some incredibly tactical, bureaucratic small town politics. The appeal kind of wore off a little after that.

4. Cat modeling?
If I could only train my cats...but they aren't as funny or active as Maru. Oh well.