Time Is.....(Thinking Out The Box)

On Monday, I found out my editor is leaving the paper to take another job. I've heard him talk about leaving for the past year and a half - he even left abruptly in January 2008 for a few weeks - but this time is legit. A good job working with a U.S. Congresswoman with great pay.

It almost made no sense to me because I figured he would have worked for something sports-related given his basketball/football background. He has great connects around the city and around the sports world. Never would I have imagined that he'd go into politics - albeit as a press deputy. But at his age, it's not a bad deal.

The last 10 days have made me realize that my time at the LA Sentinel may be running short. It seems like I've been getting more stressed out and I'm starting to lose the creativity needed to come up with stories or write them out. Before last week, I realized that I've only written about 2-3 stories over the last month. It's way below my output and it's a sign that I may have left the paper behind.

Of course, those who've talked to me personally know where my head really is mentally there.

But more than discussing where i'm at there, the bigger question is where I'm going to head. And with journalism an unpredictable field for the moment - I'm back to square one figuring where my next opportunity is.

Mom and I talked about my future last week and we talked about thinking outside the box and taking jobs that I may not have even given thought to. It's funny because that has to be the plan now since I have no clue where to go.

I did get a few leads last night but after seeing my editor get his deal in an unconventional field, maybe I should do the same. I won't do anything crazy like working for the Army but maybe a shot in the dark will light something up that may be better than what I have.

Thinking outside the box may be the hardest thing for me to do, but its the only key to finding the next road towards paydirt. My boss did it and seeing all the internal and external signs - I will have to do it too.