I hope your parents wrote your address in pencil lol....wonderful descriptive piece. I took a year off too in 1978 and did a lot of weird jobs. This was fun to read. I like how you travelled exactly 4343 miles there and back. Thanks for sharing.
This is such an evocative essay. Loved the detail about each job, especially cleaning out the trailers: the description of the boss man, the messy process (hope you were wearing a mask!) Travelling across Canada by train; communicating by mail with your parents who couldn't track your ever move (literally and figuratively). And such a relief when you finally got a job that suited you. Love it! Well done!
I enjoyed reading about a gap year from a working person's perspective, Graham. I would like to read more about that, because too many gap years are about middle class youngsters traveling around in exotic locations. I'm curious if you learned anything about yourself during that time and if it influenced what you chose to do next.
Many great lines throughout your entertaining story, Graham. I especially liked these for their contradiction: "Security equals happiness. But it is also time-consuming and anxiety-inducing." So true!
A treat to read Graham! So happy to have met you, written memoire together and to read your evocative story about your gap year.
I hope your parents wrote your address in pencil lol....wonderful descriptive piece. I took a year off too in 1978 and did a lot of weird jobs. This was fun to read. I like how you travelled exactly 4343 miles there and back. Thanks for sharing.
Great piece. Great new title Graham. I remember earlier incarnations of this.
This is such an evocative essay. Loved the detail about each job, especially cleaning out the trailers: the description of the boss man, the messy process (hope you were wearing a mask!) Travelling across Canada by train; communicating by mail with your parents who couldn't track your ever move (literally and figuratively). And such a relief when you finally got a job that suited you. Love it! Well done!
I enjoyed reading about a gap year from a working person's perspective, Graham. I would like to read more about that, because too many gap years are about middle class youngsters traveling around in exotic locations. I'm curious if you learned anything about yourself during that time and if it influenced what you chose to do next.
what goes around comes around - great piece!
I remember the joy of seeing my first book (of 27) in bookstores. It has never really faded. It's up there with my rave review in the NYTBR.
Many great lines throughout your entertaining story, Graham. I especially liked these for their contradiction: "Security equals happiness. But it is also time-consuming and anxiety-inducing." So true!