job description

Today, while doing my last bit of homework for Spanish 316 (history of Iberoamerica), I realized how well my history has fitted me to be a great writer.

[NB: I am about to make some horrible generalizations. This is mostly not serious.]

Great writers normally have a "real" career that their families encouraged them to pursue, but that they never really cared about all that much. Some drop out during the school years. But some make it all the way through and become professionally qualified to do something they almost never do.

Great writers normally teach at some point in their lives. And then if they stop doing it for a while they almost always come back to it.

Great writers normally think about things too much.

Great writers normally have very little fashion sense.

Great writers normally have crazy hair.

Great writers normally are more interested in writing about things than in living them out.

Great writers normally have some interest in languages beyond their native tongues.

Great writers normally have some kind of relation to journalism.

Great writers normally have political interests.

Now, the troublesome part is that great writers normally suffer some kind of terrible early tragedy, normally the death of one or both parents or of a spouse or almost-spouse.

This doesn't bode well for my parents or any future spouse or almost-spouse.

So, all that to say that there is no guarantee that I will be a great writer. And, even if I do turn out to be one, I will try to be the exception.