LINGUIST List 17.1015

Wed Apr 05 2006

You: Can Get What You Need

Editor for this issue: Kevin Burrows <kevinlinguistlist.org>

Directory         1.     linguist, Editor Meredith Valant on Finding Her Place
Message 1: Editor Meredith Valant on Finding Her Place
Date: 05-Apr-2006
From: linguist <linguistlinguistlist.org>
Subject: Editor Meredith Valant on Finding Her Place


Dear Subscribers-

In the words of the Rolling Stones, "you can't always get what you want."

Last summer, I knew what I wanted--I wanted a career in technical writing, a goodsalary, and to build a little family for myself. Last summer, I may not have evenbeen well on my way, but I thought I had found the road. I was working at a law firmand going to school at night to get my M.A. Boy, how wrong was I?

After having the good fortune to be in one of (moderator) Anthony Aristar's classes,I learned of the existence of LINGUIST List. Once the job offer came in, I made adecision which, at the time, caused me great anxiety. I decided leave the safety ofdrudgery at a law firm to join the LINGUIST List.

The next month flew by. I learned how to approve submissions; I learned how to postissues. I helped in the web development process, serving on the Quality Control team,and discovered more each day about the field, about our projects, and about myself.Approximately every 2 hours, I'd exclaim, "we do that, too?!" I declared to myselfthat I'd never be able to learn how to program; it was too complicated!

Now, while still technically a "newbie", I know I play an important role. I run thecrew's Quality Control team, which tests web pages before they are launched. Iprogram my own web pages with a minimum of hair-tearing. I do general technicalsupport. What's best? I love...every...single...minute of it! I come home in theevening and tell my boyfriend or family, "Guess what I was able to do today!"

After several years of searching for my "place", I know I've found it. Linguistics isthe field for me, and being a part of the LINGUIST crew means I'm right in the thickof it. I was able to attend the LSA conference in Albuquerque earlier this year, andlook forward to many such experiences, and I consider it an honor, not a chore, to bea cog in the machine that provides so much infrastructure to the field. I'm proud ofmy work, and the team's work. Every day I come in, I'm doing something important,something that others depend on me for, something that challenges me intellectually,and something I truly enjoy doing! It really feels like I've landed the dream job,and I wasn't even looking for it!

Every day, I'm conscious that my dream job depends on the support and generosity ofthe folks who use our services. At the conference in January, I was struck by howfriendly everyone was, and by how much I will be able to learn from you all. Thisletter is to say thank you, to everyone that has donated in the past, and will donatein the future, for helping to nurture the environment that makes me feel so at home.

But man, the Rolling Stones know what they're talking about. "You can't always getwhat you want...but if you try sometimes, you might find...you get what you need!"

Ciao,Meredith