I just took a quiz today (yes, it’s another me-me-me post), because I am one of those people who can’t stop doing that shit. I think I posted about it before. The quiz was supposed to show what career I should be in.

I was at once surprised and completely unsurprised by the result. Surprised because these quizzes usually only have a passing acquaintance with reality[1] and only get reposted due to the amusement, bafflement or outrage their outcomes have generated, and unsurprised because, well. Duh. This is what I already do, professionally and as a hobby. Aside from being a husband and father and various other family members, and something of a sci-fi nerd and snack enthusiast, this is essentially my life. There’d be something really screwy with the quiz if it messed this up.

[1] And sure, there’s probably about six alternative careers in the quiz, most likely, and they’re all likely to be beautifully windswept and interesting in accordance with the cult of the individual and the ultra-entitled First World populace, I’m going to write a long ranty essay about that one day. So there’s approximately a 1 in 6 chance of getting a certain career that you happen to already be in and / or happen to think is perfect for you, and approximately a 1 in 1 chance of getting a career that you’d enjoy or that is funny to imagine yourself in, and thus make for an amusing thing to link up and tell everyone about. This is how sharebait works, and I fall for it every time.

Facebook looks like this now. People complained about the change. So, in a way, all was still right with the world. Also, this career summary is hella flattering.

Still, it was nice to see and good to know I have fallen into the right career for myself. Yes, this is obviously more about “author” than “(technical) writer”, but writing is writing is writing. I enjoy the technical side of it and am happy with the opportunities for creative expression I get in the course of my work. And if (and when) that isn’t enough, I have my creative writing to sneak out with and date on the side.

Sure, it’d be nice to make that into a career. I’m not about to give up on that. Still working on it, in my own lazy way. I wrote a book about how to avoid getting cancer of the rectum. Its modest success (I’ve actually received royalties from it now, so I guess I can officially ask “who has two thumbs and is an author?”) I ascribe less to my failure as a writer, and more to the fact that most people would actually prefer to have cancer of the rectum, because it’s just a lot of fun.

One of the quiz questions was who I would most like to work with. Since the alternatives were so dull, I chose Gregory House. I don’t know, I just thought that would be interesting.