Planning a future during a pandemic

Let’s face it — I’m never going to have a traditional job. I have PTSD and Major Depression, either or both of which land me in the hospital at times. I got fired for being “unreliable” over that just this month. I’m not unreliable. I have mental illness. There’s a big difference, but I’ll leave that for another post. The point is that all of my education — 16 years worth of higher education and three degrees later — was so that I could follow my dream of becoming a physician. I wanted to be a psychiatrist and treat Veterans like myself. I wanted to do some good in the world. I’m a highly intelligent and disciplined person, but obviously I’m not a doctor, nor will I ever be. My mental illness strikes again. I’m never going to be a professional rock climber, both due to my age and due to my wrist injury from the motor vehicle accident that broke my wrist a year and a half ago, either. That’s my passion, but it can’t be a career, per se. So what do I do? What else do I like to do that doesn’t require a traditional job structure? I like to write. I write this blog. I write short stories. Could I be a published author? Great question! Nothing to lose, so might as well try, right? Today, I called Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and inquired about their online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing Degree, with a concentration in Fiction Writing. Seems like a funny thing to do during a pandemic, but my current skillset isn’t tailored to writing as a craft. Sure, I know how to write scientific papers and analyze research papers, but I have some crazy ideas I’d like to share in short story format, if anybody will read them. The best way to write something people will read and get it out there for them is to learn how! So I had this insane moment of confidence that I could do this and decided to apply for this program. We’ll see if I get accepted. What’s the worst thing they could say? No? I’ve heard that word plenty in my life. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, but I need to try. This is me not giving up!