Just a Pound Puppy

Rachel Ray once referred to herself as a “pound puppy.”

Sh was describing her lack of a pedigree in the form of culinary school training. The situation that brought it up was chopping onions in front of a live audience. Seems Rachel chops onions the way your mom does, not the way a trained chef does.

The other day I got to thinking of myself as a pound puppy. Not that I lack a pedigree; I have a Master’s degree, after all. No, it’s because of my fondness for all types of writing.

A coworker and I were discussing an assignment I’d just received. It’s a technical writing assignment, and my coworker mentioned his disdain for that sort of work.

“I can do technical writing,” he said “I’ve done it, I’ve studied it, but I really don’t want to do it at this point in my life.”

We both spend most of our time at work writing various marketing materials, from brochures to websites to whatever else is needed. I really enjoy those writing projects. I also enjoy writing a good user manual or a solid proposal in response to an RFP.

I love writing. It continues to knock me out that I make my living by writing stuff.

So I don’t mind that my body of work lacks any sort of pedigree. I suppose that makes me a pound puppy. And that’s okay with me, as long as I get to keep writing.