UPDATE: Found My Dream Job, Now What?

I have a new six-word memoir: Accidentally stole your books from Powell's.

This past Monday I went to the "reading" for SMITH Mag's new book, Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak. The crowd was disappointingly small (no standers) and not very forthcoming with their own stories when the mic was passed around, but the editors, Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser, were lively, witty and obviously passionate about the project. I can relate!

With opportunity staring me in the face, I got the books signed (both the original, Not Quite What I Was Planning, and the new one) and tried to oh-so subtly work into the conversation that a) I'm an out-of-work editor/writer, and b) I would love to work with them. Except I just blurted out, "I'm an out-of-work editor and would love to work with you." So much for subtle. Thankfully, Rachel was incredibly nice, and despite the fact that "there's no money in it," I left with some SMITH lip balm, her email and the inscription, "If you want some unpaid editing work, you know where to find us!" So while a dream job is usually one that also pays the bills, I'm willing to overlook that technicality to be a part of such a compelling project.

Oh, and in the flurry of my excitement (seriously, meeting editors I admire is like meeting movie stars for regular people), I tucked the books into my purse, completely forgetting that I had yet to pay for them downstairs, and just walked right out. I didn't realize my shoplifting ways 'til I got home. I'm ashamed to not have financially supported our indie bookstore and my new friends (ha!), but I'm assuaging my guilt by looking at the $15 I saved as a down payment on my unpaid editing work. Yeah?