Each week, we introduce you to another Work It, Mom! member. We recently chatted with Chrissy Johnson, a mother of one who found her dream job as a librarian and blogs at Controlling a Spicy Universe.
1.) What do you do?
I work at Lawson McGhee Library in beautiful downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, in the Children's Room.
2.) How did you end up in your current career?
I literally escaped to it! Before I had my son, I was a financial administrative-type and worked for small town government and, more recently, a municipal credit union. After I had Xander in 2005, I stayed home with him until he was around 20 months old, when I worked part time from home doing television transcription for a local production company (Knoxville is the 5th largest TV production locale in the country) that my husband shoots for (he's a cameraman/DP). I did that for a couple of shows very part time, and then decided to go back to work full time. I worked in a corporate headquarters of a very large conglomerate acquiring blah blah *insert financial corporate jargon here* and literally felt like my soul was being sucked out onto masses of redundant spreadsheets. I had always been involved in the arts from an early age and have had aspirations to be a librarian, so when I saw the job opening with our library system I pounced on it and blissfully accepted the job offer!
3.) What's your dream job?
I am living it every day! My job allows me to parent in a really wonderfully unique way. Yes, I work full time, but Xander visits the library often and the few evenings I work late he comes in with me sometimes. Since I'm in the children's room he just plays, reads books while I help patrons, shelve, plan displays, etc. I bring home all the new books for him to read, all the crafts we do during storytime, and he's in a wonderful preschool during the day. I recently started a book-to-movie book club for ages 10 to 13, and my goal is to introduce the concept of comparative literature discussions and film theory discussions in a really fun way. Where else can I do that? Plus I'm surrounded by kids and books and learning all day. You can't beat it.
4.) Tell us a few things on your Life To-Do List.
Finish my Bachelor's (I was a theater major in college, let's just say that didn't work out!) and then attain my Masters of Library Science. Continue to grow as a parent, wife to my husband, and woman. Write more. Read more. Travel more. Oh! And hike the Appalachian Trail! We love hiking and have done bits of the trail in the Smoky Mountains (which are only about a half hour away from where we live). Volunteer more with Friends of the Smokies -- a wonderful organization that benefits our National Park. Grow spiritually and artistically.
5.) What's for you the toughest challenge when it comes to juggling work and family?
When Xander gets sick it is rough on all of us. He's getting over strep right now, and recently transitioned from a very small nursery school to a large (but WONDERFUL) preschool and he's catching everything in sight right now. I feel bad for the little guy and am not afraid to admit a bit guilty by not being with him 24/7 like I used to be as a stay-at-home mom. But I have to tell myself that I'm on a path right now that he is a huge part of, and that mothers (and fathers) should never feel guilty for pursuing their own dreams and aspirations. I want him to grow up and know that his mom was totally devoted to him and her passions, and by being a parent you don't have to sacrifice your passion.
If you'd like to be part of our Member Close-Up feature, please send an email to our managing editor, Lylah M. Alphonse, by clicking here. Be sure to join Work It, Mom! first, if you haven't already -- you do have to be a member to be considered!
