Several months ago, I wrote about getting a kickass position with Animals Asia Foundation to start up Dr. Dog and Professor Paws in Shanghai. I was so so excited about the opportunity. Finally, I had found something that seemed to match my passions perfectly. Well, I should have known it was too good to be true (spoken like a true cynic). The organization called me last week, and somewhere between November and January, their board of directors decided to can the Shanghai plans and instead focus efforts on Guangzhou, where dogs and cats are popular foods. Of course, it makes sense to implement programs in areas thriving with dog and cat markets. Still, the organization screwed me. I mean, seriously, thanks for the zero heads up. So basically, all of the sudden, I was informed the position was gone. Classy. I tell you… non-profits have great heart and purpose but geez, they certainly leave a lot to be desired in the business management and practices department.

ANYway, I guess I’m over the disappointment now. I’ve moved on. Mandarin classes next month will keep me fairly busy, and I’ll supplement my time with teaching and part-time/contract gigs. Oddly enough, I got a call the other day from my former PM at Big Blue. They’re looking for someone to do voice work (North American accent). Considering it’s just reading stuff aloud and the pay is 4 times what I earned working for them as a writer/editor/content developer, I agreed to put my name in the running. A few days later, I got news that the client picked my melodious voice for their web-based training modules. Awww yeah! Ok, I won’t have a celebration dinner or anything. It’s not like I’m doing voicework for Monsters, Inc. or anything. In fact, I got my butt up at the crack of dawn this morning, biked to the metro, then hopped on the company shuttle and rode all the way out to the free trade zone. Man, that place is like No Man’s Land. Scary. Out in the middle of no where with shuttle buses as the only link to the outside world. I got the script, and it was really exciting stuff like fire safety protocols and floor leader responsibilities. Thrilling, I know. Yet another example of the glamorous life I lead. 🙂