Know It All

In life, we deal with specialists all the time. Professionals. The guys and gals who KNOW their stuff. They come in handy for work, writing, even as a parent.

Yet, five minutes with my very informed doctor makes me wonder if she knows I have magical kisses that heal boo boos. Because I really do-- they even impress the hell out of me.

In my world, I wouldn't survive if I knew a lot about one thing. In fact, I'd bore myself to death. So proudly, I admit, I'm a generalist, I have to be, my job demands that I know very little about everything.

And so I do.

Being a mother demands this too. I can stop a leak with a coat hanger (that sucker lasted 6 months), and I do impossible things like getting my kids to clean their rooms. Try it, not as easy as it sounds. 

Still, that hardly holds up on a writing resume, it's not even a talent, yet it's these very things that inspire my creative juices, and enrich my fantasy world.

Besides, knowledge is easy to acquire, specialists are everywhere, and I talk to them often, from the magician to the economist. (Now, if only I knew an agent, eh?)

They're all pretty cool actually.

But you don't have to be a specialist to come in handy. An informed generalist gets attention too, especially one who is passionate about life.

Media are easily intrigued, which means I do a lot of interviews.

Just this month I did one with Radio Canada to discuss primary health care in Saskatchewan (why me you ask? Because she wanted a story- and I love telling tales), another radio interview was in regard to the Canadian/US economic mess (why me? Because I live by the boarder and my name rang a bell with their listeners). What was the one this week? Oh yeah, it was about exercise. I skipped that one, don't ask why, it's embarrassing. I did survive a paper interview on parents needing a Parent and Tots group in rural settings, though. Hell, I even started a blog. Not saying I sounded like a professional, but I wasn't trying to, I know what I am.

Research. Read. Ask questions, but dig deeper.

Even better, know who to ask-- that's all anyone really needs to know. (Believe me, I didn't think up the coat hanger in the faucet myself. I have a dad who rocks in any home renovation crises. I called, he came, I learnt.)

I love books written by doctors and lawyers, their insight, the details, the professionalism. I eat them up, but they are focused, their world is soooooo small, and if a dragon landed in their ER or courtroom, well, they'd turn to someone like me for advice. Since I know all about fantasy worlds, I wouldn't panic at all. A dragon in an ER is really not a big deal, not when the new nurse is a dragon whisperer.

See what I mean? You don't have to be a specialist to come in handy. Pay attention, be a generalist, see the big picture, it pays off too.

It's how we survive that matters in life, not what we know. Now go write about what little you know. It'll be fun to see how brilliant you can be.