Figuring Out Your Life

Writers: Allison, Vix
Date Posted: 17th October 2007

Characters: Jenalla, Masenda
Description: Jenalla introduces an unenthusiastic Masenda to printercraft.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 6, day 12 of Turn 4

"Why hello, Masenda. What brings you down to the Harper Hall today?" Jenalla asked, smiling down at the young girl. She'd spoken to the girl a few times, but never more than just polite small talk.

The girl smiled back, though her face returned to a solemn expression. "I was wondering if I could maybe. . . follow you around for a while?"

"Well sure," Jenalla replied and looked around. "Uhm...was there a specific reason you wanted to follow me around?"

"Oh, sorry - yeah." Senda grinned at the woman. "I'm trying to choose a craft and decided that it was best to find out what's available."

"I see. What are your interests in?" Jenalla said, directing the girl to a bench nearby where they could sit and chat.

"Everything!" was the girl's response. "Da says that I can be anything I want, but I can't think of just _one_ thing that I'd like."

Jenalla laughed. "I remember feeling like that. When I became a journeyman, I decided to go to the Printer Hall simply out of curiosity. Most people expected me to stay where I grew up and teach, but I figured I might as well try something different. Are you sure there isn't one thing stinking out that you like? Drawing? Music? The ocean?"

Senda stared down at the floor thoughtfully. "I don't know that my drawing or music are very good, though I do enjoy both. As for the ocean, I think we have enough dolphineers in the family and could probably use something else."

Jenalla laughed. "Well, it sounds like you've already crossed one profession off your list: a dolphineer. That's a start! Besides, if you apprentice at something you're not good at, you'll eventually get better simply because you'll be practicing it over and over!" Jenalla absently scratched her upper arm and stared straight ahead, a small frown on her face. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers and grinned. "Wait! I've got a great idea! Why don't you follow me around for a day and see what it's like being a journeyman in the Printer Hall? Would you be able to get away from your duties for a day?"

The girl nodded. "My duties are very general at the moment. My Da says that the most important thing for me to do is to explore and choose a craft, so following you around could actually be considered my duties for that day."

"Excellent!" Jenalla said. "Do you want to start right now or do it another day?"

Senda shrugged with a grin. "Now's as good a time as any."

"Well alright then," Jenalla said, standing up. "Why don't we start at the Printer Hall section of the Harper Hall? After all, that's where I spend most of my time, at the printers!"

"Alright." The girl continued to smile, though she asked herself just what could be exciting about printing?

Jenalla saw the uncertainty on the girl's face and laughed. "Come on, it's not that bad! Besides, while we're over there, maybe we'll meet up with some other journeyman in different specialties so you can talk to them!"

That certainly sounded more promising, but Senda smiled politely. "Exactly what does a printer do? Besides, of course, print."

"Well," Jenalla said and frowned, "We do lots of things, the most obvious being what you said, print. I actually help teach one of the senior journeyman in the apprentice printer class. When I get promoted to a senior journeyman, then I'll be able to teach my own apprentice classes in the art of printing. Also, I'm still learning in my specialty. I'm learning exactly how the printing machines are put together and what to do if something happens, like a jam in the machine."

The girl frowned, deep in thought. "Don't you just call a technician if something goes wrong with the machines?"

"Yes, but we also need to be able to recognize if it's a basic problem, like the paper getting stuck that I was talking about. If it's a quick, easy problem that I can fix, why waste the technicians time?" Jenalla reasoned.

"So you don't have to actually build a printing press or know how to take one apart?"

Jenalla laughed. "Exactly! At least, that's what I think."

Masenda shook her head. "This craft might be more complicated than I thought."

"You know, I think I have to agree with you. Although, it isn't dull and it always seems like I'm learning something new everyday!" Jenalla said and grinned.

The girl thought through what she knew about printing. "So you don't just stand beside a machine and watch papers come out of it?"

"Well, sometimes we do, but mostly not really!" Jenalla said and laughed. "Okay, I hope I just didn't confuse you! Let me try again. Basic principles of printing is standing beside the machine and watching the papers come out, however, you are the one designing what comes out and what is being printed. You get to see all kinds of histories and stories being produced so quickly!"

"That _might_ be interesting," conceded Senda.

Jenalla laughed. "Well, I see that I'm not interesting you in the least! How about this then; I'll take you down to the Harper Hall and introduce you around so you can meet other harpers who do more interesting things than I do?" she said, grinning.

"Really?" The girl's enthusiasm was immediately evident, but she quickly recalled that the woman had already favored her by showing this portion of the craft. She blushed as she continued, "It's not that printing isn't interesting - it's just not for me."

Jenalla grinned and lightly nudged the girl's shoulder. "Hey, if it was for everyone, we'd all be doing it, right? So, let's be on our way and go see who we can find."

With a sigh of relief, Masenda nodded and accompanied the journeywoman.

Last updated on the October 21st 2007

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