Fireman was a dream job of many boys when I was young. The reality of the job diverted most of us from making that career choice. In places like Los Angeles where I live, the firefighters make pretty good money and have good benefits. Some of the guys I've known retired at 55 and had a nice life after that. Might be a good career choice after all, but I don't think that I would have passed the physical requirements. Maybe when I was younger, but certainly not now.
Now I see myself more as a funeral director. I wouldn't want to have to dress stiffly in a suit all the time and the environment seems rather creepy to me. Dealing with death all day everyday would be like everyday real life except with an obsessive focus on death. After my parents first got married in 1950, their first apartment was in a funeral home. At least that's what they told me since I had not yet arrived into the world yet. I guess the embryonic me was there at some point.
The dreaded job for me has been fundraiser. I've done this a few times in my life mostly via telephone. A few times I did very well, but mostly it was a very mentally oppressing job for me. I'm not very good at asking for money. And I don't like those people calling me and I'm sure you have an idea which people I'm talking about.
My ultimate fantasy job would be a farmer. It's a total fantasy since I don't know anything about farming other than watching those big tractors cruising though fields on a hot summer day while the driver sits in the comfort of an air-conditioned cabin with the music cranked up. Well, that was always how I fantasized it. But really, farmers are so important to us. Farmers are like really good friends in my fantasy image. And being a friend is one of the most important positions in life.
The absolute most important position I think I've held is that of father. I hope my kids think I did okay. They seem to be doing a good job at parenting themselves. Maybe I had some influence. As far as jobs go, father has been my favorite.
Have you had any farming experience? Did you ever have to resort to taking a telemarketing job? Have you made your funeral arrangements yet--or even thought about it?
When our first daughter was born I quit work and attempted to do some telemarketing work for the United Cerebral Palsy donation pick ups. It was hard trying to make the required number of phone calls while the baby was sleeping. They had pretty strict requirements of goals to meet. Didn't last long doing that.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good organization, but doing any kind of work with a baby in ones charge can be very difficult.
DeleteLee
This is Birgit…I would never want to work at a funeral home…too morbid and sad. I grew up surrounded by farmers and I would often help in farming like hay baling, taking care of the cows, helping out with chores like getting the eggs, picking veggies and fruit, taking care of the cow corn and even helping out when it was time to kill the chickens…I would catch them and after they got the hatchet, help pluck the feathers. This is tough work
ReplyDeleteBirgit, I don't even like going to funeral homes. Or hospitals for that matter. I don't think I would have actually enjoyed farm work in my younger days, but I like the fantasy.
DeleteLee