Last night, a 2003 St. Mark's alumnus challenged the student body to let their career paths meander and wander. He encouraged them not to be too quick to climb the corporate ladder or take the "right" internship. As he listed his unusual list of employment over the last several years, I mused about what a winding stream my working life has become--sometimes a raging river, sometimes a trickle, but always flowing. I'm nowhere near ready to say I've hit my Gulf of Mexico, but I do think it's been an interesting ride. Here are some things people have paid me to do:
Landscape and grounds crew
Cheerleading coach
Golf instructor
Farmer's Market Vendor selling focaccia and breadsticks
Painter, Holden Village, Washington
Pastry chef at St. Mary's Resort, Glacier Park, Montana
Barista, New French Bakery, Minneapolis
Costume shop seamstress
Quilt designer
Quilt shop sales clerk
Editorial assistant
Website manager
Knitting instructor
Writing tutor
Research assistant for Scandinavian Studies professor
Teaching assistant in English and Classics departments
AFS Intercultural Programs Lead Phone Family Recruiter
ESL teacher
Community organizer for early childhood initiatives
Freelance editor and writer
English teacher
Dormhead
A lot of words, food, fabric, and children. A little dirt and paint. Actually, it does describe me.
I've never had a job that I didn't learn something valuable. It's definitely not a logical path, but it does actually make some good sense. I wonder what my list will be like in another decade or two. Hopefully some international locales, some more of the same elements, and some turns that I cannot fathom yet. I'm certainly not an expert in anything. But, yesterday, I helped mend costumes for the theater department, and I had nearly forgotten that I worked in the Gustavus costume shop. I wonder what wacky jobs I've left off my list. Hmmm...
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
February Vacation=Grandparents Galore!
Since Lachen and Aksel had the week off--and Shawn and I did not--the grandparents came to the rescue. G & G Hemberger came in just in time for Valentine's Day to take the boys to hockey, attend their art show opening, play with them when we had to work, and generally give them the grandparent attention that was on "E" since their Christmas fueling.
We also found Freddy Farkel's Fabric in Watertown. I found an abandoned chair with excellent bones. I'll post photos of the finished product. Luckily, my mom re-upholstered other furniture gems with her mom, Jeanne. The skills are trickling down the generations, and now Aksel is my apprentice.
G & G Reid arrived on Friday. They were able to see Shawn coach a game, and tonight they are staying in "The Castle" with Lachen and Aksel. "The Castle" is a Sheraton Hotel that really does look like a castle, complete with turrets, that is just down the road in Framingham. Tomorrow there will be much hockey to take in, followed by a concert, and more G&G time. I have an all-day Photoshop class, so they'll be busy following the life and times of two young boys.
In the middle of the visits, I successfully hosted Taylor Mali, spoken word artist, for two days. After much promotion, cajoling, daring, and prodding, over 200 people came to see him at the poetry reading. It was a joy to behold: students bought all of the books he brought, they clamored for his autograph, and they were buzzing about "how cool" he is, and "can we have him back next year?" It was a grand success. Event planning is exhausting, but when it's successful, it makes it all worth it. Wheh.
We also found Freddy Farkel's Fabric in Watertown. I found an abandoned chair with excellent bones. I'll post photos of the finished product. Luckily, my mom re-upholstered other furniture gems with her mom, Jeanne. The skills are trickling down the generations, and now Aksel is my apprentice.
G & G Reid arrived on Friday. They were able to see Shawn coach a game, and tonight they are staying in "The Castle" with Lachen and Aksel. "The Castle" is a Sheraton Hotel that really does look like a castle, complete with turrets, that is just down the road in Framingham. Tomorrow there will be much hockey to take in, followed by a concert, and more G&G time. I have an all-day Photoshop class, so they'll be busy following the life and times of two young boys.
In the middle of the visits, I successfully hosted Taylor Mali, spoken word artist, for two days. After much promotion, cajoling, daring, and prodding, over 200 people came to see him at the poetry reading. It was a joy to behold: students bought all of the books he brought, they clamored for his autograph, and they were buzzing about "how cool" he is, and "can we have him back next year?" It was a grand success. Event planning is exhausting, but when it's successful, it makes it all worth it. Wheh.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Archaeologist Lecture
After skating on the pond with the high school hockey players, our family went to a lecture by Dr. Koloski-Ostrow from Brandeis University. She has not only dug in Pompeii, North Africa, and all over the world, but she is the world's leading expert on ancient Roman plumbing and toilets. Quite a specialty! So, I knew that my boy would like this talk: archaeology and scatology!
Both boys listened with wide eyes as she gave background information about Pompeii, its people, customs, bathing, and yes, its toilets. While Shawn had to get out of his chair to wake up some dozing high schoolers, Lachen and Aksel were totally into it. (If anything, Lachen was giving a running commentary about which Greek gods correlated to the Roman ones the professor was discussing.) When the professor opened for questions from audience of over 100, guess who raised their hands first. Lachen took the microphone and asked the first question, closely followed by questioner number two, Aksel. I was bursting with pride. My two little classicists!!!
In honor of their impressive showing tonight, Lachen has given me permission to post a quiz on Greek mythology he wrote for us tonight. He wanted me to write the quiz for him to answer, but I reminded him that he knows more about the subject than I do. After tonight, we're clearly going to have to do some reading on Pompeii. The Head of School caught us after the talk and asked when the Reids were going to take a trip to Pompeii. Had I been thinking quicker, I might have asked when he would like to fund one! Okay, here's the quiz. Answers will be posted below.
Lachen is anxious to hear how you do.
1. How many tasks did Hercules have?
a. 11 b. 12 c. 5
2. How was Athena born?
3. What did the Hydra do after you cut off one of its heads?
a. die b. grow two more c. nothing
4. How did Hercules kill the Hydra?
5. Who is the god of healing?
a. Hermes b. Zeus c. Apollo
6. Who are the big three? What are their names?
7. Who invented the chariot?
8. If there is a party, which god comes?
a. Zeus b. Dionysus c. Apollo
9. What did Poseidon make a horse out of?
a. sea foam b. coral c. water
ANSWERS
1. b (12)
2. She was born from Zues's head in full battle armor
3. b (grown two more heads)
4. He cut off all the heads and put fire on them before they could re-grow.
5. c (Apollo)
6. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades
7. Poseidon
8. b (Dionysus--who is Bacchus in Roman mythology)
9. a (sea foam)
Let us know how you do in the comments section! Lachen wrote this quiz from 7:45 until 8:00 tonight. All I did was put a mask on my face and pluck my eyebrows. Clearly, I'm going to have to be a more serious academic if I'm going to keep up in this house!
Both boys listened with wide eyes as she gave background information about Pompeii, its people, customs, bathing, and yes, its toilets. While Shawn had to get out of his chair to wake up some dozing high schoolers, Lachen and Aksel were totally into it. (If anything, Lachen was giving a running commentary about which Greek gods correlated to the Roman ones the professor was discussing.) When the professor opened for questions from audience of over 100, guess who raised their hands first. Lachen took the microphone and asked the first question, closely followed by questioner number two, Aksel. I was bursting with pride. My two little classicists!!!
In honor of their impressive showing tonight, Lachen has given me permission to post a quiz on Greek mythology he wrote for us tonight. He wanted me to write the quiz for him to answer, but I reminded him that he knows more about the subject than I do. After tonight, we're clearly going to have to do some reading on Pompeii. The Head of School caught us after the talk and asked when the Reids were going to take a trip to Pompeii. Had I been thinking quicker, I might have asked when he would like to fund one! Okay, here's the quiz. Answers will be posted below.
Lachen is anxious to hear how you do.
1. How many tasks did Hercules have?
a. 11 b. 12 c. 5
2. How was Athena born?
3. What did the Hydra do after you cut off one of its heads?
a. die b. grow two more c. nothing
4. How did Hercules kill the Hydra?
5. Who is the god of healing?
a. Hermes b. Zeus c. Apollo
6. Who are the big three? What are their names?
7. Who invented the chariot?
8. If there is a party, which god comes?
a. Zeus b. Dionysus c. Apollo
9. What did Poseidon make a horse out of?
a. sea foam b. coral c. water
ANSWERS
1. b (12)
2. She was born from Zues's head in full battle armor
3. b (grown two more heads)
4. He cut off all the heads and put fire on them before they could re-grow.
5. c (Apollo)
6. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades
7. Poseidon
8. b (Dionysus--who is Bacchus in Roman mythology)
9. a (sea foam)
Let us know how you do in the comments section! Lachen wrote this quiz from 7:45 until 8:00 tonight. All I did was put a mask on my face and pluck my eyebrows. Clearly, I'm going to have to be a more serious academic if I'm going to keep up in this house!
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