Wednesday, August 26, 2009

J-O-B

The good ole' J-O-B. I'm in a completely foul mood because of my job, which is ridiculous because the last time I checked a job is just suppose to be what you do for 40 hours a week in order to afford the rest of your living expenses. Those living expenses are what make up your real "life". It's dinners with friends, a house for your family and a car to drive on road trips or visiting relatives. It's THAT part of your life that determines the type of person you are, not what you do for work.

And yet, society never seems to agree with this attitude. Why is "what do you do?" one of the first questions we ask people? Why is "what do you want to be when you grow up" one of the first questions we ask children? Why can't they be questions about philosophy or religion or even the dreaded topic of politics. Why must it seem that so much weight is placed on the profession a person has rather than the charities they give to or the hobbies they cultivate in their spare time?!

It just so happens that your job can, and often does, affect the rest of your life. It keeps us from being able to suck the marrow out of life. And like any good torture tactic, it's a slow death.

Therefore, upon considering this topic, I have decided to change my answers to the following questions:
What do you do? "Anything and everything that brings me joy and is legal, responsible and affordable."
What do you want to be when you grow up? "It doesn't matter".

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm there with you, Cindy. I've always been defined by the J-O-B, partially by my own decision. It's in the job that so much of our self worth seems to rest. Like you, I have decided to begin using a new response as well. Here goes: "I am a vagabond wordsmith who worries little about the technical issues of life and more about the importance of life." Yes, that's what I will say, from this day forward. Kudos from the wasteland of freshman composition.

Anonymous said...

You are definitley NOT your job, Cindy! Don't let it get you down. Give your best, and leave it at the door when you walk out! C

grandmmaper said...

Cindy, here in Crossville they are building a hugh library and just hired a director. We were wondering what big building it was going to be. come up and join us here in TN. I think it will be finished in a few months. Hope your job gets better.