Friday Five: Labor Day

Singing Owl over at RevGals has this Friday Five:

Here in the USA we are celebrating the last fling of the good ol' summertime. It is Labor Day weekend, and families are camping, playing in the park, swimming, grilling hotdogs in the backyard, visiting amusement parks and zoos and historical sites and outdoor concerts and whatever else they can find to help them extend summer's sun and play just a little bit longer.

It is supposed to also be a celebration of the working man and woman, the backbone of the American economy, the "salt-of-the-earth neices and nephews of Uncle Sam. With apologies to those in other countries, this is a Friday Five about LABOR. All can play. Put down that hammer, that spoon, that rolling pin, that rake, that pen, that commentary, that lexicon, and let's have some fun.

1. Tell us about the worst job you ever had.
Umm... it's a toss up between a church ministry job (LOL) and working as a burger jockey at the Ohio State Fair. For the latter, I went home every night, smelling of sweat, grease and grilled onions. Even my shoes stunk. The pay was... lousy, too.

2. Tell us about the best job you ever had.
That's a hard one... probably being a camp counselor, because I got to play all summer.

3. Tell us what you would do if you could do absolutely anything (employment related) with no financial or other restrictions.
Ahh... I think I'd go ahead and open that pastors' rest and retreat center. I was going to choose the mountains, but I think instead I'm going to go for a beach location. Any place where quiet outweighs commerce, and seagull outnumber people! It would be a healing place, a place to create, to study, to write, and to eat fresh shrimp by the gallon.

4. Did you get a break from labor this summer? If so, what was it and if not, what are you gonna do about it?
Yes... we had our week at the beach. It was not long enough. But it was good to unplug, to have BODACIOUS amounts of fresh seafood, and to chill with the fam. The photo here is the sunset our first night. It kinda set the tone of the week!

5. What will change regarding your work as summer morphs into fall? Are you anticipating or dreading?
Ah. It's already started. My classes. Work. The Harpist's senior year (and college visits and applications). Reedy Girl's last year of middle school. Bearded spouse. etc etc etc...

Bonus question: For the gals who are mothers, do you have an interesting story about labor and delivery (LOL)?
Both of my labors were "precipitous." From first twinge to final push, #1 daughter's labor was 8 hours, #2 daughter's labor was 4 hours! And both labors, over 10 days late, were brought on (unscientifically) by a no-holds-barred HOT Mexican food dinner. Beans, burritos and birth pangs... hmmm... sounds like a book title!

And now it's time to... GO to work!

Deb