Labor Friday Five

Singing Owl at RevGalBlogPals writes: 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 nieces 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.
I was hired as a manager in the consulting branch of a big accounting firm. The two branches (accounting and consulting) divorced over irreconcilable differences a year or so after I left. The culture was so arrogant, they didn't realize there were ways to do things other than the way they did. "We're Absolutely Consummate". And they tried to copyright a process that's been in textbooks for decades becasue they thought they had created it. AARRGGH. They promoted a backstabbing environment in the competition to get promoted to the next level. Everyone was out to get you and if you weren't paranoid, they got you good. I swam with those sharks for a little over a year, and that only because I had a mortgage approved and the house wasn't built yet (bad time to change jobs). I hated every minute.


2. Tell us about the best job you ever had.
working on a military base with the military personnel as a consultant. The guys were great, the work was challenging and rewarding (yeah, there were difficult people, but we had the support of the commander, so it was overcomeable).

3. Tell us what you would do if you could do absolutely anything (employment related) with no financial or other restrictions.
Well, I quit my job, sold my house, and moved to another state to go to seminary. I trust God's providence that being a pastor is the answer to this one.

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?
What is this "break" of which you speak? I did get to go to my favorite spot on earth for a few days, got to see the parents and have a change of scenery to study for my ordination exams.

5. What will change regarding your work as summer morphs into fall? Are you anticipating or dreading?
From CPE to ordination exams to Back to School. This is my last year of classes (God willing), only two classes are required, so I get to pick lots of electives!

Bonus question: For the gals who are mothers, do you have an interesting story about labor and delivery (LOL)? If you are a guy pal, not a mom, or you choose not to answer the above, is there a song, a book, a play, that says "workplace" to you?
Well any Dilbert book pretty much summed up my first career!