Things I've gotten paid for

So recently I've become unemployed and let's face it, who really wants a job anyway? Well I would like something to keep me busy and hopefully I'll be finding something soon. As a result I've been thinking about things I have gotten paid for in the past few years.

Luckily the job I hated the most, breading chicken and making salads at the local deli, didn't last too long and it was the first one after my mission. It was alright while it lasted but I hated getting up at the crack of 5 to be at work. What a wonderful day when a lady from my ward told me they were hiring at the library.

Being back at the library made me remember that I do in fact love reading. My grades suffered for a while before I realized I should probably be studying before I read for pleasure. Must admit that although this might not have been my most favorite job in the world (Taiwan is obviously first) it was definately the most flexible I've ever had.

While working at the Bountiful library we boss was kind enough to rearrange my schedule so that I could bury people in the mornings and shelve books in the evenings. I learned how to manage my time and work in the hot summer sun. Of course I have a few interesting stories about moving dirt but I should probably wait to tell you about these in person. Oh and they also payed me to play kickball for an hour every day too, that was certainly a thrill.

Then I had to go back to school and I dropped the cemetary job. The next summer though I needed something more so I applied to be an EFY counselor, got accepted somehow and quit my job at the library. It didn't last too long because soon enough the Centerville Library asked if I wanted to work for them and they would give me the time off I needed. So I consented and during the summer they gave me five weeks off so I could get paid doing something else. Of course the girls worshiped me, as you can see above, but I had other responsibilities as well.

I was in charge of a group of boys every week. It was nice being cool during these weeks well at least during this week. However, not every group of kids thought I was that cool.

This was the week that my kids wouldn't talk to me. Turns out in the middle of making a poster they just up and ran away to get drinks and took ten minutes to come back. So I suppose I got paid to be a paperweight, not my most favorite responsibility.

But things only got better from there. Thou Shalt Meditate was my favorite week of the summer. I had old kids and I didn't have to be much of a cheerleader because they did that for me. My partner in crime was gone most of the week helping out with the variety show so it was kind of a one man show. It turned out great though, with the group winning the coveted Spunity. I didn't do much that week except have a good time. Then it was back to the library for a few more months of shelving books. I got a few promotions right before I left and they even let me help people find books. But then I decided to leave the country.

I moved to Taiwan to teach the Taiwanese youth, well preschoolers really, the in's and out's of the English language. I taught them how to form their letters, make the sound for the letters and read the letters. I even learned that I grew up writing the letter J incorrectly and no one bothered to tell me.

They also let me teach kindergarten over there, even though it really consisted of me just playing with the kids. We built forts, threw things at one another, ate snack, climbed under the table, sang songs, made ice cream, talked about kissing, and the list goes on. This would have to be the best job because I got paid to play.

Then I had to come home and I was lucky enough to have a job waiting for me. I went back to EFY for a couple of weeks. One in Ephraim and one at the University of Utah. Both enjoyable and an easy way to ease back into the American culture again. Well not really easy but at least shell-shocking enough that I was willing to get my feet wet again.

And now I am back in school and looking for a job. I figured I could come home and everybody would be so excited to see me that I would have to turn jobs down. Turns out that was a lie and still I am trying to convince myself that getting a job is the right thing to do. But I'm having too much fun going to school, singing, reading, dating, cooking and watering the lawn to do much else, at least today that is. The time is near at hand though and I've got to find something to do or I think I just might go crazy. So if you know of something exciting that you think I'd want to get paid to do just send your ideas my way.