My Tasks in Life

I always find it interesting when I visit a University and see all these kids (comparatively speaking) who seem to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. I can’t imagine being in my mid 20s and knowing that I want make a life time commitment to be a physician, a lawyer or an engineer. Having attended a casual community and state college back in the 70s with barely any direction or focus on anything other than getting it over with, I was shocked to see the focus of my friends attending Brown and Columbia. These were not party schools. Students would be writing and doing research every possible moment. It would be a beautiful day on a weekend, and my friends were at their desks studying.

Because of my short attention span, I’ve always valued working more than “ass in seat education.” It was evident when I constantly changed majors. I’ve had some very interesting jobs. I started working on a farm as a summer job when I was in the 8th grade. From there I worked after school jobs on a switchboard, and in a library. I worked as a night watchman and as a programmer at a radio station while I was going to college. I also installed underground sprinkler systems and garage doors on weekends. I had a stint one summer as a fishing guide in the Adirondacks. I played bass guitar in group that did bar gigs. I was a photographer. I worked as a machienest (only for one day). Then I worked in bio research where we were doing experiments turning human umbilical cords into bio grafts. Then I spent a few years working for the Post office, and got out before killing any one. I’ve worked in a bakery, and in a medical office doing insurance billing. I’ve done computer repair and consulting.

I now do agricultural things and I create and work with databases and web sites. I do a little writing and teaching on the side. I do some public speaking as well. I do some publishing and I make custom wood furniture pieces. The big money from the 80s is gone as is my ambition. I’d rather do lots of little things than one big thing these days.

Though it goes against the grain of all the claims of advanced education, I'll be the first to admit that except for one database class, all the college classes I've ever had not one has ever had any relevance to the jobs I have taken. All the time and money that I and my parents spent on my education was pertty much a waste. None of it prepared me for anything and hasn't been useful yet. My important learning has been totally on my own. Yes I still take a class every now and then. It makes me wonder if someone who spends their entire life focused upon one task can render as much joy as I have with my many and varied interests.