Lovin' the Labor

This Sunday, Jolene, Sue, and I get to help with the Relief Society Lesson for 5th Ward's ward conference. The lesson title is, "Work and Personal Responsibility". One of the sections says, in part:

To some people work is a drudgery. To others it is an exciting part of life. One way to enjoy life’s fullest benefits is to learn to love work. Not all of us can choose the kind of work we do. Some of us labor for long hours for the bare necessities. It is difficult to enjoy such work. Yet the happiest people have learned to enjoy their work, whatever it is.

That got me thinking about my "work". It's not glamorous, like being a movie star. It's not illustrious, like being a brain surgeon. It's not relaxing like being a La-Z Boy quality control tester.

And it certainly isn't as dreamy as being an official Wrangler-fitter for the PRCA.
But, despite the junior high's distressing lack of rodeo cowboys (Although we are looking for a new boy's PE teacher for next year...I wonder if the principal would let me write the job description?), I can't imagine doing anything else.

Where else can improvement and productivity be encouraged and rewarded with the chance to find a piece of bubble gum in a bowl of flour, unwrap it, and chew it... all without using your hands?

This was a particularly good week to work at this particular junior high.

This week, the earth science classes had a competition to see who could build the most earthquake-resistant house.

It was almost as cool as last month's science and technology class's final project for their crime scene technician unit. As a suspect in the "murder" pictured below, I was finger printed and questioned about twenty six times. It was a blast. Although next year I am going to petition to be the victim or the actual bad guy. I would be a great bad guy...

This week was also spent getting ready for Random Acts of Kindness Week. The whole building looks like a somebody blew up a Care Bear convention and scattered their warm and fuzzy guts over the walls. Their notes were so sweet, I was able to overcome the urge to take to the halls with my red pen to correct their spelling and grammar.

And then there was Thursday's Valentine "dance". I popped in to take some yearbook photos and, after recovering from the overpowering perfume and cologne fumes, was pleased to see that a few of the kids were actually dancing.
And, even though my "lunch hour" is really 30 minutes wherein I scarf down an apple before hosting the "it's-too-cold-to-go-outside-today-can-we-stay-in-your-room" crowd, even "break time" isn't boring. Google may have an in-building work-out center for their employees, and Yahoo might let their programmers ride bikes through the hallways, but I doubt they have air band competitions at lunch. At least, not with air bands of this quality.
I feel very blessed to be one of those people who loves to go to "work". Even when the communications kidlets write on my chalkboard with the chalk that I hide from them so they can't write on my chalkboard.
As far as "work" goes, it doesn't get much better than this... until the PRCA gets around to processing my Wrangler-inspector application.

And that could be a summer job.

At least, for the days this summer when I'm not talent-scouting for a new PE teacher.

I can't wait to start listing the qualifications for that help wanted ad. Chaps might be involved.

I wonder if rodeo programs have help wanted sections...