Summer Job

I really, really need a summer job.

This summer I'm in the unique position of not having to work. This year my employers gave me the option of spreading out my pay over 12 months like teachers do, instead of just getting paid the 9 months I work. This means that I'll have my normal income rolling in all through the summer. However, I really want a summer job as well. Just like I had trouble with the idea of taking a pay cut just when we're starting to save up for a house, I also have trouble with the idea of sitting on my ass all summer when I could be earning money to pay off our credit cards or my car loan.

So today I began looking for a summer job. I perused Craigslist, the Manpower temp agency website, and did a job search on Indeed.com. I learned to very important things:

1. The only well-paying jobs I'm qualified for are jobs I'd rather not take (for example, I'd rather not work with kids this summer)

2. All the low-paying jobs I'm qualified for suck

I think that Mike should be pretty grateful that I signed up for another year at my current job, because if my professional job search would be anything like my summer job search, I'd spend hours sitting at my computer and deleting job listings that get emailed to me. "This sucks...this sucks...don't want this...too far from home...this sucks..." I'm surprised anyone at all has managed to employ me.

I do have pretty lofty ideals for my "dream" summer job. I have two:

1. Wheelchair pusher at Mitchell International Airport. Apparently airports employ people just to push passengers' wheelchairs around. I imagine it's the type of job that would wear on you after months or years, but it would be a pleasant break for just three months. Plus you get tips. I've never, ever had a job where I got tips.

2. Train stewardess. I know that's not the term, but on the Amtrak train running between Milwaukee to Chicago they have people who sell snacks and whatnot. I'd love to do that. I could spend all day on the train, listening to the clack-clack. Plus the train has a neat name - it's called the Hiawatha service. I'd love to take the Hiawatha train to Chicago every day. It sounds so 1920s.

Okay, so they aren't jobs that would change the world or bring about world peace. Sue me. I spend nine months out of the year trying to change the world, or at least my students' worlds, I want three months just passing out snacks or pushing wheelchairs. Unfortunately, neither Mitchell nor Amtrak is hiring. This means I need to figure out a new plan.

I have no idea what I'll be doing this summer, but hopefully I'll find something.