From Bondage to Trader Joe's

What better way to explore the sundry arms of the career path Buddha than to ask everyone you meet the following question: "What do you do, and do you enjoy it?"

While on the subway, in line for the toilets at Starbucks, shopping for your groceries, or even learning how to weave wicker chairs, ask everyone you meet the golden question. Set yourself on the path to Enlightenment and try to reach that job search Nirvana.

What do you do, and do you enjoy it?

Woman at music festival: "Oooh! I used to work in marketing, and it was terrible. Now, I'm studying to be a court stenographer. It's great, you should do it too. It pays really well, and few people go into the field. It's in high demand."
- Who would have thought of doing the court report?

Man on Subway: "I sell flooring. I hate it. I used to be a women's active wear designer. I liked that, but I'd had enough."
- Enough's enough, but it must have floored him to make a change like that.

Worker at Trader Joe's, Union Square: "Well, I've been a cook, a pizza delivery guy, a bondage model, a sound technician, I've played in a rock band, and now I work at Trader Joe's."
- A jack of all trades, or is it a joe of all traders?

Bondage model seems to be the most interesting prospective from any answer yet. Some might find a career like that liberating, others might argue that it ties you down. One must take the time to reflect. If one of the Four Noble Truths is "The noble truth that is the arising of suffering," is being a bondage model the key to Enlightenment?

You need your skooling for this job

Found in an ad for a Junior Associate job for a public relations firm:

"STOP -- If you have LESS than 1 year of PR experience, do NOT apply.  That means no colleague students or recent graduates."

Well FINE (let me emulate their slight obsession with the CAPS key), I didn't want to work for YOU anyway.  So they don't want recent graduates or, if I can deduce correctly, college students.  If you're in 6th grade, however, go for it!  By that age, you probably know the difference between college students and colleague students.  But wait, what are colleague students anyway?  Did being a student suddenly become a paid position?  Because if it did, quick let me sign up for a second degree.

Poor need not Apply

And I quote from a job posting for a sales stylist assistant...

"Knowledge of fashion, good taste, and convincing manor are required." 

Now really, is it fair to request that someone have a "convincing manor" in order to apply for a job?  If someone IS applying for a job like this, they probably don't have the money to afford a stately home.  If I had enough money to live in the Hamptons (a place where I have no intention of residing), I wouldn't apply for a job like this.  I'd probably try to be Paris Hilton and socialite-around on my money and reputation.

As I continue to search for a job, a hopeful ranger trudging through a forest of ashes, I am considering joining the circus.  Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!