Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Pricey Paycheck

          I’ve been grateful more than once in the past two years that I’d retired from teaching when I did.

Not that I ever felt unsafe in the city high school where I taught English. Sure, there was the time after school was out and I’d popped in to visit the teacher next door, only to find on my return a former student sitting behind my desk. The student I’d flunked. The one who, as it turned out, had made bail just that day. But with a few exceptions, I really enjoyed my students. No, today’s teaching world is a very different experience: remote teaching – nope, back to the classroom – wait, nope, back to remote. Then the whole, Are my students vaccinated? “Please keep your mask on.” Is this the week I get Covid?

          When my kids were little, I scooped ice cream two evenings a week where the only job hazard was the extra pounds I put on – yes, nuts scarfed up in the freezer are just as tasty frozen. And just as fattening.

          Later, as a Public Access Coordinator, where I gave city residents free lessons in television production, I did have a few edgy moments, but these were when I was alone, prepping the studio for a shoot. I’m not fond of heights in the first place, and standing on a 10-foot ladder reaching a 15-pound Fresnel light to the grid above my head is not my idea of a fun time.

          These guys that I saw on my morning walk yesterday had that beat by a mile.

          







Untethered roof inspections. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          And mowing the median strip, but first accessing it by toodling down the road with vehicles whizzing by at 45 miles per hour.


 

 

10 comments:

  1. Oh, another person who knows what a Fresnel light is!! And, I expect, how to say it too. Joy. I worked long ago in public television and acquainted myself with the production side so as to understand what I was asking people to do.

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    1. Those were fun years. That job took me up in a helicopter, working a telethon, and doing hand-held camera work on stage during a soft-rock performance. I really enjoyed directing three-camera shoots when they build a studio for the high school kids.

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  2. There are a surprising number of jobs where the employees risk life and limb each day. They are often not well paid jobs. Our priorities are skewed.

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  3. Very interesting and definitely hazardous jobs. :-)

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  4. I'm sure you feel as I do that you'd do you're whole career over in a heartbeat. Yes, It's different today. I'm with you. I wouldn't want to teach under these conditions.

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  5. I just can’t
    (speaking about the roofers)

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  6. Untethered on the roof? Oh boy!
    The former student hiding behind your desk would have scared the life out of me!

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  7. Student out on bail waiting for you! Standing on a roof! I picked a job that suited me, librarian. No standing on a roof for me, those guys are brave.

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  8. Surely OSHA would frown on those roof inspectors. My mom taught at a university and once got death threats from a student who was subsequently committed involuntarily. Fun times!

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  9. I think Fresnel was a word in my crossword puzzle the other day! Yes standing way up on that roof makes me crazy!

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