Monday, January 09, 2006

Domestic Engineer

POSITION :
Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Momma, Ma
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT &PROMOTION:
Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

16 comments:

Philosophical Karen said...

Very good! I enjoyed reading this, Sariah.

Proud Mum said...

That was fantastic! I was laughing so hard. So true.

ABQ Mom said...

I'm going to print this out and post it somewhere prominent in my house. (In the kitchen or near the computer).
Some where so it stands out and I read it often.

fourth_fret said...

... i need to call my mom.

Sariah said...

I should have mentioned this in the post, but I wanted it to be just the way it is: I didn't write this. I got it on email from my mother-in-law, and I knew there were a few people who might appreciate this! ;) Glad everyone liked it.

Alyson said...

It is the hardest job on earth

fourth_fret said...

next to being a pirate... :D

Sariah said...

Of course being a pirate tops motherhood! But what about a ninja? You have to have *skills* for that job. ;)

Proud Mum said...

Nunchuck skills... stealth skills...

(pop quiz: am I talking about skills needed for mothers or ninjas?)

fourth_fret said...

yeah but... if you want to really be invincible you gotta be a ninja pirate!

you can't beat a ninja pirate. even a ninja pirate can't beat another ninja pirate.

and don't come back with pirate ninjas. there's no such thing.

Sariah said...

Are you sure about that? Because I'm pretty sure my grandpa fought against some pirate ninjas when we wasn't too busy fighting the Red Baron with Snoopy.

fourth_fret said...

well... those are just made up stories sariah.

Sariah said...

They are NOT!!! Ask my mom. And Lura.

Alyson said...

Alien vs. Preditor
Discuss.

fourth_fret said...

you got me there alyson. predator and alien aren't real like ninja pirates. they're more like pirate ninjas.

only believable to a select few. mostly those who ride the short bus. ;)

Allrie said...

Thank you, Sariah.

Proud Mother --my quiz answer: both!

Fourth Fret, you might as well believe every story my Dad (Sariah's grandfather) ever told, because with him you just never knew...(we could write a book about him, oh, yeah, I am.)
If he said he fought pirate ninjas, he probably did--or something darn close to it.
Of course, he was from Saturn, so some of his stories may seem a bit far fetched to mere earthlings.