Bit of Ivory

The Friday Five was actually interesting this week, so I’m going to do
it.
1. What is your current occupation? Is this what you chose to be
doing at this point in your life? Why or why not?
Officially, I’m a student, but I also work at the BYU library as a
reference assistant. At this point, yeah, that’s what I would like to
be doing– getting my degree, and earning money at a job I like to help
pay for it.
2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream
occupation be?
Hmm. . .I really don’t want to work. I want to be a wife and mother,
stay home and raise my family. If circumstances force me to work (like
not getting married!), I’d like to be a children’s librarian.
3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any
influence on your career choices?
My dad is an electrical engineer. My mom has always stayed home with us
kids. I dislike math, so I could never be an engineer, although I
admire very much what my dad does. My mom staying home definitely had
an impact. I was so glad that she was around when I needed her, unlike
so many of my friends who never saw their parents because they were
both working so hard.
4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a
family?
Not yet, but I believe I would choose a family. In my religion, we
believe that families can be together forever. I feel that if we’re
going to have something forever, then it’s worth investing your time in
it.
5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is
the hardest? Why?
I don’t think any job is really easy. Even the most menial tasks can be
hard through sheer monotony. I was once a directory assistance agent
(“This is Emily, what city and state?”), and while the actual work
wasn’t all that hard, the job was. I had to deal with people who just
couldn’t understand that I wasn’t the operator and therefore
couldn’t refund their quarter, and people who wanted to find John Smith
in Chicago without knowing what street he lives on (“Sir, do you know
how many John Smiths there are in Chicago? Over 900.” “Well, could you
read the streets out to me? Maybe one of them will ring a bell.”), and
trying to keep my call time under 20 seconds, especially when people
got mad (“You gave me a number that was listed in Huntington Beach. I
wanted Hermosa Beach.” “Was the number incorrect?” “No, I got the right
place, but it’s not in Huntington Beach. It’s in Hermosa Beach.
Let me talk to your supervisor.”). All that for 8 hours a day. It was
the hardest job I’ve ever had.
I really think that my chosen profession, being a mother, is the
hardest job in the world. After all, you’re dealing with trying to
raise good, responsible, intelligent children, and no one child is the
same as any of the others. God has entrusted you with one (or more!) of
his precious children, and it’s your job to help him or her get safely
back to God. That’s an enormous responsibility. But the biggest
challenges bring the greatest blessings. I really feel that raising
children can be one of the most rewarding experiences this world has to
offer.