The Occupational Adventure (tm)

What not to invent

Thinking of a career as an inventor? Pam Gaines at getting things done, productively points the way to a site with some ideas for what not to invent.

For example, you may want to refrain from inventing a:

* Toilet snorkel
* Cow gas measuring system
* Human car wash
* Wonder butt bra
* Beerbrella
* Wearable doghouse

All this and much, much more!!

Curt Rosengren
Passion Catalyst ^SM

You're looking for passion you say? (a limerick)

[Looking for ideas on creating a career that lights your fire? you'll find them on the main blog page.]

The folks over at The Job Blog from BostonWorks.com posted a link to job titles from the past. Looking through it, I found myself moved to poetry. So move over Yeats and Shelley. Step aside Mr. Shakespeare. Curt Rosengren's in da house, and he's a rhymin' fool!

You're looking for passion you say?
Don't limit yourself to today!
Just look back in time
And maybe you'll find
A job where you'll holler, Hoo-ray!

A Grimbribber might be just the thing
And Nimgimmer has a nice ring
As a Whig or a Beaver
You might be an achiever
With a job that will make your heart sing

With a job as ye olde Honey Dipper
You possibly won't feel so chipper
But as a Fish Fag your work
You're sure not to shirk
Selling your freshly caught kippers

Sing ho! for the jobs of yore
Like the Chip and the Archiator
Dig deep in the past
And you'll find it at last
That job you can't help but adore

So there you have it. A Curt Rosengren original. ;)

Feel free to add more verses in the comments section if you feel so inspired. (If you need a little help with your rhyming, try the RhymeZone. I did.)

Office dares

OK, enough of all this serious career stuff! Sometimes you just need a little random silliness, and I have just the thing!

Chasing Daisy's blog offers the perfect antidote to workplace boredom, namely, an office dare system. The only catch is that nobody in your office gets to know about the dares. You simply walk around carrying them out - basically until everybody votes to have you committed.

Some of my favorite dares:

• Phone someone in the office you barely know, leave your name and say, "Just called to say I can't talk right now. Bye."
• Leave your zipper open for one hour. If anyone points it out, say, "Sorry, I really prefer it this way".
• While riding in the lift (elevator), gasp dramatically every time the doors open.
• Babble incoherently at a fellow employee then ask, "Did you get all that, I don't want to have to repeat it".
• Page yourself over the intercom (do not disguise your voice).
• Shout random numbers while someone is counting.
• In a meeting or crowded situation, slap your forehead repeatedly and mutter, "Shut up, damn it, all of you just shut up!"
• Arrange toy figures on the table to represent each meeting attendee, move them according to the movements of their real-life counterparts.

There are many, many more ideas on Chasing Daisy's blog, but I'll just let you discover them for yourself.

Enjoy!