Writing Warm-Up or Four Things Meme

Melanie of Indextrious Reader tagged me for this one. Trying to get the writing juices flowing this morning so we'll see if this works for me:

Four Jobs I've Held

Switchboard Operator - Thirty years ago, in between regular jobs, I was a switchboard operator for three days at an old institution of some sort in Washington DC. I'm talking about cords and plugs and flipping switches in order to transfer calls. It was pretty bad, even as temp jobs go.

Camp Counselor - During college, I was a camp counselor during the summers. That wasn't bad; it worked off all the weight I would gain during the academic year.

Secretary - Another job that we should be glad technology has made largely redundant. Executives should be required to type their own letters; it will keep them from surfing porn in the office.

Writer, Corporate Communications - All thinly veiled marketing. Press releases are the spawn of Satan.

Four Places I've Visited

Thailand (We lived there for two years when I was just 8 or 9. My brother was born there.)

The Netherlands (A very nice country; cab drivers would help you into the car and calmly ask "And where does Madam wish to go?" Suffice it to say that it was quite a change from the cabbies at New York's JFK.)

England (not long enough of a visit; if that company would hire me back today, I'd go on the sole condition that I be permitted annually to be in London for a week at a time. They had me doing crappy little one and two day jaunts.)

Germany (don't remember it; I was under five at the time)

Four Places I'd Rather Be

--Eaglesmere, PA (Lovely hideaway place, where Offspring #2 is currently working at the ETC School. Great opportunity for starstruck kids. I am absolutely serious when I say that they will get so much out of it.)

--London, England (see above; I desperately want the leisure to visit Persephone Books and the British Library and the Tate Museum)

--Chicago, Illinois (I'm reading Karen Abbott's social history, Sin in the Second City, which centers around a high-class brothel in Chicago at the turn of the century. Besides there's great shopping and great food in Chicago. I miss working the library meetings there.)

--Riding Amtrak (I like trains much more than planes.)

Four Foods I Like

--Chocolate
--Pasta
--Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
--Vanilla Milk Shakes (along side the grilled cheese sandwich. Great taste sensation)

Those of you lazing about this August weekend may consider yourself tagged.