The perfect job

One summer in high school, I worked for the Forest Service with someone who would later become a very close friend. After waking at 4:30 and driving the hour to work each morning, we stole pens from the supply closet, studied satellite maps, and chose a sunny spot to spend the day performing surveys on replanted forestry plots. And then we drove, burned one forearm apiece, and talked. We spit sunflower seeds, napped in the shade over our lunch break, and played home run derby with rocks and broken sticks. And we talked, about anything and everything. (In retrospect, it was easily the best summer out of those high school summers).

One of the things I remember us discussing was the idea of our "perfect job". At that point, I decided my ideal career would be to sleep for a living. I would go to work, sleep for eight hours, and then return home. If I had a family, I would spend time with them in the evening (after my job) and then have the night to myself. I could write, exercise, watch movies, and (if I wanted to) sleep a little more. It seemed, well, perfect.

Now, I try to nail down the idea of the ideal job and I feel a little lost. A film critic, an author, a screenwriter, a lobbyist...anything that involves imagination, creation, and people. But this is a place I suppose most people find themselves - dissatisfied with their first few jobs and hunting for something that fits. My hope is that this hope does not go too often unfulfilled.