Good To Be Cool

While cruising the highways of America, I was listening to my iPod, and a song played that made me smile.  I wondered how cool it would be to put on your resume that you sang back-up for Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires.  The Jordanaires were the four fellows that harmonized so well behind Elvis, and made those tunes sound oh, so good.  All you had to do was say “Do-wah,” a couple of times, with some style, and you got to stand and harmonize with “The King.”  That’s really cool.

 

I’ll be the first person to admit my high school days were not spent counting “A’s” on my report card.  No, I was too busy working part-time jobs to pay attention to those written tools of gossip that didn’t necessarily translate into success in later life.

 

My high school guidance counselor was one person who was truly a waste of good space and air.  She was a lock-step industrialist who felt that anyone growing up in an industrial town should work for the local factory.  End of story.

 

We were directed toward trade schools that taught us how to machine steel and shape bearings to make products that would last.  Other, more promising students were sent to look at engineering schools.  The girls were instructed on how to sew, cook, and clean for their factory-worker husbands.

 

But, I now rue listening to the “adults in the room,” and find myself wishing I had chosen a career more wisely.

 

There are such cool jobs in this world, and I feel as though I was short-changed.

 

Just as we now hear almost solely about military ‘special ops’ people, we never hear about the military folks who repair helicopters, who cook, or wash fighter jets.

 

Americans endure hearing about other jobs that are supposed to be all-important, but are less-than-cool.  Politicians, accountants, people who sew cloth placemats and tablecloths, are all important jobs – equally important as the people who put the brakes on my car.  But, they are not cool jobs.

 

It would also be pretty cool to have the job testing airplane windshields.  Before you question my judgment, keep in mind that the test is performed by shooting fowl from a cannon into a piece of aviation glass to test its hardness.

 

How about a gig driving high-end sports cares such as Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Aston Martins?  There are folks who do just that, then write about their rides.  Again, pretty cool.

 

Speaking of driving, there are people who test tires made for NASCAR races before they mass produce them for track use.  Driving someone else’s car at nearly 200 MPH, with their gas, has to be a thrill.

 

Microbreweries are all the rage, and someone has to taste those suds.  Imagine going to work to drink beer.  That has to be way up there on the ‘cool list.’

 

Let’s not forget those true heroes that turned a Sunday activity into an entire sport.  I am speaking of the professional bass fishermen, of course.  What was once seen as a way for men to weasel out of summer yard chores is now an activity that can reward the winner with cash prizes of $100,000.

 

There are too many cool jobs to list, but a few include video gamer, pro athlete, TV and movie critic, firearm test firer, fireworks setter-offer, food critic, sleep study attendee, and editor and writer for EasternShoreFishAndGame.com.

 

I hope my guidance counselor is reading this.