About halfway through the Mississippi River journey, Monte reflected on the notion of a job.
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Last week I told you we’re involved in something called a “project.” I don’t really understand; I don’t think dogs do projects. But I it sounds like something I’d like.
Rich and I don’t go to school anymore. He apparently retired from his “job” there. I miss being with kids, and I think Rich does, too. I’ve heard him say he missed kids but doesn’t miss the job.
Apparently a job makes you show up and do what someone else tells you to do, even if it doesn’t make any sense. As long as you have a job you get money, which seems kind of like getting treats.
I’m glad I don’t have a job. I love getting treats and figuring out what I’m supposed to do for them, but I wouldn’t like having to do unpleasant tasks because I was afraid I’d starve.
Last week I told you how work and play are the same to me. It seems like that’s what happens with a project. You think up something big and important that needs to get done, and then you work hard to do it. Only the work is really fun, which is how I roll.
I like that idea—or I’d like it if dogs could have ideas.
Projects always seem to involve other people. Whenever Becky or Rich start a project, they get a team together. That makes sense. I can’t get my food out of the container, so Rich helps me. And sometimes Rich drops something and can’t reach it, so I help him. We’re a team.
That’s how projects appear to work. Everybody gets to do what they’re good at to help each other.
Jobs seem like you mostly do them by yourself. I wouldn’t like that; when I’m by myself I mostly just sleep. I wonder if people feel like that.
The thing that’s cool about projects is that something big happens. I don’t really understand, because dogs don’t think like that. That might be one thing I envy about people—they can plan and dream and chase their dreams. I’d like to be able to do that, I think. I mostly just chase tennis balls and Frisbees.
One thing I don’t get is that people CAN plan and dream, but most of them don’t seem to do it much. Seems like lots of them just settle for jobs and act like working on dreams is silly or irresponsible. Or they spend lots of time figuring out ways to avoid doing anything at all.
I love doing stuff, and I think I’d like dreaming up important goals and working on them. I’m just a dog, so I can’t do that. But if I could, I hope I wouldn’t waste such an important ability.
Here’s the kind of fun stuff you get to do in projects. Rich and I spoke to the Carbondale HS soccer teams before a big rivalry game. The players all rubbed my head for good luck.
Rich and Becky both did projects as part of their jobs (when they had jobs) and it seemed like that’s when they were happiest. They do projects all the time at home and we have fun. And we’re doing this big project now, which they seem to think is lots of fun even though they’re really tired every night.
So I think it must not be the work that wears people down. It must be jobs.
I’m glad I get to work without having a job.
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Did you notice the part where Monte said he hoped he wouldn’t waste the ability to dream big and follow your dreams?
Yeah, but what does he know? Hes just a dog.