Have you seen this show on the Discovery Channel? Dirty Jobs highlights some of the most unsavory, yucky, gross and well, just plain dirty occupations a person can do. I have not seen all the episodes, but I have seen enough to see some common themes on what makes a job dirty:
1. Many of these jobs involve the removal of poop, usually human poop, from various places.
2. Sometimes the job will involve the care and management of small, hapless creatures that squeal, squeak or writhe.
3. Often the jobs require the handling and cleaning of materials that would be considered a bio-hazard (bodily fluids other than poop, animal waste, etc.) Whatever the material is, it is dangerous enough that if not handled properly, the person completing the job and those in the general area may be at risk of getting ill.
4. Many of these jobs involve the removal of human debris and trash.
5. The jobs often involve a variety of very unpleasant smells.
6. A few of these jobs are very repetitive. They involve doing the same (often tedious) task over and over, to the point where it becomes reflexive. (Did you see the chicken sexer episode? Weird thing to have to do over and over, no?)
7. These jobs are often thankless jobs, completed behind the scenes. Life runs smoothly because of these occupations, but it is rare that someone stops to understand how important the job is.
I can think of one occupation in particular that embodies ALL these themes. Yet I have not seen it featured on Dirty Jobs as of yet.
I wonder how many MOTHERS have emailed the Discovery Channel to point this out to the producers. A dirty job indeed. Which brings me to my final theme:
8. The person completing the job does it because they care. They want the world to be a civilized place and they are willing to take on the poop and muck to make it so. They know the rewards (however intangible they may be) somehow outweigh the yucky thanklessness of it all. As they say, it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. They love what they do. And that’s why they do it day in, day out.
That’s why I do it, anyway.
Hey now, That sounds like MY job!!! As a nurse…lol I think I do ALOT of those same things…but true..also as a mom too!! Thanks for the reminder!! I DO LOVE my jobs..both nursing and mommy-ing! and I do it because I LOVE IT!!
So true.
My life is full of jobs that no one notices if I do it, but everyone notices if I don’t do it. And gets mad at me.
as someone who used to do a really yucky job for a living – I was a tech in a medical lab – I have to say my job involved many of thos things
but yes so true – moms have to deal with it all – good and bad!
too true. and like SageHen, they only notice when you don’t do your job.
this is fabulous!!! my husband’s favorite shows are Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters. I’ll have to remind him that motherhood is the dirtiest job of them all.
amen, amen!
btw — haven’t seen the show, but have heard there are swarms of third and fourth grade boys around televisions everywhere in anticipation of this show! :)
Now THIS seems like an interesting show! I’ll have to check it out! I think Mom would rank up there with the most busy/potentially dirty jobs! With all the diapers, spit-up, etc. So true! :)
ha ha, I’ll have to check out that show! Great post, thanks for the smile!!!
Wendy
I have watched the show with my husband and commented that these guys have nothing on the mothers of the world. LOL Great minds think alike. You just are much better at expressing it. So funny!