On Saturday, I was asked to prepare meals for small crowds over the next couple weekends. Fifteen minutes after saying yes, I had already assembled:
- current sale flyers for our local grocery stores
- menus consisting of enough food for a cast of thousands for two weeks
- shopping lists
- a time table for cooking and freezing everything ahead of time
That’s when I began wondering if I’d missed my true calling. Instead of majoring in elementary education and taking every English and theater class available during college, I should have considered a career in one of the following:
- food service
- event planning
- drill sergeant
- army cook
- making lists with bullet points
Upon further reflection, my unintentional second career may have been field testing other career options because:
- My first high school job consisted of 3 months at the Hy-Vee deli in my home town, followed by 5 years as a dishwasher and cook at a nursing home.
- My kids would tell you the 1 birthday/slumber party they were each allowed during their childhoods were top caliber events, even though the title “event planner” came into vogue after they were a bit older.
- They would also gladly give testimony concerning their mother, the drill sergeant.
- Dozens of M.A.S.H. episodes later, the army cook option no longer looks attractive unless it includes a few of Klinger’s outfits, complete with hats and gloves.
- Mission accomplished.
Maybe I didn’t miss my true calling.
Maybe it came calling and found me.
