Nancy V. Gedney, Ph.D.
“Rich man, poor man, baker man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief.”
Counting buttons? No, career titles. Just glanced over a catchy headline entitled ‘Head Worm Wrangler & Other Odd Job Titles by Rachel Farrell. Rachel highlights, you guessed it, unusual job titles:
· chief wiggle eye gluer
· director of chaos
· head worm wrangler
· director of storytelling
· chief imagination officer
· marble lady
· magic maker
· chief fun officer
· overseer of order
· director of first impressions
· chief fitlosopher
There were a few others, but I was attracted to the above because they were so whimsical. I mean, I really like the idea of them, the pictures they conjure and the stories they suggest, just in their titles. “They tickle my Nancy,” as my husband says.
They took me way back to the eighties when I was an academic adviser at the University of Arizona. I loved to help undecided students think about possible areas to major in. If someone liked music and science, we tried to find ways that they could study both subjects, put them together and create majors like “The Science of Music” or “The Music of Science.” Now these weren’t actual majors, but when the students could see the possibilities of combining seemingly paradoxical subjects, a career in acoustics wasn’t far behind. How do you think “sound men” (or women) got to do what they do?? They followed the possibilities presented by their passions.
That’s how I got my most favorite job title ever: Resident Fairydust Sprinkler.
Fairydust sprinkler – except my breast was covered.
Outside my cubicle was a string of little glass bells that when touched would brrrringggg! One student gave me a lovely glittery silver wand. And over my desk was my framed title. I was in heaven, or wonderland, or never-never land. No, not la-la-land.
Since that time, I have held official (officious) titles such as Director of Student and Career Development, and Director of HIV/AIDS Prevention. Lots of status, little pay, and sometimes boring job descriptions. Although I got lots of experience dealing with people, none of those jobs (careers) (none lasted more than 3 years- I’m not your typical straight arrow) held a candle in my heart as did Resident Fairydust Sprinkler.
From time to time, I’ll hear some wind chimes or a telephone, “Brrrringggg!” and I know someone, not necessarily me, just sprinkled a little magic. I look around for a little sparkle somewhere, and guess what? I always find it. You can, too!
Take this moment, right now, to look around. Hear the “Brrrrringggg”? It’s in your heart, silly. And see how many bits of glitter, shine, sheen, lustre, sparkle, effervescence, iridescence, or twinkle you can see right now. Makes you smile, doesn’t it? Well, that’s what we fairydust sprinklers do: bring mirth, and smiles, and tingles, and joy, and tickles, and sweets to life – just for the tasting — just for the sipping.
Are you a fairydust sprinkler? If not, why not? You can be, you know! Just smile, and think good thoughts about others, and enjoy what you see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and taste with your mouth, and smell with your nose, or feel with your skin. Sweetness, like strawberries, or a cool May wine. Or a rainbow, or fuzz on a peach or a baby’s shoulder. Or copper highlights on a dogs head. Or the smell of coffee perking, or cookies, or new-mown hay. Or leaves clittering in the breeze, or shushing pine trees. This is the stuff, the food, the sustenance of Fairydust Sprinklers.
There is one requirement and one requirement only for this profession: It’s the “Let it be” rule. Let tears come if they want to. Let yourself chortle, giggle, guffaw, play, wriggle, wiggle, snuggle, pucker, toe dance, skip, whistle, yodel, yowl, hiccup, snort, toot, and scoot. Let yourself take the joy — it’s yours. And if you don’t take it, it’s no one’s loss but your own. But if you do, you’ll find you have cupsful, and bucketsful, and glassesful, and bowlsful, and saucersful, and pocketsful — even truckloads — of fairydust to sprinkle, dribble, tinkle, plinkle, pickle, snickle, scuttle, pitch, toss, broadcast, rain, drip, or drool. You’ll be happier, much happier, than Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds — honest!
Fairydust is its very own high. And the sprinkling thereof makes it the best profession in the world. Its remuneration is simply the sum total of the riches of the universe. As you grow in the profession, you are taught all you ever need to know. If you travel, you are compensated for absolutely everything, and your benefits cost you nothing. One of the perks of this life’s work is that by performing your talents and doing exactly what you’ve always wanted to do, you are not taxed! There is never anything taxing about sprinkling fairydust. It’s the perfect employment. There is no job description; no one to tell you who to sprinkle and who not to sprinkle; no deadlines; no pressure; no evaluations; and no layoffs. You can set your own goals, timelines, and hours. And you will always have a job!
If you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, it won’t. Shoes are not required. We sprinkle barefooted, or not. However you like it. And I guess by the above picture, some sprinkle bare breasted. That however, is not required either.
I’ll leave you with a chance to choose for yourself:
· If you will be a fairydust sprinkler, what will YOU sprinkle?
· If you’d rather choose your own profession, what will it be? How will you title this wonderful way of life?
Thank you for your indulgence. Now go indulge yourself! Indulgence is ambrosia to the joyful!
Nancy ~
For more information about Dr. Nancy’s Fairy Dusting services and to schedule a session, please visit: https://marigoldmethods.com/about-mm
