My husband and I stayed overnight at a hotel this past weekend so as to attend our daughter’s ordination. Since we were only away for one night, and would be busy for most of the time, I did not take my laptop. There is a computer in the hotel’s lobby (we’ve stayed there many times) and I knew I could check my email on Sunday morning to see if anyone desperately needed me (they didn’t).
When I went to log in, I found a dead monitor. A little more checking revealed a missing power cord. Hey, I do this all the time so it was no big deal for me to investigate. I approached the front desk, and not seeing anyone, I called out a couple of times and finally a young man came out. I told him of the missing power cord, but he just stood and looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language.
When I realized I wasn’t going to get too far with him, I went back to the computer area and dug around until I found the cord. The desk man, who had followed me, seemed very relieved. I truly believe he would not have had a clue as to how to replace the thing had I not made the discovery. After putting it all back together, the monitor worked fine and I completed my mail check.
I also noticed that the mousepad was dilapidated, and the screen needed cleaning. The teacher in me made me want to fix more than just the power cord. I told my husband that I could do that desk man’s job even without any hospitality training. I just have to know how to make things better, sort of like what I do at school.
I had a similar experience at the after school program at my son’s elementary school. I walked in and they were watching an old VHS tape on a old TV. Nearby a screen was set up and a laptop and digital projector sat unused. I asked what was up? The director told me she couldn’t get the movie to play on the projector. I’ve never used that brand of projector before and the laptop was Windows XP and I rock with a MacBook. But in less than 10 minutes I found the control panel that allowed you to swap the video from the laptop to the projector. Much more difficult than on the Mac, but something a 21st Century teacher should be able to do. Needless to say I was the hero to the kids.
I’m sure that there are MANY jobs that you could do without any extra training. The question is: would you like them as well?
Like them as well as what I do now? Maybe…I’m pretty frustrated right now, and I know other careers have their downsides too. I’ve been out there before, but I think I’m ready to try something new.