If I Were a Carpenter . . .

I picked this off the East Coast Editor’s and the West Coast Wine Connoisseur: Pick five occupations out of the list below and write your take on each one.

If I could be a scientist... If I could be a farmer... If I could be a musician... If I could be a doctor... If I could be a painter... If I could be a gardener... If I could be a missionary... If I could be a chef... If I could be an architect... If I could be a linguist... If I could be a psychologist... If I could be a librarian... If I could be an athlete... If I could be a lawyer... If I could be an inn-keeper... If I could be a professor... If I could be a writer... If I could be a llama-rider... If I could be a bonnie pirate... If I could be an astronaut... If I could be a world-famous blogger... If I could be a justice on any one court in the world... If I could be married to any current famous political figure...

If I could be a doctor: I would gather my friend Ms. Scientist, plus others with great knowledge, get them their salaries (through grants and donations), and work with them to find a cure for cancer. In the process, we’d find a cure and a prevention for asthma.

If I could be a chef: I would open an affordable “home” where people could stay for up to a month, to learn to create healthy heart-happy, weight-happy meals for themselves that they would really eat. The food would also be such that they could readily obtain it in their local grocery stores. It would be healthy food, no chemicals, no cans, but freezable in case they want to cook for one day and then eat all month. In the process, they could enjoy spa services, tennis, group and solo exercise, and get healthier.

If I could be an architect: I would donate my time and talent to design and build affordable housing that would cost nothing to the residents in poor countries. I would design residential neighborhoods that facilitate neighbors’ coming together and getting to know each other. The houses would have reasonably sized rooms, well-equipped kitchens, not be the huge monoliths we have in southern California now, have decent yards instead of overly-huge living quarters, plus, if the owner decided to add on, the design of the building would facilitate that.

If I could be a linguist: I would create a language that all people could understand. It would combine the most common structures of most languages and be easily learned, so that when translation of one’s native language into another’s is challenging, this new language would help. This would greatly reduce, and maybe even eliminate a “lost in translation” syndrome, plus reduce confusion, and suspicion in political conversations. I would create transitional words and phrases that more accurately express ideas in all languages. It would NOT be English. I would also simplify that language and make it easier to learn.

If I could be an inn-keeper: I would make granola with my Dad’s recipe; I would bake breads, cookies, muffins and learn how to make brioche. I would include breakfast and dinner in the price; the menu for dinner would be a prix fix menu—dinner would be different every evening. I would provide, two weekends per year, a Mom’s getaway weekend, free of charge to working single moms, providing transportation for them. I would have two other weekends per year available to my mom friends so we could have time away, too.

What about if I could be US President??

“I'm now supposed to tag three other bloggers to do this meme, but I prefer to do it this way: If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged!” East Coast Editor wrote. I like her idea, so Tag, you're it!