Alternative Career Paths

It's no secret the newspaper industry is in deep, deep do-dah. With a little luck and a lot of talent, Ed has managed to stay gainfully employed through the upheaval, but it doesn't stop us from thinking what second career might be out there for him.

Here are a few jobs outside the biz that I think Ed would be great in:

1. Lunchtime Acoustic Guitar Performer at Potbelly's. He already has some previous performing experience, so this gig would be a natural progression on his way to musical stardom. And based on the way he tips current guitar guy every time we sneak in for a mid-day sandwich, I have a feeling this might be at the top of Ed's list.

2. Baby Swaddler Consultant. He was so good at swaddling our boys when they were newborns. They would be wound so tightly in their receiving blanket that only their eyes would dart back and forth, and otherwise were pretty much motionless....kind of like brown South Park characters. Surely, there must be a market out there for this expertise? Exhausted parents willing to pay a premium for a good night's sleep has got to be a recession-proof industry.

3. Ikea Furniture Builder. As excited as I get about buying new IKEA furniture, Ed is equally excited for an excuse to build it. We make a great team!

4. Game Show Circuit Professional. What better way to put to use all of the superfluous information he has collected on the copy desk of two of the country's top newspapers?

5. McDonald's Manager. The last time Asher and I were at McDonald's, he looked and listened to the workers behind the counter and realized that they were all speaking Spanish. "Hey, Papi speaks Spanish," he thought out loud. Then his eyes got really big..... "Papi could work at McDonalds!" he cautiously said as if it might too big of dream to say out loud. I could see free happy meals and milkshakes dancing around in his little head.

See Easy Ed....there will definitely be life after newspapers!