Today is the birthday of the late George Plimpton. He was born on this date in 1927 in New York City.
I owe Plimpton a debt for showing me that I would not be able to make my living as a professional football player. I read his book, “Paper Lion“, shortly after reading a different book about my hero of the time, New York Jets Quarterback Joe Namath.
The book about Namath had me thinking I could be a star quarterback too! After all, he started as a nobody and I was a nobody. Namath went to training camp with the Jets in Peekskill, New York, and I lived near Peekskill, New York! Namath was a famed playboy, and my friends and I had found a rain-soaked copy of Playboy in the woods near my house. I once saw him crossing the street surrounded by a crowd of autograph seekers, and if he had looked in my direction, he would have seen me sitting in the back seat of my mother’s car!
So you can see how we were virtually the same guy.
When the family moved to Central Illinois I was certain I could use my special East Coast Joe Namath Mojo to wow the locals. But at about the same time, I picked up Paper Lion. I soon realized that not only was I too small to make it on the professional field of play, but I lacked the strength and confidence necessary to survive the locker room.
Besides, Plimpton made it seem as cool to be a writer as it was to be quarterback of the Detroit Lions. He was a pioneer in “participatory journalism,” taking up a number of sports as an “everyman athlete.” I didn’t read his other books so I can only assume that in each case, the job of writer wound up seeming more glamorous than whatever sport he was trying out. Although if anyone tried to follow his lead, they probably discovered the most glamorous job of all was simply being Plimpton.
There is a documentary film about his remarkable life which is making the rounds. I would very much like to see it.
What job would you like to try for a day?
Trail Baboon 
Good morning. How about food critic? I would travel around to all my favorite restaurants, sample the food, and write about the experience. When I got done trying the food I would go into the kitchen and interview the chef. I think that would be fun. Another one would be playing professional basketball, but I am sure that would not go well.
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Supreme Court Justice is the first thing that leaps to mind – I want to see what plain old everyday day is like in their world. Wouldn’t have to be a day they are hearing testimony, a day of reading and thinking (probably writing) and figuring stuff out would be fine.
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Another bonus: I’d get to hang with Ruth Bader Ginsburg for the day (though it might be hard, on that day, not to swat Justice Thomas on the nose with a rolled up newspaper).
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Anna, the History Theater in St. Paul currently has a play called “Courting Harry” on their schedule. It’s about two boyhood friends from the East Side of St. Paul who both grew up to become Supreme Court justices, Warren Burger and Harry Blackmun. It’s terrific, and give a very good idea of what goes on behind the scenes on the Supreme Court. I highly recommend it.
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Oooh – that does sound cool. Will have to look how long it runs and try to get over to see it.
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Fire tower ranger.
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I could go with that one myself, Clyde. Another one sort like that would be park naturalist.
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One of my best friends was the naturalist at Gooseberry for 32 years. He was rather famous actually after being there that long. He used to take care of the campers in all sorts of personal ways. He and his sweet wife were an important part of our children’s childhood. We camped there often and went to many of his program when we weren’t camping. You and he are much alike.
After I became the pastor of the church right by the park and could no longer do campers’ services, he and his wife came to the church every Sunday and all but joined it for the summer, good ecumenical Catholics that they were.
He was one of my favorite hiking partners. He and I did I bet 100 miles of the Superior Trail.
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I’ve known a couple of those guys over the years . Reading outdoorsy laid back folk
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Always wanted to pitch for the Twins. Nothing fancy. Just start me in game 7 of the World Series. Of course I’d have a fastball rivalling that of Bob Gibson and Bert Byleven’s curve, backed up by Johann Santana’s change up.
POTUS would be fun for a day too. All I’d do is rescind all the stupid, power-grabbing, rights-usurping Executive Orders signed by our presidents from 2001 to the present.. If I had enough time, I’d go backwards from there, but I’m afraid i’d have a bad case of writers cramp.
Chris in Owatonna.
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If I could have the skills of some of the top basketball players I would consider a day as a professional. I would lead the Timberwolves to a win in the league finals.
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Thanks for reminding me, Jim. I always wanted to be able to dunk a basketball like the pros. Only got the ball to even with the rim in my “prime”. That would be a hoot, playing “real” basketball for one glorious day..
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I’d very much like to be a nurse-midwife for a day. When I was in school, I thought about pursuing that, but it just seemed like it was almost impossible to get licensed in most states back then.
Fast forward to the preparations for the arrival of the s&h, and who did I end up spending most of my time with when I went to the OB? Yup, Nurse-midwives, some of the most excellent women I have ever known. That, or a truly gifted Neonatal ICU nurse, again, some of the most excellent people I have ever met.
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That would be wonderful. I have a midwife friend and she has shared some lovely pictures and stories.
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Morning–
I’d like to drive a snow plow truck. No, wait, I think I just want to ride along for a couple hours. Maybe run a crane; one of those tall tower cranes. Or a tank. (I have looked into those camps that let you drive a tank and run over stuff… hmmm, a lot of money just for that. How much is a thrill or an ‘experience’ worth?) Or a jet plane. Or driving the biggest bulldozer Caterpillar makes. Or one of their big trucks! Or a helicopter!
I’ll come up with more I’m sure.
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Back in his road equipment phase (I believe it was right after the dinosaurs, and considerably before dwarves), the s&h had some great picture books, including one that hod obscenely big earthmovers and such in it. Cool in a “wow is that huge” sort of way, but also really scary in a “look how much natural terrain that can flatten in the blink of an eye” sort of way.
I will say, the road equipment days definitely made me think about the summer construction season differently. It wasn’t a delay, it was an entertainment opportunity!
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The more I think about this the more I realize how much I love being retired. I try to picture myself doing something that I’ve always wanted to try, like race car driving, and I immediately focus on all the things I wouldn’t like about it, like the fuel stench and noise, to say nothing of the possibility of a horrendous crash.
But if I had to be pressed back into service, let me do Charlie Rose’s or Bill Moyers’ job for a day. In depth interviewing of interesting people would be a fun challenge that I’d love to have a go at.
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I think you can do it today for an e rag that has a clientele with taste and brains
Bob Edwards charley rose
Bill moyers
Dale Connelly great interviewers all
Add pj to the list and give it a try
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It is SO hard to imagine doing any job but my own while ignoring the fact that I don’t have the skills or the temperament. I like to think I have an imagination but I come up short in this exercise. Trying, trying to set that aside, it would be fun to be an actor or a radio host.
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Jim’s “food critic” does seem like it would be fun for a day. I would like, for one, to try out being a librarian, but back in the day when there were drawers of cards in the card catalog, and little pockets in the books that you could stamp… I also thing it would be fine to be a tour guide somewhere – one of the famous mansions maybe, dressed in period costume. Or have my own book business – no, wait, I did that.
This is a fun question, Dale – will think some more on this.
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Or you could be a librarian in period costume AND indulge your love of dance!
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Ooo; one of my favorites. Thanks MIG!
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The clip didn’t show the dance but how fun would that be? I’ve always thought it would be fun to be a dancer. Do the Shiboopi!
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thanks Ben! I was so hoping it would include Shipoopi. You’ve filled the gap.
and I’ll just say right here how much I love watching Robert Preston perform.
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🙂 🙂 Why didn’t I think of that?
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Couple of things that might be fun for a day (or two):
Lighthouse keeper (as long as i have a bunch of good books)
Factotum for Queen Elizabeth (or Duchess Katherine)
Safari guide (photo safari only)
Famous author at a signing
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I think I should rather like to be in charge of walking the corgis, but only if I could start by calling, “Walkies! Walkies!”
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Oh, yes, this would be excellent as well!
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and tea and bikkies afterward, I think.
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I think it would be exciting to be a dog handler for the Best of Show dog at the Westminster Kennel Club, especially if I was showing a terrier.
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I’d like to be a florist and arrange flowers for a day. And, with all the snow and cold temps it just sounds like a good thing to do today. It would make me happy playing with flowers instead of shoveling snow.
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Welcome riklyn – and yes, floral arranging is a bunch of fun, and a good way to spend a snowy day. I worked in a floral shop for a bit and learned some about arranging, making corsages, bridal bouquets, etc. On days when you got to work with lovely colors and beautiful scents, it was heavenly (days with too many lilies got a bit overwhelming, alas).
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Just be sure you pick a day other than Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.
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Chocolate and truffle maker. A day working with all sorts of really good, really dark chocolate making amazing tasting things – that would be cool. (I have tried truffles on my own and mostly made a big mess, so, like all of our daydreams, I would magically have to have the skills necessary to product Chocolate Celeste level delights.)
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Except for this problem….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzErwIHEEDE
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This is likely more what I would look like making chocolates (though, really, a day of being Lucille Ball would also be a ton of fun).
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this is why you would only want that job for one day!
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I will watch for this movie about G. Plimpton… he sounds fascinating! And Dale, I thoroughly enjoyed all the ways in which you’re like J. Namath.
OK, a few more:
Train conductor (when there are no difficult passengers on board)
Architect (at the point where the blueprints are being drawn… is that the draftsman?)
Counselor (at the point when someone is about to make an important breakthrough)
Archeologist (when they’re about to uncover a major discovery)
4th or 5th (?) Grade Teacher (doing the math class when you get to make designs with compass and protractor)
You can see, I’m not very picky…
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I’d be an archaeologist with you…I think there are vacations you can go on where you help on a dig. It’s on my “bucket list,” if those opportunities are still around.
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I confess, I have often longed for the mastery of every situation that is the career of Jeeves-I would work for Bertie Wooster (or any of the Drones), if I had that level of competency and cool.
I’d also like to be a Saville Row tailor, but I don’t think they let girls in.
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I’ve always thought it would be a dream job to be a radio disc jockey, especially one that gets to do the occasional interview of a performer. Dale can tells us more about this and probably include some of the less desirable behind the scenes aspects, but from the outside looking in, this looks like a very fun and stimulating job.
Don’t know that being a philanthropist qualifies as a job, but it would be a very satisfying thing to do, handing out money to individuals or organizations that I deem deserving of support. I do this on a very small scale with Kickstarter. I find the notion, that a lot of small contributions can actually assure that a creative project comes to fruition, thrilling.
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Taste-tester for my friend who makes wonderful truffles.
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Greetings! I would love to be a star on Broadway — singing, dancing and acting my heart out and be absolutely outstanding. You know, the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd. Ah, the few times in high school when I was Snoopy in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and the crowd went wild after my big number “Suppertime”. There’s nothing like the sound of loud applause and cheering while you’re under those hot, Klieg lights to make you feel you’re on top of the world and unstoppable. There’s no business like show business!
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Suppertime is a great number, wish I could have seen you do it. If only it were on YouTube.
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And remember, it’s ‘show BUSINESS, not show ART’.
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Love that song; thanks, Holly.
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Acoustic guitar folkie
Stevie ray Vaughn blu
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My laptop being disabled makes getting here challenging and entering even more so
I feel like someone else is doing my entries with capital letters and all
Stevie ray Vaughn blues man
Formula 1 race car driver
Astronaut
Pirate
Viking
Creato of the universe ( how long is a day)
A rich man
Children’s musician
Poet
Abstract painter
Realist…..
………….
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Ballet dancer
Trapeze artist
Pool shooter
Sky diver
Those guys who jump in flying squirrel outfits
A taster in Lynn Rosetta caspers kitchen
A wine scotch brandy vodka cigar aficionado
A deep sea diver
A snow boarder
A lifeguard at a fun pool
A motorcycle racer
Planner of how to make the world a place that is more even for all involved
A massage critique and advisor
A hatter
A habidasher
A pastry chef
A stand up comic
A singer
A cello
Jazz violin
Trumpet
Sax
Trombone
Jazz guitar
Piano master
Vibes
Harp
Harmonica
Penny whistle
Mandolin
Drum
Stand up bass
Sculptor
Weaver
Carver
Inventor
Songwriter
Beer bread and cheese taster
Mountain man
Mystic
Monk
Priest (a day)
Homeopath
Gambler
Sports agent
Goldsmith
Philosopher
Motivational speaker
You know if I did George plimptons deal I could be booked til I’m a hundred
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Atta way tim.
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I knew you’d have a list, tim, but I had no idea…!
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A renaissance man!
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You forgot lion tamer, tim.
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Ya know, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve done some of those already for at least a day…
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Dales rain soaked playboy brought back memories of playboys in forts and vacant houses in my early adolescence, I remember seeing paper lion as book of the month on my moms book club and I wondered who would want to pretend to be a football player if he knew he wouldn’t make it. I get it now I didn’t then
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Keb’ Mo’ performing in front of an audience like tonight’s at the Guthrie. A skilled performer with a genuine rapport with his audience; great concert.
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Glad a baboon was there to see him, PJ.
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I love ken mo
First saw him as opening act for Taj Mahal and have seen him 3 or 4 times since
Music critic
Play commentator
Guy who checks out activities around town of all sorts
A decree to have to go to every baseball football basketball hockey volleyball horse race classical concert rock performance new restraunt opening museum or group special event would be a death wish but a mixture is all the above with museum coffee shop wine bar food coop neighborhood celebrations and news from the items of interest for the moment would be a hoot
May be time to start an e publication with stuff of interest as a criteria
I think we could find dome contributing reporters
The rake is missed
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I think it might be fun to be a vintner for a day. But a single day would not encompass the process. Maybe it would be better to be a vintner for a year – then you’d know what it was really all about. Same for brewing beer.
Mostly, though – like PJ – I think being retired sounds like an excellent profession.
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