When I can accomplish what I plan to do. It's frustrating when I can't do what's important and what makes a difference in my workplace. So if I can spend my work time wisely and focus on getting the importnat work done, then I feel like I'm making a difference.

Sarah in Seattle

I do PR for a nonprofit social services agency called Hopelink, and I took the job in large part because the agency itself makes a difference in people's lives. We help people regain, or attain, self-sufficiency. Contrast that with my previous job in marketing for a public accounting firm. It felt good to play a major role in winning a new client for the firm, but that isn't the sort of difference that makes people cry, or gives them a warm feeling deep in their heart. At Hopelink, I feel that I am making a difference when I sucessfully pitch a story about the work that Hopelink does (which leads to better visibility and more monetary support), or about how Hopelink helped a former client turn their life around. I get truly excited seeing client success stories on TV or in the newspaper. Hopelink has made a difference in someone's life, and I've made a difference by getting the story out there.

I am extremely fortunate to work for CHOICES Education Group, a nonprofit that keeps teens in school. Most people don't realize that every school day 7,000 teens become dropouts in the US. Many of them grow up to be jobless, homeless, dependent on government assistance, and moving in and out of the prison system. The personal cost to them is devastating, and social cost to the rest of us is astronomical. In addition, the impact on our workforce is huge - that's 1.2 million MORE unqualified workers each year.

Into this alarming dilemma steps CHOICES, an interactive decision making workshop that focuses on keeping teens in school, motivates them toward their education and future, and introduces them to practical life skills to help them succeed. We were started by a Seattle dad that broke through to his troubled teenage son, and 21 years later have served over 5 million teens across the U.S. We currently support 265 program sites in 47 states and engage 2,200 business and community volunteers to serve 190,000 teens every year – that’s 1,000 teens every school day, and we do it with four employees and at a cost of less then $5 per teen. That’s what I call making a difference!

If you're really trying to figure out "the meaning of work", maybe you should first start thinking about what your own job is about; like how to produce something that's actually interesting and has relevance to your listeners. Your theme is way too broad and you don't seem to have any particular focus or angle, other than a series of sound bites and anecdotes. If you're not going to bring a unique point-of-view or context to this project, then why do it? Have you seen the cable series "Dirty Jobs"? I know it's not very "NPR", but it's funny, compelling, highly educational, and gives you an inside look into the kinds of jobs that most of us are happy to avoid.

Frank Lee - Tacoma

None of you will ever know the meaning of work until society has rejected you the way I have been rejected. I have been fired from every job I have ever had with a small exception of a few meaningless jobs. I once counted 8 jobs in a year. So I went to college and got a degree. That didn't work either. I am highly educated, cosider myself fairly bright and articulate. However, the bottom line is this... society thinks that anything that I can do for them has no value.

Unemployed in Alaska

What, at the end of your shift or your workday, gives you a sense of accomplishment, inspiration or joy?

The company I work for, J. L. Darling Corporation, makers of Rite in the Rain All Weather writing products, located in Tacoma, ROCKS! At the end of the day, I feel fabulous that we provide a very cool, unique product, to people around the globe, with zero impact on our environment. (We are a green company) I love our product. I have been an end user for over 20 years! The customers we serve; more specifically, the customers that I have the privilege to serve directly - the men and women of our Military, are crazy over our product as much as I am. Inspiration and the sense of accomplishment come from them telling us what they need, and us providing the very thing that answers that need. When I meet soldiers who are end users, they give me hugs, HOOAH's, and Hi Fives...and that's where the joy comes in. BIG JOY!

My company…all the people that work for the company and the owners… support innovation, and raving fan service…not only to our customers…but to each other.

I basically work 24-7 and travel a great deal for work. I gladly give up weekends and evenings to attend conferences in support of one military initiative or another. I travel with a Blackberry and high speed connectivity so wherever I go I can do good work. It is not uncommon for me to get up in the middle of the night for a glass of water or to use the bathroom, only to grab my Blackberry and check email. More often than not, I will have received an email or two, or ten, from soldiers around the globe, and will take the time to respond right then and there…sometimes; depending on the customer…I may wait to see if a response comes quickly. The fact that I may be tired never crosses my mind. I get excited just thinking about some soldier in a sandbox writing me about one thing or another and I can respond to the need for information and then…also be able to treat them like human beings and poke fun, tell a joke or send a crazy picture.

My job is a win, win, win. Good for my company, good for our customers, and so good for me. I have never worked in a job that was so well matched to my personality, for a company that treats me like I was the best thing ever, who equips me with the right tools and leaves the door open for innovation, and customers who love our products and treats me like I was family…It sounds too good to be true, but truth is…IT IS!

The Meaning of Work
By Pearl Kleinberger
pkleinberger@lwsd.org

I am a teacher. I have been in the field for 25 years…
As a teacher, Early Childhood Director…
and the last 14 years back to teaching. Loving what I do each day, discovering new things through the eyes of my 6 and 7 year old.


“How much time do you have left?” , I am often asked. The parents whose children I have taught seem to want to know. “Don’t retire for two, three, four more years, so you can teach my child.

Colleagues say, “I have only two years left. How about you?”.

“Time left? Just give me time, period!”
To listen to the children whose lives I share each day
To relish in their personalities and watch them grow before my eyes
To give their parents a gift each day, by writing a “gem” to them that their child orchestrates
By relishing in their lost tooth delight and writing, bite by bite!
In other words, I don’t foresee that word that is in so many “teacherese” minds, retirement.

I am looking for other venues to express my educational expertise-big words to say, “I will be a teacher till the last breath takes me!’

Where I will teach and how I will teach, changes every day.

My comfortable position in an upper middle class school with involved parents will change soon.
I feel it in my bones.
I know, as sure as the sun will shine, that my definition of who I am will always be “teacher”.
Waking up each morning at 4:15 AM, walking and mulling over each of my "18". Yes, I'm blessed with 18 children. "How can I affect their lives today". That's my mantra with each step of the way.
I have big shoes to fill, I say, to myself and the quiet outside.

There is data to collect, assessments to give, record keeping to do.
None of that interests me , or any real teacher.
I can affect thier lives in big ways, if I can breathe myself during the day.
Mrs. Stone is my mentor and model. She was my first and third grade teacher.
Do I remember the nuts and bolts of how she taught me to read. 'Heck,no".
What she did teach me was the humanity of touching me. She made me feel, to this day, that I was special, what I had to say was astounding. No one else could have possibly thought up the answer I gave or written the piece I wrote. She turned me on as a person, and gave me the dream to be teacher.

Going into my classroom each day, I am Mrs. Stone. I touch a child's life, with my look and my words.

If Mrs. Stone could instill in me the wonder of a raindrop, I can
beat my drum, shake my rainstick, clap the words and become 6 years old ago.

That's what me, the teacher does. I love my work!

I am a facilitator of dreams. My medium is design. For the last 40 years I have been designing and building furniture for lots of different people around the Northwest. Some are high rollers. Some are middle rollers. Some choose not to roll at all. The common factor is that they all have this need to make their nests their own. I help them do that. In the collaboration and dialogue in getting to that point, we create something more than either of us could have imagined alone.

I help people secure car loans when they have less than perfect credit. Some profiles are very challenging and I get people in here who have no way to get to work or are taking 4 or 5 buses to get to work. It is very exciting to see them drive off in a good reliable car! I love my job!

My boss, Jerry Thornton. He is the owner and driving force of STT (Seattle Tackle Twill) Sports Lettering. Part of our job is to add the embellishment to the uniforms of the Mariners, Seahawks, Sonics, Storm, Thunderbirds, Everett Silvertips and various U.W. Huskey teams. Jerry is creative, upbeat and tireless. While working impssibly long hours, he continues to provide the best in product with a winning personality. He is a pleaure to work for and a source of admiration and inspiration.

Dan

Hi, I'm an at-home mom to our 4 year-old son, and I often say it's the best job in the world. I am making a huge difference, one person at a time. We've made a lot of choices in our life that have allowed me to be at home with our son. We moved across the country to be near my partner's family, and to be in an economy where we could afford for me to be at home. Our pace of life is such that we both have time to spend with our son doing things that impart our social justice and environmental values. I could go on and on, but I just really feel blessed to be in a position to parent full-time as I have always wanted to. The debate about at-home vs. "working mom" is age-old, but I am doing the best job in the world in my opinion, and glad that I am one of the people who is able to do the job they feel is most important.

What about your work makes you feel that you are making a difference?

I love the optimism of that question!

Does my work make a difference?

I think so and I can hear it.

I’m a hand therapist and cellist, and I have the privilege of working with musicians and helping them get back to their work.

I've worked in all kinds of settings--trauma center teaching hospitals, suburban outpatient clinics, nursing homes. I get to meet all sorts of interesting people from all walks of life--artists, politicians, IV drug abusers. I've treated all types of injuries from arthritis to hand amputations. And, everyday, I see the incredible miracle of the human body healing.

For me, musicians are the most amazing individuals to work with. They are so passionate about what they do and motivated to get back to it or to reach a higher level of performance.

It is such a pleasure and privilege to experience a performance by one of the musicians I’ve worked with and feel I’ve been a part of it.

I've had many jobs in my life. I also was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years. I just started working outside the home again last year and I find my job so rewarding in so many ways. I work as a classroom RN at a middle school with a student who must have a nurse with her during school. I am in a classroom with over 15 special education kids whose challenges range from autism to down syndrome to medically fragile conditions. I work with other adults who are very committed to helping children succeed in a safe and caring environment. Everyone is very hard working and has a great sense of humor, which we need to get through some of our days! This job is rewarding and meaningful because we are making life better for our vulnerable students, helping them learn, giving them some of the tools they need to succeed and feel ok about themselves. I enjoy my work very much and hope I am able to continue doing it for years to come.

Nearly 25 years have passed since I first started singing to those with dementia. I have tried to learn from them, walk with them, and listen to them. I have learned to read their signs, their broken words, their wandering,and confusion.I have looked deep into their eyes, the windows to their hearts and souls.Layers of their exterior selves have been chipped away by disease, where the past and present seem to collide. I can't turn back the hands of time,nor can I dislodge the huge obstacle that is dementia.
I can only sing.I can try to musically weave strands of melody which may spin a pattern onto the fabric of a distant memory. My hope is to offer a warm lilting voice which might hold their spirit if only for a moment. After all this time spent in this arena, I have come to know that the meaning of work for me, is that all any of us have is the here and now. Each moment is precious for all of us.I believe that music keeps a fading life light flickering, it is music that can console a troubled spirit, and reassure a lonely heart......Lois McCloskey Seattle

As a kid in High School, than a Mom, and now a Grandmother, I know how much those pictures can mean later on in life, to yourself and to others who love you. I never thought before how difficult it was to get a whole group of Junior High or High school kids to cooperate on photo day! Those pictures aren't cheap for the parents to pay for either, and later on they mean so much to have, to look back that moment in time in our kids lives. If only we could envision at 13 or 14 years old, that we'd want to someday look back and see pictures of ourselves and our friends smiling again. Helping those kids to help themselves take good pictures is a tough job. Grandma of 5 in Mesa, Arizona

Just wanted to thank you for the article on the boilermaker. As a tradesperson I can never relate to the folks who apparently do nothing for a living, but I heard where he was coming from loud and clear.
As it happens I also work for the Burning Man festival in the Summer, building the infrastructure and cleaning it all up afterwards, so when I heard he was also a Burner I was stoked. Tell him to drop by the corner of 5 + B and look for Slickfinger, I'll have a cold beer for him.

I volunteer at the American Cancer Society. I clean, style, and fit wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair because of chemotherapy. While the cleaning process isn’t exactly enjoyable, the end result of seeing a client truly happy is what makes it all worth while.

To Bellamy Pailthorpe regarding your recent interview with Steve Rogel, Weyerhaeuser Chairman of the Board and former President and CEO: At some point, you should come an interview some "regular" Weyerhaeuser employees. While it's nice that he doesn't have to bring work home, the rest of us who work for him have to do so if we want to keep our jobs in an ever-shrinking company. I'd like the opportunity to relax on a 42 foot boat too, but dang it, we can only get a 2% raise so the closest I can come to relaxing on a boat is to take a Washington State Ferry. As Mr. Rogel gets ready to retire, he gets the golden parachute with a big set of stock options for which the normal rules of excerising have been temporarily been changed. Many of us are in jeopardy of losing our jobs soon as we sell off another major part of our company - we will get no options, no package...nothing. This will be a good story for you or one of your reporters later this year when our press people (great spin artists) send out the press release that Weyerhaeuser will be laying off more staff in the corporate region following the completion of our sale of our Containerboard Packaging and Recycling business.

This is a fun idea for an interview series, but I found the interviews clichéd and little more than support for the interviewer's expectations. I'd suggest giving the interviewees a larger role.