A Hard Day's Night

Saturday9: Hard Day's Night

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) John Lennon sings that he's been working like a dog. What's the hardest job you've ever had? What made it so difficult?

A. One of the hardest jobs I ever had was when I was working with at temp agency. The women at the office I sent to were mean. As in nasty. They didn't want me there. They wouldn't give me any assignments. They called me names. They told me I was fat, to my face. They told me I was useless and they didn't know why I was born. They had me in tears, literally. They did not know but the two of them came after me like tigers chasing prey. I left at lunch and did not go back. I also didn't get any more work from that temp agency but that was fine with me. That was a half-day job but it still sticks with me because it made no sense - still makes no sense. Why be so cruel for no purpose, except for the purpose of getting rid of me, which they did successfully. That was a hard day. But it probably wasn't the hardest job I ever had. 

2) Despite the hard work, he likes his life and asks, "So why on earth should I moan?" What's the last thing you complained about? Who were you talking to?

A. I strongly suspect the last thing I complained about was the events taking place in Texas regarding women's reproductive rights, and I was would have been discussing it with either a friend or my husband, or perhaps some other decent human being who is rightly appalled at the Texas Taliban.

3) John was raised by his Aunt Mimi. She meant well when she told the teen-aged John, "The guitar's all right, but you'll never make a living out of it." What's the worst advice you've ever received?

A. That I would never be a writer.

4) This week's song was cowritten and also sung with Paul McCartney. Paul's father was more supportive of the lads' show business aspirations than Aunt Mimi was, but he still worried that his son wouldn't be able fully support himself as a musician. To please his dad, 17-year-old Paul worked over the Christmas holiday season as the "second man" on a delivery truck. Paul would be the one to hop off the truck and drop off the packages while the driver could keep the motor running and the heat on. Where was the last package you received from? (Extra points if you share what was in it.)

A. I received a package from Amazon. It had Sombra in it, which is a camphor and menthol rub for aching body parts. It was for my husband.

5) After Christmas was over, Dad insisted Paul get a full-time, year-around job. He ended up at a factory, winding heavy coils to be used in electric motors. He hated the work but enjoyed the lunch hours, eating jam sandwiches and, weather permitting, kicking a soccer ball around the yard with his coworkers. What's for lunch at your house today?

A. We are having sandwiches.

6) In early March 1961, the Beatles accepted a booking to play lunch hour gigs at Liverpool's Cavern Club, and so February 28, after less than two full months, Paul said goodbye to factory work. What's the shortest you ever stayed at a job?

A. See the answer to #1 above. I did a lot of temp jobs at various times, and those sometimes lasted a day or a week or longer. I had a job at a bank once and I think I lasted there about six weeks. Sometimes you just know you're not supposed to be somewhere.

7) Enough about these Brits! Labor Day was introduced to celebrate the achievements of the American worker. How many different employers have you had?

A. Um. Lots. If you counted baby sitting job, and then every different venue I've freelanced for, way lots.

8) This weekend may offer a golden opportunity for napping and sleeping in. Do you snore?

A. Yes. My husband calls them, "kitty cat snores." Fortunately, they are not very loud.

9) Labor Day traditionally marks the beginning of the new school year. When she was a kid, Samantha was crazy for her brand new box of 96 Crayola Crayons. It even had a sharpener in the back! What do you remember about preparing to go back to school? If you're an educator, let us know how you get the classroom ready for the kids.

A. I still love to go to the store this time of year and buy a new notebook or two or three. I always enjoyed the new notebooks, and we would get our textbooks and bring them home and Mom would carefully cover them with a brown paper bag cover so they wouldn't get torn or worn.

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