Lunch today was so good.
So good!
I was in the mood for pasta and cooked up a serving of whole grain rotini and added chopped asparagus to the boiling water to lightly cook the vegetable without dirtying another pan.
Dirty dishes are my nemesis.
I then used my super-fancy spinach trick to wilt fresh spinach for in the pasta and tossed everything in a bit of Smart Balance before adding the shining star of the meal to the mix: al fresco teriyaki ginger chicken meatballs.
The flavor of these meatballs is out-of-this-world fantastic. Had I tried them before cooking up the pasta, I’m pretty sure my lunch would’ve been just a bowl of meatballs.
Al fresco actually sent me a few of their all-natural products to try after seeing me profess my love for their chicken sausage numerous times on the blog throughout the past two years. Ryan and I eat al fresco chicken sausage nearly every week – sometimes twice a week – and it’s one of my go-to foods because it’s so easy to chop up and add to pasta, squash casserole, quesadillas and more.
I kind of want to recreate this exact meal for dinner tonight.
And now it’s time for some job talk!
Best and Worst Jobs of 2012
This morning I saw an interesting list on the Wall Street Journal’s website that I thought might intrigue you guys as well!
CareerCast.com compiled a list of the best and worst jobs from 2012. The worst jobs were determined based on “physical labor, declining job opportunities, a poor work environment and high stress,” while the best jobs boast great pay, high hiring demand and great working conditions.
The top 15 best jobs included:
- Software Engineer
- Actuary
- Human Resources Manager
- Dental Hygienist
- Financial Planner
- Audiologist
- Occupational Therapist
- Online Advertising Manager
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Mathematician
- Speech Pathologist
- Optometrist
- Physical Therapist
- Pharmacist
- Web Developer
The top 15 worst jobs included:
- Lumberjack
- Dairy Farmer
- Enlisted Military Soldier
- Oil Rig Worker
- Reporter (Newspaper)
- Waiter/Waitress
- Meter Reader
- Dishwasher
- Butcher
- Broadcaster
- Shoe Maker/Repairer
- Drill-Press Operator
- Conservationist
- Taxi Driver
- Automobile Assembler
Interesting, huh?
You may search for your job on the Wall Street Journal’s website if you’re curious to see where your job falls on the list.
After looking at the lists, I realized that two jobs I personally find intriguing may be found on the best and worst jobs list. I always thought it would be neat to be a physical therapist or a broadcaster.
When I first went to college, I was torn between pursing a degree in journalism (I wanted to be a news anchor) and education (I wanted to teach high school English). I ended up getting my degree in advertising and public relations, but have so many interests that a ton of different careers sound pretty cool to me.
Questions of the Afternoon
- Is your job on one of the above lists? Do you agree with its label as a “best” or “worst” job?
- Of the jobs listed above, which one intrigues you most?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
I had a big bowl of avocado and asparagus pasta for lunch….and then I had pee that smelt so weird!!!! Sorry random but had to share when saw the asparagus pasta! My job doesn’t feature, I’m a marketing manager…I duno, I think being a broadcaster cud be pretty fun!
I am half way through pharmacy school, so I was super excited to find my future job on the best list! 🙂 Thanks for posting this, Julie!
Pharmacist…holler! Well, in a few short months that is 🙂 I’m graduating in 3 weeks!
Occupational Therapy!!! Love it!!!! It is such a kick-a** field with some awesome people. I love OT!
I’m going to school to be a physician assistant… we are #26… not too shabby!
I dont think a farmer is the WORST tjob out there, I just think our dairy and crop farmers are so so under respected and under appreciated
Broadcaster cracked the top 10.. that surprises me! I like my job! 🙂
I’m in law school – lawyer should definitely be on the worst jobs list (or at least the law school part)…I am most intrigued by a conservationist – what in the world makes someone want to do that?!?
P.S. your lunch looks incredible! it’s passover so i can’t have pasta and now i am CRAVING some! Luckily, i’m going for italian tomorrow night and am going to indulge in the biggest bowel of crab linguine every created!
To answer your question, people become conservationists because they have a passion for preserving and protecting wildlife and their habitats. It may not pay well, but it is rewarding in so many other ways!
I didn’t see this list in my Wall Street Journal this morning! Very interesting- i’m coming to the point where I’ll have to choose a major for college soon, after my SAT *total stress*. I’ve always had an interest in law/ politics/business but fitness as well. Hoping I can do something with that. My dad always tells me to do something I love or I’ll be MISERABLE. Maybe starting my own health/fitness business? Also noticed that technology related jobs are ranked pretty high.too bad i’m very technically challenged!
Sad day to be a high school teacher! #137 on the list! I love my job, the kiddos, and the stresses that go with it. It’s just not the right job for everyone, I guess 😉
Except your job is #1 on CNN’s list of best jobs for saving the world!
I’m currently trying to design my own website for my blog and it makes me wish I would have studied web design!
Interesting! My job (school psychologist) isn’t on there, but a lot of the people I work with were (speech path, OT, PT). And it’s interesting about a mathematician. I can obviously see them as being useful, but you just don’t hear many people saying that their profession is “mathematician!”
I think it just boils down to choosing a career that interests you and something you will enjoy doing everyday. My husband is a Web Developer & to him it’s the best job ever. I was a Technical Writer & created Software Documentation; people are always in awe when they find out, but to me, I have the best job as a SAHM now. 😉
I’m in the military. I get why it might not be top job, but it is top in rewarding feeling. Ah well, only 2 more years to my pension. Then it’s off to be a Purchasing Agent which moves me up the list significantly. lol…not thinking it will be as exciting of a job.
i’m on the best list! number 11, speech pathologist, and i agree it is a good job!
High school teacher came in at 137 (I’m middle school, but it’s close). There’s definitely a lot of stress, not enough pay, and the hiring situation is dire right now. Then again, it’s probably one of the most rewarding professions that exist, so I’ll take it!
Your lunch has given me a serious craving for asparagus…yum! i’m a grad student…if that was on the list, i’m sure it would be a part of the “worst” haha
So happy that my soon to be job is on the best list! I will be done with the academic part of grad school for occupational therapy next month :D. And I need to start putting asparagus in my pasta, and spinach too. It looks super tasty!
Im on the best list and my hubby is on the worst lol
Im an Audiologist and he is an enlisted soldier.
Yay! I have a BA and a MA in History and I was trying to get myself into the museum business (I’m actually super jealous that you got to work for a museum, although it wasn’t your favorite), and after a while of no luck, I did some soul searching and now I’m taking prereqs for a PT program. I love my classes and it sounds like I’m making a good choice…just cross your fingers for me that I get into a program 😀
Totally unrelated, but I made the BEST dessert EVER! And it’s healthy! And it includes peanut butter!
Take 1 1/2 scoops chocolate protein powder (your choice what kind, though casein will take longer to digest overnight, which is a good thing) and mix with 6oz plain yogurt, 1tbsp peanut butter (or more…), and honey to taste.
Chocolate peanut butter pudding, packed with protein and low in sugar. So, so good!
Awww, poor lumberjacks! Lol.
I thought for sure registered nurse would be on the best list somewhere! While the demands of the job can sure bite sometimes, the pay and demand of nurses for jobs is very high (well, in Canada anyway…).
That’s so funny you posted that. I’m a journalist and we were joking about that list the other day at work. Seriously? Waitress is better than our job? Granted, I’m a copy editor, but I have been a reporter and it’s fun! And you get to sit down and not carry around other people’s dirty dishes! I can see if you’re a crime reporter in, say, Miami or someplace and you get called in the middle of the night to go cover a high-profile murder. But your everyday run-of-the-mill reporter has a pretty good (if low-paying and job-security-free) existence.
Well, I WILL be #11, speech-language pathologist, once I finish this grueling Masters degree in a few months. So it’s nice to see that it’s ranked highly and all this work pays off 🙂 although I’m a waitress/bartender on the side, which is ranked as one of the worst, but I’ve always found it to be so much fun and will probably continue to bartend on the side for as long as I can!
So working nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays; standing up all day; not getting lunch; rarely getting a bathroom break, and getting yelled at all day is good working conditions?! Ah, pharmacy!
I always think that I’d be a good financial planner! Very different from my current career, which is teaching.
I am a speech pathologist working with adults and I love it!
I’m a dietitian and my job was #17! Except, they spelled dietitian the wrong way and used a c… sigh.
I’m surprised accountant or CPA wasn’t one of the top worst. Although there are jobs, it certainly is high stress and has terrible hours.
Chiropractor #19 – my husband is and I runout office. Love seeing people get healthier each day!
*our
I am a social worker…foster care and adoption specifically…my job was number 50…while I like my job I was pretty surprised it was that high on the list…low pay and tiny cubicle…
Physical therapist is a job I’m THINKING of going into (studying for college) so it’s pretty cool seeing that 🙂
I suppose I am missing the point of the article, however in my humble opinion being fortunate enough to have a job in today’s economy is a good job.
I’m currently a teacher but at the end of the school year I’m moving onto a new career, event planning [neither are on the list]… This year I have learned there is SO MUCH more to teaching than preparing a lesson the night before and hoping that all goes smoothly the following day in class.
I’m kinda surprised to see dental hygienist on the list of top jobs- the dentist is one of my least fave places to go 😛
my job is not on the list but it s defnitely one of the best and in my opinion the most noble….teaching!
I’m currently in school to become an occupational therapist! WOOHOO OT! 🙂
the job I want is #1. the job I sometimes have is #170.
🙁
I have #6 worse job- waitress… TRUE STORY.. my job blows.. lol
My job is not even on the list. Does that mean it is worst than the number 200? Some days I would agree :). I would love to be a web designer.
I’m a dental hygienist and I love what I do!
Even though hygiene is a great job, the Best Jobs of 2012 list is misleading. Part of the criteria for best jobs is the demand for the occupation.
To clarify, there isn’t a demand for dental hygiene. In fact, the market has been so saturated with hygienists that the rate of pay has decreased and it’s next to impossible to find a job.
The 2012 list needs to be updated.
I guess I’m a software engineer/web developer and I do love my job quite a bit.
woo hoo I’m studying to be #2 on the list. If only I could pass the tests….
I teach high school English and it is the greatest job in the world!
wow, I made the top 15! I’m really surprised that broadcaster is on worst…seems so cool.
Julie, did you notice that the “worst” jobs are those that require little to no education? The top 10 jobs mostly require bachelors degrees, and most of them require masters or doctorate level degrees. To me, this isn’t surprising– of course more education = better jobs!!? The hubby is about to graduate with his doctorate in Physical Therapy from UCF, so it’s good to see things like this!!!! 🙂 It was a long, tough, grueling road!
#11 Speech Language Pathologist is what I went to school for and hopefully will be getting into grad school to become! GREAT job. Good pay, fun, and very in demand!
I’m an editor, good old #118! And I love it! Really, none of the jobs on either list sound that interesting to me, so I guess that means I’m right where I’m supposed to be!
We eat a lot of al fresco products too. 🙂 Tasty and convenient is a great combination.
I’m in school studying to be an early childhood education teacher. My dream job is to go into OT for kids with special needs. I love everything I’ve heard about the career and seeing this on the list is promising. I know it will be a challenge, but it will be such a rewarding experience.