Six-Word Search: Labor Day
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="360" caption="Inferno, courtesy of K. Kendall via www.flickr.com"]
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Labor Day is around the corner.
Why do we celebrate this first Monday of September each year? Hardly a trick question, yet the meaning surprisingly stumps people. It’s not about birthing, although that’s a doozy of a job and aptly named. Labor Day, declared a Federal holiday in 1894, was established to honor the labor movement and the struggles of our nation’s working class. Traditionally, it marked the passing of summer — halfway between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving — and the start of school year and was the cue to pack away your fabulous wardrobe whites for the year.
Fast-forward a century: unions are on the decline, our workforce and school calendars have changed, and wearing white post-summer — while still cause for comment in some circles — is no longer taboo. Ironically, Labor Day is one of the busiest days of the year for retailers and many service industry workers. Thankfully, this three-day weekend offers most of us a chance to uncork a bottle of carefree and savor one last summer night with family or friends. Even if you never leave your doorstep, the destination is less important than the point: take a break and get away. Here are a few Six Word Memoirs to get you in the mood for the long weekend ahead, however you spend it. Feel free to add your own!Labor Day USA. Few know why. —Loon
No Monday morning madness... Labor Day!!! —Heem08
Maverick; wearing white after Labor Day! —smaratta
Labor Day. Working class. Perfect segue. —Contemplative
Work Challenge Winners #4: "Best Lesson I Learned at Work"
We've wrapped up our summer-long "Six Words About Work" contest with the consulting group Mercer and think of no better way to roll into Labor Day than to announce the three winners of the final challenge, "Best Lesson I Learned at Work," each of whom win either an iPad2 or BlackBerry PlayBook.
U.S. Winner—Melesha Owen, “Press every button until printer works.” Melesha just celebrated her tenth year as librarian in a public library in Hayward, California. Her memoir, she explains, applies to more than just the proverbial printer. "Over the years, I have learned that fixing stuff is just a matter of trying everything." Melesha is an active SMITH user whose written more than 280 Six-Word Memoirs after spotting one of our Six Worders in an Honest Tea bottle cap this past March. "I was intrigued and once I started reading the memoirs of others, I thought this was a great way to say a little bit about my life in five minutes or less. And one of the things I enjoy about my job is that I can help a lot of people during the day—also in five minutes or less."
Work Challenge Winners #3: "The Best Boss I Ever Had"
As Challenge #4, "Biggest lesson I learned at work," continues through August 27, we're thrilled to announce three winners of Six Words About Work Challenge #3: The Best Boss I Ever Had.
U.S. Winner—George Sosa, "Promoted truth, justice and eventually, me."
George is a Brooklyn-bred, now Queens, NY-based video cameraperson and editor, primarily doing documentary work. He explains his memoir “is the result of thinking about the common qualities of my favorite employers. Straight-forwardness and fair play. They all had been open, secure and fair enough to recognize my talent and encourage its—and my—development. I've been the better for it, and hopefully so have their companies and productions."