Will wonders never cease!!!

I think I've stumbled onto a new career! It's not going to make me rich, I'm sorry to report. But I thinks it's going to be an interesting adjunct to my resume.


First the back story. More than ten years ago the significant other and I went to a friend's fabulous birthday party at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. For those of you not familiar with this extraordinarily beautiful waterfront estate here in Coconut Grove, it was the home of industrialist James Deering. It was built in 1916 at a time when Miami was literally a jungle.

We were so awed by the mansion that first Benard, and two years later, I, studied to become unpaid, volunteer guides. Both of us loved guiding at Vizcaya on Friday afternoons right up until December of 2009. If I say so myself, we were both damned good at it.

I won't go into our reasons for quitting, but suffice to say that the new administration didn't feel my heart was in the required new tour that they had instituted. They were probably right. I thought it was better suited to 5th grade kids and an insult to the guests . I guess it showed. But that's beside the point. What was the point was that I gave up doing something I loved and did for free for eight years.

Fast forward. In February, out of the blue, I received a call asking if I was a "professional" Vizcaya guide. "Hmm," I said to myself. "What the hell. Sure", I answered, "why do you ask?"

Seems the lady on the line was calling from a tour company in Naples, Florida and desperately needed a guide for a group she was busing over, two days hence. When she told me it paid $125 I almost burst out laughing.

The tour went great and I had a ball. I walked away with check in hand and a date in March when she would be needing me again. Now, another phone call, this time from a Miami-based tour company, asking if I would be available to do an evening tour about Miami on a bus taking a group to Vizcaya and then tour the mansion. Sure, I said, so now I'm an instant maven on Miami history, thank you Google. She was paying $25 an hour with a minimum of four hours. Wow! And also, by the way, did I know another Vizcaya guide who might be interested?

Did I know one? I practically live with one. A quick call to the significant other, and we're both on the dotted line. Not to mention potentially $200 richer. My accountant will be impressed.

I'm thinking of revamping my website to reflect my new career path. I've made myself a very professional name badge on the computer so the guests will know who I am, and I'm good to go.

"Welcome to Vizcaya, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Joan and I will be your guide today. ."
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