WoRk LiKe A....WhAt?

I would like to propose a change. In elementary school we learned the catchy phrase "work like a beaver, be an achiever!" We were conditioned to think that this little guy is the hardest working creature alive. And, like the beaver, we should work, work, work to achieve, achieve achieve. But why, I mean besides that it rhymes? (Wait, wasn't that the bee too?) Okay, so it gnaws on wood, paddles in water, slaps together some mud and weeds... but what makes it this hard-working, glorious achiever? I don't buy it.

Instead, I would like to make a substitute to this rhyme. Instead I think it should be some sort of bird, like the one that has currently set up shop on my front porch.

A month ago my roommates and I noticed the beginnings of a nest in a far corner of our front porch, which my roommates promptly relocated...to the trash. I personally didn't (and don't) have a problem with the nest but I let them be in charge. Lulled into a false sense of security, they thought bird nest muck had been averted--Phew! Yet a few days later there were the beginnings of another nest a column over from the previous nest. Again, it was taken down. Soon, the bird began constructing directly over our door in one of four windowpanes. Guess what happened next? It was taken down! A battle soon ensued between my roommates and this tenacious bird, windowpane after windowpane. Nest up, nest taken down (and replaced with object to hinder replacement.) I will admit I found this process quite humorous.

I went on vacation and upon my return noticed that the sneaky little bird had taken advantage of my roommates departure to the beach. In a sense I think it was a sort of "stick it to the man" move. Where you ask? On our wreath!

Bird 1: Roommates 0.

As I said, work like a bird be a..... yeah I can't think of anything.