Being Jack Plotnick

Now this is a service we'd consider. If we didn't already have our dream job.

It's called Vocation Vacations. If you're sick of your current 9-to-5, it offers you the chance to spend a few days test-driving a gig you think you'd find more fulfilling. Like architect. Or chef. Or pro wrestling ring announcer. (Did we say we already had our dream job? We might have to reconsider.)

It's kinda like that internship you did in college, except shorter. And more expensive.

You can fork out $2,999 for a look at life as a beauty-pageant producer. Or $949 for a weekend on an alpaca ranch. Or for $1,349 you can spend a couple days in L.A. with actor Jack Plotnick. (You were expecting Tom Cruise?)

Portland, Oregon-based Vocation Vacations was founded by 41-year-old Brian Kurth. He was toiling at an internet-security company when he got laid off and "instead of looking for another corporate job I went for a dream job of my own," he writes in his new book, Test-Drive Your Dream Job. He signed on with a family-owned wine distributor, selling vino out of a Chevy SUV.

When he woke up from that dream, he started Vocation Vacations.

Things are going well now. His new biz has been featured on MSN.com, CNN.com and in the New York Times. He lists over 150 vocations at his Web site, from park ranger to meteorologist to flight instructor.

We notice there's no listing for blogger. But, c'mon. Writing a blog? That's not a skill you pick up in a weekend.