I still have the letter. I laugh at my younger self for even applying. Though, deep down, I am proud of her ambition.
I got on with The Daily News. My route covered about 35 homes and a 5 mile radius. I delivered the papers after I got home from school. I can't imagine not getting the paper until "after-school." What did these people read over breakfast? Yesterday's news? The job lasted less than a month.
For... several reasons.
1. People have mean dogs.
2. It rains.
3. Come on. A Sea World hat? I couldn't be seen wearing that every day could, I? Yup... apparently I could. And this was Vicky's hat. Though neither of us have been to Sea World. I'm sure I asked her if I could borrow it every day. That had to get old.
4. Those paper totes are way heavier than they look.
5. I had to provide my own gum bands.
6. My mom ended up driving me a lot.
7. My mom said, "I quit."
The guy who hired me, Jim , totally cheated me out of my money too. He gave me $8 and made up something about child labor laws. Hmm. I gave half of my $8 to my mom. So I had $4. And in our house growing up you gave 10% to church for tithing and half of whatever was left in the bank. So, I ended up with $1.80.
Since then I've worked as a hostess at Hoss's Steak and Sea House. (They have an amazing salad bar. Which on my Salad Bar Ranking Scale simply means they have Spanish olives and hard boiled eggs. And Ranch.) My first check there was for $118.68. It covered two pay periods and I thought I was rich as Roosevelt.
I worked at The Gap. I worked as a waitress at Winger's. I was a computer tech adjunct teacher at ISU. I was an Au Pair. I worked as a Bridal Consultant at a wedding store. And right up until I had Koley I was a bookkeeper at an accounting firm.
Now, these jobs have literally nothing in common. I can't imagine why anyone would want to hire me. Or why I was even hired then. I'm a hard worker, sure. I'll keep my nose to the old grindstone... but.... The only thing I offered at each job was "no previous experience."
Must be my "can-do" attitude and billion dollar smile.
10 comments:
I started working when I was 12. I was the girl who put the labels on floppy disks (the 5 1/4 kind, remember those?) Since then I have been a design assistant for a bridal accessory designer, a retail mgr, an ops and hr mgr, and a mother (which is by far the hardest job ever.)
Now, as you know I work for the post office, and can honestly say I will stay because I now make so much money I can't afford to quit. But someday, if the stars align just right, I'd like to go back to school and become a midwife.
I love it when i start laughing out loud so rory yells out from the office "what??" and i can red your post out loud through nose wheezing "you had to provide your own gum bands" BAHAGAGAHAAAA
I think those early jobs are great teaching experiences. I worked at a Dude Ranch when I was 17, slept in a beer truck which had been fixed up for sleeping quarters, and never worked so hard in my life. Instead of riding off into the sunset with the cute ranch hands, on my only day off, I slept and slept.
I started working at nine as a "mother's helper" for a hairdresser who worked out of her home. I cleaned the house, took care of her three children, and any other tasks she came up for me to do. I would do this every afternoon after school from four until six-thirty and all day Saturday. My pay? Fifty cents a week. Yeah, life was good. Still, I gained a work ethic that has never failed me in the many years since.
I've been working as an accountant for 8 years now. I have a BA in Theatre and MA in Creative Writing. Sometimes, often, the job and the experience don't have a thing to do with each other. And given the state of the world these days, I can't switch jobs because no one will hire an accountant without an account degree. Them's the breaks, you know? Thanks for coming by the other day. After this story, I know I'll be back.
This is exactly what happened to me! I also did a paper route but it was in a really small town. I only lasted about 6 weeks (all the same issues you had right down to my mom getting tired of driving me around :P) and I think that's as long as the paper route lasted in my town. Everyone could just walk to the store within about 5 minutes. It was silly.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Yours is awesome so I will follow you. :)
What a Renaissance Woman you are - such a wide variety of jobs. I love, love, love that picture. I'm surprised they let you deliver the papers after school!!
It's a tough job! My kids all did it, too.
Nice to meet you, and I hope you're enjoying the Challenge!
KarenG
A to Z Challenge Host
This made me laugh because I was that kid too! I love your picture and the part about your Mom quitting is hilarious!!!
I'm your New follower. I look forward to more!
Blessings, Joanne
i like you had many jobs that did not connect--great post
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