OT - "Crazy" jobs you've had?

Rague
Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
Sitting here 'playing' and just got to thinking about the 'crazy' (to some anyway) jobs I've had over all the years.

Right now I'm a dispatcher for a tow company (part time) but in the past I've also been a hairdresser, Army, 'carney', upholsterer, screen printer, CNA, back country guide, apartment complex manager, barn manager, archeology digs, dog groomer, - that's all
i can think of now but I'm sure there are others with more exciting jobs - so what have you done?

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

Comments

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #2
    World's Worst Waitress
    A hundred years ago when I was in college, I worked one summer as a waitress in the dining room of a very high-income assisted living facility. I discovered that I'm probably the World's Worst Waitress, but also that wealthy old people are really, REALLY picky!

    I worked breakfast, and one lady always ordered stewed prunes. But it had to be THREE prunes exactly -- if I brought her four prunes by mistake, she would raise holy hell, call my boss over to tell her how incompetent I was....I mean, I understand one has to be a bit careful about how many prunes one eats, but would it really have killed her to just LEAVE ONE $%*&# PRUNE ON HER PLATE?

    Once, after I had done yet one more thing that she felt defined me as a complete idiot, she angrily asked me, "Don't you go to school?" "Yes, ma'am, I go to Occidental College."

    And the angels sang.

    Turns out this lady was an Occidental College alumna. Went on and on about her time there, her sorority, what a good school, only the brightest students get in....

    ...and for the rest of the summer, I was her favorite waitress. She even started to ASK FOR me to serve her table. And I heard not a single word more about those godforsaken prunes.

    Traci
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #3
    TraciInLA said:

    World's Worst Waitress
    A hundred years ago when I was in college, I worked one summer as a waitress in the dining room of a very high-income assisted living facility. I discovered that I'm probably the World's Worst Waitress, but also that wealthy old people are really, REALLY picky!

    I worked breakfast, and one lady always ordered stewed prunes. But it had to be THREE prunes exactly -- if I brought her four prunes by mistake, she would raise holy hell, call my boss over to tell her how incompetent I was....I mean, I understand one has to be a bit careful about how many prunes one eats, but would it really have killed her to just LEAVE ONE $%*&# PRUNE ON HER PLATE?

    Once, after I had done yet one more thing that she felt defined me as a complete idiot, she angrily asked me, "Don't you go to school?" "Yes, ma'am, I go to Occidental College."

    And the angels sang.

    Turns out this lady was an Occidental College alumna. Went on and on about her time there, her sorority, what a good school, only the brightest students get in....

    ...and for the rest of the summer, I was her favorite waitress. She even started to ASK FOR me to serve her table. And I heard not a single word more about those godforsaken prunes.

    Traci

    Waitress - NOT ME!
    Many years ago when we were still riding our dinosaurs to school, our Church's Youth Group did a 'Pancake Supper' to raise money - I learned VERY fast that I was not cut out to be a waitress. It is an ART that I respect!

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #4
    I've been a Carhop (major
    I've been a Carhop (major greaser), waitress, sold hot dogs and hot pretzels on the streets of Boston, grantwriter, secretary, library aide, signpainter and calligrapher, public relations officer, and teacher. Also I was in VISTA and the Peace Corps. Best job is a tossup between signpainting, teaching, VISTA and Peace Corps.
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #5
    TraciInLA said:

    World's Worst Waitress
    A hundred years ago when I was in college, I worked one summer as a waitress in the dining room of a very high-income assisted living facility. I discovered that I'm probably the World's Worst Waitress, but also that wealthy old people are really, REALLY picky!

    I worked breakfast, and one lady always ordered stewed prunes. But it had to be THREE prunes exactly -- if I brought her four prunes by mistake, she would raise holy hell, call my boss over to tell her how incompetent I was....I mean, I understand one has to be a bit careful about how many prunes one eats, but would it really have killed her to just LEAVE ONE $%*&# PRUNE ON HER PLATE?

    Once, after I had done yet one more thing that she felt defined me as a complete idiot, she angrily asked me, "Don't you go to school?" "Yes, ma'am, I go to Occidental College."

    And the angels sang.

    Turns out this lady was an Occidental College alumna. Went on and on about her time there, her sorority, what a good school, only the brightest students get in....

    ...and for the rest of the summer, I was her favorite waitress. She even started to ASK FOR me to serve her table. And I heard not a single word more about those godforsaken prunes.

    Traci

    I was also a waitress while
    I was also a waitress while in college. I hated it. I hated the way grown men (usually with their families present) would hit on me and harrass me. I really wanted to slug them. It is amazing how badly some individuals behave when they have a captive audience.

    And many, many folks, after working your butt off, would leave a dollar no matter what. Maybe that was all they could afford, but my straight pay was far less than minimum wage and I so depended on tips.

    Hated, hated the job and I have been a big tipper ever since.
  • sbmly53
    sbmly53 Member Posts: 1,522
    #6
    Fun post!
    I worked in a state hospital for the mentally ill, cocktail and food waitressesd, tended bar, was a bank teller, worked in retail, was assistant buyer for a grocery chain, worked for an insurance company in auto claims. All before 30! Then my favorite job -I worked in a veterinary clinic for over 24 years. We did dairy cows - I was the office manager, or in other words- the dairy queen.

    When the vets retired, the office closed and I started my present job, registering patients at a healthcare clinic. No wonder I'm tired! I have some great stories.

    Thanks for the post, made me think and chuckle.

    Sue
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #7
    sbmly53 said:

    Fun post!
    I worked in a state hospital for the mentally ill, cocktail and food waitressesd, tended bar, was a bank teller, worked in retail, was assistant buyer for a grocery chain, worked for an insurance company in auto claims. All before 30! Then my favorite job -I worked in a veterinary clinic for over 24 years. We did dairy cows - I was the office manager, or in other words- the dairy queen.

    When the vets retired, the office closed and I started my present job, registering patients at a healthcare clinic. No wonder I'm tired! I have some great stories.

    Thanks for the post, made me think and chuckle.

    Sue

    This is fun...
    I sold used auto parts at one time.....lol. At least that's what I was supposed to due..sell....never made the first one in the 6 weeks i tried it....I called on some seedy joints.... 6 weeks and I QUIT!I I did this YEARS ago....then I worked in Ophthalmology for years and I loved it!

    Nancy
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #8
    I often worked 2 jobs at a time.
    Once while working two jobs I was working at Wendy's and then also supervising a barn crew who was milking dairy cows. I had to wash the teats before the milking machine went on. I always said I worked and both ends of the beef.

    I have been a nurses aid, a playground/cafeteria supervisor, case manager, pizza maker, a cook in a retirement home and nursing home too. I currently work with mentally ill clients in a residential setting and only one job nowdays.
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #9
    IN backwards order:school
    IN backwards order:

    school district for 15 yrs (receptionist and bus dispatcher)
    Lawyers office (receptionist) -while waiting to get back in school
    Home Day care for 9 yrs...
    Teller at Bank
    grocery store
    Cleaning (homes)
    waitress/ bartender (never taste alchol in my 53 yrs) stillto this day
    Bussed tables at restaurant as teen


    Denise
  • Pinky68
    Pinky68 Member Posts: 206 Member
    #10
    disneyfan2008 said:

    IN backwards order:school
    IN backwards order:

    school district for 15 yrs (receptionist and bus dispatcher)
    Lawyers office (receptionist) -while waiting to get back in school
    Home Day care for 9 yrs...
    Teller at Bank
    grocery store
    Cleaning (homes)
    waitress/ bartender (never taste alchol in my 53 yrs) stillto this day
    Bussed tables at restaurant as teen


    Denise

    Crazy
    For me, it's not so much How crazy my jobs have been,
    instead-- how crazy the People were!LOL..working w/the public is never boring.

    Zip's burgers-high school
    Credit Bureau-during college....Very angry people come into the Credit Bureau!

    Then I've been a Dispensing Optician for the past 24 yrs...I just love it, couldn't do anything else.
  • jendrey
    jendrey Member Posts: 377
    #11
    Pinky68 said:

    Crazy
    For me, it's not so much How crazy my jobs have been,
    instead-- how crazy the People were!LOL..working w/the public is never boring.

    Zip's burgers-high school
    Credit Bureau-during college....Very angry people come into the Credit Bureau!

    Then I've been a Dispensing Optician for the past 24 yrs...I just love it, couldn't do anything else.

    p/t for a hypnotist
    I worked for a hypnotist p/t back when I was in high school. No, not like on the Mentalist! =) She hypnotized people wanting to quit smoking and/or lose weight. Worked fairly well as I recall, her 'patients' seemed satisfied. I was kind of like her personal assistant and sometime receptionist. I started out looking after her two younger kids. She lived on the same street and always paid real well.

    Hmm, as an aside...her kids - there was a boy (5) and a girl (3) the little girl was very convinced about Jesus and would always write related things with her chalk, on well just about everything. Sidewalk, walls, steps. Like Jesus loves me/you, just stuff like that. The odd thing is that her parents weren't religous. I mean they weren't atheists but in all the time I knew them they never went to church or anything. Nobody told this little girl anything about Jesus or God. Yet she was convinced. Very odd, indeed.

    ((Hugs)))
  • ShirleyCurls
    ShirleyCurls Member Posts: 51
    #12
    In college I was a traffic
    In college I was a traffic moniter. Basically I walked around campus and wrote parking tickets.

    Pros: lost 20 lbs and got a tan
    Cons: got cussed out a few times and neither hail, sleet or rain keep the supervisors from sending us out to write tickets.
  • ShirleyCurls
    ShirleyCurls Member Posts: 51
    #13
    In college I was a traffic
    In college I was a traffic moniter. Basically I walked around campus and wrote parking tickets.

    Pros: lost 20 lbs and got a tan
    Cons: got cussed out a few times and neither hail, sleet or rain keep the supervisors from sending us out to write tickets.

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