Monday, August 27, 2007

So that's what the kids are calling it these days.

Blagging.

You know, being tagged on a blog. People are so clever these days!

This one is courtesy of Heather.

Eight Jobs I've Held In My Life


1. Babysitter. Naturally. I watched the two kids across the street (ages 6 and 10) every day after school for $50 a week. I was 13. Man, that was some major bank for a 13-year-old!

2. Fast food maven. For about three months. At Wendy's. Is there anyone who hasn't worked in fast food, besides my sister? They only worked me on weekends, and then I made the mistake of complaining about not getting any hours any other time. They gradually cut my hours down until I quit. I think they did a mass hiring, and needed to weed some folks out. Suited me just fine!

3. Daycare. Courtesy of my BFF Marcia. We spent our senior year of high school working every day at a daycare run by a church. She got me the job, and I worked right up until I left for college.

4. Writing center tutor. It's what I did for work study in college. I also worked as an office assistant for the professor who was in charge of the writing center. It was a sweet gig. She was like a second mom to me, and she'd gone to college in Memphis so it helped to have someone to discuss M-town with when I was homesick. She was supposed to come to our wedding, but the school scheduled some dumb early-orientation thing that week. She fussed at the dean for making her miss it.

5. Soup kitchen manager. I did it for 4.5 years in South Carolina. Not the greatest job (mostly because of the boss) but it was only four hours a day and I got to take AM to work with me after she was born.

6. Editorial assistant for the Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of North America. Yes, I said Islamic. They were a group of doctors who happened to be Muslims. Most of the articles were the same you'd find in the mainstream medical press, but with an Islamic worldview. We worked out of the office of their editor-in-chief, who was a high-risk neonatologist in Augusta, after hours. We (the assistant editor Catherine and I) didn't really see the Dr. too much. It was just the two of us three hours a week. I LOVED it. The office was in a hospital, and the cafeteria had great food. It was also the nicest office I've ever been in - three exam rooms, each decorated in a different theme, with PAINTINGS on the ceiling. Genius. Something to look at during those uncomfortable girly exams. A well-stocked breakroom, including a Coke fountain machine that dispensed free drinks and the leftovers of whatever the drug reps had brought by that day.

I was in charge of typing the submissions and making corrections to the ones that Catherine had edited. Also, calling authors (some overseas) to talk with them about the status of their writing, and send them copies of the journal once it published.

Alas, it was not to last. The powers-that-be angered the good doc, he resigned, and they moved the operation to Chicago to their headquarters. Bummer.

7. College professor. After I was fired from the soup kitchen (it's a long, painful story that probably should've landed me in therapy) I taught night school at a local technical college. Developmental English on two levels - those students who couldn't write a sentence, and those who couldn't put those sentences together into a paragraph. I held this job during what was probably the most stressful time in my life, but I loved it anyway. I'd go back tomorrow if I could. And no, I don't have a Master's degree, but since these courses weren't for credit, I could teach them.

8. What I do now - news editor. I've just started my second year in this position, after being the page editor for two years and the office manager for about six months. Yes, I've held nearly every job at this paper! Now, if my pay could just reflect my experience and ability…

Well, there you have it. I've left out some jobs, like the four-day turn at working at a dry cleaner (yes, four days. I quit.) and various and sundry retail jobs (Lane Bryant anyone?). Feel free to play along!

3 comments:

Valerie said...

hey - that's a good name for a blog! blah-blah-blagg!

i'll play - but you already knew that. (as long as i can still see to type - you know how we oldies are)

Susie Q said...

Cool..and I love your job. Really! It just sounds all so interesting and great and I envy that. Can you tell I am getting bored with being at home? I am not bored...too much goes on...but *I* am bored. Does that make any sense??

LOVED your list!!

Hugs (and a big one to AM!),
Sue

Sheila said...

Loved your list Melissa! Lots of interesting jobs there, wow!