My Seventh Heaven (okay it's just another list)

I, like many other young entrepreneurial types, have had many jobs throughout my life. The toughest and BEST job ever has been being a father - no joke, I love it and would not change it for anything. So, in honor of my thinking about jobs and this being the month of lists, what else would you expect? (I am going to need serious help for the rest of the month, I think...)

Here goes...

JOBS I'VE HAD

1. Babysitter - with two younger brothers, this was inevitable, and a pain in the butt at times. Especially when that lad who had a birthday two days ago, comes at me with a butcher knife, a broom, a sword and a kitchen sink. Okay the last two are false, but it seemed to me that if it wasn't tied down, it was in the air in my direction. It's no wonder I'm a little skittish. :)

2. Newspaper carrier - I have had this job on and off for some twenty years, okay most of that time was off, but still... When I first started I would walk the route (duh, I was 11), and I would collect money and even set out flyer's for new subscribers. My parents made me do this because I really, really wanted flying lessons. One thing my mind did know was this. Getting paid $50 a month, minus $65 a flying lesson, meant very few flying lessons. :)

3. Dishwasher - I actually enjoyed this job (wonder where my sick mind comes from, this may be a clue), except for the broiled on cheese (it was at a Mexican restaurant), that you needed a chisel, almost, to clean the plate with.

4. Birthday coordinator/game room operator/ cashier at Chuck E. Cheese Pizza - Now THIS was a fun job. Some days I would dress up like a clown and host birthday parties, or dress up in the Jasper T. Jowles costume and head out to a busy street to flag down business. Unfortunately, they closed down due to a bankruptcy.

5. Bagger at the commissary on base - I only did this a couple of days, the pay was really bad, unless you got a lot of tips. The adults doing it always beat us kids out when it came to the good tippers. Even though they had a fair system that equalized customers, and in theory, tips. Whatever.

6. Weekend janitor at the NCO club in San Antonio, Texas - Part of when my momma was displeased with my laziness (she yelled at me and told me to get a job, go to college, or join the Air Force), I got a job at the NCO club doing janitorial work on the weekends. Wasn't too bad of a gig, to be honest, and it paid better than my next job in the

7. United States Air Force - I am a trained and certified Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory Specialist. I always joke about the USAF being the "country club" branch of the military, that being said, PMEL (my job) was considered the "country club" of the Air Force. Yeah, I can't really complain now can I?

8. Stocker at Sam's Club - worked here to help pay for the car mentioned previously. Enough said about that.

9. Some sort of manufacturing job, where it was oily and dirty and I went through three pairs of shoes, jeans and countless old concert t-shirts. Needed something to tide me over when I first got out of the Air Force and moved to the Chicago land area. At least my mother in-law got some new carpeting out of it. :)

10. QA inspector for In Flight Phone Corporation - This job was so laid back it was ridiculous, we would do nothing all day, literally nothing, and then at 4PM we need you to work overtime. Uh, okay. So I would get paid for twelve hours of work, and only work four tops. Guess civilian life won't be so bad, after all.

11. Calibration technician - What I was trained for in the Air Force. Not too bad, towards the end of my time there, I was traveling all the time. So I missed a lot of Benjy's growing up, at least between the ages of 6-10 months.

12. Metrologist - A fancier word for number 11, paid more too. AND, it was for a pharmaceutical company, with lots of research money. Great parties and outings. Heck, even their meetings were a big deal.

13 - 15. Worked as a newspaper carrier, cashier/stocker at a White Hen (now 7-eleven) and more newspaper carrying.

16. Usher/Cashier at a movie theater - FTB was due and it is always nice to have a little extra cash around, plus there were the benefits of free popcorn, drinks and movies. I was the oldest person working there, but it was mindless fun. One of the girls that I helped train is now one of the managers there. Pretty cool.

17. Phone Guy - This was by far the coolest job, I had a company car and pretty much free reign on my working hours. Sure there were some late nights, as Jenni can attest, but the pay was not bad. Heck I could even deal with the union, although I was amazed at how little my fellow members would think for themselves. Too bad. Then I got laid off. . . that sucked.

18. Calibration technician again - I came back to the same place as #11, watched the company get sold off, worried about the job, and got promoted. Not too many complaints - okay, maybe a few. :)

19, Which should actually be 17 but I am too lazy to cut and edit and, well you know just laziness. Sorry. Ice Cream Parlor, dishing out 31 flavors. Cool job. Did I mention there was FREE ice cream as well?

That's it in a nutshell, a rather large nutshell, and I am sure that I missed a couple somewhere, but I either just forgot them , or they weren't very memorable. :)

Good Night and God Bless!