My last thread moved from inane office conversations to customer service mishaps to the insane people you deal with on the job - as I read through the various job related encounters it made me think about the jobs I have had over the years - I've been a gardener, a woodcutter, a flower delivery person, a insurance claims investigator and am currently in Corporate Marketing (my least favorite job to date but it pays well) but by far the best job I think I ever have had was when I was the Mascot for the Colorado Rangers of the International Hockey League back in 1987-88 (I was a Big Black Crow with Big Yellow Feet) - I got popcorn throw at me, I got hit, I got flipped off by kids not old enough to know what mommy & daddy had just told them to do but I also got to generally act insane, flirt with pretty girls, beat up the Little Caesar's Pizza Pizza Guy on Regional Cable and put the puck through a small hole from the far end of the ice in front of approximately 5,000 screaming idiots - it only paid $25 a game but it was by far my favorite job ever.
5 Time 5 Time 5 Time 5 Time 5 Time Wiener of the Day Runner-up
I think there's a difference between the "best" job I've ever had and the most fun. The best job I've ever had is probably college instructor, for it is what I've been preparing to do for years and thus has probably been the most fulfilling (even though substitute teaching actually had its strong points too). However, I've had a number of just strictly "fun" jobs, including radio station DJ and movie theater usher. Believe it or not, overall it was more fun working at the movie theater sweeping popcorn and making Slushies. I actually did it while finishing up college, and most of the employees were high school kids younger than me, so it was kind of fun just to be around younger people for the first time and years and act like an idiot with them. Management people were closer to my age and we basically all got along and hung out together, even years after we all quit. Really, I wouldn't trade my experience at the (now torn down) movie theater for anything I've done.
DMC
"Darwinists sometimes find confirming evidence, just as Marxists found capitalists exploiting workers and Freudians analyzed patients who said that they wanted to murder their fathers and marry their mothers. They find further instances of microevolution, or additional examples of natural relationships, or a fossil group that might have contained an ancestor of modern mammals. What they never find is evidence that contradicts the common ancestry thesis, because to Darwinists such evidence cannot exist. The 'fact of evolution' is true by definition, and so negative information is uninteresting, and generally unpublishable."
I currently work for Disney and somehow doubt anything else I do in life will top this. Unless by some random occurance I happen to be the next Michael Eisner.
Now if we were talking pay-wise, well I don't get paid a whole heck of a lot so this wouldn't be anywhere near the top of my list. But for the perks alone, such as free entrance into any Disney Theme park, comp passes for friends, discounts, etc... I'd work for free, so its a lovely bonus that I get paid.
I agree with DMC, movie theatre working rules. It's only my second job, but considering I went from usher to frickin' projectionist (and from min. wage to $7 an hour [CDN]) shows that management has faith in me. Heck, they give me keys, give me whatever shifts I want, let me chill around whenever and allow us all to goof around...and free movies. All-in-all, even with B.S. politics and the occational angry manager or customer, working for a movie theatre RULZ.
"I know something that will cheer you up, Wesley" "Are you programmed to be thinking what I'm thinking?" "MAKEOVER!!" Princical Scudworth & Mr. Butlertron; Clone High
It's great being a journalist. I get to cover fires, murders, car crashes, police chases, angry city council and school board meetings where lynch mobs almost occur, informative governmental meetings, high-profile court cases - such as murder trials - and all kinds of other cool stuff. I've interviewed everything from herbalists to beef jerkey factory owners to Elvis enthusiasts to horse-shoers. Occasionaly I investigate unsolved homicides. The best part: the autonomy. I have no set schedule, really, and am not required to stay in the building, of course. When I want, I can go out to "find stories" and do all kinds of cool stuff. I get paid very well, too.
"Also, don't incur the wrath of P.U. It can only lead to trouble." - Torchslasher
I was a freelance writer and frequent actor on a local Seattle comedy show back in 2000-2001.
I would make $350 flat on every sketch/joke they bought (averaging only about 1 a week) and also was paid $350 per day of filming (weeks they would use me would usually be twice a week, a day filming out in the field and then a friday night tapings in front of a live audience). Then I would also be paid residuals for every rebroadcast, which was nice during hiatus or when the show was pre-empted.
So while I wasn't rich I was doing something I loved and getting paid. And they also always catered at the live tapings and we would get the best food.
Of course the station cancelled the show after only one and a half seasons, but still it was a great experience.
Originally posted by Parts UnknownIt's great being a journalist. I get to cover fires, murders, car crashes, police chases, angry city council and school board meetings where lynch mobs almost occur, informative governmental meetings, high-profile court cases - such as murder trials - and all kinds of other cool stuff. I've interviewed everything from herbalists to beef jerkey factory owners to Elvis enthusiasts to horse-shoers. Occasionaly I investigate unsolved homicides. The best part: the autonomy. I have no set schedule, really, and am not required to stay in the building, of course. When I want, I can go out to "find stories" and do all kinds of cool stuff. I get paid very well, too.
You get paid well?? You're not a journalist!!
I like my job, too, but there's one big downer to journalism — interviewing victim's families. At least, that's what I've always hated.
Well, that and the time I was covering the trial a white supremacist who stabbed four black kids. The guy kept trying to communicate with me using hand signals. Disturbing.
(edited by asteroidboy on 24.2.03 1808) "My brother saw the Undertaker walking through an airport." - Rex "Was he no-selling?" - Me
"...release the dogs, or the bees, or the dogs with bees in their mouths, and when they bark, they shoot bees at you?" -- Homer Simpson
I worked as a Purser on a cruise ship/glorified car ferry for two summers back in '95-'96. We sailed between Portland, ME and Yarmouth, NS...nothing too exciting, but the job itself was awesome. I made some GREAT money (American tax-free dollars rule!) and met tons of great people, some of whom I still talk to.
Greatest thing about this job was the opportunity to go to Spain for two months back in '96. Just an incredible experience, topped off by sailing back across the Atlantic.
Matthew Good - Playing Calgary March 24th AND 25th. Be there.
Originally posted by asteroidboyYou get paid well?? You're not a journalist!!
I like my job, too, but there's one big downer to journalism — interviewing victim's families.
I hate those victim interviews. I've taken it easy on the murder stories in recent years...sometimes I have nightmares about the dead people I have seen...all these beheaded and stabbed people moaning and chasing me. It is way uncool.
"Also, don't incur the wrath of P.U. It can only lead to trouble." - Torchslasher
Originally posted by BullittI worked as a Purser on a cruise ship/glorified car ferry for two summers back in '95-'96. We sailed between Portland, ME and Yarmouth, NS...
Hey, don't be badmouthing our glorified car ferry, mister. Some people have to row to Nova Scotia from here!
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.
During my high school years I worked as a kids' entertainer, which basically meant getting dressed up in a Barney costume (usually, sometimes it was elmo, or big bird or cookie monster - My cookie voice was my best) and going to kids birthday parties or company christmas parties or store openings and stuff. I've always liked to think that because of the job my picture is in hundreds of kids scrapbooks and that's always made me heppy.
For the most part it was a rockin good time and it was pretty lucrative for the amount of work I had to do. I have to say that I watched other performers work occasionally and was always disgusted by how much better I was than them because I was actually enjoying myself and put some effort into it.
My best paying job was as a freelance reporter for a group of doctor magazines where not only was I sent on monthly all expense paid trips to swanky medical conferences, but they also paid in wonderful wonderful American dollars. Just the amount of writing i've done in this post would have made me about $300.
Also funwise i was a security guard one summer and got to see every concert in toronto from behind the big metal barrier near the stage. Although that job paid like crap and they treated all the guards like idiots (which for the most part they were).
They paid me $7.00 an hour to basically goof off and work with great people. Plus an extra $30 -$50 a day in tips! The most fun i've ever had with any job. My boss was pretty laid back and most of the reglars were good people.
Sadly though i had to leave after my girlfriend way fired. I now work at a small convienence store with poor security and an anal retentive little bitch for an assistant manager. Anyone else have to give up a good job for a good girl?
"Sadly though i had to leave after my girlfriend way fired. I now work at a small convienence store with poor security and an anal retentive little bitch for an assistant manager. Anyone else have to give up a good job for a good girl?"
No, but I've had to *stay with a crappy job* for a good girl.
DMC
"Darwinists sometimes find confirming evidence, just as Marxists found capitalists exploiting workers and Freudians analyzed patients who said that they wanted to murder their fathers and marry their mothers. They find further instances of microevolution, or additional examples of natural relationships, or a fossil group that might have contained an ancestor of modern mammals. What they never find is evidence that contradicts the common ancestry thesis, because to Darwinists such evidence cannot exist. The 'fact of evolution' is true by definition, and so negative information is uninteresting, and generally unpublishable."
I'm currently working as a teacher, and I find it to be immensely entertaining and rewarding. I don't get too tense over the kids being kids, and they are ricidulously funny. It's a very difficult, time consuming job, but I can't imagine another job providing so many laughs. Plus, the whole summer vacation thing is a winner.
Prior to this, the year I was a bike messenger in San Francisco was tons of fun. Nothing wrong with getting paid for riding all day.
Originally posted by BullittI worked as a Purser on a cruise ship/glorified car ferry for two summers back in '95-'96. We sailed between Portland, ME and Yarmouth, NS...
Hey, don't be badmouthing our glorified car ferry, mister. Some people have to row to Nova Scotia from here!
Oh, by no means am I badmouthing the glorified car ferry...it's just hard to call it a full-on "cruise ship." Granted, it got me in Portland for the better part of two summers, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Matthew Good - Playing Calgary March 24th AND 25th. Be there.
While I was in the Navy, I moonlighted at the Boathouse in Norfolk. It paid pretty crappy, but all you had to do was break up fights, stop people from acting like assholes, watch concerts without being too obvious about it, and stand there with a "I can kick the shit out of anyone in this place and will if I feel like it" look on your face.
"You know Monsoon, I am impressed, and I don't impress easy" -Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The best job I ever had was working in a comic book store. It was awesome. I had required reading from Gaiman's Sandman to Miller's Daredevil to Stan Lee's Fantastic Four run. Sometimes, I got some idoit customers who wanted baseball cards and those stupid Yugi-Oh kids, God I fucking hate that game, Heroclix is right there! I got axed, because my boss found out I was selling comics outside the store even though it was one time and there was no store policy on it. It didn't help when the kid I was doing a favor for showed up and asked where his comics where in front of my boss. Last time, I ever do anyone a favor. I'm in telemarketing now which is good and bad. The people are great expect for the bitches in charge and the pay is more than the comic book store. I do miss that 25% off on everything though. I still feel like garbage about it since it was my dream job.
A Fan- That is the one job I miss, but at the same time, I was glad I got fired, because I needed the money.
Same as A Fan, comic book clerk. Except for a few certain customers, (I could even handle the Pokemon & Yugioh kids) I had nothing to complain about. Had to leave to come to IU to gets mahself an edgeahmukashion though.
Ahh, Diane Parkinson. Thanks to you, I made it through my adolescence a well adjusted man Seriously, she was smokin' hot when I was 10. Since this is a TPIR thread, I must say that my favorite game is still Plinko.