Saturday, January 26, 2008

Jobs I've Had

I decided to expand on the last post and reminisce about all of the jobs I have had in my life. There have not been a lot compared to others, but considering that I have not worked full time since 1983, there are.

I have always wanted to do "fun" stuff and some of the jobs I have had started out as helping a friend with something.

I couldn't wait to work because I wanted my own money. I started when I was 15.

*Seven Seas (used to be next to 6 Flags) - Worked on an ice cream cart all summer. I made $1.90 an hour and usually worked 40 hours a week in my ruffled pink uniform dress.

*Randol Mill Pharmacy - Clerk. I worked for a few months. I quit when I had to work on a Friday night and had to miss a football game.

*Watson's Department Store - Wrapped gifts during the Christmas season.

*Great Southwest/Arlington Community Hospital - Worked in Medical Records for 9 years

*Oak Knoll Designs - My families Interior Decorating Business. I sold wallpaper and blinds and drapes

*Covered paper mache eggs for a friend. She painted them and sold them to a boutique in Dallas

*Painted T-Shirts -This was a big job. I mass produced these for a girl that would send them to someone else that would sew 2 shirts together with a ruffle and sell them for $150. That was a lot back in the early 90's. My kitchen was covered with T-shirts and paint.

*Lume Nails - New from California, this was a gel that you painted on your nails and then put them under a special light. They looked like sculptured nails. I signed up to "sell" so my friends and family could get the supplies at cost.

*Units - We bought clothes from the warehouse in Dallas and sold them to everyone we knew. They were mix and match pieces for women and kids. Every couple of weeks, they would have a new fabric or design and they were cheap. I had a new outfit every day.

*Pumpkin Rolls - I had a neighborhood friend who "invented" the first pumpkin rolls back in the 80's and sold them at craft fairs. She now has her own bakery in Dallas and has been featured in Neiman's. I helped her one season and made 200 in 3 days. My kitchen was covered in powdered sugar.

*Beauty Control - Have "sold" it for several years. With 4 girls in the family, I don't have to sell it to anyone but us to keep my minimum order. This gets it for us at cost.

*Cookies in Bloom - My friend opened a cookie store and I worked a couple of days a week to help her decorate cookies.

*Mystery Shopper - Worked for a couple of months Mystery Shopping at Kroger

*Beanie Babies - Bought and sold over the internet for fun. Made pretty good money. Had a blast hunting them down. Stood in many lines and went out one morning at 3:00 a.m. just to get some new ones that were being put out at 6:00 a.m.

*Stocked Cigarettes at K-Mart - Applied for a part time "merchandising" job in the paper. Worked about 5 hours a week and after I got the job, found out I was going to be stocking cigarettes and cigars.

*Legal Assistant- Worked for a friend that is an attorney that was leaving his downtown firm and starting on his own. Great job. I worked for 4 years. I came in when I wanted, worked as long as I wanted and took off when I wanted. He was desperate for help so he was happy to have me whenever I could work.

*President of "3 of Hearts" Fan Club - My friends daughter was given a recording contract with RCA. RCA went all out promoting them (spent $1 million on promotions along with Gillette and Walmart), but they dropped them when their album was a bust. They needed help with the "fan club". Lots of work, but lots of fun. Got to go around to radio station, go to Nashville for "Fan Fair", and go to the CMA Awards show. Went back stage and met several country music stars including Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.

*Party Planner - Put on company Christmas party for friend who is president of her company.

*Gymboree - Worked a couple of days a month to get the 40% discount. Realized I spent way more on clothes just because I was getting a good deal.

*Wade Funeral Home - Answered the phone and helped with paper work a few times for my friends that own a funeral home.

*Private Investigator - My last "job" that lasted for 3 weeks.

*"Anything and Everything He Wants Me To Do" - I almost forgot this one. Pops has had a consulting business for 15 years. I do all invoices, paperwork etc. for him. This week I spent 2 full days typing and running back and forth to Office Depot and FedEx Kinko's preparing notebooks for a job he is working on. If I didn't work, he wouldn't get paid because paperwork and travel reservations are not his strength.

This is it. I don't plan on ever doing anything else . . . . unless something fun comes along that I just can't pass up.

2 comments:

mamashine said...

I love this list! I love 3 of Hearts too, at least what I've heard of them. Wasn't one of their songs on the Where the Heart Is soundtrack?

Ditto on the Gymboree. I've worked there and Janie and Jack both, and I always spend way too much.

Lolly said...

Yes, Kellie, "Love Is Enough" was on the soundtrack. They went on a bus tour around the country before the album release and had lots of success, but the albums just did not sell.