Following Tuna Girl's lead (or rather, stealing her idea), I thought I would post a list of all the job's I've ever had. And since there's no telling when my present place of employment is going to go under, it can't hurt to review the list and polish up my resume. Here's the list, in chronological order (more or less):
1. Strawberry farm employee - Yup, I picked strawberries for one week during the summer when I was 12. It sucked. It was hot. We got paid 25 cents per quart, while the farm sold them for over $2 per quart. My first harsh lesson in economics.
2. Babysitter - ages 13-whenever. Being a soon-to-be uncle somehow makes me think that my babysitting days aren't quite over.
3. Paper Boy - age 14. It was an okay gig. One snowy morning, my mother offered to drive me on my rounds and subsequently ran me over with the car. I don't hold it against her. Much.
4. Public Library Page - ages 16-17. The first job I had that required me to pay taxes.
5. Taco Bell Manager - ages 17-21. I've talked about this experience before. I rose through the ranks at our local Taco Bell, and held down the job while I was at college in order to pay bills and afford original cast recordings.
6. Admissions Assistant - ages 19-22. I worked in the admissions department at the Conservatory where I went to college. It was fantastic. I got to read everyone's incoming SAT, ACT, and music department admission test scores, and even got to perfect the backwards Campus Tour Walk.
7. Costume Character at local shopping center - age 21. Lasted all of one day.
8. Security Guard for Costume Characters at local shopping mall - age 21. After I revolted when being handed a big furry costume, I was offered the guard position. I got to carry a walkie-talkie and push children out of the way. It still only lasted a week.
9. Actor/Singer - My first paid singing job was probably during high school, but I can't remember specifics. My first paid acting job was at 18 years old, when the local community theater needed a last-minute replacement for Meet Me In St. Louis. Nobody else got paid. It was swell. My first professional job came when I was 20, and I got my Equity card when I was 22. My last acting-related gig would have been when I was 26, singing in a backup choir for Linda Eder at a one-time only benefit event.
10. High School Drama/Music Director - age 23. Shortly before I moved to New York, I was offered to music direct Once On This Island at my old high school, replacing the choir director who was about to retire and didn't feel like doing any more extra-curricular work. I got to work with my high school drama director, one of my personal heroes, as a colleague, and had the best group of kids you could ever imagine. I also got to stage a few numbers, and ended up playing keyboards in the orchestra pit when the elderly accompanist failed to get the hang of those Caribbean rhythms.
11. Temp - age 23. I temped for a few months like every other good Ohio-born actor that came to New York. Fortunately, I didn't have to rely on temping for long, as I fell into #12 and #13.
12. Retail employee - age 23. At one of those kitschy boutiques on Christopher Street that sold swimsuits, thongs, AbFab ashtrays, Billy Dolls, and poppers. You know, a classy establishment.
13. Day Spa receptionist/product sales consultant - ages 23-26. Two different spas, two completely different atmospheres. One was old-money Upper East Side snobby, the other was Greenwich Village/Chelsea/lesbian/homo/granola/spiritual/Arizona desert hippie chic. I left the first one because they drove me crazy. I left the second one because my paychecks bounced.
14. Telecommunications analyst - ages 26-present. And you've heard all about that already.
What all of this work experience qualifies me to do is unknown to me, but if you are ever in need of a good multi-faceted employee with a diverse background then you know who to come to. I'm also a fantastic cook. But I don't clean. Just so you know up front.
Posted by mak at April 14, 2004 1:10 PMwhat plushie were you?
Posted by: bob at April 14, 2004 1:28 PMA snowman. It was horrifying.
Posted by: MAK at April 14, 2004 1:29 PMHey, MAK, I had to wear a SCARECROW costume on a Wizard of Oz tour of Planet Hollywoods all over the country. For 4 months. Sweating to death...yeah, I totally relate to the "Snowman" thing!
Posted by: hot toddy at April 14, 2004 1:44 PMHee - that's just what I was going to ask. :)
And I read about strawberry-picking in a book, and it made it to be one of the worst jobs in the whole entire world. I'd think working out in the sun in a field snacking on berries sounds cool, but I'm sure that's not what it's like at all. Heh.
For a moment there, I thought you had ond of those Furry Fetishes.
Posted by: mark at April 14, 2004 4:33 PMMark -- I hear he does.
Posted by: bob at April 14, 2004 5:30 PMI think you are qualified to become a porn star.
Posted by: Jason at April 14, 2004 6:24 PMfrom what I understand, there is an open position to clean David's house while he sits around in his underwear.
Of course, you'd have to move down here to Baltimore.
As for job #3, I didn't really run over my son. My car did. Or just the rear left tire ran over his foot. It was 6:00am and he just said very calmly"Mom would you please stop the car? Mom, would YOU PLEASE STOP THE CAR?? You just ran over my foot." So you see technically I'm innocent. I'm innocent I tell you!!
I really did like him alot when he was a kid. I don't know why he has these delusional dreams about ME hitting him with a car.
Mom
HI MOM!
Posted by: Wayne at April 15, 2004 5:18 PMLet's not forget your stint as the National Trustee...here to save the world!
Posted by: Jenn at April 21, 2004 1:55 PM