Lately, I’ve been seriously trying to figure out what I REALLY want to be when I grow up. That was grammatically incorrect, but its late and you get the point. After 17 years of doing something I never intended to do for 17 years, I would like to restart college and actually FINISH this time! My work history is as follows: Age 12-14: Newspaper delivery (which was stinky because it was back in the day when I also had to go around collecting money too!) And that whole “up at 5am” thing was no fun. okay stop elaborating and move on Age 15-17 McDonalds. I had a BLAST there because all my friends worked there too and it was just non-stop laughing and craziness. Age 18-22: Telemarketer, Receptionist, Secretary, Payroll Clerk, Retail, Housecleaner – all while going to school to be an EMT. Time on the job as an EMT after going to all that training? 3 days. Day 1 – Vietnamese lady who reached under her lawn mower to pull out a branch and cut all her fingers off DURING A PARADE. (okay, driving an ambulance through a parade ROCKED, i’m sorry) I think we can all learn a lesson here – never mow your lawn while a parade is scheduled to pass by YOUR house…..wait we’re off track again – oh yeah – Day 2- did nothing but watch cartoons while 6 people slept in recliners for 12 hours – OH but i forgot to say, my job at the aforementioned lawn mower incident was to find and pick up the finger pieces and put them in a baggie of ice. *doh* Day 3 – motorcycle vs car – on a hillside – cyclist pinned under the car, i had to lay on the hillside, next to him, and wait for the helicopter to come. had a nice long talk with him, wife was pregnant, he was worried, i reassured him all would be okay. Lifted the car up and he bled out. died right there. Called my mom and she picked me up from the scene while i threw my gloves and uniform at my supervisor.
So then a friend told me about her mom’s work, where they needed a receptionist at a Farmers Insurance office in Orangevale, California. It was $10 an hour and full benefits, which wasn’t that great. (sorry guys, it was california and 1991) but I took it, and ended up working there for 6 years and tripling my salary, plus big bonuses. Then I got divorced and moved to Vegas and got a job offer at the MGM Grand, working at their Insurance Dept in the Workers Comp Division, but I didn’t take it – I tookanother Farmers Insurance job, and blah blah blah that’s what I’ve always done, everywhere I’ve moved to I had a great job lined up before I got there. And now I’m just sick of it. I know I have so much more potential, but for what?
I wonder if they still have those tests you can take – like we all took in junior high – that tell you what you’re suited for, professionally. Please, if you know me (or just WISH you did) please feel free to tell me what YOU think I’d be good at. besides modeling and rock star. i mean ENOUGH already people.
You need to do something involved with writing and/or comedy. …or together we can open up a cupcake tasting company
Do you KNOW what my husband does for a living???
He can give you one of those tests! He helps people figure out what they want to be when they grow up everyday! (Well, at least everyday he works at JBU, and today being his last day, well, maybe you’re too late, but I digress)
You might want to talk to him before we leave. He is a career counselor for heaven’s sake. And I’m sure he could help.
Oh you poor poor dear! Your EMT career was way too long wasn’t it? That’s probably what my nursing career would look like if I hadn’t wrecked my grades in the beginning giving me no chance to find out. I’ll just pretend it wouldn’t have gone well.
I’m right there with you on that career thing though. It’s SO hard for some of us to know what to do that we could find satisfying AND lucrative enough yet still family flexible. I surely don’t know. I keep imagining opening a business of some sort in town that feels like “my thing” and I’d be totally satisfied with the work involved. No further ideas have surfaced on that idea so far so it might just be a dream stuck in the pipes. We should have a get together and investigate this topic further. I know Trisha would be on board for that bit of brainstorming. heh heh
Georgie – this is why you are my BFF.
Shelley – well gee! hook me up! have your people call my people already…
Shannon – I would love some cutesie little business that would still flourish in a stinky sucky economy. That’s it – you, me, trish, midnite – wal mart parking lot. wear an asiatic lily so i know its you.
I think Georgie’s idea is the best one! You are an awesome writer, especially of comedy! I could NOT BELIEVE your EMT story!!!!!!!!!!
But I do love that you tried it out rather than always imagining you’d love it. That’s how I am about certain yucky jobs I’ve never done. For some reason they sound so cool in my head. Like: Housekeeper at a hotel….or a florist…….or running the entire Fay. Farmers Market. Anyway, I’ll be at WM with my lily on.
Are those asiatic lilies really suppose to be as tall as SUVs? Or does Trish have them growing in some magic soil?
You can do so much with all your talent. I, myself have never made any money. (Master’s degree in Missions). Maybe Dan can hook you up with a mind blowingly awesome job, here in town with great $$ and benefits.
Maybe open up a marble slab creamery on Broadway?