Friday, May 11

Jobs: The Good, the Bad and The Ugly

I've decided to start a new category of blog post, one that will be pitifully short - since I haven't had all that many different jobs.....LOL. Something I read on another blog prompted me to remember a great job I had during the summer when I was in school.

The Diamond Department Store was, in my hometown, the place to shop! If you needed to buy something to wear, a gift, a new album, or even lunch, you went to The Diamond. I worked there one summer as a member of the "college board" and that led to several other jobs during the Christmas season and the following summer.

The best of those was working as a "personal shopper". I wrote about this before, but I am too lazy to search for the old post. Back in the days before computer shopping, people who were shut-in, or lived too far from the store or couldn't come in to shop for whatever reason, would call the Personal Shopper and ask for someone to choose an item for them. We were told what kind of present it was to be and sizes or preferences, but the final decision was ours. I worked in that dept. for about 6 months, off and on, and it was one of the best jobs I ever had. Imagine spending other people's money, while getting to browse any and every department in the store, which had seven floors and a basement!

What was your best job ever?

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Thanks to all who have inquired about my back. It is a little sore, but not too bad. Would you believe I have not even one bruise? I can't imagine that I didn't have a large one from my shoulder blades to my tailbone! I am taking Tyl*nol (extra-strength) for the nerve pains that shoot around my body every so often. Other than that, I am well.


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Have you ever read 480 pages of a 760 page book and still have virtually no idea what is going on? I'd be interested to know if anyone has ever read this one:

"The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters" by Gordon Dahlquist

Parts of it are obtuse (at least to me) and parts of it pique my curiosity to see what more can happen....so I will keep reading, and hope that it all makes sense in the end.
Edit: thanks to Hoss for catching my spelling error!! I changed it, so if you didn't already know what was wrong - I'm not telling now!!

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think I would like to be someone's personal shopper. I kinda liked my job as a nightwatchman. It was all pretty safe and I was on my own to read, make jewelry, and watch the moon! Michele sent me.

rennratt said...

I would only read that book out of morbid curiousity.

That is one ODD title.

Bobkat said...

That sounds like a fantastic job! I think soem of the shows that I worked on in the theatre count as my best job.

I am glad to hear that your back is on the mend :)

Juggling Mother said...

Hi Kenju - long time no see!

Personal shopper does sound like a fun job. I hate shopping with my own money (probably cos I don't have any) but am quite happy spending other peoples:-)

I think my best job was probably manager of a community sports centre. I made my own shifts, had enough authority to do what I wanted most of the time, but not so much that I couldn't pass the buck when needed, and spent all day chatting to people in my community:-) I got to feel I was doing something worthwhile, and knew I did it well. I probably should never have left really!

As to books, The years of rice & salt was the same for me. I did finish it, and it was a big book, so having read maybe 1000/15000 pages, I still couldn't tell you what it was all about!

Michelle sent me today.

Anonymous said...

Good to know that your back isn't killing you!
Except for sorting out papers and putting them in alphabetical order, for a month one summer and for being a webmistress for three years, before retiring, I have always been a teacher. I enjoyed that a lot and also enjoyed being a headmistress.
The sorting out papers was purely for the money! I hate redtape!

As for the book you're reading, I'm afraid I can't even understand the title ;)

Shammickite said...

My best job ever was (is) the one I have NOW! I retired from my job in 2002. Came back to work 3 months later, doing the same job, for double the pay, and I get a pension too!!!
Better make the most of it while it lasts.

Anna said...

My best job ever was when during the week I tended bar and on the weekends I worked at the bungee jump site hooking people to jump from 180 feet. During the down times, I jumped time after time....it was a blast! :) I even have it on video...

SWEET...good times, good times.

Duke_of_Earle said...

Kenju,

I HAD to tell you this. Last night I was reading your post about falling in the shower. Carol walked in, saw the picture at the top of the post and demanded, "WHAT are you looking at!!?" It took me a while to prove to her that your blog wasn't all about lurid pictures.

John

Badabing said...

I had a few interesting jobs during the summers when I was in college. The overall best one was a garbage man. Yes, you read that correctly. Two trips to the dumps and the rest of your day was free. Oh, and there were some fringe benefits too.

As I write this there are some fond memories of that job bubbling up from my subconscious...I'll have to post the details on my blog.

Thumper said...

Best job ever...writing. I get to make stuff up and sometimes I even get paid for it.

I haven't read that book (and now I don't think I will!) but I've certainly written hundreds of pages and had no idea what's going on...

Shephard said...

The department store sounded fun. I did that too, I had to count traffic with a clicker, then worked fine jewelry, then men's. Hated it tho.
Best job ever... Store Display Designer. :)

I give a book 100 pages to go somewhere, involve me or pique my interest. After that, I'm outa there.
~S

Babette said...

My favorite job was and is teaching yoga to teenage girls.

The title of your book is one reason why I prefer the classics! ;~)

Unknown said...

Best job every was reviewing games and toys for Adam and Eve. Got to keep whatever they sent and just had to send back the review to be selected for the next round of new items. After a year we ran out of space and interest.

I'm 3/4 of the way through Stephen King's newest Lisey's Story. I'm so totally lost I just put it down three weeks ago and haven't even thought about it until now.

Joy Des Jardins said...

I've had three jobs in my life. One is ongoing and has been for over 38 years. I never got paid, it often had terrible hours and never had vacation; but I learned the most from it,and I reaped more rewards than any job I've had or could ever hope to have...MOTHERHOOD.

"Happy Mother's Day Judy"

rosemary said...

The best job I ever had was at the Library a few short years ago....loved it, loved it. I have tried several times to get through The Red Tent and the Da Vinci Code...just can't do it...I have read a lot of books without ever really getting them which is why I stay away from spy novels and fantasy stuff. My simple mind I guess. Really gald you are feeling OK.

LZ Blogger said...

When I first read this... I though it was REALLY a department store for buying Diamonds. I guess it's all about interpretation! (I must have been married to a woman who loves jewellery for a long time?) ~ jb///

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

I wonder if the Net killed off most people's need for a personal shopper, although I wouldn't mind if someone brought perfect wardrobe choices to my house and I could try them in here and pick what I liked best.

As for the book, why are you bothering? There are so many other good ones out there; cut your losses and move on!

Here from Michele's.

Eddie said...

I had more fun sacking groceries as a teenager.

kenju said...

The book was lent to me by a friend, and I don't know if she has read it yet. I am still reading it because it has a few very interesting passages and I keep hoping I'll discover them more often in the last half of the book....LOL.

Michael K. Althouse said...

I'm a pretty picky reader. If a book doesn't capture and keep my attention, I'll just put it down. Of course there are exceptions... text books are a good example.

Michele sent me,

Mike

Paul Nichols said...

Here from Michele's this time. Best job ever? Raising kids!!!!

OldHorsetailSnake said...

My best job was working on the section gang for Brooks-Scanlon Lbr. Co. See, we would ride the speeder out to do our work, and then back to check out. We got portal-to-portal. Nobody since has ever paid me for 3 hours of sitting on my butt.

sage said...

I haven't read that one--hope your back is getting better.

Badaunt said...

Will you be my personal shopper?

I hate shopping, especially for clothes. I do best when I shop with a someone who is good at finding things that look good on me. I can't seem to do it by myself, AT ALL.

If I were rich, I'd hire you!

Cris said...

Ok, my best job so far has been motherhood, the pay is low... but the reward is out of this world!