Jobs I Have Done For Pay

Jan 8, 2012

As I converse with people in different fields I often hear myself say “I’ve done that”.  It does seem like I have had a lot of jobs.   Today I decided to list the jobs I have had for pay.  These are pretty much in chronological order although I sometimes revisited previous jobs.

These are not necessarily career jobs but there is a building of one upon the other and something learned from each.  Maybe the thing I learned from the working in a hospital kitchen and being a retail clerk taught me that I better get an education and find better ways of earning a living.

What jobs have you held?  What have you learned from them?

So here they are in order, beginning with my early teens:

Paid jobs I have held

  • Baby sitting
  • Hospital kitchen
  • Retail store clerk (men’s underwear, candy, women’s clothing, men’s wear)
  • Cashier in hotel coffee shop
  • Library assistant
  • Substitute teacher
  • Sears phone center
  • Teacher
  • YWCA program director
  • Job Finding Workshop Presenter
  • Career Search Consultant
  • Marketing executive
  • Investment Adviser
  • Telephone system sales
  • Mortgage Loan Consultant
  • Real Estate Appraiser
  • Accounts Payable Clerk
  • Law Clerk
  • Lawyer

Some of these jobs required a license, permit or certificate.  I seemed to collect these knowing the one I really wanted was the last one and the one I currently hold– Licensed attorney.

Licences and certificates:

  • Food handler permit
  • Washington State Teaching Certificate
  • Certified Account Executive- Financial Services
  • Series 7 stock broker
  • Washington and California Insurance License:  Life Health and Disability
  • California certified real estate appraiser
  • California and Washington State Bar License

As I review these lists, it doesn’t look as disjointed as I first thought.  There is a pattern and each of them help me do a better job at what I do today.

I also see there are some stories here.  What would you like to hear more about?

Now What?

Jan 2, 2012

I said I was going to blog.  I actually published some posts and some got reposted.  Good grief I even have some followers.

Now what?

I participated in a thirty day challenge to blog every day.  I lasted four days.

Now what?

I made a commitment that I would continue this blog and develop a series of speeches.  I even gave a speech at Toastmasters on How Not to Look OLD.

Now what.

On this second day of a new year do you find yourself asking that question?  You wiped out the old year on New Year’s Eve, maybe even participating in a burning bowl ceremony of some sort and you wrote your declarations for the new year.  Has your intention lasted beyond this second day of the year or are you already asking:  Now what?

I will ask myself this question every day.  I want to be a source of inspiration for others or at least entertaining.  My plan is to develop inspirational speeches.  I have set some wheels in motion and have a long to do list.  There will be more in the coming  days and months.

You stated your intentions for the coming year.  I have stated mine.  Let’s support each other in reaching our goals as we once again face another year of optimism and another fresh new start.

Now what?

Stay tuned.

SOME DAYS ARE LIKE THAT — EVEN IN AUSTRALIA

Nov 2, 2011

One of my favorite children’s books is Alexander and the Horrible Terrible Very Bad Day.  Maybe you have read it?  It begins with Alexander declaring “I woke up this morning with gum in my hair and I knew it was going to be a horrible terrible very bad day”  He then went through his litany of mishaps of the day, each time announcing:  “I think I’ll move to Australia.  The book ends with the wisdom:  “Some days are like that — even in Australia.”

Over the years “Some days are like that — even in Australia” has become shorthand in my family for acceptance that not all days are light filled and wonderful.  I much prefer that to the soggy “It is what it is” of the current vernacular.

What’s wrong with acknowledging that you have had a crappy day or even a string of crappy days?  No one wants to hang around a constant complainer or negative person.  On the other hand, don’t you get slightly annoyed at people who see only bright sunshine?  Admitting that things aren’t always wonderful makes you more real.  Authentic, as my favorite writing teacher would say.

So what brings me to today’s rant?  Well, I didn’t wake up with gum in my hair but I did wake up with a red scar on my head from a face plant I did two weeks ago and the physical residuals of suffering a trauma.  Business has been challenging and my bank account is not where I would like it to be.  But the major bummer is my planned weekend get away to one of my favorite place in the whole world — Laguna Beach, California.  What can be wrong with an all expense paid weekend in paradise?  For weeks the weather has been hovering at 79 sunny degrees.   The forecast for Friday?  Raining and 57 degrees!   Saturday and Sunday are clear and 65.  Oh the horrors.  A whole weekend in an ocean-front five star hotel room and it isn’t hot and sunny?

There.  I got it out of my system.  I ranted and admitted that not every day is a winner.  Feels better.  Feels authentic.

Don’t be afraid to share the down side of your life.  Some days are like that — even in Australia.

The ups and downs keep life interesting.  Here I am in the middle of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon

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Karin Quirk