What were you?

A fellow blogger, Donna, had an interesting blog this morning. So I stole it. Of course I did! I’m like that!

She said it is interesting to know what people have done as jobs or careers in their lives. I agree. So here is mine. Read Donna’s, too, then go home and write yours! Leave a note in the comments if you follow this trek in your own blog, and we’ll all run over and read it!

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Of course I did the obligatory babysitting as a kid through junior high school and high school. In the 9th grate, I got my first “real” job as a clerk, stocker, do-everythinger in a record store. For those of you who are younger than this ol’ lady, a “record store” sold “records,” an ancient forerunner to 8-track tapes => cassette tapes => CDs.   ;D  Yeah, I know, you don’t understand what 8-tracks or cassettes are, either! That was a dream job for a teenager, as I got to see and hear first hand all the newest releases, and I was able to buy them before most of my friends! I worked there after school and on Saturday until I graduated from high school.

After graduation, I didn’t go to college. I didn’t know what I wanted to study, and I thought it was a waste of time. My parents were not especially happy about it, but understood when I said I’d love to go, be with my friends, but I’d probably goof off and drop out as all four of my older siblings had (at that time; two would later complete degrees and one a master’s). I thought I’d work a while and figure out my direction and go later. So I took a job at the credit bureau doing office stuff. In less than a year I was the office manager. Then  I got married, had babies and forgot about college. For a while.

I continued working in the financial field in a loan office for a couple years. OK job, but not much challenge. After the birth of my second child I began working for a doctor as his assistant. After a move from New Mexico to Kansas City, MO, I did a short stint in an insurance office, than back to the medical office for another 11 years. I did the front office and office management in this position, until I decided to go to college at the ripe old age of 36. I carried 9-12 hours evenings and worked full time for several years, then took two years to finish the bachelor degree and master’s degree at the age of 44. With that .... I were a social worker!

I spent the next 18 years working with families, helping them to take lives in a different direction. I loved, loved, loved this work. Toward the end of this tenure, I was dealing with emotionally ill clients during the day and a husband who was physically and emotionally deteriorating daily, and it became a very difficult life. I happily retired late in 2005.

After returning to New Mexico I worked for a year and a half in an art gallery, doing sales, office work and public relations. I enjoyed it, but the collapsing economy crushed that job, so I’ve been home for a couple years now. As the economy is continuing to cause discomfort in my budge, I’m now looking for a job. Who knows what that might be? Another new career? Perhaps ! Stay tuned!!

Now .... GET BUSY ON YOUR OWN STORY!!!!