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I worked for the US state park service for a time, easiest thing in the world. Simply sat around, got paid. Was always there early and after my shift, everyone loved me. Lost it due to state politics removing funding entirely from that side of the state.

Besides my current career as an IT professional in the Healthcare industry...

I had a blast in my early college years as a projectionist/usher at AMC movie theaters.

I'd build the movies onto the platter and I have to watch the movies I built prior to opening day.

I'm jealous. "Potential Hyenadon lunch" has been my best one so far, so you get the idea how its gone.

My Boy's have been good:
Tutor-he helped jump a kid a full grade in math
Pizza-not just delivery but making it. That was both his and my best job! He could make his own pizza. I'd give him $5 for two slices of pizza with toppings so high they imploded gravity. Yes!

Wife-she would say her stint in the child victim's section at the PoPo. Very powerful but burned her out (and talk about a string up the criminals type...by their *&&^!!!!)

GC-conquering the Tang Dynasty of course. Good times she tells me.

 Bullockist wrote:

 d-usa wrote:
My most enjoyable job was the one I wasn't paid for. Did 5 years as a volunteer firefighter and worked my way up to medical training officer. Loved doing that and was heartbroken when racism reared it's ugly head and I had to leave.

But I also love my current job. Had my share of crappy managers there, still putting up with the usual workplace politics, and have to fight with residents fresh out of medical school that don't recognize when we are trying to save their asses. But I love what I do, I take it seriously, and I believe in our mission.

I'm curious how did the racism manifest?

To try to condense a long story:

I'm white, wife is black, daughter (which I didn't have at the time) is mixed. There has always been a fair share of underlying racism with the old guard at the fire department that would manifest with dirty hateful "what is she doing here" looks at the annual Christmas party and 4th of July party. Not so much with the actual guys I was working with at the time. We chalked it up to "old rednecks won't change their ways" and since it didn't impact us we didn't really pay much attention to it since the active guys didn't appear to be an issue. The active guys were the important guys since they are the ones that would help you if something were to happen to you. The fire department is a brotherhood, regardless of volunteer or career, and if something happens to one the rest of the guys step up to help out. I think it's pretty similar to the military that way. A guy gets hurt, the rest step up and make sure he is taken care of. A guy dies of cancer, the rest step up and help make sure that his wife and kids are going to be okay. We all know that we were risking our life at every fire, but we knew that the brotherhood would take care or our loved ones if something would happen.

Then 2008 happen and months of elections brought out nothing but racist thoughts in 75% of the guys. Not just "oh you don't like Obama you must be racist" stuff, but racist emails forwarded to everyone, racist pictures and jokes on the wall, etc etc. And once he was elected I was surrounded by guys talking about how they are going to rip the flag of their uniform because the country is fethed because we have a n***er president now and how they are hoping and praying that somebody is going to kill that Goddamn fething n***er. Not just one or two of them, but that was the general consensus by the majority of guys there.

So I had to leave. I could have gone to the chief and stopped the talk, but stopping the talk wouldn't have changed their hearts. And I have a responsibility to my family. And once I listened to the way those guys truly felt, I knew that if something happened to me I could never rely on that brotherhood to take care of my "ni***er wife" and my future "ni***er children".

And I admit that it still hurts to talk about it. I loved being part of that department, I loved making a real difference in that community, and I would have laid my life down for everyone of those guys if they were in danger. But in the end I had to choose between that and my family, and that choice will always be the same.

But in the end I had to choose between that and my family, and that choice will always be the same.

Preach it Brother D!

d, you are a many times exalted man.

Didn't mean to bring the thread down. I have good memories and I touched many lives there. I started a program that makes sure that every volunteer is at least certified as a first responder and helped push it from a EMT-B to a department that has paramedics. I held people hands as we were cutting them from vehicles and fought some great fires. The ending sucked, but the experience and memories is not something that I would trade away. For three of those years I got to be the boss of my rookie older brother and volunteer together with him.

Just remember: you can't change other people, but you can try to change yourself and your situation!

My favorite was being a career counselor/counseling dept.manager at Job Corps. LOVED working with the kids and helping them out/keeping them on track. The kids loved me and it was very rewardinging in that it made me feel good about myself. Wish the place had not gone all federal and given my spot to someone already "in the system".

 Frazzled wrote:
I'm jealous. "Potential Hyenadon lunch" has been my best one so far, so you get the idea how its gone.

My Boy's have been good:
Tutor-he helped jump a kid a full grade in math
Pizza-not just delivery but making it. That was both his and my best job! He could make his own pizza. I'd give him $5 for two slices of pizza with toppings so high they imploded gravity. Yes!

Wife-she would say her stint in the child victim's section at the PoPo. Very powerful but burned her out (and talk about a string up the criminals type...by their *&&^!!!!)

GC-conquering the Tang Dynasty of course. Good times she tells me.

The more you talk about your kids Frazz, The more I think you are making things up, I mean, one thing in there is totally unbelievable
I mean 1 full grade? How is that possible? We all know math is evil.

Kinda limited for me so far given that I've only had 2 part time jobs on my belt, but between the 2 it was definitely my time as a merchandiser for a floral vendor where I worked inside a Home Depot. Thought it would be awkward being with only female coworkers but it ended up being quite a fun, friendly environment and it gives you an appreciation for how much effort is put into making plants look good. It also felt pretty funny finally being in a place where I was the tallest person in a group . It helped that I was only 10 minutes drive away from it and I made such a good impression on my boss after being consistent/reliable throughout my tenure there that I took over as the merchandiser for a separate Home Depot after the people who were there originally left on short notice and now she's trying to find more guy merchandisers for that same place now that I've left.

My Favorite job was being a Butcher. As morbid as that sounds.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
I'm jealous. "Potential Hyenadon lunch" has been my best one so far, so you get the idea how its gone.

My Boy's have been good:
Tutor-he helped jump a kid a full grade in math
Pizza-not just delivery but making it. That was both his and my best job! He could make his own pizza. I'd give him $5 for two slices of pizza with toppings so high they imploded gravity. Yes!

Wife-she would say her stint in the child victim's section at the PoPo. Very powerful but burned her out (and talk about a string up the criminals type...by their *&&^!!!!)

GC-conquering the Tang Dynasty of course. Good times she tells me.

The more you talk about your kids Frazz, The more I think you are making things up, I mean, one thing in there is totally unbelievable
I mean 1 full grade? How is that possible? We all know math is evil.

I know right? Motivated student, and tutor who knows his schizzle.
Plus he just got a scholarship! The race to be the first to buy Daddy Frazzled a Vought Corsair with matching paintball machine guns continues.

 conker249 wrote:
My Favorite job was being a Butcher. As morbid as that sounds.

Any fun stories you can share? Things that only other butchers might know about?

Well.......US Army.....

Working at a bike store. One of my first jobs, years ago... so laid back, good pay, a boss that gave a second Christmas bonus after he decided that the first hadn't been big enough (they were basically a month's pay each). Got less than cost pricing on anything I wanted, worked with great guys, and was treated like a human being.

Wait. Worked a bit as a Bouncer at Ricks Place in Fayetteville NC

British soldier. 15 years in and counting.

US Army, within it I liked pretty much all my jobs, but the leadership positions were the best. I had two tank platoons and the BN recon platoon, and two company commands. All were great. Being an ROTC instructor was pretty cool too, but the knucklehead cadets far out numbered the good kids at the university I was at.

I'v also delivered pizza, worked at and managed Subways, worked home installations for everything from garage door openers to fancy windows, cut down trees, built lofts and decks, and now work as a contractor for the Army.

I think those of us that were or currently in the military have the most fun. Though one has to embrace the suck to. Leadership position Jake hit dead on. Its fun and satisfying

 Jihadin wrote:
I think those of us that were or currently in the military have the most fun. Though one has to embrace the suck to. Leadership position Jake hit dead on. Its fun and satisfying

Speak for yourself.

The amount of "Fun" in the military never made up for the stupidity. Or the serious lack of pay.

 Sasori wrote:

 Jihadin wrote:
I think those of us that were or currently in the military have the most fun. Though one has to embrace the suck to. Leadership position Jake hit dead on. Its fun and satisfying

Speak for yourself.

The amount of "Fun" in the military never made up for the stupidity. Or the serious lack of pay.

Why one has to embrace the suck to

 Jihadin wrote:

 Sasori wrote:

 Jihadin wrote:
I think those of us that were or currently in the military have the most fun. Though one has to embrace the suck to. Leadership position Jake hit dead on. Its fun and satisfying

Speak for yourself.

The amount of "Fun" in the military never made up for the stupidity. Or the serious lack of pay.

Why one has to embrace the suck to

I learned early on to thrive on other people's misery. No matter how bad it sucked, some poor fether out there had it worse. I would think of him and the crap he was dealing with, chuckle at his misfortune, and drive on.

I dunno, I was quite well paid in the (UK) Military.
Of course, I was in the RAF as an Airframe Tech, and we were pretty much the best paid trade in the force.

 marv335 wrote:
I dunno, I was quite well paid in the (UK) Military.
Of course, I was in the RAF as an Airframe Tech, and we were pretty much the best paid trade in the force.

Oh Joy.
Rivet Pitch
J-Stringers
Delam of blades
Pro Seal
Non Critical to Critical
Stop drilling
Primary Skin to Secondary Skin
Chin Bubble replacements.....the damn JOY

The Airframe techs in the RAF are far better trained that their USAF equivalents.
Assuming things have not really changed,
I was
Pneudraulics,
Fabs
ECS
Crew Chief
Aircraft Maintainance
and towards the end of my time, when I cross trained,
Engines,
Fuel Systems.

It always amazed us on NATO exersizes/deployments just how many different trades the USAF actually had

 marv335 wrote:
The Airframe techs in the RAF are far better trained that their USAF equivalents.
Assuming things have not really changed,
I was
Pneudraulics,
Fabs
ECS
Crew Chief
Aircraft Maintainance
and towards the end of my time, when I cross trained,
Engines,
Fuel Systems.

It always amazed us on NATO exersizes/deployments just how many different trades the USAF actually had

USAF are a bit.....different.....
I was Army. Hung out in the Airframe Shop to learn that aspect and Engine Shop to to gain experience to nail my A&P License down

dang how come everyone else seems to have awesome jobs mine so far have been working at a grocery store, its okay but lots of people fething each other over, and rude customers.

but best was being a waiter, hard work, but great co workers and a nice tip felt good, getting stiffed sucked.

The best job I had was working as “The Destroyer of Worlds” for a mail order games and hobby store. The actual work I did was a lot of the off-the-phones gofer work (sorting cards, putting together specials, etc) but that’s what it said on my business cards. Pay was crap, no health/retirement/etc, but a great crew to work with, and the ability to buy stuff at cost was an amazing perk for the time. Plus free trips to cons, after-hours deathmatch Doom/Duke Nuke’m/other games, sneak-peak and playtest of assorted games, etc. Lots of nice fringe benefits (like meeting The Wife).

I enjoyed working IT for a small college. great pay and “traditional” benies (vacation, retirement, etc) but the politics got to me after ~5 years, so I quit.

Working as a stay-at-home dad has some major advantages. The pajama dress code and cross the living room commute. The pay however, sucks.

My current job makes me happier than any other I've ever done, but it's long term viability is kinda touch and go.

In will say that the most surprisingly satisfying job I've had was delivering Chinese food. Everybody was always so happy to see me, because I was bringing them dinner.

My current job is the best and worst job i've had yet.

I work security so the pay is awesome, the benefits are great, I'm on the same shift as a long time friend of mine, I get to work the shift I picked, good vaction and I can do almost anything I want (within reason, nothing inappropriate, illegal, morally wrong ect.)

I don't like the long hours, working most weekends, some of the long silly training (I don't need 8 hours of training on a day off to learn how to use pepper spray every year...), new management changing things that have worked for decades and so on.