August 1, 2007

Work, get Paid

Anastasia Goodstein has an insightful post entitled Baking Bagels Builds Character. It reminded me of the various odd jobs i had over the years before moving towards the career path in college:



There was one other furniture factory i worked for a brief stint, but i can't remember the name.

Back in the day, the 30 miles of twisted pair cable i helped pull inside High Point Regional Hospital, with Liberty Data Systems, was the largest CAT-5 install on the east coast.

There is now a Cook Out around the corner from the office. I was sitting in the drive-thru the other day wondering how long it had been since i worked there...i was slightly disturbed to figure out that it was *18* years ago that i chopped some cow, made patties and ran the grill.

Drug Emporium, ironically, was my first experience working for a boss doing drugs.

Collier-Keyworth, a furniture manufacturing facility, was memorable. Well, i was the janitor. Actually, i was the temporary replacement for the janitor who was out on workman's comp due to an injured back from lifting a garbage can loaded with scrap metal. I was there to witness his return, him asking for a raise, the manager saying no, then him leaving. It was a reality check that all the workers on the factory floor were paid hourly and worked by the bell. And, too, that the former janitor was making only a buck more than i was and had a family.

Some views of the world i would have missed out on had i stayed home eating Doritos and watching Donahue.