Worst Job Ever Meme

My friend, Mr. Teacher over at Learn Me Good, tagged me for a Worst Job Ever Meme, which is kind of ironic in a way. I'm a latecomer to teaching, having bailed the corporate world after about 15 years, and The Principal actually put me on the stop about that during a faculty meeting this week. Her question, "We know you came to us from the corporate world...what made you go into teaching?"

My answer sounds so stupid, but it's true. "I wanted to change the world and I wasn't doing it moving paper from one side of a desk to the other." Honestly, my job had no meaning at all. It didn't make the world a better place. And as someone without kids of my own, I wanted to help kids out there that may not have scored a prize in the parent sweepstakes. So it's trite, but it's me.

And on the way to teaching seventh grade, I've had a number of loser jobs.

In high school I did a year-long stint in a donut shop. To this day I can't stand frosting and I'm not wild about donuts.

I've stuffed envelopes for a realtor.

I've waitressed. A lot. It got me through college. It's hard, physically demanding work and you realize that most people are just plain rude. I am, as a result, a big tipper when I get good service.

I sold jams and jellies in a mall during the Holidays.

I typed for professors during college.

I sold payroll systems. I hated my boss who liked to have screaming fits at all the sales reps, so one day I went to work with my swimsuit on underneath my business suit, quit, and went to the beach for the day.

But I think the job I hated the most was selling a sales training program for an unnamed company. It was lonely. I hated doing cold calls. My territory, since I was new and all the seasoned reps had dibs on the good areas, was so awful that if you did an economic forecast for the area it would be in a depression during an economic boom. Face it, 2-man machine shops do not want sales training. It made me absolutely freaking, cry in my pillow, miserable.

After that, seventh grade is a breeze.

Tag! I'm it! (According to Mr. Teacher)

Mr. Teacher, a math teacher in Texas who teaches - shudder - elementary math, tagged me for a meme...and since I happen to have the utmost respect for anyone who deals with elementary students (namely because my few years of subbing convinced me that I can't), I'll be a good sport and play the game.

Here's the rules:

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answer.

So let the fun begin!!

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

I was living in Ohio, working in a dead-in job in a manufacturing company where the only way you got promoted was if members of your family were on the payroll a hundred years ago when the company was founded. I saw the writing on the wall (and could spot poor management a mile away and knew trouble when I saw it) so I chucked it all, took out a fortune in student loans and went back to school to become a teacher. I already had my BS in business so it only took another two and a half years to get that taken care of.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

1. Help hubby with a PowerPoint presentation he needs to present this week. Please note he has never made a PowerPoint before in his life. What's that about old dogs and new tricks?

2. Knit a bit on the lace sock I'm working on. Or the sweater. Or the lace wrap. Or something.

3. Watch the Stanley Cup playoffs. I love this time of year.

4.Make lunches for both Mr. Bluebird and I.

5.Read a bit more in Sense and Sensibility and Stiff. I never read just one book at a time.

3) Snacks I enjoy:

Ice cream, almost any type of nut, dark chocolate, chips and salsa. However, since I've managed to lose about 25 lbs this year I'll have to stick with a small amount of nuts and fat free popcorn.

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

1. Stop worrying about money forever.

2.Build a hockey rink so kids in my town have one to skate on and don't have to drive over an hour.

3.Buy a winery.

4. Give a lot of money to historical preservation organizations and the State Museum.

5) Three of my bad habits:

1. Snacking when I'm not really hungry.

2. Being really, really sarcastic.

3. Being very impatient with adults (but for some reason, not with kids).

6) 5 places I have lived:

1. Denver, Colorado

2. Torrance, California

3. Diamond Bar, California

4. Celina, Ohio

5. Clarksville, TN

7) 5 jobs I have had:

1.Worked in a donut shop.

2.Executive secretary for a national car rental agency.

3.Property manager for a marina and apartment complex.

4.Substitute teacher.

5.Middle School science teacher.

8) 6 peeps I wanna know more about:

1. Mrs. Cornelius - she's written some posts that left me in tears and others that absolutely left me laughing so hard I could scarcely breathe. There was one a few years ago where she mentioned parents enrolling their kids and using the UPS store as an address that nearly killed me. She also has good taste in music.

2. Leesa has some of the most interesting things to write about and I love her dogs. I also like her use of technology. I think she and I could drink margaritas and have a great time together.

3. Missteacha is another teacher I enjoy (egads, her cheer saga nearly gave me hives) and I'm fascinated with folks that teach in urban schools. It's a different world.

4. Mrs. T. just rocks. I get antsy when she doesn't post for a while and love hearing about what it's like teaching a foreign language. I can't wait to hear about Spain.

5. NYCeducator just amazes me. I can't begin to imagine what it must be like to teach not only in an urban area, but in THE urban area of NYC. Again, it's a different world, and he always opens my eyes to things I've never encountered or thought of.

6. Darren is the sort of guy I'd love to have over for a beer and a BBQ, knowing full well that he, Mr. Bluebird and I would just have a ball talking politics and education and who knows what else. He rocks.

That's it folks! Enjoy

Seven Lords A Leaping...Actually Just a Meme

I've been tagged by Ms. Whatsit, to write down seven random things about me. Considering that my train of thought has been pretty random, this should be easy!

1. I collect scottish terrier items. I had two scotties as a kid, Angus and McDuff, and began the collecting when I was five. I still collect, although I've gotten pickier over the items as I've gotten older. My favorites are items from the 1930's and 1940's when FDR had Fala, the first scottie in the White House.
   
2. I was a tall flag twirler in High School (back here they call them color guard) and actually marched in the Rose Parade one year. The two things I remember the most about it was how bloody long the parade was and the absolutely horrible food they feed us afterwards.
   
3. I love to knit. My grandmother taught me when I was five, I did it a little as a kid and picked it up again in my 30's. I don't like knitting sweaters, however, because I get bored by the time I'm half way through.
   
4. I absolutely love W.E.B. Griffin novels. I read and re-read at least one series a year. I think my favorite is The Corps.
   
5. I have absolutely no music talent whatsoever. None. Can't sing. Took piano lessons so long ago that I can't even read music anymore. I do appreciate it however, and would love to learn to play the violin or guitar one day. I listen to lots of music however, and I'm probably the only person in America who doesn't own an MP3 player or an iPod.
   
6. I may teach science but I'm also a huge fan of history of well. I think hubby and I own well over 2000 books on various eras of history. I've been reading a lot of Rev War and WWII lately.
   
7. I've lost 20 pounds since school started this year. The holidays are kicking my butt, but hopefully I'll get back on track when the new year starts. Going down two sizes was wonderful.

Hum, who should I tag now??? How about Elementary History Teacher, Princess Lionhead, Ms. Cornelius (check out her post on that dip Jamie Lynn Spears), Mrs. T., Darren, Teacher Girl, and Ms. M. Enjoy!