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Monday, February 18, 2013

Lists

My "Pushing 60" project has sent me back to a Book of Lists I started on November 2, 1989 in West Caldwell, New Jersey.  How can I recall the date and place?  I very anally recorded that on the first page of the book.  There, now you know something that I have heretofore kept as secret--I have analities.  This book starts out with "Places I've Lived" (9 states, 21 cities) which really will most likely go on and on because the gypsy gene runs STRONG in me.  A few pages later comes "Best Friends I've Had", "Pets I Have Had", "Places I Have Visited", "Things That Say 'Yes!' To Me", and then romps right into all of my lists of 60 things to go, do, be, read, think etc. in the year between 59 and 60--which the astute reader will notice I have been alluding to but never really addressing directly on this blog.  Nestled right in between "Places I Have Lived" and "Best Friends I Have Had" is "Jobs I Have Been Paid To Do".  Because I have had to scrap my way through a good part of the last 60 years, that list takes up one and a half pages.  I thought I might share a few of those for the next couple of posts.  (Back to that astute reader--Have you noticed that once the resuscitation blocks were put to my chest, I have been a flurry of writing activity???)
Here's my list (in no particular order, but I suspect sort of chronologically):
  1. babysit
  2. pick raspberries
  3. movie theatre concessions/tickets
  4. busgirl
  5. waitress
  6. registration aid (B.Y.U.--think Fieldhouse)
  7. housecleaning
  8. catering
  9. filing
  10. seminary teacher
  11. bread slicer in a baker
  12. reader to the blind
  13. housekeeping for elderly (social services)
  14. sewing
  15. public school teaching
  16. tutor
  17. sales (Fuller Brush, Tupperware, Discovery Toys, JuicePlus, Sunrider, Pampered Chef)
  18. university library cataloger
  19. clown (twice--Shakey's Pizza, grand opening of Chad's Rainbow)
  20. secretary
  21. mentor
  22. advisor for Rent-a-Teen
  23. ski shop clerk
  24. attend classes
  25. inventory (Radio Shack) 
  26. housesit
  27. cut out shirt samples for trade show in NYC sweat shop
  28. edit
  29. sell  random things I've made, baked, or bartered
  30. Life skills teacher to at-risk kids
  31. MADD advisor, Natural Helpers advisor
  32. crash helmet assembly worker
  33. Good Humor temp
I concede that each and every one of these might be a lengthy post--perhaps even a chapter in a book!  My friend Lana says I was more interesting pre-Paco when I was constantly scratching and plotting how to get money.  That's probably true.  Nothing like security to bring on the yawns.  I should put all of these into a hat and draw one out a day.  I KNOW you want to hear about my 3 weeks in an NYC sweatshop, and I'd be unforgivably amiss if I omitted my clown gigs.  Furthermore, my waitress jobs were smashing as well as my "careers" in New Jersey when I was literally keeping the thin thread between life and extinction viable by baking and selling bread DAILY.  I think I'll start tomorrow with the sweatshop.  Come on back!

1 comment:

Patti said...

I. LOVE. LISTS!! Never thought of making a book of them. I think that's because mine would not be nearly as interesting as yours. Post away!

Favorite books

  • Me 'n Steve
  • Thundering Sneakers
  • James Herriott's vet books
  • The Count of Monte Cristo
  • Travels with Charley
  • A Walk in the Woods
  • Peace Like a River
  • The Egg and I
  • Mary Poppins
  • Extremly Loud Incredibly Close
  • How Green Was my Valley