Jobs

1. Candy Striper at a Nursing Home in 1965 (no one under 50 probably even knows what the hell I am talking about here)
2. 1968 - Yankee Doodle Burgers, I was the burger gal for about 3 days until the day came and I was too drunk to get to work, and showed up there later anyway - to eat a burger. Bad judgment? me?
3. 1969 - Chandler's Shoes - I was the handbag gal, it was fun. Until they actually expected me to show up on the day after Thanksgiving! I didn't show up.
4. 1970 - Montgomery Ward Catalog Sales - I called catalog customers and told them about "our July Blanket and Pillow Sale" - I don't think I made it to August.
5. 1970 - Painter Carpets - I was a customer service rep, and got fired in short order.
6. 1970 - Cleaned new apartments - I HATED that job.
7. 1970 - Cashier at K-Mart at Christmas time. On Christmas Eve, I called a customer a fucking asshole and walked out of the store - got to the parking lot and thought "now what, here I am in the parking lot, with a green smock on, no purse, no keys, etc." But security came and got me!
8. 1971 - Fabrini's Flowers. I was an assistant floral designer. I loved that job, but got fired after the rush of Easter, Mother's Day, and proms.
9. 1971 - Sorority House - women's retail. yuck. got fired after my friend shoplifted there. Geez!
10. 1971 - Foyer's - women's retail. Got fired after being repeatedly warned by my boss, Mr. Zimmerman, that I had to be "cognizant" of the customers.
11. 1971 - Abco Employment Agency - Times were so good back then that I was actully hired by an employment agency to make phone calls to see if anyone was looking for a job! I ended up with a good job out of that....
12. 1971 - 1973 Thomas and Betts, electrical supplies - I started as a switchboard operator and ended up as a customer service rep.
13. 1973 United States Postal Service - Window Clerk. I lasted 9 months, was about to get fired when I quit. One Saturday morning, the PO didn't open because I didn't show. When I finally came in, I was helping a customer with postage to Taiwan when I passed out! I was still drunk - they called an ambulance!
14. 1973-1975 Thomas and Betts, electrical supplies - when they were called for a reference as I was leaving the PO, my old boss came to the PO to offer me my old job back! They loved me!
15. 1975 Some Restaurant. I decided I wanted to be a waitress, and lasted 3 days. I was hired on a Friday, came back on Monday and asked for the man who hired me - he was killed over the weekend in a freak accident and no one even knew he hired me.... I should have left right then.
16. 1975 - 1976 Allstate Insurance home office, Northbrook, IL. I did a job that no one knew what it was, not even my boss, and when I went on maternity leave, they didn't replace me - and I never came back.
17. 1976 - 1981 My brother's company, Raton, New Mexico. I did various work for him when I needed extra money when my kids were little.
18. 1985 My brother's company, Denver, CO. I was newly sober and got a job as his Administrative Assistant. One day he got so mad at me, he tore a door off its hinges. That lasted about 9 months.
19. 1985- 1989 - a multinational insurance brokerage. I started as a temp., and got licensed as an insurance agent. Worked small accounts first, and ended up as an Account Executive -working the professional liability dept... I had 1500 accounts - all lawyers... I lost my mind! Really.
20. 1989 - 1993 - On disability for depression. Oh, please Dear Lord, I never want to repeat days that dark and hopeless.... but I was sober.
21. 1993 - 1994- Decided I HAD to work - got a job for $5.65 an hour at a large hospital, assembling medical records... I loved that job.
22. 1994- present - Psychiatric hospital - started as an administrative assistant in the medical records dept., went to school... got my bachelor's in Health Information Management, ended up as the director of the medical records dept. Continued in school, got my masters degree in Health Services Administration... ended up in my current job...
----there are more jobs that I have remembered as I have been writing... but I don't want to re-number this.--- And, by writing this, I really get an overwhelming gratitude for what God has been able to accomplish in my life. You can see where my self-directed activities got me. After about 10 years of sobriety, in 1994, I really surrendered and my life really turned around. Thank You God!!!