It's so funny you say that about the accents because we do the same thing over here. As kids we put on British accents all the time for fun. My husband has been listening to The Lotus Eaters and following UK news pretty closely and comes into the house after work greeting me with an English or Scottish accent half the time 😂 he recently bought a wall map of the British Isles that we have hanging in the hallway. Buncha Anglophiles in this house.
I thought that after so much retail, I'd finally be happy in a cubicle job, but they all seem to have that one thing in common: being utterly soul-sucking!
I’ve bounced around the entertainment industry for over 20 years. I drove trucks for production, carried c stands and cables, played small roles on tv, turned a house in the valley into an aspen ski lodge for a playboy shoot, worked with celebrities, run companies, written for a show, worked in craft service, and was an under appreciated wardrobe Sherpa.
For a lot of that time I was incredibly broke so I also worked as a dog walker, personal assistant, handyman (I was the worst at this, I am no Harrison Ford), painter, waiter and general LA hustler.
I think, even for us who are lucky enough to have jobs that some would think are interesting, the theme of barely making enough to survive is a common one for millennials. I have less room to complain than most because I’m the idiot who decided I wanted to work in entertainment.
The truth is, all the jobs are somewhat interesting because people are interesting. It just sucks for a lot us that making a real living seems like a puzzle game where the rules are made up and all our bosses are assholes.
I’ve been watching the entertainment industry self destruct for the last year and I’ve wondered if I’m finally done with it, maybe I’ll move on to whatever is next. That thought used to terrify my but it doesn’t anymore. I’m not my job and whatever I do next won’t be boring.
You're so right about interesting people making the jobs at least somewhat interesting. The endless collection of unique folks I met through these gigs made it all better (and funnier).
The pervy guys on the phone, that’s a new one — the mere sound of any female voice talking about anything at all was enough. It would be pathetic if it hadn’t been a psychological assault on you, which makes it evil as well as contemptible.
This was fun to read. It reminds me of my younger working years and I appreciate you focused on the teenage logic of each job. I remember in 1997, as a teenager, quitting my job as a grocery store cashier making $5.50/hr to take a job as a host at the Olive Garden for a whopping raise to $6.75/hr AND half off food.
Thanks for reading! I remember a handful of my friends who were on the swim team got jobs as lifeguards at nearby pools. They made $7.25 an hour, which was utterly unfathomable to me at the movie theater. I lamented my fear of deep water those summers lol.
Half off restaurant food was probably the best reason to work at one. I tried a lot of seafood I wouldn't have tried otherwise at Red Lobster for that reason. (Turns out I hate everything except crab. Maybe a Midwestern seafood chain wasn't the best choice for trying it all for the first time)
For the longest time, I wanted to write a piece about all the “real adult” jobs I’ve worked for “good money” which were 10 times more hellacious than any kid job. Cubicle hell. I worked for every major financial institution, then later telecom, and the money did not make up for the daily torture.
“work sucks” is perhaps something that that rank in file liberals and conservatives (not neo-cons) can agree on, especially with out of control soulless corporations.
I absolutely loved this. So familiar and yet so hilarious, from the attempts to avoid quitting by ghosting or leaving a note, to the photo lab stories. I always wondered what it was like to work at a photo lab, and I can still remember viscerally how those stores smelled. I also made friends call bosses and pretend to be me and quit on my behalf, because I was too chicken.
This is great writing, I loved this piece. You're so cute and silly in that camera store photo too.
The chemical smell gave me a constant headache for the first week or two. I got used to it, so much so that I forgot about the smell until you mentioned it! This job overlapped with the Robin Williams movie One Hour Photo. We all went to see it together and howled at the lab maintenance scene. It was exactly what lab maintenance day was like.
It's so funny you say that about the accents because we do the same thing over here. As kids we put on British accents all the time for fun. My husband has been listening to The Lotus Eaters and following UK news pretty closely and comes into the house after work greeting me with an English or Scottish accent half the time 😂 he recently bought a wall map of the British Isles that we have hanging in the hallway. Buncha Anglophiles in this house.
You are a hard worker. I’ve been a bus boy, bellman, metal stamping plant worker, and finally occupying a soul-crushing cubicle job before retiring.
I thought that after so much retail, I'd finally be happy in a cubicle job, but they all seem to have that one thing in common: being utterly soul-sucking!
Great stories, and I recognize those parking lots.
I’ve bounced around the entertainment industry for over 20 years. I drove trucks for production, carried c stands and cables, played small roles on tv, turned a house in the valley into an aspen ski lodge for a playboy shoot, worked with celebrities, run companies, written for a show, worked in craft service, and was an under appreciated wardrobe Sherpa.
For a lot of that time I was incredibly broke so I also worked as a dog walker, personal assistant, handyman (I was the worst at this, I am no Harrison Ford), painter, waiter and general LA hustler.
I think, even for us who are lucky enough to have jobs that some would think are interesting, the theme of barely making enough to survive is a common one for millennials. I have less room to complain than most because I’m the idiot who decided I wanted to work in entertainment.
The truth is, all the jobs are somewhat interesting because people are interesting. It just sucks for a lot us that making a real living seems like a puzzle game where the rules are made up and all our bosses are assholes.
I’ve been watching the entertainment industry self destruct for the last year and I’ve wondered if I’m finally done with it, maybe I’ll move on to whatever is next. That thought used to terrify my but it doesn’t anymore. I’m not my job and whatever I do next won’t be boring.
You're so right about interesting people making the jobs at least somewhat interesting. The endless collection of unique folks I met through these gigs made it all better (and funnier).
Great writing.
Thank you for reading! I'm glad you enjoyed it 😁
What an odyssey!
Can’t wait for part two.
The pervy guys on the phone, that’s a new one — the mere sound of any female voice talking about anything at all was enough. It would be pathetic if it hadn’t been a psychological assault on you, which makes it evil as well as contemptible.
This was fun to read. It reminds me of my younger working years and I appreciate you focused on the teenage logic of each job. I remember in 1997, as a teenager, quitting my job as a grocery store cashier making $5.50/hr to take a job as a host at the Olive Garden for a whopping raise to $6.75/hr AND half off food.
Thanks for reading! I remember a handful of my friends who were on the swim team got jobs as lifeguards at nearby pools. They made $7.25 an hour, which was utterly unfathomable to me at the movie theater. I lamented my fear of deep water those summers lol.
Half off restaurant food was probably the best reason to work at one. I tried a lot of seafood I wouldn't have tried otherwise at Red Lobster for that reason. (Turns out I hate everything except crab. Maybe a Midwestern seafood chain wasn't the best choice for trying it all for the first time)
For the longest time, I wanted to write a piece about all the “real adult” jobs I’ve worked for “good money” which were 10 times more hellacious than any kid job. Cubicle hell. I worked for every major financial institution, then later telecom, and the money did not make up for the daily torture.
You should! I'd love to read it, myself, especially since we have working at a bunch of major financial institutions in common 😄
“work sucks” is perhaps something that that rank in file liberals and conservatives (not neo-cons) can agree on, especially with out of control soulless corporations.
an impressive array of experiences. The pics are a nice touch, too.
I absolutely loved this. So familiar and yet so hilarious, from the attempts to avoid quitting by ghosting or leaving a note, to the photo lab stories. I always wondered what it was like to work at a photo lab, and I can still remember viscerally how those stores smelled. I also made friends call bosses and pretend to be me and quit on my behalf, because I was too chicken.
This is great writing, I loved this piece. You're so cute and silly in that camera store photo too.
The chemical smell gave me a constant headache for the first week or two. I got used to it, so much so that I forgot about the smell until you mentioned it! This job overlapped with the Robin Williams movie One Hour Photo. We all went to see it together and howled at the lab maintenance scene. It was exactly what lab maintenance day was like.
I just read all that. Every word ... instead of going to bed at a reasonable time.
I love your writing.
Keep smashing it girl :)
Thank you so much 😁
Fancy jobs. None of them gave you carpal tunnel, or impacted spinal disks, or damaged your shoulder tendons beyond hope of rehabilitation.
Lucky old you.
What a a fascinating study of humanity….one great work story after another !- can't wait for part two !