Three Jobs

So I'm ridiculously behind in blogging due to a week-long vacation in McCall (yes it was wonderful and yes I hope to blog about it soon!), but this is one I've been wanting to do for a while.

I've decided that I've had quite a diversity of jobs in my brief "career". Though, like most people, I have had a decent number of jobs, I will focus on three that underscore the range of my jobs.

1) My first job after my mission was at a place in Bellevue, WA called "Fox's Spy Outlet". Yeah, it was a spy shop, kind of a little hobby store and most of our traffic came from curious businessmen on their lunch break. Though we got a few sketchy characters in there occasionally. I was typically alone in the store and ran it by myself. And because business was SO SLOW typically, I did two things: read and watch re-runs of the Cosby show. Even though I had served a mission and enjoyed really reading the scriptures... I developed a LOVE for reading during my 6+ months I worked there. I started the "Work and Glory" series, and completed a good list of other books that I hadn't had time to read/study on my mission. Three highlights from doing the actual job: letting two guys experience being tased at their request and watching their knees buckle (that was pretty funny!), being able to shoot one of those launching wires tazer things at a poster and watching the shocks spread down the wires and then all over the wall (I felt real cool) and lastly: I sprayed some pepper spray in the front of the store just before closing (I was bored at times and tired of reading) and then went in the back of the store to do some closing paperwork. When I came out ten minutes later I was surprised when I started gagging and my eyes started running and my throat was on fire. I couldn't believe that the stuff was still in the air and that it was that potent still after ten minutes. I hope I (and you) never have to experience pepper spray again!

2. Just before I got married I took a job with David's Bridal and spent 2.5 years working for them in the bridal gown industry (primarily dresses). For most of my employment there I was the only male that worked there.... when people asked what I did my response (if I wasn't very comfortable in my manhood) was that I was a "shipping receiving manager at a local retail store". I did enjoy my job for the most part, though it was often really busy, especially during "Bridal Christmas" (Jan 1st - April... but it seemed to continue into the summer). I know all about A-line dresses, fancily-named-colors, and everything from bustles to boustiere's to bridesmaids gowns. The job allowed me to work full-time while completing most of my undergraduate studies. It also had great benefits. It was an interesting job, but it felt like I was undergoing estrogen therapy the whole time!

3) For the last year I have worked for Three Springs, Inc here in Idaho and serve male teens with Sexual Behavior Problems. Although in some ways it's a difficult population to work with, I really enjoy my job and the work that I do and the change that I get to see with juveniles and their families. It has allowed such a diversity of work, which I really enjoy (running groups, family sessions, individual sessions; coordinating treatment with education, behavioral, medical and psychiatric staff; and interfacing with state agencies).

Anyway... these are some pretty diverse workplaces in the last 7 years! Oh yeah, and Mary and I were Landlord's for 3.5 years!

I would love to hear about your three craziest, strangest jobs.