Once upon a time in southern Oklahoma, I worked as a pipeline doper - July & August, creek bottoms, high sulphur content hot tar, fiberglass insulation (old type), wrapped by hand, no breaks except for lunch. I lasted about 3 weeks.
When I was 14 I got a job cleaning office buildings and bathrooms. I got to work lousy hours for little pay but when your not 16 and getting paid under the table, you take what you can get. I did factory work for 5 years while I put myself through college. It was loud, there was no ac, no sunlight and a bunch of protective gear. The work wasn't fun but I am thankful for the job. I was constantly badgered by coworkers about being too productive. They paid me fairly and helped me get to where I am now.
The worst job though was a cushy high paying white collar job in telecom. I worked for a division of one company that was then bought out by another (for $1.9 Billion) right when the tech bubble burst. We had people on our manufacturing floor that were millionaires from their employee stock purchases and then lost it all when the stock slowly dwindled from $100/share to a $1/share and they rode it all the way down. When the layoffs started among the white collar folks, all productivity stopped. We had layoffs just about every Friday and Monday through Thursday were spent speculating about who was going next and everyone trying to position themselves politically. It was emotionally draining. Eventually the whole operation was shut down and manufacturing moved to Mexico. Over a million square feet of robotic manufacturing and office space was abandoned. I was eventually fired like everyone else and it was a relief even though it was the easiest and best paying job I could have hoped for. That experience framed many of my opinions about people, work and values.
The worst job though was a cushy high paying white collar job in telecom. I worked for a division of one company that was then bought out by another (for $1.9 Billion) right when the tech bubble burst. We had people on our manufacturing floor that were millionaires from their employee stock purchases and then lost it all when the stock slowly dwindled from $100/share to a $1/share and they rode it all the way down. When the layoffs started among the white collar folks, all productivity stopped. We had layoffs just about every Friday and Monday through Thursday were spent speculating about who was going next and everyone trying to position themselves politically. It was emotionally draining. Eventually the whole operation was shut down and manufacturing moved to Mexico. Over a million square feet of robotic manufacturing and office space was abandoned. I was eventually fired like everyone else and it was a relief even though it was the easiest and best paying job I could have hoped for. That experience framed many of my opinions about people, work and values.
Oh let me count the ways! I have had so many jobs. Some sucked, some were great. I liked most of what I did over the years but there were a few that were just bad. A few of the less pleasant would include. Dana Corporation where I worked on an assembly line building Bus Axles. Guy next to me smashed his thumb in a pneumatic vise! Nasty! First Data Corp. I traveled 3 weeks of the month. SUCKED! I worked at Braums like some others here as well as several pizza joints. Enjoyed those for the most part. Also enjoyed working for a Grocery Store and in construction.
I worked for a man that contracted sandblasting and steaming. You sandblasted in the summer, when it was hot. In the winter you run a steamer on well-heads. Nothing like being cold and wet. It sucked.
Nothing like pipe dope, to make a job fun. I bet you have seen someone get their ears doped before. lol
Yes it can be a lot worse..Picking cotton for 2-1/2 cents a pound...I picked my share while in my early years. NOT FUN...
summer job for small town during 3 summers: job was summer help so that basically meant anything they needed help with and fill in for the regulars. Usually was mowing, weed-eating, and trash truck duties - not pleasant but made the best of it.
Another summer job once working on a farm: duties included brush piles, burn piles, castrating and vaccinating calves.
Another summer job once working on a farm: duties included brush piles, burn piles, castrating and vaccinating calves.
When I moved back to Oklahoma after my stay in the Marines, the temp agency set me up for a job with a roofing crew who was stripping off the old roof of a big building to lay another. I took my lunch break and never went back... roofing (and de-roofing) SUCKS!
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