Information

[Ayla]

I never get to see cool posts like this as I work a 9-5 at a bank in the loan department. We mostly do apartment and commercial loans. In addition, I am a photographer (new business) and mostly do weddings. One day, I hope to be a full time photographer and SAHM

I couldn't even imagine what you see and deal with at your job. Did it get easier after more and more time of doing it?

Who are you directing this question to?

[icesk8abc]

Sorry, it is officially the governing body for public school competition. They set forth the rules regarding eligibility (they made up "no pass, no play". For elementary students, this is academic competition only. They also govern sports. Each year our district has a UIL competition where students compete in different areas. Winners can then compete at the state level. In middle and high school they also can compete at the national level (think Academic Decathalon).

What state are you in? I don't recall ever hearing anything like that in Michigan.

This is Texas's governing body of competition. Most states have some version of it, though. Several states have separate governing bodies for sports and academic competition. All the schools that wish to participate in state competition here must abide by their rules. The rules can very from state to state, though there are a few national standards that everyone must use (think size of the field, length of the game, etc).

My job at school is to find coaches for our events (oral reading, number sense, creative writing, spelling, dictionary skills, and story telling). Then I make sure everyone follows all the rules. Sometimes this is not fun (how do you tell a second grader they can't participate.) They are very strict here in Texas. One school not following the rules can disqualify an entire district from UIL competition (though it has to be a pretty severe infraction). I also coach our 4th and 5th grade Number Sense team.

[ncokely]

Another Art Teacher here too--but it was because of budget cuts. I have a Bachelor's degree in Education and have taught preschool through 3rd grades for the last 26 years. Last year the school I was working at, had to be shut down. I was teaching kindergarten at the time. I could have switched to another kindergarten class at another school, but that would have knocked a brand new teacher out of her job. Sooooooo---I opted to try teaching art. In my state at the elementary level you do not have to have an art degree to teach art. So I went from a class of 18 to now almost 300 students from ages Kindergarten to 5th grade. I survived the 1st year and will be trying it again this year. Some aspects I really love about it, but I still miss my own classroom every now and then.

[immom2anc]

Usually when a thread gets this long, I'll skip through it, but I couldn't stop reading. So cool to see so many different jobs & areas of expertise covered by the members of this board. Kudos!!

I've been working on a layout in my head about this anyway, so I'm actually going to post my VERY random job history for you all to see! And I swear on a good book (not THE good book, just pick a good one) that the following is completely true (if you don't believe me, ask Laura, she's probably got photos):

2001-2001 (graduating senior from high school) Customer Service/Assistant to owner at an Import Store (that also happened to sell Adult Products in the back)
2001-2002 Telemarketer soliciting donations from UOP Alumni (you know you love people like me!)
2002-2003 Tutor/Nanny to a family with 2 VERY difficult children (this coming from a girl raised with an in-home daycare)
2002-2004 Radio promotions assistant/Armchair Quarterback/Dee-Jay (met SO many great artists this way!)
2003-2005 A&W roller-skating car-hop & Marilyn Monroe impersonator (wig, white dress and all)
2004-2006 Retail sales associate at Sears selling dishwashers, stoves & microwaves (BORING.... but it was a paycheck)
2006-2006 Outside sales rep for Yellow Page company; sold ads and began graphic design work (loved the graphic design part, hating the LONG drives)
2006-2008 Interior designer/Furniture retail sales associate, also handled advertising work
2007-2010 Recreation Instructor in Kids tumbling, exercise & craft classes (another favorite job. anything involving kids!!)
2008-present Owner of Kristen Carter Photography, specializing in maternity, newborns & families (the best job besides being Mommy)

Thanks for letting me share!!

[-Shannon-]

I never get to see cool posts like this as I work a 9-5 at a bank in the loan department. We mostly do apartment and commercial loans. In addition, I am a photographer (new business) and mostly do weddings. One day, I hope to be a full time photographer and SAHM

I couldn't even imagine what you see and deal with at your job. Did it get easier after more and more time of doing it?

Who are you directing this question to?

You, since its your thread

[JeanG]

I started out as an LPN - worked everywhere except OB and ER. The last 4 years were in CCU and about killed me - so I switched to the business office - receptionist, operator, billing, etc. After 19.5 year, I gave up at the hospital (crappy administration) and worked 6 mo. in A/R, and billing at a nursing home. Spent the next 14 .4 years running a medical waste/document shredding/records storage company and ended up in 2007 having to resign due to illnesses. I'm now on disability and wish to heaven I could get well enough to go back to work - even part time. I miss the relationships you form and meeting new people.

[Ayla]

I never get to see cool posts like this as I work a 9-5 at a bank in the loan department. We mostly do apartment and commercial loans. In addition, I am a photographer (new business) and mostly do weddings. One day, I hope to be a full time photographer and SAHM

I couldn't even imagine what you see and deal with at your job. Did it get easier after more and more time of doing it?

Who are you directing this question to?

You, since its your thread

LOL..sorry, wasn't sure, since so many people have posted. Yes, parts of it get easier and easier. I was terrified when i first started working in ER... what if I didn't do something right? But as you learn, it all makes so much sense. Now it's a personal game of mine to see if I can figure out what is wrong with someone before the official diagnosis comes across. I'm getting pretty good at it. I've seen some very stange things....things I could never post here, some very amusing things...some things that just make me mad. But you develop a strange sense of humor for dealing with some things. But you get really good at staying calm when everyone else is worked up. You also get intrigued with really weird things...I love fractures. I've been intrigued with orthopedic stuff ever since nursing school. And one drug we give to sedate people is great fun to give. WE use it if someone needs quick sedation for something...like popping a dislocated shoulder back into place, used it one to pull a roofing nail out of a man's hand who had nailed 2 fingers together with an air gun. It's called etomidate, and when you give it, the person is snoring in about 30 second. They're out for about 10 minutes, then wake up with absolutely no residual sleepiness and are amazed that you are done. It's just dramatic...fun to give. But I really love the challenge....I love not knowing what is coming next, having to think off the top of your head when you're totally changing gears... our docs are great. We anticipate a lot of what is going to happen and are ahead of them. That's another little game I play in my head...see if I can anticipate just what lab tests or xrays are going to be ordered. Getting pretty good at that too. I am a trivia freak...and it extends to the medical field too. I love remembering little tidbits, and truly believe it is a wasted day if I have not learned something. Doesn't have to be big, just something. Doesn't have to be about medicine either....can be about life, or a process, or anything...I just want to end a day knowing something more than i did the day before. I have those days when I just don't want to go to work, but it's usually because I am involved in something else and don't want to change directions of my day. But I love my job...and am glad to be able to say that.

[Ayla]

Usually when a thread gets this long, I'll skip through it, but I couldn't stop reading. So cool to see so many different jobs & areas of expertise covered by the members of this board. Kudos!!

I've been working on a layout in my head about this anyway, so I'm actually going to post my VERY random job history for you all to see! And I swear on a good book (not THE good book, just pick a good one) that the following is completely true (if you don't believe me, ask Laura, she's probably got photos):

2001-2001 (graduating senior from high school) Customer Service/Assistant to owner at an Import Store (that also happened to sell Adult Products in the back)
2001-2002 Telemarketer soliciting donations from UOP Alumni (you know you love people like me!)
2002-2003 Tutor/Nanny to a family with 2 VERY difficult children (this coming from a girl raised with an in-home daycare)
2002-2004 Radio promotions assistant/Armchair Quarterback/Dee-Jay (met SO many great artists this way!)
2003-2005 A&W roller-skating car-hop & Marilyn Monroe impersonator (wig, white dress and all)
2004-2006 Retail sales associate at Sears selling dishwashers, stoves & microwaves (BORING.... but it was a paycheck)
2006-2006 Outside sales rep for Yellow Page company; sold ads and began graphic design work (loved the graphic design part, hating the LONG drives)
2006-2008 Interior designer/Furniture retail sales associate, also handled advertising work
2007-2010 Recreation Instructor in Kids tumbling, exercise & craft classes (another favorite job. anything involving kids!!)
2008-present Owner of Kristen Carter Photography, specializing in maternity, newborns & families (the best job besides being Mommy)

Thanks for letting me share!!

Somehow, I can truly picture the Marilyn Monroe impersonator!!! What an eclectic background!

[Ayla]

I started out as an LPN - worked everywhere except OB and ER. The last 4 years were in CCU and about killed me - so I switched to the business office - receptionist, operator, billing, etc. After 19.5 year, I gave up at the hospital (crappy administration) and worked 6 mo. in A/R, and billing at a nursing home. Spent the next 14 .4 years running a medical waste/document shredding/records storage company and ended up in 2007 having to resign due to illnesses. I'm now on disability and wish to heaven I could get well enough to go back to work - even part time. I miss the relationships you form and meeting new people.

OB and ER are two of my favorite places! I was working the observation unit one night....a short stay unit, 23 hours or less. One of the ER nurses came running thru..."where's the warmer?" Not good...that means someone is delivering a baby...mind you, we don't have OB NOR peds at our hospital. I looked at the tech i was working with, said I had to go see what I could do. Thankfully she was a tech I could trust to keep her eye on things.


I went over to ER to discover that a lady high on crack who had come in with abdominal pain had just delivered...didn't know she was pregnant, was so stoned couldn't even give us a good history. No one in ER had realized I ever worked OB. Granted, it had been probably 14 years earlier, but some things never really leave you. So the OB kicked in...I started resuscitating and working with the infant. The other ER nurses recognized that I knew what I was doing, and backed off and let me handle the baby. We called neonatal transport, transfered baby to the neonatal intensive care unit at another hospital. Baby did good....the house supervisor had come down when the commotion built up, saw me with the baby (knowing I was officially working hte observation unit) and went and filled in for me in the other unit). I got som many people thanking me for helping...they hadn't known about the OB experience, but recognized it, and really went out of their way to thank me and voice their appreciation. It was awesome.



The nurses around me were guessing how far along the baby was....they thought term becuase it didn't have any vernix or lanugo...the "cottage cheese" and fine hair that preemie babies have. I thought 33-34 weeks, when we know term is 40. After he was evaluated by the neonatalogist, he was 33 weeks 3 days! I NAILED IT!! LOL I was so proud....I still had "it"!!! I think I walked with my feet about 6 inches off the ground for about a week...I was just so excited to have made a difference. I'm told baby ultimately did well...don't know if he was put up for adoption or what, but physically he did well.

[Nunina]

Great thread!

I am a Computer Engineer for a local telecomm company here in Puerto Rico. I specialize in IBM Application Servers, Oracle and Microsoft SQL Databases, as well as providing support to several other middleware applications and services. I am on-call 24x7, sometimes I have to works nights and weekends... oh, and have to take my laptop when I go on vacation...

On the weekends I do the bookkeeping for our automobile repair/bodyshop. We have no kids other than our pets, our 11 yr old Basset Hound, Timi, and our 10 yr old stray cat, Sisi. We got married in March 2010 after living together for almost 3 years. DH is an only child, but I am the oldest of 5, so most weekends we have my niece and my baby brother (he's 11) running around in the pool!

One job isn't enough, huh..gotta show me up by having 3? lol

Sorry for posting late!! I've been soooo busy at work!

You cracked me up! LOL

I've loved this thread enormously! You girls rock!

[PinkPugINK]

Aldi's are German? I didn't know that! We have 2 or 3 in our town. AS for pharmacy tech, our hospital is currently posting 3 open positions, and community pharmacies are always looking for good certified techs.

The name Aldi comes from "Aldright District" where the first Aldi opened in Germany. I cannot wait to start & finish my class so I could find a good pharmacy job. I think I'll volunteer at a hospital while I take the class & maybe they'll hire me once I'm certified..

[sghartman]

I'm a fifth grade science teacher and now that summer vacation is ending I'll be officially heading back to work on Monday. I usually get there about 7:15 so I can finish any last minute prep and make sure everything is up and running before the kids walk in the door at 7:45. On a typical day I'm gone by 4:30. I can't stand to sit up there and grade papers, write tests, etc so I do that at home in the evenings after the girls have settled down. Once TAKS (state standardized test) gets close I may stay late for tutoring but that's only for a couple months.


I do enjoy my summer's even though I do go to some trainings and such. It's nice to be able to spend time with the girls.

[msseptmbr]

Reading these made me flash back on so many things !! Wow thanks for sharing your personal stuff; it is so nice to know there are other people out there!


I am a stay at home mother of 4. I work out of my home as a scrapbooker. People give me their photos and I create albums for them. At first I had a difficult time; scrapbooking is an intimate thing. But now, I am ok with it... been doing it for since 04. If you wonder why not very many of my layouts are on here, it is because my kids are like the cobbler's kids who had no shoes! I rarely have time to make anything for myself. I work late at night to get stuff done.. it is crazy !

[JDs Mom]

What a great thread!
Well, before I started my own home daycare two years ago, I worked for a national inventory service company that did inventories for retail companies. I had been there for 20 yrs. Yeah, I started back when I was in highschool. It was a great part time job. I tried college, but really didn't want to do want my dad wanted to so I quit. Worked several retail places over the years. Most favorite was The Disney Store. At one point in my life I actually had a "real" 8-4 job working in the accounting department of a property management company. Once I had my first child, I knew that life was over. I have never looked back! So I have been a SAHM with part time jobs over the last 12 yrs. Decided that none of those part time retail jobs was giving me what I wanted most, time with my kids. When my neighbor said "why don't you try home childcare?" I said " sure if you are". So we work together with another neighbor during mornings rotating between each others houses. We do our own version of preschool for the kids. Some days I can't stand being home all the time, but then I really wouldn't change what I have. Now my baby is starting K this year, so it will be different watching others kids without one of my own here with me. Not sure how I am going to handle that. I would like to someday go back to school and maybe get a teaching degree of something. Until then, I will just stay home!

Speaking on behalf of everyone that I work with in the day care licensing arena--THANK YOU for the awesome and often unappreciated job that you do! Without day care, working moms COULDN'T (work, that is)!!

[TraciL]

I work from home processing claims for a major health/dental insurance company. I've worked from home since Sept 06. Worked in insurance for 20+ years.

I've recently been thinking it's time for a change.

[Shadywolfe]

I moved to South Carolina 3 years ago from New York. I live with my boyfriend, fish, and 1 bearded dragon in a studio condo on the third floor overlooking our pool. It's small but cute here. I only wish it was bigger so I could have more room for my scrapbooking stuffs! We have no children, but I work with kids everyday. I love working with the kids but it's nice to come home to quiet too lol. I work at an aquarium. My job doesn't pay well at all, (my official job title is Educator) but it's fun most days and I get to work with marine animals. The best part of my day, most times, is when it's quiet in the morning and I can just watch the stingrays swimming and splashing, or when I can see the sharks being fed. There's been a lot of days lately where I wish I could just work with the animals and not deal with people... but I'm sure you all feel that way some days too

[Karenscraps]

I work from home processing claims for a major health/dental insurance company. I've worked from home since Sept 06. Worked in insurance for 20+ years.

I've recently been thinking it's time for a change.

I would love to do work like that from home, may I ask how you found that position.

[Karenscraps]

I moved to South Carolina 3 years ago from New York. I live with my boyfriend, fish, and 1 bearded dragon in a studio condo on the third floor overlooking our pool. It's small but cute here. I only wish it was bigger so I could have more room for my scrapbooking stuffs! We have no children, but I work with kids everyday. I love working with the kids but it's nice to come home to quiet too lol. I work at an aquarium. My job doesn't pay well at all, (my official job title is Educator) but it's fun most days and I get to work with marine animals. The best part of my day, most times, is when it's quiet in the morning and I can just watch the stingrays swimming and splashing, or when I can see the sharks being fed. There's been a lot of days lately where I wish I could just work with the animals and not deal with people... but I'm sure you all feel that way some days too

My daughter just moved back to SC this weekend for her sophmore year of college. Is there more then one aquarium in SC? I have only been to Ripley's but would love to check out more when we go down for another visit.

[TraciL]

I work from home processing claims for a major health/dental insurance company. I've worked from home since Sept 06. Worked in insurance for 20+ years.

I've recently been thinking it's time for a change.

I would love to do work like that from home, may I ask how you found that position.

I worked for the co for a long time so when I moved out of state I was able to change to work at home. I really just opened my mouth at the right time for a change.

[Ayla]

I work from home processing claims for a major health/dental insurance company. I've worked from home since Sept 06. Worked in insurance for 20+ years.

I've recently been thinking it's time for a change.

I used to work from home doing case management for people injured in auto accidents. I love the flexibility, but really missed having coworkers to talk with and bounce ideas off. It also got to the point that if I sat down at the computer just to check my personal email or play a game, my kids would sigh and say "oh, mama, do you have to work again?" Just wasn't for me...but I am so happy that companies are flexible enough to do that with their employees!