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My first job was as a lab assistant in college chemistry labs. It was not high paying, but paid for incidentals so my parents wouldn't have to pay for that, too. They had told me if I made good grades and got a scholarship to college, they would pay most of the rest and they did. I spent almost every afternoon in chem labs, either my own or assisting others. I did like it and it made finding my first job out of college easy in a quality control lab and the next when my husband's job took us to Chicago. The 1960s were a time when I had no problem getting hired and always in my field. Research into protein chemistry and cancer drugs both proved interesting. The one job that literally fell into my lap was reading files for residents who were still at Hissom during the lawsuit. I started as a volunteer and later it paid. That was a surprise and was part of the experiences that led to getting a degree in psychology. By this time, jobs were not so easy to find, but I did happen upon one in the prison system in Oklahoma. I certainly met a lot of interesting people, but not what I think I expected. People in prison are real people, too, many of whom made one mistake that led to their being incarcerated for life. It reminds me that one choice or decision or happening can lead to a very different path in life. I hope it made me a less judgmental person. My last job with a pay check was waiting tables in a buffet at a casino. Someone suggested I try to do this and it turned out to be a good experience. I learned some things about myself that I hadn't known before. I was fortunate to find a friend who gave me some tips on how to do the job, such as how to remember people and what they order for the next time. The best part of this job was getting tips. It is such a rewarding experience, not the delayed gratification of waiting for a monthly paycheck. I've done payroll, taken orders at Taco Bueno, wiped down tables, etc., but the longest job I have had is as a landlord or landlady which means cleaning bathrooms, painting, fixing commodes, mowing lawns, trimming trees and shrubs, cleaning carpets, scrubbing stoves and refrigerators, changing numerous light bulbs, hanging mini-blinds, installing smoke detectors and, what's more, I still have this job. I would like to resign many days, and that may happen in the future. This all comes from one decision to move to a new house and being unable to sell the old one. Which did I like best? That's hard to say, because I liked aspects of each one. Usually something external to me happened that made the job unappealing or unavailable to me. --Carolyn
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January 2022
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