semipoll: First Jobs

[ryokimball]

'Ello! I was just curious about some things whilest I wait for for Sabayon to stop destroying my GRUB stuff (Oh, I've conveinced myself that my computer IS capable of running it, but I haven't gotten it to play nice with my boot record yet. In fact I'm scared it might have done something bad with my SATA HDD, perhaps even destroying some music... oh, that would be terrible).
Anyways, if I can figure it out I'm going to have an actual "poll" put on here asking "how am I doing?" I'm just curious if you think I'm too spastic and all. But the real purpose of this is to ask a question that isn't as pollable: what were your first jobs? I say "jobs" (with the "s") for a reason: I want to know what your first actual job was, even if it was a professional lemonade stand host/hostess. I also want a side-by-side comparison (wow, that sounded corporate...) of your first Tech/computer job, be it free-lance (paid to fix an aunts computer...) or whatnot.

"And I want it on my desk yesterday morning!"

[techieMoe]

I want to know what your first actual job was, even if it was a professional lemonade stand host/hostess. I also want a side-by-side comparison (wow, that sounded corporate...) of your first Tech/computer job, be it free-lance (paid to fix an aunts computer...) or whatnot.

You forgot to add, "And I want it on my desk yesterday morning!"

My first official job (meaning I had to fill out a W-4 tax form and all) was as a "Courtesy Clerk" for my local Kroger Signature grocery store. For those not down with the K-ro-G, that's a fancy way of saying "Sack-boy and general lackey." It's the lowest position in the store and you have twelve bosses. Even the checkers consider you below them and order you around.

Aside from actual sacking of groceries and occasionally taking the carts out to people's cars for them (a job for which you were FORBIDDEN to accept tips), you get the added novelty of returning all the abandoned shopping carts into the store from the parking lot, which in Texas means it's either sweltering hot or torrentially raining on you.

Is it any surprise to anyone that the turnover rate for Kroger was about 10 to 12 employees a week? I lasted 6 weeks. By then I was considered a battle-hardened veteran.

I left Kroger to become a cashier/movie runner for Hollywood Video, followed by the same job at Blockbuster Video. I then went to college and have had a real job ever since. My first IT job was the one I have now. I worked in the university print shop as an undergrad, but I don't think that really counts as IT.

[fingal]

Hmmm I don't understand your poll: perhaps the generation gap is finally starting to bite? Anyway, my first improper job (as I didn't care for it much) was as a lab assistant, checking seeds. Before that I went fishing a lot, and managed to avoid working. I hope you're all foaming at the mouth over my indolence.

I'm now an information officer, guru, type thing ... I don't work in IT: I'm just a hammer chewer.

PS: I caught a lot of fish.

[ryokimball]

Perhaps not generation as much as terminology:

ADD : Attention Deficite Disorder
ADD-HD: should be ADHD (typo): Attention Deficite Hyperactivity Disorder
OCD: Obsesive Compulsive Disorder
(self-explainitory)

Personally, I find these to be more charactaristics than "disorders." I hate the modern medicine field for that misnomer. Almost as much as I despise "modern physics."

[fingal]

Ah well, another job I had was providing the public with medical information. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a dreadful illness ... The compulsions nearly drive people mad.

Actually some computer hackers are labeled as borderline autistic, but I think that's wrong. I mean, lots of people have hobbies, but that doesn't indicate they have a disorder of some kind.

First contact with computers came while working in a plastics factory. I had to use a lot of databases and test equipment.

[ryokimball]

Ah well, another job I had was providing the public with medical information. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a dreadful illness ... The compulsions nearly drive people mad.

OCD is closest to an actual illness, and I would even say it to be one of the few "mental illnesses" that actually is an illness (along side schizophrenia and Alzheimer's, albeit easier to spell). However, most people that are diagnosed with it (that I know of, which surely isn't an actual majority but is surprisingly enough to come to some conclusions...) are simply anal retentive, to be Freudian about it (Stupid Freudians...).
I myself have been accused of and such of being ADD/ADHD a time or two, but I find myself to be capable of multitasking with an often-misfiring memory.

Actually some computer hackers are labeled as borderline autistic, but I think that's wrong. I mean, lots of people have hobbies, but that doesn't indicate they have a disorder of some kind.

I've been called autistic whilest I play video games. En contrair (excuse my bad spelling in French) (stupid Fre...no, that could offend people), I simply enjoy gaming and often prefer to ignore people. Especially since they're sole purpose in talking to me at that point is to get me away from the game.

En sum, I know that there are actual mental disorders and illnesses, but I was just trying to make use of their modern terminology. Not that I'm complaining about this conversation --it reminds me why I stay away from slang. (Stupid young 'uns)

[techieMoe]

I'm now an information officer, guru, type thing ... I don't work in IT: I'm just a hammer chewer.

Wow. Sounds like a rough job. Does it have a dental plan?

[Freston]

My first job was pealing bulbs. My second and third and fourth to fortieth too. It's a day wage thing.

[Cabhan]

My first job was a cashier at California Tortilla, a Tex-Mex place here in Maryland. Fun times. They actually encouraged us to have fun, which puts it above most other places in my book.

First tech job was at the National Institutes of Health, where I worked in the Computational Biology Branch of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (that is, I worked for the CBB of the NCBI of the NIH ). I don't really like biology that much, though I did learn a bit about development. And it looked really good on my college resume.

Actually, I just got off a recent job doing web development with a company in Watertown, MA, which was a lot more fun. Definitely taught me a lot more about development than the NIH gig.

And ryokimball, I actually worked with a guy there named Ronald Kimball, so ever since you joined LFDO, I've been wondering if you were him. But he's definitely not 19, and he's not new to Linux, so I guess not. But it was freaky for a bit.

[ryokimball]

I just realized I didn't post my first job(/s)! I meant to, but have been doing a lot of stuff today....
Anyways, my first real job was actually a tech job --my former high school adopted me as a techie for the summer a couple of years back (between my second junior/senior year...ehem). Actually, that's the only real job I've had so far --like I said, been busy. A lot.
Funny thing, though: I'm so popular back in Pine Bluff that the governor's office was, at one point, calling around to find me and offer me a job working on computers.
I got connections.... ^,^
If only they followed me here... but I think it's better this way. I like challenges.

Oh, and 'bout my name: I'm "Dr. Ryo Carlos Kimball" in a parallel universe known as "The exact same world as this one except that my name would be 'Dr. Ryo Carlos Kimball'." "Ryo" is (more or less) "Dragon" in Japanese. "Kimball" means "leader of the warriors" --catchy. "Carlos" is just a cool name, though there is a bit of a story behind it. My real name is never mentioned by myself on the internet, not for security reasons, but simply because I prefer that title. If ever I actually get a PhD or anything qualifying myself as a "doctor," I very well may change certain necessary documentation to have that official. But I'm not one to play by the books....