What is the BEST job you've ever worked?

[uppityperson]

For the opposite of my previous question.

"Best" is highly subjective and can be conditions, hours, wages, co-workers, etc etc etc.

[Donnachaidh]

1. Exercising racehorses

Had many moments of bliss sitting on a jogcart at dawn, singing to my horses. Money was good, too. But those moments of bliss were priceless.

[AnneD]

7. Awesome, love horses...

My best job...working a a small bookstore next to the college I attended. The clientele was great, it was like an extra education with all the books you could read for free. Around the corner was the little greasy spoon I ate at and next door was the apartment I lived at. Past that was the head shop. Across the street at an angle was the pub. I lived in heaven and was too young to know it. I dream of that place every now and then. I had no car and was so completely happy.

[BrendaBrick]

35. Anne D....

Post gave me goosebumps for real! Sometimes we just don't know a really good thing when it comes along and its only in sad retrospect that we appreciate it for what it truly was!

[AnneD]

72. I learned my lesson.....

There have been times when I have done things or seen things and thought to my self-make this moment last because it doesn't get better than this.

And when things get tough-I remember my happy thoughts- the times when I felt true bliss. Everyone should reflect on the times that made them the most content. It is like an emotional first aid kit.

Best time-working at the bookstore.

Best moments:jumping off a rope swing into the river and making it to the middle of the creek, making sleds out of cardboard boxes and going down an embankment for hours-then laying in the grass looking at the clouds in pure exhaustion and joy, staying up all night with a German astrophysicist looking at the stars and talking philosophy and the cosmos, being on a peak in Alaska and watching the weather below and knowing how God sees thing, holding my daughter in my arms for the first time, watching Secretariat come from back to win, watching Michael Jordan defy gravity, hearing Pavarotti in his prime, being on a vision quest and hearing the Moody Blues playing in my mind, talked to owls and have them talk back to me for over 30 minutes, doing for other and they never find out, and successfully revived 3 children (so far) from a certain death using just my hands and brains.

I always tell my daughter that if I am on life support, let me go to be with Jesus and don't stop me. I have had a very very wonderful life and do not fear the undiscovered country. Once you lose that big fear...everything else is a piece of cake. You see further, understand better, think clearly, and do things with a better purpose.

See I just saved you all several thousand dollars either in psychiatrist bill or a self improvement course.

[riderinthestorm]

16. Barn owner, trainer, breeder, competitor of eventers and dressage horses here

:hi:

I exercise several every day. I will say at my age, it's becoming physically harder on my body.

But being the owner of this stable, my own boss - ah, now that's a good thing, the best thing!

[Donnachaidh]

24. and people who don't work with horses will never understand the peace of the work

One of my biggest thrills was letting an old racehorse who had been in stalls for several years into an open grassy paddock, and watching his realization of it, and the arthritic kick of both back hooves in the air -- his joy was my heartsong for many days after that.

He bucked and kicked as much as an old gelding could. And raced around a bit, then settled in for a long graze.

I miss it still.

[rocktivity]

2. Rock journalist 1987-2007

Didn't earn a lot--the free concert tickets, free albums, and interviewing the stars were compensation enough for me. When the internet put rock magazines out of business, I taught myself how to do it online. I've got a shoebox full of concert pics I took. I suppose I could have tried to do it full-time, but I enjoyed it too much to interview bands I didn't like just to make money!

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Obamanaut]

3. Aircraft electrician working on jets on a carrier flight deck. Nothing is

as exciting except maybe flying into a typhoon at night 1,000 feet above the water in a WC121 aircraft. Either one will get your blood racing, and both are exciting.

[CLANG]

4. The one I have right now.

Senior Systems Programmer for the IBM z/OS Operating System (Big Iron).

It's a cross between a really good video game, and a drunk pilot flying by the seat of his pants. Not much boredom unless they make me document stuff.

[guitar man]

5. The one I have now

Working in broadcasting at a television station. I've been with the company for 10 years and I have to say, all in all, I've been treated pretty good here. they wholeheartedly believe in promoting from within, was able to enter at the bottom and work my way up to a management gig. Great people to work for and with. :thumbsup:

[uppityperson]

6. Nurse in hospital in Juneau where admin let us do the work vs micromanaging

We were adequately staffed and the admin let us divide up the patients between us as we saw fit. Those who liked/were good at working with 1 person would take them, etc. We helped each other and it was a rare experience in true teamwork.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. The one I have right now. I have a great boss, great co-workers and

my job duties vary enough during the week that I'm not doing the same thing over and over each day.

[Scurrilous]

9. Human Guinea Pig.

:thumbsup:

[Brickbat]

10. My current one. I freelance from home.

[hedgehog]

11. The one I have now - working rom home drafting.

[rucky]

12. Tabloid tipster. n/t

[SidDithers]

13. Getting paid to post on internet forums...

:P

Sid

[T Wolf]

15. Now that is funny.

[T Wolf]

14. Tie between summer daycamp counselor and pool lifeguard. I loved "working" with the kids, but you

can't really call it work cause I liked it so much (and made next to nothing).

No bullshit to put up with, just happy children to play with (and indoctrinate, but don't tell nobody). Even taught them German Batball.

The other choice is the summer I spent a a lifeguard. No real pressure because there were not too many children there (so, no fun but also no risk of drownings). And my girlfriend (now wife) just loved my tanned, young hard-body. She has adjusted over the last 38 years.

Know you didn't ask here, but a summer in a brake shoe factory was down at the bottom of my list. "Adult" jobs have been just that, work to keep a roof and food and clothes nearby.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. EMS, Field Paramedi and instructor

oh in my case it was also volunteer work... so money... you kidding me?

[TlalocW]

18. My side business right now, which I would like to make full time

Magician and balloon twister. For the most part it's kids birthday parties and stuff, but every now and then I get to exercise my magic chops and perform walk-around/close-up magic. And people of all ages love balloon animals. It's a fun way to earn pretty good cash and cheer people up.

TlalocW

[SidDithers]

20. Very cool...

I had a neighbour who was a professional magician, performer and consultant to the movie industry. He was a hoot at parties and neighbourhood bbqs. The kids loved the sleight of hand, and he did some mental stuff that just boggled the adults.

Sid

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. Giving lectures to Postal Employees about Discrimination and Violence in the Workplace.

It was exciting to see "the lights go on" as people "got it".

[leveymg]

21. Vintage Ferrari and Maserati gasser-upper and parts chaser at age 17.

I had two really memorable jobs in High School: Chinetti Ferrari and Touring Motors East in Connecticut. Worked basically as a parts cleaner and swept the floors. But, when a customer car needed to be gassed up or driven to the glass or upholstry shop, they threw me the keys and off I went. I also got to be pit crew at a bunch of SCCA races. This was the early '70s as a part-time job I had in High School.

I occasionally got a little sidetracked, and ended up driving through the parking lot at my school:



Of course, I was never that cool or good looking, myself.

[leveymg]

53. Another view of the best job ever.

No, I'm not in either of these photos, but another glimpse. 1) Start of the Daytona 24 Hours FIA race - '67. Car #26 is the NART entry, a 412P, that finished third. And, 2) that's the NART 512S with the blue and white stripes at Daytona, '70.
1)
2)

[Luciferous]

22. Hostess at a Cracker Barrel. The people I worked with were great, the pay

was good (I was 17) and the customers were mostly friendly. However, I haven't had many jobs... I've been a stay at home mom since I was 19.

[cloudbase]

23. Merchant seaman.

Back in the days when ships actually spent some time in port. The golden era, as we call it-after penicillin and before AIDS. A dollar actually bought something. Travel, money, three hots and a cot, and tax-free smokes.

[Codeine]

25. I've only ever had one job.

Been doing it for over twenty years. It still sucks, but I get paid. ;)

[KatyaR]

26. I worked in a hospital for almost ten years,

doing medical staff services and continuing medical education. I was respected as a person and an employee, and my ideas and opinions were regarded as having actual worth.

I haven't had a job like that since. Now I apparently have nothing of value to contribute and am totally disregarded by my boss, except when the floor needs vacuuming or the trash needs taken out.

[angstlessk]

27. Actuarial reseacher PRE computer..or during the early computer days

We used to put together our actuarial tables BY HAND...and we did 5 year long range forecasts with the largest accounting forms pasted together...went from 11" x 17" to about 15" by 25" and we had to do our own calculations on CALCULATORS..no excel spreadsheets...it was fun..I miss it.

I remember my first experience with an excel spreadsheet and wondered how you could know where you were...cause most of the worksheet was hidden from sight...not our manual spreadsheets..they were real...and you could touch them and see the entire spreadsheet page.

But since I was forced to become a bookkeeper(unhappily) I now love my new job..from home!...advertising..I have gone from a job considered an expense center (bookkeeper) to a job considered an income producer...which an actuarial person was in the insurance company...

[TuxedoKat]

28. Flight Attendant

Easy job and great fun if you like to travel.

[angstlessk]

29. Oh, man...I wanted to become a flight attendent ..when I was about 20

but I had no way of knowing how to apply...and mommy dearest did not help!

[TuxedoKat]

38. I tried a few times

and didn't get hired (it's very competitive) but finally got hired from within from another airline job. It is the easiest job and they take care of you really well. It helps if you have a spouse who has a better paying job because it doesn't pay much. I still have dreams every six months or so that I'm a flight attendant again or I just got hired to be one again. About a week ago on I heard on Randi Rhodes' program that Delta had received 100,000 applications for about 1,000 FA jobs. I asked my husband if I should apply and he said, sure, why not? So I'm checking into doing it again. If you are interested pm me and I can share a bit more info.

If you like to travel but don't have alot of money it is the greatest thing to work for an airline. It was so great to fly first class for next to nothing. Nowadays it is probably harder to fly standby because it seems like most flights I have gone on anywhere for the last several years have always been so full, but I guess with careful planning it can still be done.

[dana_b]

47. I was a flight attendant too

and it was very competitive to get in. There were 2000 jobs and over 100,000 applicants (TWA in 1985). I left college and flew for 5 years and quit when I had my daughter.

Good luck to you!

[B Calm]

30. Porno Star

just kidding, ha.

My best job was working at a VA Hospital right after the end of the Vietnam War.

[pipi_k]

44. I saw your movie...pretty impressive...

only kidding... :7


Seriously, though, this did happen one time. One of my son's wife's brothers was a porn star.

One time Mr P was going crazy with the TV remote and stopped on one of "those" channels. Holy cow...there was my son's BIL in all his glory!!!

I haven't seen him since that day...luckily he lives on the West coast, I live on the East Coast. I don't know if I'll ever be able to look him in the eye again...


:hide:

[etherealtruth]

31. Hospice nurse (RN)

Most rewarding work I've ever done .... best group of people I've ever worked with

[femmocrat]

32. SAHM, only I didn't realize it at the time.

Juggling a career and a family is overwhelming. Kudos to all those who can do both.

[GoCubsGo]

33. The one I got laid off from

I was a Biologist. Had a great boss. Did all sorts of cool projects. Got to go to so many wonderful places for meetings. Then one of Shitboy Bush's minions yanked our funding. Killed my job. Killed my career.

[Skittles]

34. computer operations before offshoring

[BrendaBrick]

36. Sold Native American Jewelry at the airport......

but just prior to that (by contrast) worked in a bookstore not 25 feet away. Everyone was just so serious and intellectual and uptight at the bookstore.

Yet - take those SAME FOLKS who were all uptight and stuff and introduce them to something in the complete opposite direction....by that I mean the color, shape and form and the meaning behind some of the Native American imagery and symbolism of the jewelry...WOW! What a complete 180 degrees!!!!

Complete transformation right in front of my very own eyes!!!!!!!

Never would have thought in a million years that these were the same stuffy, reserved folks at the book store.

Not only my favorite job.....but a truly educational one about the human condition to boot!

Shoot, there for a time, folks opened right up to me at the Native American shop and didn't blink an eye to share some of their most personal, intimate experiences about life and who they thought they were in general etc...etc...

So, I was lucky enough to observe both extremes from the same folks!

Just goes to show ya........the mind and the intellect does have its limitations. After that, we are all STILL children at heart, I firmly now believe.....

Great thread....by the way :-)

[TexasProgresive]

37. Electronic instrument maker for NASA at Wallops Station, VA

The job title is like most government titles-hardly means anything. I got to work in the control room, rebuilding electronic portions of esoteric equipment, working as part of a team of technicians, engineers and scientists. It just doesn't get any better.

We were involved in pure research - it was such a joy.

[RegieRocker]

39. High end stereo equipment

And any self employed positions.

[pipi_k]

40. Managed a group home for developmentally disabled adults...

The clients, as we called them, were fun. Higher functioning (in my home), very interesting personalities, awfully funny, great to work with.

Staff...most of them were dedicated, caring people. I only had to fire one because she was verbally abusing one of the clients.

Lots of flex time...I could make my own hours and got lots of time off when I put in more time.

Every day was something different.


I was sorry to see my job be phased out when the agency consolidated with another...

[spiderpig]

41. Not this one.

Seriously - I was just thinking how much I hate my job and saw this thread.

Sorry!:hi:

[Iggo]

I hope my boss is reading this...

...because it's the job I have right now.

[Iggo]

42. So nice I posted it twice. (n/t)

[RandomKoolzip]

43. I'm working as a professional librarian right now and I've never been happier.

[HuckleB]

45. My current job.

[asdjrocky]

46. I worked the day shift, by choice, in a strip club in Sacramento for a few years.

It wasn't always great, but there was a time, after 2001 when the money started to go really bad and we narrowed our scope down to less entertainers and less staff and, well, far fewer customers.

A show developed with a core of really wonderful women and entertainers, that was part talk show, strip show and comedy show. It was not unusual to see all of the women on stage at once doing the hokey-pokey, we gave guys guided tours of the dressing room, much to the their (the ladies, not the fellas) displeasure, and it even got to the point that the customers would come in and ask for the goofy, funny weird stuff we'd do that had nothing to do with being a strip club. I had gone from making about 300 a day to 100 and the women had it even worse, but we all er, stuck it out so to speak, and had a good time.

People laugh at me when I tell them it was one of the most creative times of my life, especially considering the other things I've done, but it's the truth.

[dana_b]

48. registered nurse

I cared more about that job and taking care of those folks than any job I've ever had before or since.

[w8liftinglady]

56. that is one job I could always point to and say"I made a difference"

some days it sucked...but there was always a grateful patient or family member clinging to your hand.

[KillCapitalism]

49. Working as a lifeguard at a water park.

It was fun b/c I like summertime and being around water. I was able to get a decent tan, swim whenever I wanted, and it was just a blast. Too bad it only paid like $6.50/hr.

[vanlassie]

50. Current job as a lactation consultant at WIC

Every day I get to help new mothers and babies learn about breastfeeding. Every time a new baby "gets it" and the mother is filled with joy and awe, I am so thankful that I get to do this!

[w8liftinglady]

59. I can't tell you how many patients I've had who have been grateful for you.

...I cared for them for other medical conditions.They were thankful SOMEONE took the time to educate them.Breastfeeding their baby was the best post-preganancy therapy they could have had.

[Zoeisright]

51. The ones I have right now.

Blogger, author.

[snooper2]

52. Internet Troll

nt

[LWolf]

54. My job. Teaching.

Not for the salary, the working conditions, the non-existent political support or support from the general public.

For the joy of interacting positively with young people, with seeing them light up with those "aha" moments, for being a small part of something much bigger than myself...making a difference in people's lives.

It says volumes to know that, if I could find another way to make a living today in the face of the incessant attacks on public education, I would do so. I'm tired. I'm tired of standing on that front line every day, being bombarded by ALL sides. Nobody has my back.

[Reader Rabbit]

55. This.

The kids rock, even when they are driving you nuts.

Everything else about teaching lately? Not so much.

[LWolf]

75. Yes. nt

[w8liftinglady]

57. I feel for you. I am grateful for all my kids' teachers

every one of them...working harder with less.
They have saved an unmeasurable amount of lives through their support of these kids.

I see your frustrations though my partner's experience with teaching.No support from administration-expecting generic responses from very different students.

It's tough out there right now for those who want to do right for the students.

[LWolf]

74. Thank you.

A voice of support means more than you know.

[cbdo2007]

58. social network website

[CRK7376]

60. My best job so far

was teaching other Army officers their advanced training course. As a former high school teacher who loves teaching and returned to the military to teach...GREAT job. My favorite. Now I'm tired and ready to retire from Uncle Sam and return to the high school classroom, but first I have to serve a few more years for that active duty retirement....

[tabbycat31]

61. field organizer for the DSCC

[WCIL]

62. My high school job was as a page at the public library.

I shelved the returned books. We got better than minimum wage, never worked on Friday or Saturday nights and were appreciated by the staff and the public. In addition, we saw all the new books first, could check out as many as we wanted, and never paid fines!!! It was heaven on Earth for a book lover. I moved on to be be the head of the AV department and stayed until my children were born. Quitting was the biggest mistake of my work life.

[Blue_Tires]

63. Reporter for the Providence Journal

heady days

[Ganja Ninja]

64. I never worked it but I once saw a guy who had a great job.

A salesman that rode around with a couple of swimsuit models selling swimsuits to the surf shops down on the beach.

[Bigmack]

65. Retirement is the best job I ever had....

I loved teaching... hell, I loved logging and farming, too.

But retirement is the best.

I volunteer a lot in a state park, and work a lot for and with friends, but ...

I don't think I'm employable anymore.. too used to planning my own time and effort.

[ThatsMyBarack]

66. My current one!

I stay busy every second of the day and time just flies! :D

[madmom]

67. The best "job" was a non-paying one, brownie girl scout leader. I loved

working with the girls and opening up new experiences for them, especially at that age. The best paying job was (I know I will get flack for this)walmart.
I worked the early shift in the deli, 5:00am (no supervision) went in, did my job, was out before most people were out shopping. Went home took a short nap and had the rest of the day to enjoy, and for the work I was doing the pay was NOT as bad as people want you to believe.

[sweetapogee]

68. volunteer

firefighter. I work a regular job so that I can afford to do this!

[AngryAmish]

69. I look back on my days as a caddy pretty fondly

I got to play the best maintained course in America twice a week, the money was good and it was outdoors. Plus I met a lot of famous people - pretty impressive when you are 12.

[KittyWampus]

70. Making fresh wreaths from greenery and selling them on the roadside!

I LOVED making the wreaths- the smell, the artistry. The work I put into them was noticeable and people really liked them.

Sitting in the cold on the side of the road wasn't all that great, but I had my cross stitch project to keep me busy in between people stopping.

I had boxwood, spruce, golden cypress, blue moss cypress wreaths. And I decorated them with gorgeous ribbons and old wooden toys etc.

[uppityperson]

71. THANK YOU everyone for replying here. I am having fun reading about good jobs.

[Populist_Prole]

73. My current job

As a mechanic. Though things were all around better about 2000-2001 than they are now. I consider that time period my career apogee.

[HEyHEY]

76. The first two years I worked at CBC news as a reporter were amazing

Did a lot of city hall coverage and provincial politics, and got out of the city a few times on assignment, was pretty cool.

The last year was so bad I left based on that year alone. That's what happens when they bring in consultants to "re-tool" how we cover news.

I'll never work there again, NEVER.

[xchrom]

77. restaurant bartender.

met my partner there -- many dear friends -- every day was a blast and a blessing.

both restaurant and my partner have departed this life.

[a la izquierda]

78. Currently I'm training to be a professor...

meaning, I'm a graduate student. I love what I do. I really enjoy working with students, teaching them what I know about Latin America. I don't make much now, and I won't as a professor...but that doesn't matter.

[a la izquierda]

79. Currently I'm training to be a professor...

meaning, I'm a graduate student. I love what I do. I really enjoy working with students, teaching them what I know about Latin America. I don't make much now, and I won't as a professor...but that doesn't matter.

[Bette Noir]

80. I was a cook in a boys' ranch up in the mountains.

I worked three 13-hour days/week, getting in before breakfast and staying until dinner was cleaned up. I got to plan the menus, order the food, cook mountains of food for 60 hungry teenagers and 20 or 30 support staff. For two or three hours between meals, I got to hike in the surrounding mountains; I think I was the first person in a generation to spot a cougar in that area. God, I loved that job. Lousy pay, no benefits, but it was like being paid to go to Disneyland.