What's the most unusual job you've ever had?

TiaTia · December 2010

Inspired by the post below....anyone do anything a little off the wall?

I'll start:

The summer between graduating Teacher's college and my first gig in the fall I had a job at a funeral home.

I would get home from work and my mom would be like "how was your day?" and I'd reply "dead" ba-dum-CHING! No really, I said that, not realizing the pun.

People would also get this weird look on their face and cringe as they asked me what I did there. With the straightest face I could muster I'd say "hair and makeup". Really, I was a "hostess": kept the coffee fresh, water glasses filled, pointed towards bathrooms, vacuumed and handed out people's cremated remains when they came to pick them up.

Fast forward a few years well into my teaching career (grades 7&8), I knew I needed to get my arse to a mall to do something about my wardrobe when a student asked me why I wore black all the time, was it because I worked at teh funeral home? No. I was just going through a lazy and cheap phase thanks so much.

Ok, anyone else?

hannahbagels · December 2010

I just wanted to pop in and say your baby is gorgeous! Love the lil lip sticking out!

kg_08 · December 2010

One summer when I was about 16 I worked potato harvest. I got up before the crack of dawn and stood on a harvesting machine ALL DAY while potatoes and rocks passed quickly in front of me on a belt. I went home way after dark. Honestly they were rediculous hours, and I dreamed of potatoes because that's all I saw all day long. I blew my nose and dirt came out, and when I woke up in the morning to start my day again, the sleepy stuff in my eyes was dirt.

Meztli · December 2010

I worked at a farm once...squashing pawpaws. They made pawpaw jellies, jams, and chutney. Just sat, and squished the insides out of fruits.

veebug22 · December 2010

I ride horses and have been a barn manager at several barns... and people always hated to clean their horses' sheaths (basically male horses need their penis sheath cleaned out regularly or it gets all gunky). It didn't bother me; I did my own horses and couldn't bother paying anyone $60+ for something that took like 5 minutes and it's really not a big deal. So I somehow ended up cleaning other people's horses as well. Sometimes the horse enjoys it though, which is kinda funny and gross.

I lived/studied in Scotland for a year. My dad gave me a very generous amount of money that should have lasted the whole time I was there, especially since he was already taking care of all my basic living expenses, so this was just extra. Instead, I basically clubbed/partied/barhopped/shopped/ate out at nice restaurants/spent weekends around Europe and blew through it about halfway through my time there. I asked my dad for more money. He said no such luck, have fun in Scotland, figure it out. So I did... I counted cars. On weekends I would get bussed out to various towns and sit at intersections counting the type of car and which direction it came from. It really sucked when it was cold and windy, and I didn't realize the first time that I needed to bring a chair if I wanted one. Standing on the same corner for 7 hours pretty much sucks. I learned my lesson verrrryyyy well.

cherie82 · December 2010

I worked on a goat dairy for a year. Milking goats, delivering goat babies and making goat cheese.

monimonimoni · December 2010

I was hired to be in a tv commercial for a gas company. I had to wear sparkplugs as earrings.

For shame.

sandraanddrew · December 2010

I was a chicken butcher through university. Seriously disgusting. I didn't have to kill them (thank goodness!) but it was my job to cut them into sale form and do specialty orders (deboned chickens, etc.).

KatieGraceB · December 2010

veebug22:

I ride horses and have been a barn manager at several barns... and people always hated to clean their horses' sheaths (basically male horses need their penis sheath cleaned out regularly or it gets all gunky). It didn't bother me; I did my own horses and couldn't bother paying anyone $60+ for something that took like 5 minutes and it's really not a big deal. So I somehow ended up cleaning other people's horses as well. Sometimes the horse enjoys it though, which is kinda funny and gross.

One of my horses REALLY gets a kick out of it lol. He gets very, um, relaxed hahahaha. And my mom's horse tries to kill you when you do it. She has actually had the vet out several times to do it because he flips out so much. I'll do it, but I definitely really hate to. My next horse(s) need to be mares I think.

IndieMum · December 2010

Shrink wrapping food for vending machines for Aaramark. It was a temp job and then they wanted me full time and I was like "um that's ok I found something else" even though I hadn't, but I wasn't going to get stuck there!