I LOVE My Job

Jobs I have had:

Newspaper carrier: I carried the local free rag in my neighborhood. Began the job when I was ten years old and carried on faithfully until I turned fifteen.

Babysitter.

Cleaning service for a local, home-based pre-school.

Office work for my dad: collating reports, photocopying, running surveys.

Ice-cream slinger and short order cook at the Big-T (a Dairy Queen type establishment).

Sold jeans at a jeans and shoes store in Chinatown in downtown Vancouver. Now I could tell you stories about THAT job. The shop was located in the heart of the grubbiest part of Vancouver. I sold jeans to homeless people, who would leave the old pair on the floor of the change room, and walk out wearing the next pair to oblivion. I sold jeans to sailors off Russian trawlers. They bought the oldest out-of-date styles. I sold jeans to transvestites and transsexuals and prostitutes. Yes, honey, the jeans make your ass look great! (a line that worked with all three groups).

I worked as a bank teller, first at Bank of Montreal and then at a local credit union. Again, I could tell you stories! I once handed out 10,000 in cash to a player with the Vancouver Canucks (and a known drug user). Hmmm...wonder what he was off to buy with the ten grand.

Worked as a teaching assistant to a professor of learning disabilites while I finished my teaching degree.

Worked for ten years as a high school English/Humanities/Special Ed teacher. BOY, could I tell you stories about that job.

Then I became a graduate student for five years. I was studying theology, philosophy, ancient biblical Greek and New Testament. I had plans to pursue a PhD at Cambridge and take up the torch of teaching New Testament studies to grad students.

Then I burned out.

During this past year, I have on and off again considered seeking a part-time job. I think it would be fun to work in a yarn store, or as a part-time barista at a coffee shop. The problem is, I am terrible at conforming to other people's hours, and time/schedule commitments stress me out. I hated the idea of working for someone whom I would only disappoint when my health made it impossible to show up for work that day.

Now I have the perfect job.

I work at home. I work for myself. I work the hours that I choose to work.

My work allows me to meet the nicest, friendliest people -- knitters -- who are enthusiastic about knitting and yarn, and who make my work fun and personal.

My work allows me to buy up massive quantities of amazing yarn, without guilt, and without expense to my husband.

My work allows me to handle all that amazing yarn everyday, and to transform it into a new kind of amazing yarn.

My work requires that I knit with this yarn, to see how it performs, to get to know its characteristics, to report on its behavior.

My work allows me to paint and use colour and create.

My work gives me the opportunity to be the sender of packages that arrive at other people's doorsteps and make them feel happy.

My work is fun.

I love my job!!