What was/is your job?

Annobel....what do you mean? Did you say the wrong thing to a customer in M&S?

glass, my lips are sealed which they weren't at the time.

jangly, that reminds me of that episode in Dad's Army where Lance Corporal Jones kept calling it 'Headquarters Q'!

That's right harrigran

janglyGNHQ

Got a ring to it.

Go on tell us what you did

glass, that's not the attitude my parents took at the time...

Annobel

OK - I admit it: I got fired from a holiday job in M&S when I was 18.

Oh I forgot I had a paper round

I once worked in a news agents who specialised in under the counter magazines, and as a young married mum I spent the first week working there all the shades of red you could imagine when someone came in for something under the counter, I could handle the run of the mill sweets and papers.

I left when I was in the shop alone and it was raided by the Police. It was a friend of a friend who owned the shop but they didnt tell me about the mags until my first day, I had my eyes opened I can tell you!!!!

I forgot that I worked in a shop - well one or two, actually. Bakers, sweetshop, grocers etc...quite liked that, but worried terribly about when to return pies and cakes at the bakers. Apparently the cakes could last a day or two, but pies, not so long....I left that particular shop, because I was worried in case I made the wrong decision over a pie!

OK jangly - if you want a more comprehensive list, here goes: Secretary, temporary office worker, tv wardrobe assistant, tv studio assistant, market research interviewer, swimming instructor, office cleaner, toddler club founder, silver service waitress, wife, mother, amateur repairer of household machinery and fixer of broken toys, hearts and dreams to name a few. I'm sure I've missed some out! I've never worked in a shop or restaurant as I'm hopeless with numbers and would never have managed before they had tills that told you how much change to give.

jangly does not reveal anything at all about herself because I think she is not a real person. I have trawled through threads and jangly seems to say something guaranteed to inflame on every one. Time to own up, jangly is a plant to keep discussions lively

This thread is about jobs and careers and whether they 'define' you. I suspect that is why folks have tended to list only long term or 'career' jobs. And those who have not worked much outside the home have not been interested in this thread. I did not mention my long list (milk girl, shop assistant, census taker, berry picker, folk singer, film extra, text book author, survey taker) of short term paid jobs, nor my (Branch Convenor, Constituency Convenor, Treasurer x umpteen, Fundraiser, HA Board member, Chair of Community Council, Youth Club, Playgroup) voluntary work. Not to mention that I did all the admin including VAT and Tax returns for my DH's business as a 'labour of love'.

Out of all that lot, I think the only roles that have defined me are 'Women's Aid Worker' and Mother now Granny.

Not a pretty sight, believe me!!

green those images will stay in my mind for quite a while!

Thank you, glassortwo!

green you always give me a giggle.

OK - here goes! Some of the jobs I did before all the children went to school are listed and described as:
_Cleaner at the Doctor's surgery_: got sacked for not doing it properly. Missed the £3.00 per week, but couldn't really deal with finding bits of skin under the examination couch (I think that a 'circumcision' may have been carried out..) also when I saw the doctor wiping his nose on the teatowel in the kitchen, I though he may have more hygiene issues than I did.
Tea-lady at the local joiners' firm. Fell downstairs carrying very large tray of teapots, coffee-pots and hot milk, ending up spread-eagled outside bosses office when he was discussing business with a client. Entirely my own fault for wearing ankle-strap high heeled shoes when doing that type of job...well, I was only 25 and the joiners were really nice...! Stayed there for a while, even though I swore loudly on falling downstairs.
Childminding: worked it out I was earning 20 pence per hour so packed it in.
Even did someone's washing for them for a while!
So, can anyone beat that -jangly what do you think?

Glammananna I think you have just made Jangly's point for her. The humble jobs and those of us who have done them are not being mentioned and I think this goes back to the original post. People (ourselves included)tend to define us by the jobs we do.

Well jangly considering how often you post and on such a variety of topics, I guessed that you were just being contentious – although, of course, that's very out of character.

jangly when the DCs where small I went to work in the morning and evening
to help with the mortgage it went up to some stupid % and we where
struggling as you do,in the morning I cleaned the local gym and training
centre from 5-30am until 7-30am,then home children up and ready for school
all done by DH and then in the evening when DH home from work went to
local hotel and waited on and set table's for breakfast's.All hard work at the
time but I enjoyed it and wonder where I got the energy.I only started in
the new homes business when DH moved his working hours to shift work.

absent - I thought you were gonna object to the "things round here getting boring bit"!

Amazingly for once I agree with Jangly, think I'd better go and lie down

jangly How can you say that? The range of jobs described is huge with some more high powered than others. The range done by some individuals is pretty breathtaking too. And remember, in between times, we have all raised at least one child. Impressive or what?