When I grow up....

When I was a kid I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up. Or a horse rancher. Or a zoo worker. And for a brief time, a forest ranger. This was just after I saw the Smokey Bear film at school in third grade. I loved Smokey and wanted to save all the forest animals from fires forever.

Then I grew up. It seems like I've spent my whole adult life still searching for what I want to be when I grow up. Here's what I've been doing:

Newspaper Delivery girl
Cook at A & W
Fish Slimer/Weigher
Waitress at pizza joint
Cabinet assembler
Pet Shop sales (that's when I got my first dog, Snicker)
Waitress
Receptionist in a Veterinary Clinic
Receptionist/Data input at Insurance Company
Video Sales at Alaska Video Publishing
Deli Clerk
Pet Bather (this is when I got my second dog, Pepsi)
Office Manager at Veterinary Clinic
Optometrist Assistant (my worst job!)
Receptionist at garbage utility
Office Manager/Director's Administrative Assistant at same garbage utility

As you can see I never became a veterinarian although I did work with animals at a few of my jobs. I also do a few things on the side (write, illustrate, draw and paint) to make extra money, but those aren't "real" jobs. How I wish they were!

The job I hold now at the garbage utility is by far the best job I've ever had. I still can honestly say that I've never had a day where I dreaded going to work because I hated my job. This coming May I will have been there 10 years which is a record for me. Prior to working there, the longest I had held a job was 5 years. Maybe I am finally growing up. Maybe.