What was my favorite job?

I just walked away from my desk. Time to go for a walk. Got to clear the mind and come up with a solution for a problem here at work. To clear my mind I start thinking about my current situation. I have a good situation right now, a job with flexibility at a place where I can contribute. Is THIS my favorite job? Wait, what year is it? What is my favorite job, was my favorite job? Not a job that I wish I had, which if you think about it is kind of stupid because I hate working. I mean my favorite job of all time.

I guess the first job I ever had was peeling potatoes at my grandma’s Cafe, the Pioneer Cafe in Roundup. But really a job where I was actually paid maybe would be the family business Buckey’s Petroleum. Which Mom and Dad ran and which in payment I was given gas to ride my motorcycle Maybe? Okay, maybe not, can’t remember back that far. I guess with the requirement that the first job would be the one that I actually got paid would be the United Building Center in Roundup Montana. Restocking nails and paint. Was kind of a lumber yard and hardware store. But in return, I got a grade for school. Kind of like work experience class or something, can’t remember that either. No, I guess my first job, the one I actually got paid for, would be the Power Wash in Casper Wyoming. We washed construction equipment for mines.

From there I would go on to sell cleaner door-to-door in Salt Lake City and Seattle then after a short stint at college, or a try at it anyway, I settled upon being a carpet laying apprentice at J&J Enterprises in Billings Montana. Continuing on I went on to Burt & Ernie’s Restaurant but then moved and was a janitor at Cameron Middle School in Missouri. I was an electrician’s Apprentice at Roundup Electric which my Uncle Bob ran. I also was a convenience store cashier at Blue Basket Billings. I worked a short stint at Pizza Hut. I also worked for the state of Missouri in a state park. I also rebuilt gauges at Plattsburgh gauge in Plattsburgh New York and even worked at a wallpaper factory in Plattsburgh New York. Whew! [couple deep breaths] From there I became a cyclist, raced my bikes, and worked at Viking Ski Shop in Plattsburgh New York. I rolled candles at Northern expressions … even worked at a nursery. Then I went to school and sitting there in the counselor’s office I determined that maybe I should go into computer science. So then it was Sikorsky Aircraft and on to Missoula Montana for a couple jobs. And finally where I’m at now working for Montana State University.

Whoa, there! Backing up to my FAVORITE job, let’s roll back the clock to when I went to school the second time. My friends Paul and Lucy had talked me into the possibility that I was actually smart and that I should go to school. I started out at Clinton Community College, got a degree, and then went on to Plattsburgh State University. I soon discovered that I needed some extra cash to afford an apartment while I finished my degree. I got a job at the Plattsburgh State University Fieldhouse. And my job, to Drive a Zamboni. This, my friends, was the best job I ever had.