Probably my first job as a dishwasher for a popular steakhouse chain. I was paid minimum wage and people are disgusting, I'll just leave it at that.

Land Surveying was sometimes the best and sometimes the worst. My crew had to do a lot of topographical surveys, boundary surveys and wetland locations. Basically stuff in the middle of nowhere sometimes a couple of miles deep into the woods or along a river. It was awesome in late fall and though the winter. Cutting line through swamps in August 100 degree weather was torture. However, I was in the best shape of my life at the time.

(08-04-2013 11:06 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  Priming tobacco was the worst but at the same time the best. Hot summer days in the fields would start early in the morning with the sandy sticky leaves still wet with dew. The sun would rise and the temperature would hit 100 sometimes. You would wear a long sleeve shirt if you had hair on your arms because the tobacco gum would never come off. There was always the possibility of getting the monkey on your back (tobacco poisoning) and getting so sick you couldn't stand up. The rows seemed to never end.

On the other hand there were some great friendships developed in the field. Black and white kids got to know each other better and there was no segregation in the field. The girls were back at the barn handing and looping, the farmers daughter would load us up in the back of the pickup at the end of each day and drop us off at home. I can't think of much better than the feeling of riding in the back of that pickup as a 11-15 year old kid, with a couple of pretty girls riding along, it is Friday afternoon and I'm filthy with tobacco gum, sand and sweat.........and I've got a pocket full of money I earned myself.

I noticed you used the word "primed" It is "cropped" here in SENC. My dad was from close to the Va. border where they primed the entire stalk at one time...I guess Burley. Here we cropped one leaf at a time. Same damn hard work...regardless of the terminology.

(08-04-2013 11:29 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  Probably my first job as a dishwasher for a popular steakhouse chain. I was paid minimum wage and people are disgusting, I'll just leave it at that.

Land Surveying was sometimes the best and sometimes the worst. My crew had to do a lot of topographical surveys, boundary surveys and wetland locations. Basically stuff in the middle of nowhere sometimes a couple of miles deep into the woods or along a river. It was awesome in late fall and though the winter. Cutting line through swamps in August 100 degree weather was torture. However, I was in the best shape of my life at the time.

That would be brick mason's helper for me. Tough work that convinced me that a college education was in fact a very good idea.

Not a job per se, but I used to shovel the snow from driveways and walks in my neighborhood during the winters for $5. It was going good until my mom started volunteering me for no pay. It seemed like it snowed everyday for the rest of that winter.

The best job I ever had was working at a Golf Course. I'd start mowing when the dew dried until late afternoon...then play free till dark. I almost went to turf school because of that job. Sometimes I wish I had.

(08-04-2013 11:55 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 11:29 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  Probably my first job as a dishwasher for a popular steakhouse chain. I was paid minimum wage and people are disgusting, I'll just leave it at that.

Land Surveying was sometimes the best and sometimes the worst. My crew had to do a lot of topographical surveys, boundary surveys and wetland locations. Basically stuff in the middle of nowhere sometimes a couple of miles deep into the woods or along a river. It was awesome in late fall and though the winter. Cutting line through swamps in August 100 degree weather was torture. However, I was in the best shape of my life at the time.

That would be brick mason's helper for me. Tough work that convinced me that a college education was in fact a very good idea.

Yup, I worked my butt off surveying and for some reason enjoyed it a little bit. It really helped me to learn the value of hard, physical work.

Actually had an Associates Degree in Land Surveying and was planning on getting my license. However, I got lucky on another job opportunity that lead to me going to ECU for construction management. It was all good experience for what I'm doing now.

(08-04-2013 11:55 AM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  Not a job per se, but I used to shovel the snow from driveways and walks in my neighborhood during the winters for $5. It was going good until my mom started volunteering me for no pay. It seemed like it snowed everyday for the rest of that winter.

I had a similar experience mowing lawns.

(08-04-2013 11:54 AM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 11:06 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  Priming tobacco was the worst but at the same time the best. Hot summer days in the fields would start early in the morning with the sandy sticky leaves still wet with dew. The sun would rise and the temperature would hit 100 sometimes. You would wear a long sleeve shirt if you had hair on your arms because the tobacco gum would never come off. There was always the possibility of getting the monkey on your back (tobacco poisoning) and getting so sick you couldn't stand up. The rows seemed to never end.

On the other hand there were some great friendships developed in the field. Black and white kids got to know each other better and there was no segregation in the field. The girls were back at the barn handing and looping, the farmers daughter would load us up in the back of the pickup at the end of each day and drop us off at home. I can't think of much better than the feeling of riding in the back of that pickup as a 11-15 year old kid, with a couple of pretty girls riding along, it is Friday afternoon and I'm filthy with tobacco gum, sand and sweat.........and I've got a pocket full of money I earned myself.

I noticed you used the word "primed" It is "cropped" here in SENC. My dad was from close to the Va. border where they primed the entire stalk at one time...I guess Burley. Here we cropped one leaf at a time. Same damn hard work...regardless of the terminology.

It depends on where in SENC you are located. I'm closer to the piedmont so that might account for the difference in terminology. We always used the term "prime" as opposed to "cropped" tobacco but some would say cropped. We took the leaves from the bottom up, but more than one leave, usually 3 or 4 depending on the color. The worst were the "sand lugs" or bottom leaves, as you work your way up it got easier.

Burley would be grown in the mountains. They air cure as opposed to flue-cure. I don't know much else about that.

After working 8 years in the cable TV business I decided to get out and one of my friends was making a fortune selling Hondas just as Japanese cars were being accepted more and more (mid 1980's) so I tried it. Selling stuff sucks, it really, really sucks and I sucked at it really bad. After a month I went back into cable TV and have been there ever since.

(08-04-2013 12:15 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 11:54 AM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 11:06 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  Priming tobacco was the worst but at the same time the best. Hot summer days in the fields would start early in the morning with the sandy sticky leaves still wet with dew. The sun would rise and the temperature would hit 100 sometimes. You would wear a long sleeve shirt if you had hair on your arms because the tobacco gum would never come off. There was always the possibility of getting the monkey on your back (tobacco poisoning) and getting so sick you couldn't stand up. The rows seemed to never end.

On the other hand there were some great friendships developed in the field. Black and white kids got to know each other better and there was no segregation in the field. The girls were back at the barn handing and looping, the farmers daughter would load us up in the back of the pickup at the end of each day and drop us off at home. I can't think of much better than the feeling of riding in the back of that pickup as a 11-15 year old kid, with a couple of pretty girls riding along, it is Friday afternoon and I'm filthy with tobacco gum, sand and sweat.........and I've got a pocket full of money I earned myself.

I noticed you used the word "primed" It is "cropped" here in SENC. My dad was from close to the Va. border where they primed the entire stalk at one time...I guess Burley. Here we cropped one leaf at a time. Same damn hard work...regardless of the terminology.

It depends on where in SENC you are located. I'm closer to the piedmont so that might account for the difference in terminology. We always used the term "prime" as opposed to "cropped" tobacco but some would say cropped. We took the leaves from the bottom up, but more than one leave, usually 3 or 4 depending on the color. The worst were the "sand lugs" or bottom leaves, as you work your way up it got easier.

Burley would be grown in the mountains. They air cure as opposed to flue-cure. I don't know much else about that.

As far North as Rocky Mt...they use "primed" I have no idea where the difference came into. Sand lugs...same term down here..and hated them equally...especially putting them up and taking them out.

Vietnam for $115 a week.

(08-04-2013 01:07 PM)SumOfAllFears Wrote:  Vietnam for $115 a week.

winner

(08-04-2013 01:03 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  After working 8 years in the cable TV business I decided to get out and one of my friends was making a fortune selling Hondas just as Japanese cars were being accepted more and more (mid 1980's) so I tried it. Selling stuff sucks, it really, really sucks and I sucked at it really bad. After a month I went back into cable TV and have been there ever since.

Did it myself at AutoMax of Greenville in 2011. I did it for a month.

(08-04-2013 01:07 PM)SumOfAllFears Wrote:  Vietnam for $115 a week.

You win here. My worst military experience was in Alaska. Only there will you see bald eagles as pests.

(08-04-2013 01:23 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 01:07 PM)SumOfAllFears Wrote:  Vietnam for $115 a week.

You win here. My worst military experience was in Alaska. Only there will you see bald eagles as pests.

They really are no more than handsome Buzzards. The Turkey should have been our National Bird.

(08-04-2013 01:03 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  After working 8 years in the cable TV business I decided to get out and one of my friends was making a fortune selling Hondas just as Japanese cars were being accepted more and more (mid 1980's) so I tried it. Selling stuff sucks, it really, really sucks and I sucked at it really bad. After a month I went back into cable TV and have been there ever since.

I tried sales and sucked at it, too. I hate high-pressure sales pitches as a consumer, and really, really hated them as a salesman.

My problem was that I had no problem at all taking no for an answer.

Loading peach cases from the factory onto trucks when I was 15.

(08-04-2013 01:08 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 01:07 PM)SumOfAllFears Wrote:  Vietnam for $115 a week.

winner

definitely and thanks for your service.

(08-04-2013 01:19 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 01:03 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  After working 8 years in the cable TV business I decided to get out and one of my friends was making a fortune selling Hondas just as Japanese cars were being accepted more and more (mid 1980's) so I tried it. Selling stuff sucks, it really, really sucks and I sucked at it really bad. After a month I went back into cable TV and have been there ever since.

Did it myself at AutoMax of Greenville in 2011. I did it for a month.

One of my former students just flunked out at NCSU and started selling Nissans. He seems to be pretty good at it according to his Mom. But it is definitely a young single person's game. Long hours, unpredictable results, and constant rejection.

(08-04-2013 02:34 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 01:19 PM)nomad2u2001 Wrote:  

(08-04-2013 01:03 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  After working 8 years in the cable TV business I decided to get out and one of my friends was making a fortune selling Hondas just as Japanese cars were being accepted more and more (mid 1980's) so I tried it. Selling stuff sucks, it really, really sucks and I sucked at it really bad. After a month I went back into cable TV and have been there ever since.

Did it myself at AutoMax of Greenville in 2011. I did it for a month.

One of my former students just flunked out at NCSU and started selling Nissans. He seems to be pretty good at it according to his Mom. But it is definitely a young single person's game. Long hours, unpredictable results, and constant rejection.

At least he was a franchise dealer. Being an indie used car lot that didn't finance sucked. The last straw was when the managers gave me a ton of sh*t when I had to go to drill that month. They took my appointments for that Friday, scheduled other customers that I had been working on, and made those sales "house deals". I got nothing from them.