Super enjoyed this. Man, you've had a lot of jobs. LOL'd at the 2014 entry and wondering why TLDR didn't get an honorable mention (loved it). You got me thinking about life 🙏
I remember walking your paper route with you and Campbell. Making fun of a customer we called "priesty boy" or something like that. I also recall watching you leap over the counter at Liberty Street to chase down someone who'd absconded with a video. Salad days.
It’s weird to be envious of a job at Subway, but a well-staffed restaurant sounds wonderful. There’s something about food service that brings people together. If it weren’t for all the periphery reasons why working at a restaurant sucks (unstable hours, no healthcare, etc.), it would be my dream job.
#1. I've had a fine career but I still report when it comes up that delivering flowers at 17-19yo was my favorite job of all time. Same reasons as you. I liked it so much I worked for both of the two competing flower shops in town, without them knowing (I think).
Oh my god, Earthen Jar, I loved that place as a broke teen vegetarian for whom Ann Arbor was THE cool city in Michigan. Sucks that they didn't pay well!
I must admit I resonate with #1. I was a delivery driver for KFC in the late 90s here in Australia, and I loved it. $3.20 per delivery, pretty much nothing - but I loved it. I loved the driving, the mapping out a route, the way I would gamify it.
Also it probably reminds me of simpler times. Being 46 as opposed to 18/19... those jobs strike me as such a carefree time.
Man, this was a great read. I think my favorite job was driving for Delivery Express around Amherst and Northampton, even though I accidentally rear-ended someone during it (she was very nice, and there was no damage, so she waved it off and I will always be grateful). DE was the best because, unlike current soulless gig-economy delivery apps, the home office was extremely biased TOWARDS the driving staff— if someone failed to leave a tip, they would add an auto-tip to that person's account for all future orders. They would get mad at restaurants and customers for us. I was stoned a lot of the time, waiting around in parking lots for orders to come through, which was a very comfortable way of being in Western Mass. And, I really liked the red polo and windbreaker they gave us, with Delivery Express emblazoned on it, because Delivery Express sounds absolutely like a fictional delivery service made up for a comic or tv show.
Hey Alex, I’ve also spent some time recently underemployed. I just started this free 80000 hours guide and think it might be interesting for you. The guiding question is How can you use the 80000 hours you have to make an impact on the world and find joy in what you do? As you found, platitudes like follow your passion often lead to oversaturated job markets where shitty managers abuse your willingness and passion.
Super enjoyed this. Man, you've had a lot of jobs. LOL'd at the 2014 entry and wondering why TLDR didn't get an honorable mention (loved it). You got me thinking about life 🙏
I remember walking your paper route with you and Campbell. Making fun of a customer we called "priesty boy" or something like that. I also recall watching you leap over the counter at Liberty Street to chase down someone who'd absconded with a video. Salad days.
It’s weird to be envious of a job at Subway, but a well-staffed restaurant sounds wonderful. There’s something about food service that brings people together. If it weren’t for all the periphery reasons why working at a restaurant sucks (unstable hours, no healthcare, etc.), it would be my dream job.
#1. I've had a fine career but I still report when it comes up that delivering flowers at 17-19yo was my favorite job of all time. Same reasons as you. I liked it so much I worked for both of the two competing flower shops in town, without them knowing (I think).
Oh my god, Earthen Jar, I loved that place as a broke teen vegetarian for whom Ann Arbor was THE cool city in Michigan. Sucks that they didn't pay well!
I must admit I resonate with #1. I was a delivery driver for KFC in the late 90s here in Australia, and I loved it. $3.20 per delivery, pretty much nothing - but I loved it. I loved the driving, the mapping out a route, the way I would gamify it.
Also it probably reminds me of simpler times. Being 46 as opposed to 18/19... those jobs strike me as such a carefree time.
Job #1 sounds so good
Man, this was a great read. I think my favorite job was driving for Delivery Express around Amherst and Northampton, even though I accidentally rear-ended someone during it (she was very nice, and there was no damage, so she waved it off and I will always be grateful). DE was the best because, unlike current soulless gig-economy delivery apps, the home office was extremely biased TOWARDS the driving staff— if someone failed to leave a tip, they would add an auto-tip to that person's account for all future orders. They would get mad at restaurants and customers for us. I was stoned a lot of the time, waiting around in parking lots for orders to come through, which was a very comfortable way of being in Western Mass. And, I really liked the red polo and windbreaker they gave us, with Delivery Express emblazoned on it, because Delivery Express sounds absolutely like a fictional delivery service made up for a comic or tv show.
Hey Alex, I’ve also spent some time recently underemployed. I just started this free 80000 hours guide and think it might be interesting for you. The guiding question is How can you use the 80000 hours you have to make an impact on the world and find joy in what you do? As you found, platitudes like follow your passion often lead to oversaturated job markets where shitty managers abuse your willingness and passion.
Find it wherever you get your podcasts