Thursday, September 24, 2009

How Many Jobs Have You had?

This is a list of places I worked for and received a W-2 or a 1099 for my wages. I also included a few businesses that I ran as a proprietor.

They are not in chronological order because I remembered some after I wrote and numbered the list.

I can remember many bits and pieces about any of these jobs, some more than others. When I say I was a truck driver, I did drive the truck, but I also might have had something to do with the freight I was hauling or equipment that I operated, so many of these truck driving jobs were skilled positions. Thank you for allowing me to toot my own small horn.

I don’t have a favorite because I never minded work, it was employment that I couldn’t stand.

If you have any questions, comments or small world stories, feel free to comment and ask away. I'd be delighted to have a conversation. In actuality, it has occurred to me that in writing articles like this, conversation is exactly what I seek.




Jobs

1 Jewel Tea Co. (grocery store chain in Chicagoland)
Stock Boy

2 FMC Corp.
Fork Lift operator, warehouse worker

3 Jackson Storage and Van (Allied Van Lines, Moving)
Furniture Mover/Helper

4 US Army
Infantry Platoon Sergeant, Vietnam

5 Jackson Storage and Van, (Again)
Truck Driver, Furniture Mover

6 Park Associates (Mechanical Engineering Firm)
Metal Trades Worker (Pipefitter)

7 Labeled Metal Products (Sheet Metal Products Mfg.)
Truck Driver, Local and Over the Road

8 Neptune Movers
Truck Driver, Furniture Mover

9 State of Minnesota Highway Department
Highway Maintenance Worker

10 Arlington House (Adolescent Boys Group Home)
Youth Counselor

11 Hirte Transfer, (Moving Company)
Truck Driver, Furniture Mover

12 Twin City Picture Frame ( Picture Frame Retailer)
Shop Manager

13 Lasalle Cartage (Freight Delivery)
Truck Driver

14 State of Minnesota (Distribute Gov’t Goods)
Truck Driver/ Property Screener

15 St Croix Camp (Juvenile Corrections Facility)
Correctional Counselor

16 Countryside Piano and Furniture
Piano and furniture refinishing, Delivery

17 Mission Creek Boys Ranch (Group Home)
Program Director

18 Pine County Social Services
Home Health Aid

19 Pine City Schools
Substitute Teacher

20 Therapeutic Foster Services (Group Home)
Counselor
21 Pine Technical College
Program Coordinator

22 Coast to Coast Hardware
Hardware Clerk

23 Pine City Fuel
Truck Driver, fuel delivery

24 Rypkema Oil
Truck Driver, fuel delivery

25 An Independent Moving co in the Cities (Forget Name)
Truck Driver, furniture mover

26 Laroche Industries (Industrial Ammonia Delivery)
Truck Driver, Field Technician

27 Seagull Outfitters (Boundary Waters Canoe Outfitter)
Canoe Trip Guide

28 Mill City Sourdough Bakery
Delivery/Sales

29 Minnesota Diversified Industries
Warehouse manager, Truck Driver

30 Union 76 Gas Station
Driveway Sales, Oil Changer

31 Crown Oil Co. (E-Z Stop Stores)
Truck Driver

32 Camp Menogyn (YMCA Camp)
Cook, Caretaker

33 Poplar Lake Lodge
Cook

34 & 35 Hungry Jack Lodge, (2 times)
Cook

36 Tiararado Country Club
Cook/Chef

37 7th Street Cafe
Diner Cook

38 Roger Bauer Trucking
Truck Driver

39 Waterfront Diner
Diner Cook

40 The Exchange (Bakery and Catering)
Bakery Helper/Cook/Chef

41 Motion Picture Production, (Minneapolis, MN Teamsters Union Hall)
Truck Driver, Equipment Operator, Limo Driver
Beautiful Girls
Fargo
Feeling Minnesota
HBO TV Movie, Hunt For Justice
Mighty Ducks 3
Grumpier Old Men
Overnight Delivery
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Sugar and Spice
A Simple Plan
Joe Somebody
*With or Without You, TV Commercials

Note: In motion picture production, truck driving is a mixed bag. I have driven the grips, the electricians, the make up people, the wardrobe people, movie stars, extras, props, special effects and driven limousine.


42 In Gods Hands, (Los Angeles)
Only In America, (Los Angeles, HBO)

43 PMFX ( A Special Effects Company)
Truck Driver

44 PMFX again
Mechanical Effects Technician

45 Nike Commercial
Stunt Driver

46 Sturm F/X (A Special Effects Co.)
Truck Driver, snowmaker

47 Parkview Cafe
Cook

48 & 49 Temp Agencies ( 2 times)
Truck Driver
Tomato Sorter

50 Midwest Laminates (Cabinet Mfg)
Truck Driver, shop work

51 Jimmy Rogers Trucking
Truck Driver, potatoes

52 Larry Neff Trucking
Truck Driver, Bulk milk from farm

53 Elk Creek Transfer
Truck Driver, livestock

54 Mike Anderson Trucking
Truck Driver, Empty bottles for brewery

55 JJ’s Cleaning (Janitorial Service)
Laborer

56 Hirte Transfer (Furniture Moving Co.)
Truck Driver

57 Chain link fence company, installer and truck driver



I Owned and Operated the Following Businesses

58 Joe and Roy’s Piano Movers
59 Acme Piano Movers
60 Joe’s Moving Co.
61 Joe Spado Maintenance Service
62 Spadoman Coffee (Coffee Wholesaler)
63 Snowshoe MFG. Co.
64 Westside Workshop (Snowshoe and Craft Workshop)

Others I forgot

65 Maywood Herald Newspaper delivery
66 Proviso Sentinel Newspaper delivery
67 Minneapolis Star and Tribune Newspaper delivery
68 Minnesota Historical Society
Tour Guide
69 Fond Du Luth Casino
Kitchen Helper
70 Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Security Guard
71 Evergreen Industries (Christmas Wreath MFG)
Seasonal Truck Driver, 4 years straight


* The Motion picture production work was mostly done through the Minneapolis Local 638 Teamsters Union Hall, with each picture shoot a separate job, but I counted all the motion pictures as one. I actually worked for three other production companies that were not from the Teamsters Union Hall.

These would be Numbers 72, 73 and 74
The Movie was
With or Without You
And TV Commercials for
Chevrolet
Nissan


More Forgetfulness

75 Saint Paul Public Schools School Lunch Program
Truck Driver

76 Eat This! Catering and Craft Service
Cook, Helper

77 Gazda Mayflower Moving Co
Truck Driver

78 Smith Transfer
Dock Worker

79 Korf Rubbish
Truck Driver/Garbage Helper

80 Clearwater Lodge
Building Maintenance Worker

81 Grand Marais Public Schools
Substitue Teacher


If you got this far and actually read this list, I applaud you. Now imagine actually living this.

Peace to all, have a great day.

8 comments:

Anne said...

That tuckered me out! You certainly have earned retirement, Joe. Much love to you and your amazing family.

susan said...

That's quite a remarkable work history. Every year when my husband gets his list from the Social Security Department he notes the two year blank space from the time he worked at a small manufacturing company in RI where the manager stole everybody's Soc Sec payments. It still rankles even after all this time.

Spadoman said...

susan... Thanks for stopping by. Number 53 didn't pay me my last paycheck. They went bankrupt. When I got home from the last trip, the door was locked. I parked the truck, went home and never heard from them again. So I guess I'm missing two weeks of Social Security, but not 2 YEARS! All other W-2's paid the SS.
By the way, I only got fired from one of these jobs. Can anyone guess which one?

Peace.

Spadoman said...

Annie... See, I have been a busy guy! Thanks for stopping by. See you this winter, (I think)

Peace

Fran said...

Damn! Between all these jobs & the list of moves to different places to live, how did you remember where to go either to work or home!

I know back in the day, a person could realize am amployers scene was bullshit & just quit, knowing there will be some other job somewhere .... not so much anymore.

At least in Oregon where unemployment is above 12 %.

Coffee Messiah said...

Except for a few jobs during and after HS, I only had 2 for 18 1/2 yrs before leaving Ca.

Since here, I've had 4, which included our busy-ness in 13 yrs.

And yes, back then, it was easy to get a job. Too many out of work and too few business's anymore here in the states.

Your sense of movement is amazing! ; )

Cheers to you and yours!

Mel said...

Holy moly, sir!

You've EARNED that 114 MPH moment on the Triumph!

I think I've worked ummmmmm......

*counting*

10 jobs in my lifetime?
Maybe?

How do you remember all this stuff!!??! LOL

katherine. said...

geez....I'm sprucing up a resume that is too long....but no where near this long....

as you may know...I am partial to truck drivers....smile.