Thursday, October 11, 2007

Feeling Perky

Back in August, I wrote about all the different jobs that I've had over the years. Not too many, 'cause I've always been pretty happy about where I've worked. I'm a firm believer that a job must have some decent perks that come along with it, or dissatisfaction will creep in. Over the years, I've enjoyed not only the perks that come with my own jobs, but also the perks that accompanied the jobs of family members.

For example...

My sister (futurern, 'cause she's going to nursing school) used to work at Baskin Robbins when she was a teenager. We became really close that year. I couldn't get enough of the Pralines 'n Cream.

Troy used to manage a Dominos Pizza. He'd get to bring pizza home, of course, and, oooooh, Cinnastix. I was doing in-home daycare at the time, and at least once a week (okay, twice), I'd load the kids in the van and drive 25 minutes away to get a free pizza for our lunch.

Troy has a wonderful perk in his truck driving job: he can take the boys with him! How many kids get to say that they spend 48 hours straight with their Dad inside a 6 foot x 8 foot box on wheels. And drive over the Bay bridge in San Francisco all the time. And more importantly, how many mothers can get a weekend alone every once in a while? You know, to really plan ahead for Family Home Evening lessons.

When my other sister worked for an eye doctor, I got an exam and eyeglasses at her discount.

My brother-in-law worked for a furniture store for many years, and we definitely enjoyed his employee discount.

My needs have changed now though. I don't really need the free pizza or the ice cream (want them, don't need them), and I'm set on furniture for a while. What I do need is a relative in car mechanics, dentistry, and podiatry. Now those are some perks I could enjoy.

At my current job as a reading aide at my kid's school, I think I've got some pretty good perks. I know what's going on at the school, I know the teachers and the teachers know me, I'm two hallways away from my kids,and sometimes when I substitute for a few hours, I get to go to an assembly. A good assembly. Not the bus safety (boring) one, but the Say No to Drugs/Get High on Life assembly. There was music and dancing and clapping and cheering, and all the teachers got to go up and do karaoke to Twist and Shout. My friend Susan and I just looked at each and said, "Can you believe we get paid to do this?!!".

The other perk that makes my job so fabulous is the pictures that I get to have taken every year. What other job will give you this:




'Cause doesn't everyone want a big 8x10, 2-5x7s, 2-3x5s, and 4 wallets of them self? I know you're jealous - what can I say...some jobs just have really good perks.


What are the best job related perks you've ever had?

Go for it, just name them all.
The winner (sure, let's make it contest) gets a picture of me.

(Not the 8x10 though, I'm framing it and giving it to my Mom, just to see what she does with it.)

6 comments:

Angi said...

Okay here are some of my job perks......

My first real job was a nanny. I was paid $100.00 cash every weekend. In high school that was some serious money. Then came dental assisting. Free dental everything. Crowns, veneers, check ups and tooth brushes. And 75% off orthodontics. It was great.

Then my stay at home MOM job, now that was the BEST JOB EVER! Free kisses, tons of hugs, many many laughing moments, millions of pictures, a lot of pb and j. Time to just enjoy my guys.
Time never to be replaced.
What more could you ask for?

Now my new job being an aide, Very rewarding. I get to have the same days off as my guys, and be home in the summer. I work 8:30-1:15 M-T. Plus I really enjoy the kids I work with, they are a terrific bunch of cuties. Not to mention I get to work with my sister-in-law 4 days a week. She is an amazing teacher. I admire her a lot.

I have had great work perks!!

BusyBez said...

I worked at Wendy's for most of my "schooling" life. The perk with that job was not only yummy food, but some piece of mind that the company really is into cleanliness and quality. My laptop I'm typing this on is one of my favorite perks for this job I have now.

Suz Q Free Tibet said...

Wend! Your picture turned out so cute!!!
I would have to say that one of my old jobs had a really good perk...I worked for a group of cardiologists and they believed in free lunch. I mean FREE LUNCH. We had lunch either brought in or we went out. All of it was paid for! That was really nice and really made for a great work environment.

Nora Mair said...

Nanny in highschool just like Angi--100 bucks every week. Mail room at college--but no free postage. Waitress in the Tetons--I gained like 15lbs. but I met James, big perk. Back to the mailroom and weekends in the cafeteria at CEU. eew. Camp counselor--so fun but $750 for the whole summer. Back to the Tetons to serve. Secretary for the Communication dept. at SUU. Lion House waitress--Oh the Rolls and honey butter! 6th grade teacher, 4th grade teacher and then preschool teacher. Now mom of a ton of kids. Fun job but exhasting at the moment. Can't wait till the boy sleeps more than he crys.

James had a temp job packaging Jenny Craig diet pills.

Mrs. J said...

Free dry cleaning but I had to do it myself. Free corn from my corn picking days but again, had to pick it myself. Free food at Dairy Queen, had to cook it myself. Seems to be a pattern here. Worked in the mailroom at college no discounted postage but did get to read people's magazines (probably illegal) and now I get the big picture package every year, (afraid to frame and give the 8x10 to my mom for fear it will be on her piano when I go out) and a brand new set of children's germs, so the perk is a robust immune system.

dishes and laundry said...

Wow, y'all have had some pretty good perks!!

All that free food - yum! It really is a morale booster.

The free dental work, the laptop, and yeah, meeting your husband, excellent perks! And it sounds like we are all around a ton of kids, so we all have that rockin' immune system!

Oh, what the heck, you all win! Let me know what size picture you want - plenty to go around.