My friends often ask me, "What's your job?"  Here's the list, so far!

 

1: 1966–summer.  Worked in a plant nursery.

2: 1968–1970.  Worked at high school sweeping floors after school.

3: 1970.  First summer after high school, worked as a laborer laying blocks with my dad.

4: 1971.  First summer after college, worked laying telephone cable.

5: 1972–1974.   Lab assistant setting up general biology labs.

6: 1972.  Building houses with dad.

7: 1973.  Floor supervisor in university library.  I only supervised books.

8: 1974.  Summer and fall.  Graduate research assistant on lake research project.

9: 1975.  Grocery store clerk.

10: 1975.  Summer camp “nature” teacher.

11: 1975.  Graduate teaching assistant.

12: 1976.  Building houses with dad.

13: 1976–1977.  Salesman, children’s Bible books.

14: 1977.  Janitor.  Fired on first day for refusing to work Saturdays for religious reasons.

15: 1977.  Construction laborer.

16: 1977–1978.  Construction laborer.

17: 1978.  Construction laborer.

18: 1978–1980.  Headstart teacher, government program for 3 to 5 year old children.

19: 1980–1983.  Elementary school teacher, grades 1 to 8, small one room private school.

20: 1983–1984.  Self-employed home remodeling contractor.

21: 1985.  Gas station attendant.

22: 1985.  Construction laborer.

23: 1985.  Self-employed home remodeling contractor, new city.

24: 1985.  Construction laborer.  Fired / quit after first day.

25: 1985.  Construction laborer.  Fired / quit after first day.

26: 1985.  Grocery clerk.

27: 1985.  (1985 again?)  Can you tell my life was not stable?  Construction laborer.

28: 1986–1989.  Part time  intermittent self-employed remodeling contractor, new city.

29: 1986–1988.  Hospital ward clerk in intensive care unit.

30: 1987–1988.  Part time small community college biology instructor.

31: 1988.  School bus driver.

32: 1988–1989.  Dry wall construction laborer.

33: 1989.  Construction laborer.

34: 1989–1991.  Graduate teaching assistant.

35: 1990.  Construction laborer, one week.

36: 1990.  Summer job as field botanist.

37: 1991–1993.  Botanist / Ecologist, Sylamore District, Ozark National Forest.

38: 1993–1995.  Botany Program Manager, Savannah River Forest Station.

39: 1995–2003.  Forest Botanist / Ecologist, Kisatchie National Forest.

40: 2003–2008.  Biologist, Appeals and Litigation Specialist, Southern Region, US Forest Service.

41: 2008–2009.  Retired.  Supervised home remodeling crew.

42: 2009–2011.  Wal-mart garden center clerk (mostly).

43: 2009–2011.  Freelance writer / editor.