Before I was a Mom

It's another 4 am start to my day. 


There was a lot of crying, whining, pleading and stomping. 


And as for The Boy?  Don't even ask.  Let's just say that The Boy did not have a good morning.  And I'm about ready for my third cup of coffee.

I've stumbled across some pretty interesting blog posts about former jobs.  For those that know me in real life, you know that I've worked all over.  So I decided to link up on the Northwestmommy Monday Listicles.  (Yes, I know it's Tuesday.  But I had my own Monday Meme thing going on.) 

Anyway...the theme this week is the Squashed Mom's idea:
 

Top Ten Strange (odd/unusual/funny/interesting) Jobs you have held in your life 

So without any further adieu, because I know you're just sitting at the edge of your computer chair, here is my list of jobs (some of them, anyway) I had before I was a mom:

10. The Rectory:  When I was in HS I worked at my parish's Rectory (the house where priests live).  I was responsible for answering the phones, polishing the silver, changing the table linens, serving their dinners (a 5 course meal, prepared by their cook) and washing the dishes.  There was one afternoon that I will never forget.  It was the afternoon when a young girl died in the church - she committed suicide over a boy (I'm speculating).  That Monday at school, I learned it was a classmate, a girl I had known since the third grade.  We made our first communion together.  There is a lot more to this story but that story isn't meant for here.  

9. Oaktree:  Most of you probably won't remember or know of this store.  But it was a mall store.  It wasn't my first retail job, but my first retail job where I was a manager.  It was a a young men's clothing store.  Just think early 90s - muscle tees and silky slacks.  I spent many afternoons helping mothers pick out graduation or prom suits for their sons.  I don't know why, but thinking about those afternoons makes me a little sad.  I wonder if The Boy will ever need such a suit.  

8. Cocktail Waitress: While I was working at Oaktree, I also worked nights as a cocktail waitress at a night club in Queens.  I learned 3 valuable lessons while waitressing: (1) if you have no intentions of tipping your waitress get up and order your own drink, (2) getting drunk and throwing up in a public bathroom before midnight is absolutely pathetic and (3) if a man complains about the strength of his drink, back away as he may just throw his drink at your feet. 
  
7. Nine West: My 2nd retail management job.  It seems odd that I would work at a women's shoe store considering how much I can't stand the sight of feet.  But I did get a lot of free shoes.  And that's always nice. 

6. The Gap:  My 3rd and last retail management job.  I met The Boy's godfather working here.  And I also met a young woman whose name I will always remember.  But I won't use it here, even though I haven't seen in her in more than a decade.  So I'll call her Janet.  Janet must have been 19, maybe 20.  She was pregnant and working part time at The Gap.  She was also homeless and living in a woman's shelter.  (She was kicked out of her home after she got pregnant.)  Janet never called out sick, she was always available to work an extra shift.  She never complained.  Ever.  On the day she gave birth, she took time to call out sick.  (Even though there was no need, we all knew the day was coming and would assume, if she didn't show up - she was having the baby.)  She returned to work four weeks after giving birth but by then I was transfered to another store.

5. Coat Check girl:  Another nightclub job - pretty self explanatory.  Believe it or not, this job was pretty stressful, well more annoying than anything.  Why?  Several reasons.  (1) People always always always leave crap in their pockets then want to return several times during the course of the night to "get something quick," (2) People will ask your whether or not they need to tip you and (3) People will yell at you at the end of the night because they're drunk and have lost their tickets.  You'd be surprised how many people think they are the only ones who wore a black leather coat out to the club.  

4. Hostess/Cashier:  I won't say the name of the club.  Let's just say, Howard Stern liked this place (a lot).  But for almost 2 years I worked at an upscale gentleman's club as the hostess.  Charging men an obscene amount of money just to walk in the door.  Many of the dancers  entertainers were mothers.  And I wonder now, how many of them had special needs kids?       

3. Cosmetics Girl:  While I was working nights as a Hostess, I was working days at a cosmetic counter at Macys Herald Square.  (I hate Herald Square.)  It was the only job I was ever fired from.  I just couldn't bring myself to do consulations or make-up applications.  It was my fault really,  why would I take a job that required me touch a strangers face?  I couldn't bring myself to do it.   

2. Receptionist:  And after a few years of job jumping, I returned to corporate (I used to be a messenger at a really stuffy bank).  This would be the job that truly changed the course of my life.  It's where I met The Husband.     

1. Legal Secretary:  After I quit job the job that changed my life, I went across the street to a new job.  I was a married woman by this time but children were no where on the agenda.  And then one of the secretaries got pregnant and on the afternoon of the office baby shower, we started talking.  And I started talking about the kind of mother I'd be and the kind of child I would have and how I would raise this unborn child.  When I think about my idea of motherhood, I have to laugh.  I was wrong in every single possible way.


Before I was a mom, I thought these were toughest jobs imaginable.  HA!  Being a mom, is so much harder than I ever imagined.  It's more demanding and more stressful than every single job on this list multipled by a hundred a thousand.

But for me, it's the only job that really matters.     

What did you do before you were a mom?