to whom do i give the cheesy coffee mug? (updated)

Being the fancy free freelancer that I am, I don't have a boss in the traditional sense.

But the fact that it's Boss' Day made me wonder how many bosses I've had.

I guess my first job was babysitting for the Gilberts when I was twelve. They were good bosses- good cookies in the jar, three really well behaved kids, and $3 an hour was awesome pay for 1984.

Kids R Us (wish I could type the R backwards) was my next job, in 1986. I worked in the boys' department. My boss was Joe...something. He was nice. It was a fun job because of my co-workers. Tom Allen got me the job, and I subsequently got Kaz hired and a bunch of other Egg people eventually worked there too. The highlights of that job were making long and funny closing announcements on the PA, playing practical jokes w/Kaz, and eventually being allowed to write the schedule for my dept. so I worked whenever I wanted. Lowlights were cleaning out the boys dressing rooms (people can be such slobs!) and vacuuming around clothing fixtures.

Sugar Creek Golf Course was next in 1990. I was a starter. My boss was Gary, he was very laid back and cool. However, I thought this position would just entail taking reservations for tee times and announcing when people were supposed to tee off. I actually thought it would be a low pressure job and I'd be able to read or do crossword puzzles. Noooooo. I got to field calls from people yelling at me because I gave away THEIR tee time, people insisting that if they just came at ten o'clock on a Saturday without a reservation, I should be able to "squeeze them in" and "Don't you know who I am? I'm Dr. So and So and Gary always...blah blah blah." Highlights were that it was actually nice working with my parents and well, I met Tom there, so it was a VERY significant job. And I think our boss Gary came to the wedding.

In 1991, I started working at St. Mary of Celle in the Extended Day Care. That was a great job and my boss was Debbie, who became my very good friend (she was at my wedding too). This job did a ton to prepare me for being a teacher as well as a parent. The hours were great, 3-6 p.m. and I got to know some really great kids and their families.

I got an additional job in 1992- Crown Books. Ugh, that place was the worst! I can't remember the chick's name that was the manager, but she was awful, on top of being Kaz's ex-boyfriend's current live-in girlfriend. Awkward. She hated me, and the place was a messy hole in the wall. Thank God it was only for the Christmas season.

In 1993, Kaz got me a job at Waldenbooks. Jenny, my boss, was nitpicky and lacked people skills, but she ran a nice store. I loved working there-seeing all of the new books come in and helping people find interesting stuff. I spent waaaaaaaay too much money there though. I also loved working with Kaz again, we had so much fun.

In 1995 I started teaching at St. Mary of Celle. Jack Jahoda was no longer able to teach his sixth grade class due to his bone marrow transplant. Ruth Ann, the principal (a boss whom I don't have enough energy to write about) offered me the job teaching them for the last quarter of the year. It was strange coming into a class like that, but luckily, since I was still working at extended Day and I coached Jr. High cheerleading, I knew many of the students and their families. I taught fifth grade the following year and eighth grade until 2001. 2001-2004 I taught either part time Social Studies or my current events class. I loved teaching there, not just because I could pretty much write my own ticket, but those kids were great and the faculty was so much fun and I met my friend Jen. :)

Around 1998-2000 I taught night and summer school at Morton West and East. I have no recollection of what that guy's name was that ran those programs. Hmmm... nope- no recollection what so ever. He didn't do much but hire me, and then I just did my thing with very little supervision. I remember a lot of apathy, a few knife wounds, and a handful of kids who I think might actually have learned a thing or two.

Jellyvision from December to July of this year was the best job I had outside of the classroom. My bosses at Jellyvision were great-the smartest, funniest, most creative bosses I've ever worked for, without a doubt.

I have yet to meet my webshots editor or this Gonaget.com gig I'm starting tomorrow. Maybe I'll just have "virtual" bosses from here on out. Ooh but if I do freelance copywriting work for CNet, Kari will be my boss. She'd get a #1 Boss mug, for sure.

Why does it feel like I'm missing a job in there somewhere?

Because I did.- Rand McNally 1997. It was a pretty fun and easy retail map sellin' gig I had for the summer and into the school year. I can't remember my bosses' names though. They were nice guys, but the best part of that job was meeting my friend Ruth Margaret. Working with her was a lot like working with Kaz, she was really funny and smart and made the job more enjoyable.