Friday 5 for January 13: We Can Work It Out

We can work it out. Photo by Mel on Flickr.

It's Friday the 13th and here are the questions for this week's Friday 5 as presented by our good friend Scrivener.

1. What’s a real-world lesson you learned from your first job?

My first job was working at a pharmacy. This was a very long time ago. I don't remember any "real world lessons" except that you obeyed what you were told to do -- the boss is usually always right -- and being it is your first job, you learn new things. For example in this job I learned about the extraordinarily high prices of prescription drugs. This was back in the 1970s and some pills cost hundreds of dollars. The same ones probably cost a thousand dollars today. That is why we have to get medical insurance that can cover the high prescription drug costs. However, the cost of medical insurance keeps on getting higher every year.

2. What was pleasantly unexpected about your current (or most recent) job?

Learning a lot about how government functioned and what people did to build relationships, connections and lobby in that realm was eye opening when I first started working at that venue. Government is all about who you know, how much you can contribute to a particular cause and how big of a number you can get to advance your agenda.

3. What are some identifying tools of your trade?

For most of the recent jobs I've had, the two most identifying tools for me are 1. the computer (I would think a vast majority of jobs require computer use) and 2. the camera (when applicable I've applied my photography hobby to my trade). Hopefully the camera will become more of a job focus as I search for something new to do. Other tools or skills that I use include writing, editing, page layout, design, blogging, minor coding, organization and management.

4. What’s something a job required that you thought was far outside your skill set?

Event organizing at one time was something that had to be learned on the job. Coordination of venue, time, people, materials and a whole lot more takes work way in advance of the event. It can be traumatizing at the beginning, especially when things don't go as planned. You have to be careful and mindful that something unexpected will happen. People are always a huge variable. Will they show up, will they have parking, can they speak, do they need assistance, etc.

After doing a few events anyone tasked with the job will learn and be able to handle the next event with increasing ease, based on what you previously learned.

5. Robert Frost wrote, “My object in living is to unite / My vocation and my avocation / as my two eyes make one in sight.”  To what degree have you united your vocation (your job) and your avocation (your hobby)?

Whenever I can blend photography with a job that I am doing would be a good thing. I am still fascinated with computers, so that will always be whenever I use one. There is always something new to learn doing both.