Ping pong thread Odd jobs and things you have done
#26
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I was a stripper (floors on one gig, and antique furniture on another)
Spotter for Arnold Palmer
Worked a circus every summer (best part was carrying crippled kids onto the elephant and holding them for a ride)
Spotter for Arnold Palmer
Worked a circus every summer (best part was carrying crippled kids onto the elephant and holding them for a ride)
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#27
aka: Dr. Cannondale
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1. Corsage maker; Coal tar technician
2. Published over 175 magazine articles, including photography
3. Panthers
2. Published over 175 magazine articles, including photography
3. Panthers
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Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
#28
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Worked back stage security for Rock' n Chair productions in the 80's, Hung live turkeys off the truck for kill in the late 70's
Got stopped and arrested for 155+ in a 55 by the CHP, three days later another guy and I ran down an armed robber on foot and caught him.
Long story short, a county sheriff talked a highway patrolman out of showing up for court. Case dismissed.
Panthers
Got stopped and arrested for 155+ in a 55 by the CHP, three days later another guy and I ran down an armed robber on foot and caught him.
Long story short, a county sheriff talked a highway patrolman out of showing up for court. Case dismissed.
Panthers
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You remind me of two unusual jobs I’ve had: 1) Taught English on site at several nuclear power plants, 2) taught a GRE prep course through Boston Community Ed. Unfortunately, I was doing much better on the practice tests than were my students.
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#30
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1. Ski patroller
2. (a) Actually got paid to trigger avalanches by ski cutting and tossing explosives
2. (b) Flew to remote drill sites in the Russian Arctic in a rickety cold-war era helicopter
2. (c) Climbed down into Minuteman Missile launch facilities
3. Lions
2. (a) Actually got paid to trigger avalanches by ski cutting and tossing explosives
2. (b) Flew to remote drill sites in the Russian Arctic in a rickety cold-war era helicopter
2. (c) Climbed down into Minuteman Missile launch facilities
3. Lions
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Montana, where men are men and sheep are lying little tramps.
Montana, where men are men and sheep are lying little tramps.
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#31
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1. Tongue Dropper in a slaughterhouse.
2. Shot an original Gatling Gun
3. Maroons (yeah, I know)
2. Shot an original Gatling Gun
3. Maroons (yeah, I know)
#32
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1) Nuclear Weapons Security Officer, Kaplan MCAT prep instructor, Gas Free Engineer
2) Maybe a lot to pick from but let’s say navigate a ship through the Straits of Malacca
3) Warriors
squirtdad, we’re you the backup to the mortician’s driver or driver for the backup mortician?
2) Maybe a lot to pick from but let’s say navigate a ship through the Straits of Malacca
3) Warriors
squirtdad, we’re you the backup to the mortician’s driver or driver for the backup mortician?
when my friend was out of town visiting girl friend, I did the driving to other towns.
first one freaked me out when I was about to leave and the mortician came running out saying "we forgot the pillow" turns out you need to prop the head up to keep the jaw from opening which is a pain to fix for open casket funerals.
body was on a gurney covered with sheets
3 on the tree ford station wagon with a 390....... it just cruised down the road
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
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#33
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
#34
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1) Night janitor at an athletic club
2) Driven a million dollar Porsche. (918 for those interested)
3) Go Bruins!
2) Driven a million dollar Porsche. (918 for those interested)
3) Go Bruins!
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#35
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1) Toy maker, Reference librarian, Wool spinner, High scaler, Elevator operator.
2) Built a swimming pool for a Hollywood elephant.
3) Scots
Brent
2) Built a swimming pool for a Hollywood elephant.
3) Scots
Brent
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"I have a tendency to meander sometimes." B.G.
"I have a tendency to meander sometimes." B.G.
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#36
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1) Summer job as insulation installer at Camp Lejeune steam power plant from scaffolding 70 ft up (1 day) - switched to painter at Tawara Terrace base housing
. In retrospect that was the more dangerous job.....hopefully I didn't drink too much water !
2) UNC-W one-on-one basketball champ 1980, played pick-up & summer league basketball against Michael Jordan
3) Cardinals
.

2) UNC-W one-on-one basketball champ 1980, played pick-up & summer league basketball against Michael Jordan
3) Cardinals
.
Last edited by Deal4Fuji; 06-06-23 at 09:29 AM.
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#37
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1. Delivered newspapers in the countryside using a 1962 Chev BelAir, Played trombone in a jazz band
2. Supervised the drydocking of US Navy ships
3. Vikings
2. Supervised the drydocking of US Navy ships
3. Vikings
#38
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1) Summer job as insulation installer at Camp Lejeune steam power plant from scaffolding 70 ft up (1 day) - switched to painter at Tawara Terrace base housing
. In retrospect that was the more dangerous job.....hopefully I didn't drink too much water !
2) UNC-W one-on-one basketball champ 1980, played pick-up & summer league basketball against Michael Jordan
3) Cardinals
.

2) UNC-W one-on-one basketball champ 1980, played pick-up & summer league basketball against Michael Jordan
3) Cardinals
.
Here's a question for you and any of the other Carolinians out there. I move to Richmond VA in 1989. There was this band based in the Carolinas(I think) called the Boneshakers. I used to see them ever time they came to Richmond. They put on a great show. Anyone remember them? I was thinking about them the other day.
#39
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As for me:
1. Worked on landscaping crews (installing, not maintaining) in 100+ degree heat, which made college sound like a really good option. Loaded containers of air freight and dropped them off at LAX, once nearly flipping a truck over in the process. Managed a Haagen-Dazs shop (@repechage was my boss) wherein I saw a fair number of celebrities, the most memorable being H.R. Haldeman.
2. Saw Kareem Abdul-Jabbar riding a bike on the streets of western LA; nice bike, but a tad big for me. I can wiggle my ears both together and one at a time (not exactly "America's Got Talent" stuff, I know). Once, while managing the Haagen-Dazs, I almost clonked Jessica Lange in the head with a shovel (no, I was not using the shovel to scoop ice cream).
3. Cowboys. Yee haw.
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"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
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#40
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I missed playing against Spudd Webb by a year. He was at Midland College(JUCO at the time) when I was a senior in HS. The next year when I entered college, he'd transferred to NC State. Same for Larry Johnson. He started at Odessa College the year after I got out of college basketball.
Here's a question for you and any of the other Carolinians out there. I move to Richmond VA in 1989. There was this band based in the Carolinas(I think) called the Boneshakers. I used to see them ever time they came to Richmond. They put on a great show. Anyone remember them? I was thinking about them the other day.
Here's a question for you and any of the other Carolinians out there. I move to Richmond VA in 1989. There was this band based in the Carolinas(I think) called the Boneshakers. I used to see them ever time they came to Richmond. They put on a great show. Anyone remember them? I was thinking about them the other day.

https://www.furious.com/perfect/nc-punk2.html
.
Last edited by Deal4Fuji; 06-06-23 at 11:06 AM.
#41
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EDIT - it is tonight, part 1 at 8:00 EST
https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-r...res-june-6-13/
.
Last edited by Deal4Fuji; 06-06-23 at 05:41 PM.
#42
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Was planting trees in Bovill Idaho when Mt. St. Helens blew, 7 hr TV feed delay so the townsfolk thought the world was ending.
Done a lot of things sober, sane folks wouldn't.
Scotsmen, Lancers
Done a lot of things sober, sane folks wouldn't.

Scotsmen, Lancers
#43
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What type of music? I was all into punk & new wave and one of the favorites that played a lot in Wilmington & from coastal SC to VA was a band called The Pedestrians. Here's a link that's about punkish music of the late 70's through the 80's. I didn't see Boneshakers on this link, but there's a lot of info here
The Ped's were mentioned in the 2nd paragraph
https://www.furious.com/perfect/nc-punk2.html
.

https://www.furious.com/perfect/nc-punk2.html
.
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#44
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1.) Worked as a post hole digger for a cable company. That sucked. I can feel the pinched nerves in my neck just thinking about it.
2.) Had a friend zoom up a hardened snow drift and jump over me on his snowmobile as I lay flat on my back. Lucky I didn't get one of the skis through my head.
3.) Magicians. Kind of a lame name, but at least there was always a cute girl dressed like a bunny at the games.
2.) Had a friend zoom up a hardened snow drift and jump over me on his snowmobile as I lay flat on my back. Lucky I didn't get one of the skis through my head.
3.) Magicians. Kind of a lame name, but at least there was always a cute girl dressed like a bunny at the games.
#45
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1) Worked the counter at a self serve yogurt shop (which afforded me lots of reading time in service of my Lit degree)
2) Co-produced a short comedy that screened at the SF Int'l Film Festival. Helped the actress Minnie Driver find an etymological dictionary for her husband's birthday when I worked at a bookstore.
3) [Da] Bears
If the Bog Weeders are not a school mascot, they should be.
2) Co-produced a short comedy that screened at the SF Int'l Film Festival. Helped the actress Minnie Driver find an etymological dictionary for her husband's birthday when I worked at a bookstore.
3) [Da] Bears
If the Bog Weeders are not a school mascot, they should be.
#46
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1) Brewmaster at a couple brewpubs
2) Shared a limo with Mr T and Julio Iglesias (not at the same time) Shared the stage with (weatherman) Steve Pool and (Brothers Four) Dick Foley at multiple events
3). Roughriders
2) Shared a limo with Mr T and Julio Iglesias (not at the same time) Shared the stage with (weatherman) Steve Pool and (Brothers Four) Dick Foley at multiple events
3). Roughriders
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
#47
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Great thread!
1. Counted cars driving over a Colorado pass in the middle of the night.
Made and tested the prototypes for the parachute buckle still used in F-16’s.
Designed and applied the test equipment for an ultra precise (pico-radians was our unit of measurement for nerds out there) space laser pointing system.
Lead the test program, then managed actual rocket scientists for a program that launched big commercial satellites from the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
2. Parachute jumped out of perfectly good airplanes, before that tandem jumping stuff started. Survived a faulty chute jump, then never did it again!
3. Lions (boring!). College team was “Engineers”; watching them was boring.
1. Counted cars driving over a Colorado pass in the middle of the night.
Made and tested the prototypes for the parachute buckle still used in F-16’s.
Designed and applied the test equipment for an ultra precise (pico-radians was our unit of measurement for nerds out there) space laser pointing system.
Lead the test program, then managed actual rocket scientists for a program that launched big commercial satellites from the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
2. Parachute jumped out of perfectly good airplanes, before that tandem jumping stuff started. Survived a faulty chute jump, then never did it again!
3. Lions (boring!). College team was “Engineers”; watching them was boring.
Last edited by Dfrost; 06-06-23 at 12:47 PM.
#48
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1. Artificially inseminated cows on a dairy farm.
2. Ditto. It's the punchline of one of my longer stories.
3. Coyotes
2. Ditto. It's the punchline of one of my longer stories.
3. Coyotes
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#49
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1) Worked maintenance in a chemical plant with a horrible reputation where, when stuff was going out on the ground, the more cynical of the worker's catch phrase was "Don't worry, it's mostly water".
Worked for 2 years at a nuclear power plant, the cleanest, safest place I have worked at in my memory. Cleaner and safer than any school or hospital for sure.
2) Meh, boring stuff.
3) Two years a Blue Devil, two years a Pioneer, three years a Bear.
Worked for 2 years at a nuclear power plant, the cleanest, safest place I have worked at in my memory. Cleaner and safer than any school or hospital for sure.
2) Meh, boring stuff.
3) Two years a Blue Devil, two years a Pioneer, three years a Bear.
Last edited by FBOATSB; 06-06-23 at 07:02 PM.
#50
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1. Marines for 4 years, Sold animal shaped poo for home garden fertilization, Bio-med tech for a nationwide rental company of life support equipment, Teacher, Missionary of the Gospel in Cambodia.
2, Drove a 53 Willys jeep with a 283 V8 across country in 79.
3. Blue Aces
2, Drove a 53 Willys jeep with a 283 V8 across country in 79.
3. Blue Aces
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Cambodia bikes, Bridgestone SRAM 2 speed, 2012 Fuji Stratos...
Cambodia bikes, Bridgestone SRAM 2 speed, 2012 Fuji Stratos...
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