Another Re-evaluation

For the last seven months or so, I have been contemplating future employment possibilities. In the last two months, I've been nosing around, actually looking for opportunities.

There is a problem, though. I still have absolutely no idea what kind of work to look for! It is clear that I cannot continue in the kinds of "real" jobs I have had. Desk jobs are not for me. They never have been, and I am only making myself miserable trying to fit that particular mold. Sitting all day drains me. Data entry stresses me out. The phone is not my friend. Paperwork and I have a long history of mutual antagonism.

I'm left feeling exceptionally useless. I have no marketable skills. To be honest, I don't really have much in the way of skills at all. I am reasonably good at a few things, but not many people make a living writing or speaking bits and pieces of various and sundry languages. My skills just don't seem economically viable.

I know that offices, libraries, and classrooms are not good places for me. I know, also, that my two favorite jobs thus far were at Coffee Place and in the Student Union at College of the Cornfields, where I ran the grill. Those jobs were fantastic, and I came alive working in both those places. Of course, they also both paid minimum wage, which one simply cannot live on. If I could just find something like that that paid well, life would be absolutely fabulous.

I have thought about what made those experiences so good, and I came up with a short list of what seems to work for me.

1. Motion- I cannot sit still. If I am not in constant motion, I will glaze over. Being the grill girl kept me very active, as did running the coffee shop.
   
2. Creativity- I wasn't just grilling sandwiches or making lattes. There was more room for creativity at Coffee Place, but both gave me the opportunity to, well, play with my food. Neil and I were constantly creating new beverages and testing them on each other, and this was not discouraged. When I had the grill, I perfected the art of the french fry.
3. Interaction with the Public- I know I perfected the french fry (and the cheese stick) because people would say "Oh, good" when they saw me at the grill. At Coffee Place, there were a few regulars who would occasionally ask for whatever new beverage or sandwich I was trying out at the time. I knew my regular customers. I knew what they liked, where they worked or what they were studying in school. There was also a steady stream of new, sometimes interesting people. Sometimes they spoke with thick accents. Sometimes they needed computer help. Frequently, I have found myself being the ESL tutor. Of course, there will always be the occasional fruitcake, and boy do I have a story, but mostly I really enjoyed the customer interaction.
   
4. Variety and Productivity- Doing the same thing all day, every day, is really boring. Doing the same thing that pretty much accomplishes nothing all day, every day, is dreadful. On the other hand, if twelve people order a hamburger in the course of five minutes, and you're already juggling fries, cheese sticks, and chicken fingers in the two fryers, that is a challenge with actual payoff. When ten people walk in and order lattes, smoothies, sandwiches, and computer cards, and you have to go to the office to load the computer cards, it can be fun. At the end of the shift, you're tired, but it's that good tired that says you accomplished something.

I have no idea what my strengths are. I am all too familiar with my weaknesses. I am also painfully aware of the reality that was pointed out to me a few days ago. Somone who has known me a long time said,"You have really bad luck with jobs and bosses. Maybe you should be your own boss." Oh, wouldn't I love to! But doing what?

Well, I have laid out the parameters. I now open the comments for any thoughts anyone might have on the subject.