I was raised on a farm, so I have been working as long as I can remember. However, I don't consider that a job, because I didn't get paid for it. It got me to thinking though. What were my 1st 7 jobs? I had to have a job when I was very young because I knew it was the only way I would get Nikes and Levis. My parents were not wealthy. I had my 1st job at 13 and have been working ever since.

  • My 1st Job - Dishwasher at the V & B Steakhouse in Holyoke

I consider this my 1st real job, because I got paid. I was only 13-years-old and working for my Uncle Vern and and Barb at their restaurant in Holyoke. I was a dishwasher at the V&B Steakhouse for $2.50 an hour.

  • My 2nd Job - Implement Seat Cushion Scraper at Speer Cushion in Holyoke

I did this for a few summers.  Every year, Speer Cushion would have a pile of tractor and combine seats that needed to have the old cushions torn off, so they could be repainted and have new cushions and upholstery put on them. I scraped thousands of seats and got 25 cents for each one I deconstructed.

  • My 3rd Job - Projectionist at Peerless Theater in Holyoke

This was one of my favorite jobs. We had a classic old film projector that used a carbon arc lamp to light the movies. The entire projection room was encased in metal so nothing would catch fire. We only showed one movie at a time, so I would see many movies 10 or more times. I finally quit the job because we showed several movies in a row that I didn't like. Watching the horror movies by myself in that little room freaked me out.

  • My 4th Job - Janitor & Groundskeeper at Holyoke School District

For a couple summers I worked for the Holyoke School District as a janitor and groundskeeper.  We did a lot of cleaning and a lot of mowing. I finally had to quit because I got a heat stroke pulling weeds from the sidewalks by the football stadium.

  • My 5th Job - Farm Hand for Philips County Farmer Gary Saylor

This was the least favorite job I ever had. I can say that now because Mr. Saylor has passed away. He was the toughest man to please that I ever met. I learned how to cultivate corn with him standing over my shoulder yelling at me, "Do it again". He made sure I did it right. I respect him for that, but man he was tough to work for. Luckily, going to college got me out of that job.

  • My 6th Job - Cashier at 6 & 76 Gas Station in Sterling

My first job in college was a cashier at 6 & 76 gas station in Sterling, CO. It was my first taste of working with the public and the 1st time I ever had to take money. I was the guy working behind the bullet-proof glass. I liked the job, but was laid off because two other people working there had more seniority than me.

  • My 7th Job - DJ at KMXX in Sterling

My 1st taste of radio came at KMXX in Sterling. (It eventually became KPMX when they sold their call letters.) I got the job in a very unconventional way. I had taken a communications class at Northeastern Junior College. Our assignment was to right and produce a radio commercial. My instructor like it so much that he asked me to record a commercial for the college. I did and the General Manager at the radio station asked what radio stations I had worked at before. I said I hadn't. He said, "Would you like to?" I started working weekends. Eventually, I did the afternoon driver show.  After that, I was hooked for life.

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