Odd Jobs

I’ve had more jobs in my lifetime than I can count. Some for a few months, some for one pay period, some for a day, some for an hour, and a couple that I actually held onto for a few years.

I’ve done everything. I have worked in pizza shops, landscaping, construction, painted houses, auto detailing, organic gardening, been a parking lot attendant, done day labor, worked in a mannequin factory, worked in adolescent programs, cleaned toilets…

In no particular order those are the jobs I can list off the top of my head. There’s plenty more though.

My resume barely scratches the surface of my total work experience and skill set.

As young kids in school there was a janitor we called Odd Jobs. Not only did Odd Jobs work full time as a school custodian but outside of school we saw him working everywhere. He mowed lawns, raked leaves, shoveled snow, and did various other odd jobs. He even picked the garbage cans and dumpsters for cans and bottles.

I’m not knocking Odd Jobs for doing what he did. I’m sure he was taking care of his kids with the money. As kids we got a chuckle out of spotting him in various places throughout town. Just the other day I was thinking about it and I ended up seeing him picking up cans and bottles on a random back road.

What is an Odd Job? 

All jobs are odd. The whole concept goes against our very nature. We were not meant to do the same thing all day every day for a lifetime. It’s soul crushing. The job is a modern day creation. People used to work on their own stuff. Instead of Maggie’s Farm they worked on their own farms, unless of course they were slaves.

Early people hunted and gathered for sustenance. They lived in tune with nature. Their survival depended on it.

Now most of us are far removed from nature and we get our food from a can or box and work a soul crushing job that barely gets us by and keeps us inside under artificial lighting or keeps us outside in the elements all day coming home too drained to do anything other than rot in front of the television.

I used to feel like a loser when I didn’t have a job or when I quit or got fired from one. Now I feel like a loser for having a job, or better yet for needing one.

In the past I imposed lots of guilt on myself over not wanting a job. I thought I was somehow deficient. I wasn’t listening to my own voice. The truth is I never really wanted to have a job.

I have a history of self sabotaging most jobs, even the few that I liked. The same thing always happens once I get a little comfortable on a job. I start to dread going to work. I play mental gymnastics with myself like making lists of pros and cons about keeping the job versus quitting. The only thing ever on the pros side is money and usually that’s lacking too. Then finally I quit.

Most people are searching for that dream job. They hope to find their forever job with paid vacations two weeks out of the year, a 401K and all that happy horseshit. For me a job is a temporary means to an end. I actually like the job I have now and I’m not just saying that to kiss ass. But I will never feel truly accomplished until I’m self sufficient.

I don’t want to come home from working a 10 hour day landscaping to my own unmowed lawn and untrimmed hedges. I dont wanna paint all day then come home to a house that’s in need of a paint job. I dont wanna take care of other people’s kids and be too worn out to give my kids my full attention.

I’m not suggesting that everybody quit their jobs and sit around like bums. But I am suggesting that it’s perfectly natural not to want one. I understand that for modern society to function most jobs are necessary. I also understand that there exists alternatives to the grind and that a job is not for everyone. If you like yours kudos to you. If not maybe you’re an entrepreneur at heart.

As of the date of this post I have yet to make any revenue from this blog. That’s because I have not put in the work. I haven’t produced enough content and I haven’t promoted it. Furthermore I don’t have any products yet to make money from. I’ve been too busy grinding and trying to squeeze in some spare time for family. I’ve been doing odd jobs.

Thanks for Reading