I've had a lot of jobs--not as many as most, but I'd like to take a moment to list them all because after all, without these experiences, I wouldn't be where I am:
36. Medical Records Clerk
My first job was working for an orthopaedic surgery center as a medical records clerk. This was my high school job. I didn't go until after school which was about 3pm or so and I worked until 5 or 5:30pm. I was there to file charts...all the charts. Because back then, charts were still paper with colored letters on the outside. I loved this job. The ladies I worked for were so kind and I'm happy to say I still keep in touch with many of them. When I went to college, they would still allow me to come back and work during the summer. After college, I was lost and didn't know what I was going to do but I needed to do something because after all, I was a mom now. So they took me on full-time. Sadly, through a series of circumstances, I was fired from that job. I was offered my job back but decided it was time to move on. I ended up working at another orthopaedic office (the manager of that office was the mother of my 5th grade teacher--go figure!). That place was more fast paced and after I discovered the opera, I left that office. But I will never forget how they took care of me and were kind enough to give me a chance.
37. Stage II Electrician, Barter Theatre
I was offered the position at Barter Theatre the summer of my junior year of college. This job CHANGED MY LIFE. In college, most undergrad theatre design programs teach you just that, how to design. But it wasn't until I worked at Barter that I learned how to be an electrician. My supervisor was an amazing guy named Trevor and he taught me so much. He taught me all the things I always wanted to learn: how to tie knots, how to make cable, and how to have fun while doing it. He joked with me my first day there and told me, "I asked for a monkey but I ended up with you instead". For a long time, I nicknamed myself Gobo the Lighting Monkey because of that! Trevor gave me my first show to design. It was a children's show, Little Red Riding Hood. I remember sitting there in the theatre with him that first day and I remember saying, "I don't know where to begin!" He sat there with me and just asked me questions like, what do you think is happening here and what do you want to see there. I finally started to understand and together we made my first design. I did two other shows that summer and by the end of it I was hooked--I knew that I was going to continue with this for a very long time. Trevor gave me a lot of courage, as well as a lot of knowledge--so much so that when I went back for my final year of college I was actually kind of bitter. I really wanted to stay at Barter and just continue doing what I had fallen in love with. But everything happens for a reason and I went back to college with the huge amount of knowledge I had gained.
38. Virginia Opera
Well I could say a lot about my cumulative 13 years of opera. But the most important thing I will say is that the opera allowed me to grow. I went from follow spot operator, to light board operator, to production electrician, to master electrician, to Lighting Supervisor in a very gradual yet seemingly fast time period. The opera was and is a massive part of my life. I literally grew up in the opera house. The opera staff was my family, my brothers and sisters, and eventually even my kids! I came in as Buckwheat (thanks Dave) and left as Mama K. I'll never, ever forget my time there.
39. Stagehand, one million places
Ok maybe not a million. But some of the places that I worked definitely made me a faster and stronger person. My summer of 2005 (and summers after that) was spent hopping between the amphitheatre in Virginia Beach, to the now defunct Todi Festival, to various other venues including the Constant Center at Old Dominion University, Chrysler Hall and Norfolk Scope, and the NorVa. I learned to move fast and play hard. The amphitheatre, however, was the most educational of all the places I worked. The crew manager there was a woman by the name of Cheryl, who literally put the fear of all the earth in me. I remember her saying to me one day, "You've got to be as strong, if not stronger than these boys". I was so afraid of being called weak that on my 50 minute drive to the amphitheater I had two ten pound weights in my car and I would do arm curls while I drove--one arm, then the other. There were a handful of girls that worked at the amphitheatre that summer. I was closest with three--Kandi, Nicole, and Teresa. These were my girls--we were always teamed up together in some way and we could run circles and squares around any guy out there. They had been doing this a lot longer than me and I learned from them. If not for them, and Cheryl, I don't think I would be as much of a force as I am now.
40. Busch Gardens
Now I never actually expected to end up here. But as I said in my previous blog post, it was Bill who convinced me to give it a try. All I really wanted was to learn how to program moving lights. The opera at that time, didn't really get them in shows that often. I was determined to find a way to learn how to deal with more advanced lighting. So I accepted a job at Busch Gardens as the Master Electrician for the Royal Palace Theatre for the summers of 2006-2009--literally doing the same show for four summers (in it's many variations). Now, MEs at Busch aren't really ME's. They are timecode watchers. But in my summers there, I wanted to do more. I helped repair my moving lights and all of my lights for that matter. I took time out to learn my console and eventually was allowed to program for the Summer Concerts there. The console I learned on was a Hog 500--never used a Hog a day before in my life. An amazing man named Jim taught me how to program that board like a champ. He was one of the best programmers I had ever met. He taught me a great deal about programming in general. Eventually I left Busch and never went back but I loved every moment I was able to learn something new there.
41. Pizza Hut
Now how does this belong here? Well, because I just can't get enough work, I took a job delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut. I did this while I was working for the opera. I loved the extra cash and the best part about that job is that I didn't have to be in charge of anything. I just came in, picked up my delivery and drove around all night. I really enjoyed this job--it sounds crazy I know. But it was actually a break from the stressful opera life. I liked being able to just do a job and leave and there was no after-work commitment, no emails to answer, nothing. Just me, my car, and my music playing.
42. Operations, Norfolk Scope
I took this job a few summers ago, just so I wouldn't be unemployed. But I really loved it. I dealt with special projects--organizing, remodeling, and writing SOPs (Standards of Practice). I loved the fact that it was a normal job, 8 hours a day, and still allowed me to be creative and do what I'm good at--I love organizing things. I re-organized many of the spaces there, I painted (which I love doing!), and I had a wonderful time working for Leann and Dave Y., who is my other business partner! At some point Jay joined the team and there we were, the three of us working together again!
43. AndScene Productions
Since I brought up Dave Y. and Jay, I should talk about this little baby called AndScene Productions. AndScene is Jay's brain child. He came up with the idea of starting a production design company, at a point where neither of us had any real work during one summer. Jay had previously done film work so he had the knowledge, Dave was the brains because he knew how to manage money, and I was literally along for the ride. We did several small projects but one of our biggest projects was The Possession Experiment, a movie that we did the sets and stunts for. I was extremely proud of this project. Jay did a wonderful job of creating the main area for the movie which was the basement and we all took a hand in getting that place looking amazing. My main job was set decoration but I also flew people (yes I said flew)! It was very hard work and long hours but we did it! If you want to take a look at it, go to Hulu--it's actually on there! We also worked on a TV series called Dystopia where Jay was the Production Designer and I was the Art Director. But my favorite part of that job was props. I loved my props. I loved creating and building and making something out of nothing. I had this huge table Jay made for me and it was covered in the most random things I could find. I even had a giant TV I disassembled (do you know how many screws are in a giant flat screen TV? The answer is, a lot.). The project was enormous and long but I'm glad it happened. I learned a great deal about film life during that period. Overall AndScene opened my eyes to a whole new world and I'm glad it happened.
44. Lighting and Sound Supervisor, Studio Theatre
So Studio Theatre was the job I left the opera for. Honestly at first, I thought it was going to be great. But, it did not turn out the way I expected it. There was a lot of work for one person to do. I remembered thinking, man I was spoiled having two really amazing electricians under me at the opera. Now I've got two apprentices. There were at least one hundred things I didn't like about that job but, the one thing that I did love about that job was that it made me remember what it was like to hustle and work hard. Things I had to do, I did on my own. Things I needed to learn, I did on my own. Working for Studio ended roughly 5 months after I started but I will say it was definitely the catalyst that brought me my current job.
45. Sales Associate, Barbizon Capitol
In June of this year I took a leap in a different direction and accepted a job working for Barbizon Capitol. I'll be honest--I was so uncertain about doing this. I mean we are talking about the complete opposite of what I've been doing most of my life. I went from running around on stage to sitting at a desk. But it was the best decision I've made in a long time. Not only am I loving selling things but I'm also happy to be working with so many of the people that I've worked for and helping them get what they need. I love the people I work for--I have the most amazing sales manager, general manager and CEO. The team in this office are some of the most fun-loving, laid-back, and phenomenal people I've ever met in my life. They are supportive in every aspect. I have been able to continue to work in the theatre world and make it home in time to catch my children's recitals and participate in their after-school activities. This was a great choice and I'll never ever regret it.
Needless to say, I don't regret any of these job choices. Each one of these experiences has given me knowledge, insight, and even peace at times. If there's one thing I can say about myself, it's that I can honestly say in every job I've ever had, I've given my all. No matter the job, no matter how big or how small--I loved every moment.
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