I worked at Thriftway grocery store in Crystal. The own Al (can’t remember his last name) had a reputation for customer service at the expense of the employees. My aunt work there for one shift and never went back because of it. I was 15 at the time and was fired for playing poker in the basement.
Al Salsberg?
My grandma (mom's side) and grandparents (dad's side) shopped at Thrift way. Weird layout. My grandma LOVED Al. It was a long time ago, but I still remember her talking about him, which is odd because he was a complete stranger to me.
I believe that was his name. He had an almost cult following for customers, but working for him.....not the same ha ha ha ha
First jobs were mowing a couple lawns then paper route then started at the golf course (Edina municipal) as a "petty cash boy", i.e. under age for real hire paid out of petty cash - picked up trash, emptied trash cans, cleaned golf carts, generally picked up and ran errands. Then worked on the driving range, then the clubhouse (learned to fry burgers, eggs, French fries, make malts) then the grounds crew. Then worked the ice arena in winter, concession stand, then drove Zamboni in the pavilion rink. Always for minimum wage.
First paying job - working at a wild rice processing plant after my senior year of high school. Every summer prior to that, I was an indentured servant on the family hobby farm (mowing lawn, weeding gardens, putting up hay, putting up/mending fences, etc.)
First job after college - Ensign, United States Navy.
Tact is the ability to step on a man's toes without messing up the shine on his shoes - Harry S Truman
Worked at "Flower City" (a floral, plant and patio furniture store) at Signal Hills in West St. Paul. Where my wife and I met each other.
Did you make enough money to buy your clothes at Mr. John's? 
Other than caddying, my first job was at a locally owned grocery store across Robert Street. The owner was a real _____ and would yell at you in front of the customers if you didn't pack the paper grocery store just right. Storage space in back for incoming food was very limited, so boxes of food had to be stacked way above your head. He would challenge you to "be a man" by seeing how high of a stack you could hoist and land the next box on. Seriously.
Was that Country Club?
First job at 13 was a paper route in St. Paul delivering the Pioneer Press in the A.M. and Dispatch in the afternoon in the North End. Some help from mom and dad on Sundays but did all the collections myself.
Then after moving to WBL worked at Hoffman Corner Grocery in Gem Lake. $1.80 an hour with perks. For lunch the butcher would cut you a much lunchmeat as you wanted for lunch on the house.
Chinese, in part to be able to do things like:
I speak just a little bit of Mandarin and his accent is fantastic. They talk way too fast for me to keep up in any event.
It's amazing how even trying a bit of language by a non-native speaker disarms native speakers. When you earnestly try to reach across a chasm, it's amazing how people will reach themselves to help you across. Gives us all hope!
First cash job: mowing lawns (and likely the reason I’ve had numerous skin cancers. No real high SPFs back in late 70’s/early 80’s.)
First real job: busboy and then fry cook at The Parker House in Mendota. I was 15 at the time (1981). Made 2.49/hour + tips. It went on to become the first Axels restaurant.
My brother and I had a paper route when I was a little kid, then I did Trail Blazers in junior high. First real job was working in the maintenance department at Powers department store at the Northtown Mall when I was 16. I think I made $3.35 per hour. 
Chinese, in part to be able to do things like:
I speak just a little bit of Mandarin and his accent is fantastic. They talk way too fast for me to keep up in any event.
#humblebrag ?
I spent summers on the south end of ML and there were 3 launches within sprinting distance of our place. I'd see them coming in and I'd be on the dock to throw the biat a line try for some business.
I'd clean 3 walleyes for 25 cents or a dime a piece.
I would also try to sell any pike I caught. The old man told me to " Take those slimy snakes and sell them to the tourists from Iowa."
Was all set to buy a C110 Honda (only 50cc but you had a gas tank to straddle so it was a "motorcycle) when the old man wouldnt sign. Being 50cc you only needed to be 15 & I was.
Worked a concession stand for my 1st wages over Xmas vacation when I was 15.
Hell I recall the 1st weeks pay where I was paid over $10 / hr as a journeyman. Living Large!
My first job was working at a Snyder drug store weekends in high school. Boring as hell. You can only organize the cards and dust off the trinkets for so long. I think I started at $4.00 an hour. That only lasted a year or so until I started working at a dog kennel and made twice as much.
Jobs I've had--
Farmer ( grew up on the farm)
Ericksons/Freedom gas station ( part time high school job)
Kmart ( Part time college job)
Kay Bee Toys ( 1st full time job)
Blockbuster Video
Gordmans
Farmer ( took over family farm)
Most of the places I have worked are no longer around. 
I hope my current job doesn't end up that way.
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Had a paper route, but I won't count that.
I was a dish rat for Knights Of Columbus in Crystal. My friend's whole family worked there, and basically, if a job opened up, and you said you knew them, that application was tossed, interview was "When can you start?" and that was that.
At one point, the whole kitchen/server staff was either related, or grew up together. There were no outsiders at all. And of course, there were no shenanigans whatsoever. 
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
I was in every dang musical extracurricular through high school, so I didn't really have a true job. First was seasonal maintenance for Anoka County Parks during summers between years of college. First summer was solely at the Coon Rapids Dam, following summers I was roving around all the county parks in the southern part of the county. It was a blast, and I still feel the urge the find something that is primarily outdoors and can support our family.
I was in every dang musical extracurricular through high school, so I didn't really have a true job. First was seasonal maintenance for Anoka County Parks during summers between years of college. First summer was solely at the Coon Rapids Dam, following summers I was roving around all the county parks in the southern part of the county. It was a blast, and I still feel the urge the find something that is primarily outdoors and can support our family.
[media]
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
F'n a.
Worked at "Flower City" (a floral, plant and patio furniture store) at Signal Hills in West St. Paul. Where my wife and I met each other.
Did you make enough money to buy your clothes at Mr. John's?
Other than caddying, my first job was at a locally owned grocery store across Robert Street. The owner was a real _____ and would yell at you in front of the customers if you didn't pack the paper grocery store just right. Storage space in back for incoming food was very limited, so boxes of food had to be stacked way above your head. He would challenge you to "be a man" by seeing how high of a stack you could hoist and land the next box on. Seriously.
Was that Country Club?
Yep!
After the paper route I worked for:
Wendy's
Taco Bell
Red Owl
Super Valu
Proex
Campus book store at MSU
After the paper route I worked for:
Wendy's
Taco Bell
Red Owl
Super Valu
Proex
Campus book store at MSU
When were you at Campus book store?
After the paper route I worked for:
Wendy's
Taco Bell
Red Owl
Super Valu
Proex
Campus book store at MSU
When were you at Campus book store?
'91-'93.
Do you have a favorite relative?
I adored my Great Aunt on my dads side. She was funny, feisty and loved me. She never married and had kids of her own. My dad and his siblings were very close to her so naturally my brother and I were too. We spent lots of time visiting her. She had a big house filled with stuff from all her world travels and we loved exploring the “junk”. She was a wicked poker and board game player, no mercy.
Note: Due to inflation dirty deeds will no longer be done dirt cheap.
Uncle = fishing cabin
This may sound like a cop out answer, but, no. I love all of my aunts and uncles, and ask God every day to protect those who are still with us.
Tact is the ability to step on a man's toes without messing up the shine on his shoes - Harry S Truman
Not really. It kind of rotated around when I was a kid, now they annoy me equally.
Growing up, it was an aunt (mom's sister, so actual family). She was kind of black-sheep-ish, as I am. Introduced me to rock'n'roll (my parents listened to country/Americana/classical). Unfortunately, she passed on many years ago (complications from the 'beetus). Every year, I listen to the complete Led Zeppelin library (I have that uber-box set they released) in her memory (that was her favorite band).
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
To answer the job question:
First cash job: mowing grass and shoveling snow for 2 elderly neighbors. Made bank the winter of 96/97 in East Grand Forks with the 11 blizzards and 100” of snow that year. They also wanted super green yards so my Dad and I would put some crop nutrients in there and I was mowing every 3-4 days.
First real job: pizza cook at Mike’s Pizza in EGF. Not sure if anyone has eaten there. It was where Whitey’s is now and it moved after the flood. Anyway, I was probably the only non-delinquent kid working there so I quickly moved up the ranks and was a line cook and weekend day manager within a couple months.
Favorite relative:
My Mom’s oldest brother. They live in West Virginia so we only get to see them once every year or two, but he was a HS baseball coach when I was growing up so he helped me with my pitching whenever we were together. He had 2 daughters so me being his only nephew, I got a lot of one on one time with him.
After the paper route I worked for:
Wendy's
Taco Bell
Red Owl
Super Valu
Proex
Campus book store at MSU
When were you at Campus book store?
'91-'93.
Damn. I graduated in '94. Probably saw you in there at some point!
First job: bagger at Byerly's in Rosedale. Summer of 1994. The OJ Simpson chase happened while I was working, and everyone who was going through the car pickup lane was talking about it.
Do you have a favorite relative?
I adored my Great Aunt on my dads side. She was funny, feisty and loved me. She never married and had kids of her own. My dad and his siblings were very close to her so naturally my brother and I were too. We spent lots of time visiting her. She had a big house filled with stuff from all her world travels and we loved exploring the “junk”. She was a wicked poker and board game player, no mercy.
My uncle Al, he was married to my Moms sister Ivaloe, they lived on the side of the hill in Duluth (near Enger Tower) & later about a mile north of central entrance on top of the hill. He worked for St Louis County & loved to play golf. Played in the Commercial golf league at Enger Park for many years. When watching a college or NFL Football game, he always commented that the punter had the best job! He was a veteran of WWII, army, fought in the Marshall Islands & on Okinawa. Talked about being pinned down for days while battleships & cruisers shelled the enemy. Surviving the war gave him a very positive approach to life. He & Ivaloe never had any children. Al loved attending reunions with his army buddies! Upon his death in the late 1990’s, Ivaloe gave me his army dress uniform adorned with his rank & numerous medals ?
Stealing from twitter--
Who was the the player you had on your baseball glove as a kid?
Mine-- Larry Bowa
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Ken Griffey Jr
Mark Belanger then Robin Yount both Rawlings. I now have a Rawlings Heritage series.
Have a pet story? Good, funny, sad?
I’ve always been a cat person. I like dogs too, but my lifestyle is better with cats. Once I bought an off season expensive bouquet of tulips, I’m talking like February, because I just couldn’t take the bleak anymore. Brought them home, vase on the coffee table, admire all day, go to bed. The next morning I come down and there is a vase of stems! Not a petal to be seen. Later when I found the hidden colorful cat vomit I realized the cat had eaten the petals. Bad kitty! Thank heavens he wasn’t poisoned but I was not happy with him and he knew it.
Note: Due to inflation dirty deeds will no longer be done dirt cheap.
When I was temporarily in PA one of my colleagues was dating a girl into animal rescue. She gave me a cat, without asking if I wanted a cat. I always had cats, and sometimes dogs, growing up. My girlfriend (now wife) and I put up a Christmas tree and decorated it. Got up the next morning and there were no bulbs or tinsel on the tree from floor up to about 18", there was a ring of tinsel on the floor around the tree and bulbs all over. Alfred had pulled everything off the tree he could reach, he was also wearing tinsel. We never did find all the bulbs, even when I moved out.
Stealing from twitter--
Who was the the player you had on your baseball glove as a kid?
Mine-- Larry Bowa
First one I recall is Jim Palmer. I have honestly only had a couple gloves in my life. My first one I got when I was 3 or 4. My neighbor (old part owner of Whitey’s) and an old slot machine in his living room that was illegal. I did something for my Dad and asked him for a quarter for it. I snuck into their house and hit a partial jackpot, $28. The neighbor was pissed, but his wife made him let me keep the money. Anyway, bought a bat, ball and glove at Coast to Coast hardware with it.
Had that glove for 2-3 years until I got my Jim Palmer one and had that one until I was 14-15 and got my Mizuno glove that I still use now for softball. I got another smaller infielders glove for pitching when I was in 10th grade, but those were the only 2 gloves I owned for the past 25+ years. Bought a catchers glove last year because my kid started throwing harder when pitching and my hand turned to much after the first couple sessions.
When I was temporarily in PA one of my colleagues was dating a girl into animal rescue. She gave me a cat, without asking if I wanted a cat. I always had cats, and sometimes dogs, growing up. My girlfriend (now wife) and I put up a Christmas tree and decorated it. Got up the next morning and there were no bulbs or tinsel on the tree from floor up to about 18", there was a ring of tinsel on the floor around the tree and bulbs all over. Alfred had pulled everything off the tree he could reach, he was also wearing tinsel. We never did find all the bulbs, even when I moved out.
I’m a serious Christmas person and had what I termed “the cat zone”. You’re correct, about 18 inches from the bottom of the tree :biggrin2:
Only cat proof ornaments went into The Zone. Almost all our cats were very good about the tree, they liked to hide underneath it but left it alone. I’m sure now that I’ve said that any future cat will be a nightmare.
Note: Due to inflation dirty deeds will no longer be done dirt cheap.
Stealing from twitter--
Who was the the player you had on your baseball glove as a kid?
Mine-- Larry Bowa
I got a Mizuno glove in second grade and used that glove all the way up until about a year ago in 26 now. It didn’t have a name on it but I love that glove. I play softball with my old man now and it’s just a little too small for the outfield so I bought a newer Mizuno glove but use my old one when I play infield. I will probably only ever have two gloves in my life.
'29, '40, '74, '76, '79, '02, & '03
GPL's Resident Cabin Enthusiast & Cadets Hockey Fan
Playing Little League baseball in the 1970’s I had a Rawlings César Cedeño glove ?
Have a pet story? Good, funny, sad?
I’ve always been a cat person. I like dogs too, but my lifestyle is better with cats. Once I bought an off season expensive bouquet of tulips, I’m talking like February, because I just couldn’t take the bleak anymore. Brought them home, vase on the coffee table, admire all day, go to bed. The next morning I come down and there is a vase of stems! Not a petal to be seen. Later when I found the hidden colorful cat vomit I realized the cat had eaten the petals. Bad kitty! Thank heavens he wasn’t poisoned but I was not happy with him and he knew it.
In college, I had 3 roommates (for those who went to tUMD back in the day), this was the last year of the old green trailers used as dorms). One brought in a kitten, Poindexter (Dexter for short). Had him for a couple months before we got busted. That little guy would stand on one of our shoulders whenever we were cooking up food, and always slept on one of our chests at night. He was the most anti-cat-behavior cat ever.
Note: after we got busted, the roommate who brought him in...his family took the cat as a pet, so no worries on that front.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
After getting married we rented a little cabin on Lake Marion in Lakeville for several years. We had two cats, one of which was named Rook (chess piece) who loved the outdoors. One work day he wandered off someplace and wouldn't come in as usual. This was in winter and it was cold. When we got home from work we looked all over, but he was nowhere to found. That evening a neighbor stopped by and gave us the terrible news: she witnessed two boys on snowmobiles who chased poor Rook on the frozen lake until running him over. Yes they were dumb kids but we could hardly believe anyone could be that cruel. :chainsaw:
Playing Little League baseball in the 1970’s I had a Rawlings César Cedeño glove ?
Did he play for the Bulldogs?!? :biggrin2:
After getting married we rented a little cabin on Lake Marion in Lakeville for several years. We had two cats, one of which was named Rook (chess piece) who loved the outdoors. One work day he wandered off someplace and wouldn't come in as usual. This was in winter and it was cold. When we got home from work we looked all over, but he was nowhere to found. That evening a neighbor stopped by and gave us the terrible news: she witnessed two boys on snowmobiles who chased poor Rook on the frozen lake until running him over. Yes they were dumb kids but we could hardly believe anyone could be that cruel. :chainsaw:
Holy crap...I hate cats, but if that happened in my house, I would have beat the crap out of those kids.
I wasn't gonna share a story here, because we have always had dogs and for every funny story, we have a sad one, for every interesting one, we have a funny one.
We always had cocker spaniels until my parents moved to Bemidji in 1997. When I was in 6th/7th grade, we had one, Molly was her name, and she was 150% my dog. She would sleep under the covers in my bed and wouldn't sleep anywhere else. When we let her out, she was never on a chain, she would wander, but as soon as we called her, she would come back. One summer night, after a week of acting a bit weird (not being able to jump on the bed) she didn't come back. My mom drove around the neighborhood, I rode my bike up and down the streets and alleys. We were scheduled to to go to a family friend's house to get a haircut that night. When we got back, we assembled the search party again. My mom took off and then someone from down the street walked up the front sidewalk and I overheard him ask my little sister if we could "come and get our damn dog out of his front yard". I heard this and hopped on my bike and flew out of the backyard and past this guy and as I was passing him he shouted "you dumb dog is dead". I don't remember much more about the bike ride, but I am pretty certain that is the fastest I have ever rode a bike. I dropped it in his front yard and ran up to his front steps and right next to them, hidden behind a bush was my Molly. I grabbed her to hug her and I didn't know how long she had been there, but rigor mortis had set in and she was stiff as could be and I dropped her. No idea how much longer, but it felt like within seconds my mom flew up in our van screaming. It was all so surreal.
I stayed strong for my mom and my sisters. My Dad was a long-haul truck driver and was out of town so I was the "man" of the house so I thought I had to be strong for them. The next morning I had to mow the yard of my two neighbors before we went on vacation and I listened to my Queen album on my Discman and I bawled the entire time because I didn't grieve the loss of my most favorite dog ever and didn't tell anyone until years later.
Boy, now I just tied together about 10 stories I have ever told on here about my childhood into 1 story and to this day I will remain rock solid in front of those that need me to be strong for them, but privately I am pretty emotional.
I had a lab mix that we got as a rescue. He was apparently very well trained because, among other things, he never got into people food. One time my wife spilled a huge pasta salad that landed right next to him and he didn’t even move.
I came home from work the day after Halloween one year and found candy wrappers all over the main level of thre house. I yelled to the dog and his excitement to see me evaporated when I was standing over the basket. I couldn’t help but laugh because he had a Kit Kat wrapper stuck to the top of his lip.
Fortunately he was fine but from that point on you couldn’t leave chocolate anywhere out.
After getting married we rented a little cabin on Lake Marion in Lakeville for several years. We had two cats, one of which was named Rook (chess piece) who loved the outdoors. One work day he wandered off someplace and wouldn't come in as usual. This was in winter and it was cold. When we got home from work we looked all over, but he was nowhere to found. That evening a neighbor stopped by and gave us the terrible news: she witnessed two boys on snowmobiles who chased poor Rook on the frozen lake until running him over. Yes they were dumb kids but we could hardly believe anyone could be that cruel. :chainsaw:
Holy crap...I hate cats, but if that happened in my house, I would have beat the crap out of those kids.
Agreed, very much NOT a cat person, but there's certainly no place for that kind of thing.
B1G refs... corrupt, or just incompetent?
We fostered a dog back in 2009 (a Boxer, our favorite breed). When we got her she was miserable. She had heartworm, hookworm, and whip worm. Her sutures from her recent spaying had opened so they were stapled shut and she had the "collar of shame" on. Slowly but surely she started to get better and we were getting pretty attached to her. We had our neighborhood Christmas party at our house and our elderly neighbor decided he wanted to adopt her. We were sad but happy she would be nearby. When it came time to apply, our neighbor decided against it as he had some health issues and felt it might not be a great idea to have a dog.
We ended up adopting her (aka a “Foster Failure”). A few years later my dad was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease) and we had to move him to a group home. He loved seeing our dog so I decided to bring her with me when I went to visit him. As dad had a feeding tube and a catheter I was worried that if I put her in bed with him, that she would flail around and pull out the tubes. I gave it a try anyway. She ended up just collapsing into his lap (and heated blanket) and just laid there and let him pet her. Dad got a huge smile on his face and needless to say I brought the dog every time I went to visit. The dog’s name is Gigi and as dad’s ALS progressed it affected his speech. He could no longer pronounce Gigi but said Yee-yee instead. Every time I stopped in he would say, “Where’s Yee-yee” and I would happily bring her in the room. Dad ended up dying two years later but Yee-yee was just a blessing for him and us and we still have her to this day (although her age is starting to show).
Stealing from twitter--
Who was the the player you had on your baseball glove as a kid?
Mine-- Larry Bowa
First glove was the Rawlings Dale Murphy Fastback w/ HolDster. Second glove had Reggie Jackson.
Had Roger Clemens on my glove. Always thought it was odd to play with a pitcher's glove.
Didn't make my fastball any faster, unfortunately.
What’s you favorite candy? Does ANYONE like Circus Peanuts?
My favorite is a Twin Bing candy bar. I stock up when I visit Iowa.
Note: Due to inflation dirty deeds will no longer be done dirt cheap.
Top 3 of Take5 (severely underrated), PB M&M's, and Reese's PB cups