Click here (or click comments below) to email Stephanie Stricklen about your job: lousy or lovely??

I love my job..

But if you pop over here with any regularity you already know that. What you may not know is that I've had many, many jobs over the years. I started working (with a permit because I was young) at, like, 14.. about as soon as I figured out that I needed cash if I wanted that summer pass to Wild Waves.

I've worked with forklifts and heavy boxes, landscaped, waitressed, put together bicycles at my neighborhood bike shop, even did a stint at Boeing (which was AWESOME).

One of my very first jobs was at a pet store.. One of the resident cockatoos there was aptly named Honey. Until that night she pulled the key off the wall next to her cage, let herself out, and then..... AND THEN.. proceeded to open every cage in the shop she could get open.

Think about the intelligence that takes...

I walked in the next morning and though someone had robbed us. Nope. Honey just wanted to party and thought it was unreasonable that she and her friends should have to spend the night in cages. I can't say that I disagree, but seriously, have you ever tried to catch finches??? IMPOSSIBLE!!