This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Monday, April 15, 2024

-Marketing Researcher, Movie Star, Make-up Artist, Magician, Musician ( #AtoZChallenge )

 



#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter M 


          Marketing researchers don't bother me as much as telemarketers and I've done both.  I hated telemarketing vehemently, but I felt like the marketing research was more like a service to improve whatever it was we asking people about. Selling can be annoying, but often people are more than willing to give their opinions.  Everybody's got one like the saying goes. And some people just want to talk. I don't know if they still do marketing research like we used to do it back in the seventies and eighties when I was employed, but a look online tells me that the company I worked for is still in business and going strong from the looks of the website.

          Movie star was one of my childhood fantasy jobs.  In reality I probably would be cast as a make-up artist or some other behind the scenes work.  I did work as a movie extra once back in 1969 but that was my last and only film role.  However I spent many years selling make-up and other things to film production companies and to retail stores as well.  We distributed many popular brands of theatrical and Halloween make-up.

          Magician is more like it for me.  In my adolescent years I became interested in performance magic.  In my years of stage work in magic shows I sometimes performed magic tricks, but I never really considered myself as a magician.  I've known many magicians over the years and at previously mentioned company we sold magic tricks as well as make-up.

           Musician seems like the most desirable job to me.  I've always loved music and started playing violin in third grade.  For a short period in 1977 I actually worked as a fiddle player in a show at a dinner theater in Richmond VA.  It was pretty good pay while it lasted.  If I were to do anything in my retirement it would be to play music.  Never too late to do your dream job.

            How do you usually handle telemarketers?  What job in your life did you dislike the most?  Have you ever worked on a movie production? 








10 comments:

  1. Telemarketers: I don't take calls from unknown numbers. I had a factory job in my teens. I hated the work and all my workmates were unpleasant people. I quit after a few days.
    https://dacairns.com.au/blog/f/a-to-z-blogging-challenge-m

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  2. I don't answer my phone unless I know who's calling. I figure that if they need to talk to me, they'll leave a message. I get about five calls a day from people I don't recognize, and none of them leave a message.

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  3. Frustrated childhood move star here - and like you, I was once a background extra (mostly because my daughter was the extras casting director). LOL! My parents had me study trumpet in 5th grade, I wanted drums. I'm still a percussion nut!

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  4. Started by dumping the land line. If a call on the cell isn't on my contacts list, they can leave a message. Telemarketers don't leave messages.

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  5. I played piano for 6 yrs but almost lost my cookies when I had to do a recital. Not for me but I love going to concerts a d am amazed at the talent. Telemarketers are annoying...I hang up on them but, sometimes, I like to have fun so I might talk like a little old lady who loves to talk..they hang up on me..or I repeat what they say...they hang up on me...or I talk like I'm from pizza pizza...they hang up on me...hahaaaa. I have fun.
    Movie star was something I thought I might like until I knew how many watch when you have to kiss someone never m8nd how some actresses can do the full frontal or act out sex...forget it!! I'd rather be a film historian..
    I can easily see you as a magician or a musician...maybe a music historian.

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  6. LEE, what movie did you appear in as an extra in 1969? And did you show up in it, or were you just kind of lost in the background somewhere, like in a massive crowd scene?

    ~ D-FensDogG

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    1. STMcC--the movie was A Walk in the Spring Rain with Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Quinn, & Virginia Gregg and others. It was filmed in the Smokey Mountains near where I lived. My parents, sister, and I all worked as extras in a country fair scene. We all pass in the background scenes at various points. I stood out to myself because I was looking for me. I was pleased with how trim and fit I looked at that time. It was a pretty cool experience and a nice little paycheck for that time. I still have the paystub somewhere. It was a rather forgettable movie, but it shows up now and then on TCM. We saw it a couple of years ago.

      Lee

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  7. For years, I wanted to learn violin, but now my favorite instruments are the Medieval vielle (a violin ancestor) and the Renaissance dulcian (sounds like a more melancholy bassoon). Learning an instrument is much harder at my age, but I'd love to finally take lessons someday.

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    Replies
    1. Carrie-Anne, it's never too late to start learning an instrument and you don't necessarily need to pay for lessons since there are a lot of options online. Still, it's nice to have an experienced player there to give feedback and help you learn.

      Lee

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