My first job was at 7-11, although I spent most of my time scared we would get robbed!

I was 15 years of age, when I got my first job. I worked at Roy Rodgers fast food restaurant in Columbia, Maryland; leaving work smelling like fried chicken and hanburgers. As a college student at Howard University, I worked as an intern for the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. Then after graduating from college, I worked at Blue Cross & Blue Shield making $18,000 a year. To think, I made only $18,000 a year to pay back a $40,000 college loan. The numbers just do not seem to balance. However, I have since made up for it.:x

My first job was working for A&W Root Beer as a Car Hop in 1966. I thought getting a dime for a tip was really making the big bucks. I made $10 in tips one night and thought I had been worked to near death. I met a really wonderful guy there... we dated for a while but our religions were too different to continue in a relationship. He became a doctor and volunteered for the St. Luke Foundation(?), giving medical treatment to children in Honduras..He inspired me to be a better person. Funny how a 'first job' can dictate the rest of your life. Thank you A&W and Dr. R. LaFleur.

My first job was folding "roach hotels" on an assembly line 8 hours a day -- Yeech!

My first job was at a Farmers Market..

I was 13 years old, had to get up at 4 am, load the truck and be ready by 6am.. it was yucky work but the money was good... my hourly rate then (27years ago) was exactly the same as I get paid today.. (sure, it was in Denmark, but still...)

My first job was babysitting the four neighborhood kids from 7am to 4pm. (that was at age 13) I got paid $2 an hr. I made more macaroni and cheese and noodle soup and Kool-Aid than anyone at Kraft or Campbells. I also worked at a dry cleaners taking in clothes and working the register for pick ups. When you would take in clothes, you had to go through all the pockets and there were some really weird and gross things. When you put your hand in there, you never knew what you were going to get. That was before you had to wear gloves for everything. I prayed daily that I would find money in a pocket and get to keep it. Well, no luck all those yrs. I would have been excited over a dollar. Janayellen in North Canton Ohio

You know the 1st official paying job I had when I was a sophomore in HS was working w/my mom at a printing company. I had to put pamphlets together and stuff boxes with stuff she would cut on this big machine - it was boring to tears!!!!!
I had an "ah-ha" moment and all I could think is that I HAVE to go to college so that i can do anything i want and have choices, this can't be my life....and of course I did get my BA and loved my post-college career!

I remember early Oprah! I grew up "outside" Nashville and Channel 5 was one of our 3 tv channels..the CBS affiliate. She must have been special because I remember when she was on the news. Thirty-six years ago though? I must have been watching as an infant! (And Chris Clark was a doll)!

Dear Oprah Show. I thought todays show was excellent. I have been in the fast food industry for 26 years and to see all the famous people who started out their working careers in the food industry was not suprising to me, because if you can handle a fast food job, you can handle anything that you want.to take on in your life. I have at a few times in my life tried working other jobs, like factory work, but there is just no comparison to the way working with the public makes you feel, now don't get me wrong, there are times the public can be mean and hateful, but for the most part you build relationships with your customers. When Suzie said that its about respect for people, that really hit home. There are many days that I talk to customers and get the cold shoulder or they are on their cell phones and just very disrespectful to me, but I am always respectful of them. I agree that getting kids working early, does help them realize the meaning of a dollar, My 15 year old daughter works for me part time and uses the money to make her half of her car payment, to put gas in that car and the rest is either saved or spent on items that she wants, But I also know that by the time most kids start working at 16, (because of child labor laws, not many jobs available to younger one's) they already have the "Me""Me" attitude of being given what they want or feel that hanging out with friends is more important than spending their free time working. I do believe that those who do start working younger get better grades, are more activite in sports and clubs, and are more respectful of others and dont have the attitude that the world revolves around them. I really did enjoy watching Kirstie Ally scrubbing toilets, Suzie cooking up some love, and Martina working at Dairy Queen, It makes them seem real to see them do the things that I do every day. Hopefully people will realize that working fast food teaches people alot and can help them move on to bigger and better careers if they choose, but as for me, I obviously enjoy my job or I wouldn't have been working the same one for 17 years. JF

I am really sorry to say this but who cares! If you have wasted an hour watching this celebrity crap then that's an
hour that could have been spent elsewhere. Go for a walk !

It is a pretty sorry state when this is what Oprah has to offer , obesity is epidemic and the only people we hear from are either celebrities or men . When are we going to hear from real women who know that diets don't work , people who don't believe
in the DIET myth . Been there done that ! Dieting is a billion dollar business , it's time women speak up and try to change things
I know there are people out there who know what I am talking about . It's time to change things , stop defining yourself by the number on a scale and start to feel again. I know that no one at Harpo want's to hear this , but we are not sheep , there are
real women out there that know that the DIET myth has just made us bigger and bigger , please give us a voice !

I have asked Oprah to have a throw away the SCALE show , but I guess that's not quite something that they are going
to offer us as an alternative, worked for me 11 years and counting ! I refuse to be defined by the number on a scale , eat
healthy and get moving , it's as simple as that ! Our bodies are a precious gift and we treat our cars and homes with more
respect! It's time to wake up and take responsibilty for the choices we make. The health care system is overburdened with our excesses. I hope that there are other women out their who can relate to what I am saying , please respond and let's start a revolution of change!! '

I'm going to have to try kirstie 'cleaning the bathroom with vodka' advise. Also, I still keep wondering how long it must have taken her to clean the entire floor in that big house on her hands and knees.

My msg speaks more to what Suzie said about loving her waitressing job. It reminded me to be happy where I am, and not dwell on where I need to be. I had a big Aha! moment when she said "I learned that when you make average great, your dreams can become a reality,". I feel inspire to live better, work harder, and appreciate where I am right now. Thanks Suzie!

Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Cheap Vodka.

Wanna get drunk to forget?

No, just want to clean the toilet.

Knock knock!

"O" dear!

Anje!

Anje?

Anje's got her first knows job!

Before I had my my two sons, now 27 and 23, I had so many jobs it wasnt funny. When my youngest son started 1st grade I started my house cleaning business and continued to clean homes for the next 15 years. I retired at age 52, 2 years ago. It was the perfect job for a somewhat "hyper" individual, as I definately was back then!! I cleaned after dropping my kids off at school and was always able to be back at school to pick them up. Having stayed home to raise my eldest son for 10 years and my youngest son for 6, I really wanted to find a job where I could work 4 or 5 hours 3 or 4 days a week and still be able to be there for them as well. I cleaned for several multimillionares for the first 8 years or so and found it to be an interesting "eye opener" to see how the wealthy live. I was somewhat surprised to find that many of them were living lives that were not what many others may have assumed, considering their smiles and pleasantries. A few were downright miserable and neuortic. My Dear Mother who passed away 12 years ago laughed hysterically when I told her about the day I spent 3 hours cleaning one of my clients doll houses which had belonged to her children. This lady was in her 60's and the house was pretty old. I spent time vacuuming with a mini vac the carpets and wiped down the walls. The most time consuming and frustrating part of the whole ordeal was cleaning the many pieces of furniture . Teeny chairs and beds and lamps and appliances. The whole nine yards!! Worse yet, some of the legs were comming off of the chairs and I thought, "oh God, this ladies goona be so mad!!! I find myself laughing out loud to this day when I think of that Doll house!! I quit that job after a month, as it just wasnt a "good fit".lol. I quit cleaning for the very wealthy about the time I had a client, who by the way lived in a 20,000 sq. ft. home tell me that she felt I was charging too much, at 20.00 an hour and that she didnt even pay her accountant that much. I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from replying "gee, why dont you hire your accountant to clean!!! Oh, those were the days. The last 7 or 8 years of cleaning, I left the West Hills, for the East side of town and cleaned for more down to earth people. Many of my jobs I kept for 6 and 7 years and I had a wonderful clientelle which I felt very fortunate to have. I cleaned for a city comissioner, a sports newscaster, a politian, but my favorite job of all was for a single mother of 2 sons who worked as an architect. Her house was always a complete mess when I arrived and there were times when I had to laugh and say OMG< where do I start??!! YET< when I left 4 hours later the house looked so nice and I had I would feel such a sense of accomplishment. Best of all was the appreciative notes and knowing that I had made her life a little easier and that she was able to spend more quality time with her sons. I could write a book about my years cleaning homes. I kept in shape and got to make my own hours and at the end was making 22.50 an hour. It was hard work, yet I cannot imagine what else could have been a better fit for me. I am retired at present and though I feel blessed to be able to not have to work so that I am free to be there for my grand children and my 3 pugs, Mom, Dad and 10 1/2 month son, and to be able to volunteer, I actually find myself missing those cleaning days and some of my clients.

Kirstie, I always love it when you are on Oprah and I am so looking forward to watching your new show on A&E. You are beautiful no matter what. And I am not just saying that because you are a former housecleaner as well.lol

Bonnie

P.S. Oprah, on some of those days when the motivation to clean just wasnt there I would find myself fantisizing about cleaning for you.lol. I think I may have sent you a note or 2 during those times offering to clean any one of your homes.LOL.