Aspies For Freedom

Not so much an application, but I sent a spec letter to Dita Von Teese. It was a serious enquiry, but I just did it as a curiousity exercise to see what happened. I never heard from her, but that's how it goes. WHat's the most unusual thing you've ever done to look for work?

I wanted to be a research subject for neuroscience research, but the answer was, "this is unethical" I still don´t agree.

I know people who've been involved in medical research, using the money to found a record label.

Nice, this was the invasive type of brainresearch, it was Francis Crick, and would really find this interesting. But they prefer non human animals.

Why am I reminded of Rick Moranis?

One of my friends happens to be a psychaiatrist!

I once applied for a job selling cheese. I thought that was pretty weird. They called me for an interview but I changed my mind.

I also worked for a while as a media monitor. I spent my time transcribing speeches, radio broadcasts and television news programs. I also selected, clipped and transmitted audio, video and print news items based on their subject matter to a wide variety of clients. Clients included small companies, huge companies, students and politicians. It was a very enlightening job. I spent a heck of a lot of time listening to and reading the news. It didn't pay well, but it was interesting.

That does sound interesting. Were you supposed to find material on particular topics for these companies?

The most interesting interview I ever had, about 9 years ago, was at a place that converts old passenger jets to cargo.  The job was industrial engineering and had to do with maintaining schedules for the different parts of the conversions.  The HR manager showed me around the place (planes everywhere, in different stages of overhaul, obviously pre-9/11).  I got the thank-you letter out to them real quick and checked back several times before giving up and going with my second choice.  (The second choice was so horrible I ditched industrial engineering and went back to school for a master's in computer science.  The "IT bubble" burst just in time for my graduation.)

If you pull any temp work for a while, you'll meet some rather, er, interesting people, like at one place that packaged promotional items.  All I had to do was unfold and tape boxes.  It was just me and one other guy in a room full of flirty Asian women.    Another gig involved cleaning up the stands in a civic center after an Elton John concert... worth it just to hear the horrible stuff all those redneck temps said about him.

I taught school on an actual wagon train (real horses and mules) that traveled the length of the U.S. East Coast. I did 13,000 miles that way in 5 years. Also was Chuck E. Cheese ( performed in a giant cartoon rat suit, dancing and juggling--perfect anonymous Aspie job). And I'm currently impersonating William Shakespeare at the Colorado Renaissance Festival.

I used to be a magicians assistant, despite being neither slim nor attractive.  It was 90% folding up silk handkerchiefs.

I wonder who Dita Von Teese is? Years ago, I worked for a couple of weeks helping at a children's school holiday programme. I was a bit shy but after a few days kind of made friends with a few of the kids. One of the trickiest parts was having to give this 7 year old girl who weighed 5 stone a piggyback to the beach because she wouldn't walk. (The boss didn't tell me to do it) Back in those days, I was really skinny.

She's a fetish model and burlesque performer, not to mention a style icon and genius.

Oh, just hadn't heard of her before, that's all.

I own a record company. It can get pretty weird. I'm giving it up soon.