I Remember...

Discussion in 'Jobs I Have Had' started by Von Jones, Mar 19, 2016.

  1. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    an interesting past job at a collection agency. I had no experience at all except my bookkeeping and accounting classes in high school. I was hired on the spot as the assistant to the Accountant. My duties were tallying all incoming payments and data entry. It was a small office with big windows that looked out onto one of the busiest intersection in the downtown area. I had come to love working downtown. There were shops and restaurants everywhere.

    This group was like family and I don't recall anyone ever displaying attitudes other than congratulations for getting that account paid. They dressed up for every known occasion and celebrated things like deer hunting to newborn babies. This is also where I first tasted deer meat.

    After about nine months I had an aching to become a collector. A spot came open and I interviewed for it. I passed the collector's exam and found myself working uncollectible accounts. I had to start somewhere, right? Well I learned how to skip trace people who left outstanding bills for utilities. I was pretty good too. So good that I received an award and a bonus for collecting on those accounts deemed as uncollectible.

    I would have stayed with it but the agency moved farther north in another city and I couldn't go. I did find another job as a receptionist which was a couple of floors down in the same building. Boy did I enjoy working downtown.
     
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    Last edited: Mar 19, 2016
  2. Bonnie Thomas

    Bonnie Thomas Veteran Member
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    Interesting Von. That type of work always interested me too.

    My first job was working at the Credit Bureau in the town I grew up. It was a family type of situation too. Mom, Pop and their two daughters worked there with about 10 others. I got hired on in my Jr. year in high school to work after school for a couple hours each afternoon. Back then it was to mainly do all the filing for the two hours, and on Saturdays I would post clippings from newspapers into accounts. No accounting/collecting. Calling came later..
    I think I stayed there most of my Senior year too, working after school.
    It was a fun beginning. It led me to finance jobs, and an interest in College accounting courses.
     
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  3. Rachel Rodarte

    Rachel Rodarte Veteran Member
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    My first job after I completed my training for key punch operator (data entry) was back in the mid 70's. I don't remember how I got the interview, but there I was talking to this man, he was asking me all kinds of question, one being, "Do you plan on getting married," I was like not at the moment, back then I didn't know if they were allowed to asked these type of questions. I got the job, and I really liked it, there around 6 ladies, and one girl working in the computer room. We use to have to program our machines to punch the right hole on the card, this card was about 6 inches long. Anyway, I was there for a couple of years than I went to an insurance company, from there it was the bank, where I worked for 10 years. I really enjoyed every job I had, the last one was working for a chiropractic, walked knowing nothing, and left knowing a lot. I did start working after school for a department store, one that I didn't care for, but I had to earn my money to buy what I needed. My mother was done buying my stuff. So this is actually my first job, how can I forget about this one.:eek:
     
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  4. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    You are lucky to have experienced working in a company like that. When we had our small business of computer supplies retailing, our policy was to treat the employees like family. For us, a business is not only for earning money but also for giving employment. And the best employment it to get people and be part of our family. The business prospered until there were 4 sales people, all female. But unfortunately, it failed to endure the stiff competition that we decided to close shop.
     
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  5. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    @Von Jones It would interest me, maybe others, too, to learn whether you lived near downtown, or commuted, how large downtown was, and so forth! For example, folks in my wife's hometown of Churubusco, Indiana, pop. 1806, refer to "downtown", or "uptown", when the area of the WHOLE town is less than 1 square mile! It's a nice place, though. I spent two years travelling there weekly from Chicago, then lived there later a year.
    Frank
     
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  6. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    @Frank Sanoica. For 24 or more years I commuted to downtown by public transit (bus) until I got a second job in which I needed a car to get to. I lived maybe 3 or 4 miles from the center city and sometimes I would walk home after work. Center city can be reached by crossing over bridges from the north and west ends which I lived in the northeast side of the city. I can only guess the population to be almost 200,000. I'm sure it has declined because of a lot of businesses that left. I can only estimate the size of Center City from the walk-a-thons I had participated in which were 3.5 miles out and 3.5 miles in so it is at least three miles NSEW.

    Over the years there has been major redevelopment after a lot of buildings were vacated. The Arcade was the place to be back then. It is a historical building still standing which use to house numerous shops, restaurants and various businesses. The main floor had seating for those that cared to have a meal inside and enjoy the scheduled activities sometimes held. That's where I would be. Now all those activities are held outside at various locations like Dave's Plaza, or Courthouse Square or the new Riverscape. The photos below are just a few from the city's park and recreation website of Dayton.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG][​IMG] upload_2016-7-27_18-7-44.jpeg
    upload_2016-7-27_18-8-13.jpeg upload_2016-7-27_18-8-31.jpeg upload_2016-7-27_18-9-3.jpeg

    upload_2016-7-27_18-9-44.jpeg [​IMG]

    .
     
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  7. Rachel Rodarte

    Rachel Rodarte Veteran Member
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    Hi Frank,
    When I use to work downtown, it was downtown Los Angeles, always busy, it was nice at the time worked there, but now I would never go back. It's way too busy for me. Here where I live, I don't think it has a downtown or uptown, from the exit of freeway to where I live is 4 miles and in between you have your markets and restaurants, auto shops, pawn shops, gas stations, small car dealers etc. compare this to Los Angeles, downtown, I'm like wow, don't blink because you'll miss something, lol. It's so different compare to where we use to live, buses ran every 10 to 15 mins, here every hour and if you miss it, you have to wait another hour. :mad:, I still have not use the bus, I just wait till my husband get home on Friday and do everything I need to.
     
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  8. Rachel Rodarte

    Rachel Rodarte Veteran Member
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    The pictures are beautiful. I was trying to find some picture of Hesperia and these are the ones I found. Behind the apartment building that we live in, there are plenty of empty lots, you're able to see the mountains, the lake that we still have not gone to, the last one are homes, empty lost between them. We have to walk on dirt roads. In some place you can see the paved road, continues on as a dirt road. I don't know if you remember, back in the 50's on Sunday everything would be closed, and that's how it is over here, the majority of the places are closed, while driving down Main st, we look around and it's like I have gone back in time. I love it. Going down the hill, as we call it, you're able to see the clouds in the middle of the mountains, when you get to the bottom, it's cloudy.


    th (2).jpg th (3).jpg th (4).jpg th (5).jpg
     
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  9. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    @Rachel Rodarte, yes I do remember. Mostly every business in the center city area is closed on Sunday too but outdoor events are constant at Riverscape, the Victoria Theatre, the Schuster Center and the Convention Center. It can be a headache at times when the streets are blocked off and traffic is rerouted. Before the redevelopment most of the streets except for Third and Main streets were going one way and now if you aren't careful and forget you can be driving on the wrong side of the street. I've had my senior moments:oops:.
     
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  10. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    Beautiful pictures - you lucky lucky people :)
     
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  11. Rachel Rodarte

    Rachel Rodarte Veteran Member
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    Good Morning Von Jones,

    When I use to work in Downtown Los Angeles, the streets use to be both ways, than they switch them to a one way street, it was every other one. Just to get to one place you have to drive a couple of block to come back to point A. Same thing here, all restaurants are open, movie theater, markets, Walmart, but if you need to get your car fix you have to wait till Monday or go down the hill,where everything is open. Funny how things are done in different cities that are only 20 mins far each other. I'm getting there with my senior moments, I don't drive as much as I use to, and I get kind of scared. I'm not a bad driver, but I would like to start driving more. The last time I drove was back in March when I went to state line, which is about 2 hours (depending how fast I drive). I'm just glad that I don't have to be driving in Downtown Los Angeles, I know I would freak out, there is way too much traffic.
     
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  12. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    @Rachel Rodarte - the amount of traffic on the roads today, ruin the enjoyment of travel - unless you can get to
    those wide open spaces, that must be smashing to drive along
     
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  13. Rachel Rodarte

    Rachel Rodarte Veteran Member
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    I hate to drive during rush hour, everyone is always in a rush, cutting drivers, or texting, something I can't stand, it seem like they wait until they get home. Than you have "road rage," I can't believe how all this has gotten out of hand. When I compare the two cities, where I use to live and where I live now, they are totally different, we're from Los Angeles, and every night it you can hear the sirens, helicopters overhead, here it's quite, I don't hear neither one of them. The ambulance has been here several times, never heard the sirens. When I went to State Line, I had my two daughters with me, I don't think I could drive that far by myself. I seen people driving along, and I wonder, are they bored, no one to talk to, just listen to music, I couldn't do it. If I had to I would. People are getting crazy, don't know if it's the younger generation or older one's.
     
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  14. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    Same here - far too many cars on the road now and everyone in a rush
    Its a mad mad mad mad - world !
     
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  15. K E Gordon

    K E Gordon Veteran Member
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    It is a totally different thing driving here and driving in the city. In the city you have to constantly be heads up to make sure no one is darting in front of you, cutting you off, Also, there are so many lights and too many cars. I have complained about the area where I live many times, but one of the blessings, I have to admit is there is little to no traffic..Can you say AMen brother?? It is a breath of fresh air not to have to deal with cars coming every which way.
     
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