Logwood, I'm currently one-half of the ownership of a pet store. I'd never expected to have a storefront, and I find myself enjoying it rather more than I thought I would. I've got experience in retail, not only from jobs during school, but also as a professional artist selling my work through craft shows.
I spent the last eleven years as a full-time artist - potter, writer, bookmaker. Currently doing it very part-time, but will be doing more once the store no longer needs quite so much of my attention (we've just passed the six-month mark). I've also worked at telemarketing, selling vacuum cleaners (a job which sucked), reception for Industry Canada, temping in various offices, administrative assistant at an importing firm, dispatcher/bookkeeper for my father's crane-rental business, pallet control for Nabisco, private investigator.
I find what I'm doing now interesting and fun, as well as hard work. Same with the art. I would wish for everyone that they could find work that would absorb and interest them at least sometimes while providing enough money to keep the wolf from the door.
I have a BA in fine art and mediaeval studies. I can't imagine one I could have taken that would have served me better in my real work - art - or furnished my mind more to my liking.
