One of the most distasteful answers I've ever been forced to give an inquirer who asked "What do you do for a living?", was "I USED TO BE - - ". Eyes glazed over and the conversation quickly ended. It was like even the word retirement meant that there's nothing more you have to offer the world.
That's changed now, however, people do like to know a little about the people they are doing business with or deciding whether to start a relationship or friendship with.
So here are the details of "I used to be - ".
I leave out things that were "actually important" but don't belong on a resume:
Started sweeping the floors of a print shop for a dime when I was six.Mowing lawns, delivering newspapers, and bailing hay from the 10 to 15 year old era.
Managing a movie theatre and drive-in theatre from 15 - 19 years old, where I worked 72 hours a week for 35 cents an hours, while attending High School.
Unloading delivery trucks from the Great Atlantic & Pacific into their store at 5 a.m., before school started at 8 a.m., before school started at 8 a.m. and then returning at 3 and working until 8 at night, until the end of my third year in college.
Being the Youth Director of The YMCA my senior year in college, because I fell from a tree while deer hunting and was fired from the A&P Store.
Although they are left from my resume, they are not left from my mind - and heart. The learning years were rough, but benefited me emmensely.