Kukai 9 - First Job Favorites
Global Haiku--Kukai 9, March 2007
Selectors: Brittney, Deirdre, Alya
wind burnt face dirty diapers
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training day greetings Amy Hofstetter (3) first job jitters Amy Hofstetter I can remember my first time at my first real job in food service. I worked at a very popular icecream/burger place. It was constantly busy. For the first entire week I repeatedly got peoples change wrong. One of those days, a woman yelled at me for 5 minutes straight. I wanted to quit right there but I didn't. This haiku reminds me just how thankful I am to be getting an education so I dont have to be stuck doing something like that the rest of my life. Lizabeth This reminds me when I worked at an arcade store. The register I had did not tell you how much to give back to the customer. I would get very nervous because I would want to do it in a timely manner. Even though it was easy math, it was hard to do it fast on the spot for me. I’m sure I gave the wrong change back a lot. Yikes!!!! Lorin |
first day Chonita Ziegler (9) 16 years old Chonita Ziegler This is a pretty cool haiku, I was surprised as the author that a 16 year old would get the company truck. Isn’t there some laws against that? Maybe not but it is a pretty sweet first job. I picked this haiku to respond about also, because it is the only positive first job experience in Kukai 9. Philip D
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babysitting Cindie Zelhart (6) This haiku reminds me of my childhood. When I was younger my mom use to have to work a lot and I would be in charge of caring for my brothers. I remember it being hell trying to bathe them and put them to bed. I use to tell my self over and over again that I never wanted to have children. Now, I actually think I would like to have some children in the future. The funny thing is I want to have two boys. Joan out in the sweltering heat Cindie Zelhart (4) |
driving home first customer asks Rachel Morrison I just remember the first few time I helped someone at my first job I was so nervous if I was doing a good job or not. It was an aggravating feeling too because all you want is to just know the answers but when you have to check or ask your manager in front of a customer is so demeaning! The last thing you want is the customer to think you’re the newbie helping them out because then there is little respect in it for you. So you just throw out the best sounding answer and hope it makes sense and that you don’t get caught up in your assumptions. Amy |
still don’t know Rachel Morrison I think there is often a lot of times when we really do not know what we are doing, not just with work but school as well. Our boss or teacher will smile at us as we try our best to pretend that we know what we are doing when we really don’t. It’s very universal. It’s something that every boss gets angry at yet can never avoid. Keith why do I want |
memorizing the codes baseball, tshirt, mini bat so proud of my first raise Jenna Pelej This entry brings the vision of a young high school girl doing a mediocre job at her place of employment. but she hears the "Good Job's" and smiles from her boss. Then she begins to think maybe she is good at cleaning the lobby floors after closing and the most courteous at the drive thorough. After her $1 raise she over hears the boss conversing with a male co-worker about how attractive she is. Jay |
Welcome to Taco Bell $5.50 a hour..15 hours a week Jay Johnson (7) customers ask questions Jenna Pelej (5) |
my little lemonade stand Joan Tirado (4) I like this haiku because it is about a girl’s first job, but it is a lot deeper than that. There is a coming of age quality to it where this young girl is having new feelings and loses her naivety about the world she knows. It’s the whole idea of the first crush and the first infatuation. Keith overcooked cookies streaming tears Joan Tirado (11) This haiku is so true. When you are working at a place you must represent that place and when a customer is yelling at you, you cannot just say what you want. You have to say what the company wants you to say and what will make the customer happy. This haiku shows that the customer is enraged about something and just keeps yelling at the employee even though they are crying. Shannon |
first night Randy Brooks (3) I think that this haiku is funny, because usually when someone starts a new job they aren’t sure what their limits are. I see this new worker as testing his limits to see what he can get away with. I find it funny, because I know that I normally start a job and after I have been there for a little while is when I start to test what will work and what will not, but this busboy is a little more gutsy. Whitney new steakhouse busboy Randy Brooks (7) This made me laugh! What tips did she show him? The money she made or something else. This begs the question. Makes you use your imagination and create the scene in your head. Phil K Now, I’m probably going to be the only one to see it this way, as is often the case, because I have a dirty mind…but I kind of get the implication that by showing the busboy her “tips” is something sexual, and that would give “first day” multiple meanings. I’ll just leave it at that. John |
sweaty palms Lindsey Jones I can relate to this haiku whenever I have something very important whether it is an appointment, or interview, or something of that nature, nervousness can almost overcome the situation. I try to stay calm and think of amusing things, that make me feel at ease. Also I think reassuring thoughts so that I appear and speak confidently. Added to all this stress the reader is worried that in this case the person may be late. I always say to be early is to be on time. Philip D no more free weekends |
Fat man Lizabeth Hare (13) I can completely relate to this haiku because I worked at a coffee shop for 5 years. I had many costumers come in and order the biggest milk shake with a big chocolate fudge brownie. I would think to myself… “you know we have fruit too, or maybe a healthy salad?” But of course I could never say anything, I would just have to smile and deal with it. It's sad because you feel like you are leading the person even farther and farther down a bad path. Whitney This haiku makes me think of the fast food restaurant line. The guy in front of you orders an extra value meal and you can’t help but think that he doesn’t really need that. It’s not really very good for you. Then you realize—you’re in the same line! I think people who work at these restaurants really see lots of people eat food that’s not good for them and it probably really bothers some employees. Cindie This entry reminds me to my days of working fast food...where your taught the customer is always right, even when it's a 300+ pound individual ordering his 3rd Big Mac in 5 minutes. It brings one to ponder Does God forgive us for helping someone kill themselves? Does in classify as Euthanasia? Jay Although I enjoy McDonald’s as much as the average American, I still always feel guilty after I eat it because I know how bad it is for me. I plan on keeping it a secret from my own children so they don’t get hooked on the greasy food. This haiku also reminds me of my current part time job at Cookies by Design because I sell cookies to people who are overweight and in reality they probably don’t need that cookie. But it’s a business and you want to please the customer. If they want the cookie or in the case of the haiku, the hamburger, then you better give it to them. Jenna Double cheeseburger Lizabeth Hare (13) I think this one is hysterical. I have so many friends that drink diet coke thinking they will lose weight, but pig out on everything else. Unless one drinks a LOT of coke going from regular to diet will not make that much difference. Irony can be a funny thing, or at least when it applies to others. : ) Rachel This haiku reminds me of me. When I go out to eat with my family my brothers always make fun of me because I order a cheeseburger and large fries with a diet coke. I get teased a lot but honestly why would you waste your calories on the drink when you are already eating a lot in fat from the fries and the cheeseburger? I don’t think I’m crazy I think my brothers are crazy from making fun of me. Joan I like this one because people are always saying that they are going on diets and they order the double cheeseburger because it’s only a dollar and then add a diet coke as if that will eliminate the fact that they ordered a double cheeseburger. Andi This is a pretty funny and insightful haiku. Everyone tries to fool themselves into thinking that they are living healthier and making smarter decisions, yet they only choose one aspect of their life to change, when a healthy lifestyle is just that, a lifestyle. Start going outside, eating right, or don’t. Quit lying to yourself. Diet Coke is still Coke, drink water, damnit! Says the hypocrite. John |
I sweat though my white Shirt hours of Preperation Lorin Glazer This makes me think of someone who has worked really hard to write a good cover letter and resume for this really great job. They finally get the interview and are a nervous wreck. Then they never hear anything more about the job. The interview is such a big deal to the person who is being interviewed, but maybe not so much to the interviewer. This haiku makes me feel bad for this person. Cindie
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young and poor first day, first job |
behind the menu Phil Jones (8) I think this haiku is the best haiku in the whole First Job Kukai. This haiku can be seen two different ways. I see it as the couple is acting like nothing is wrong while at the restaurant even though they are in the middle of a huge fight. The waiter or waitress can feel the tension even by taking their order. I can also see it as the couple is literally fighting in front of the waiter or waitress and are using the menus as their shields. Shannon I like the scene I pictured from reading this haiku. I imagined a couple trying to pick out a meal or maybe a wine and they try to hide their bickering behind the menu. Most likely they were fighting before they even got to the restaurant and the event of making a another joint decision was just too much for them and they started to argue again. Jenna All the worst tasks My first job was helping out at a park. Mowing and raking were always on my to do list. If something needed done that no one wanted to do it was pawned off on me. Being a girl I had to step up and do the job to prove myself to the boys. Lindsey |
first day of work-ever I am supposed to do five hours of roast beef and |
Retail shop Whitney Minor This reminds me of when I worked at Old Navy when I was younger. It was a retail store I loved, but hated working at. One of the jobs obligations was to ask the customers if they wanted an Old Navy charge card. This was annoying to ask over and over again, the customers were annoyed as well. Now when I go to Old Navy I say NO right before I know they are going to ask and I let them know I used to work with Old Navy. Lorin I would hate to be this person because I know every time I go to the store, they ask me if I want to save like 10 percent and get a credit card with them. I hate that part of checking out. Andi Summer job Whitney Minor I can completely see my roommate doing this. She works at Macy's over breaks. Every time she comes back, she shows me all the stuff she bought. I think it is funny that she is working to buy clothes from work. Overall, I just thought this was a cute haiku and completely plausible for people I know. Rachel I started working at Victoria Secret a few years ago during the holidays for some extra Christmas money. As soon as I got my pay check I spent it all in the store buying gifts for family and friends. Everyone got something from Victoria secret, even my dad. Lindsey I worked retail and I know how this is. It is very hard to not spend all the money you make at the place you work because the first job is always somewhere you enjoy to shop at too. You think it would be amazing right? Well once you get that first glorious paycheck of your own money you think…. Spend… cause its all yours. It is so easy to just throw away so much money! Also I found when I worked at a clothing store, I would do stock and sensor all the merchandise and when I would do so we had a joke where it would be Christmas like unwrapping presents to make it seem as positive as we could and it was like first pick out of a pile of fresh clothes so after shipment we would always have a pile on hold for our next paycheck! That was rough! Amy coffee shop Whitney Minor One of the things I hate most about any type of retail/food service job is that no matter how wrong the customer is, they are always right. During my shortlived career in food service I made many mistakes and had to correct them several times. I can just imagine this person asking to speak to the manager and scamming the coffee shop out of a free coffee. I sure dont miss those days. Lizabeth I worked at McDonalds and similar things would happen. If the customer was mad enough more than likely, they got their way. Sometimes people would complain just to get free stuff. Phil K |
First job… Scrubbing pots All work |
© 2007, Randy Brooks • Millikin University
All rights returned to authors upon publication.