# If you had to do a menial job, what would it be? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 16, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678 "2009-05-16T20:19:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cerealbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Cerealbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerealbox)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/41 "2013-12-24T21:52:43Z")
Merriam-Webster says menial means boring and low-paying. So, I dunno. Office clerk of some kind. Something without sales or customer service, but something where I don’t have to break my back and get covered in horse crap for a living. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/42 "2013-12-24T21:56:31Z")
Sperm donor. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/43 "2013-12-24T21:57:01Z")
> [@Marion\_Wormer](#): > > I would like to be a groom in a stable. I like horses and I’ve shoveled a lot of poop for my own horse to turn up my nose on shoveling it for pay. Also, if you’re a good groom you get exercise privileges. This was one of my favorite jobs. I worked at a dressage training facility. I loved it. We had someone who mucked out the stables 5 times a week, but one of the days I worked he didn’t. I didn’t mind cleaning the stalls. Horse poop doesn’t smell that bad. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/44 "2013-12-24T22:02:58Z")
Testing Cadillacs for endurance and mileage from the East Coast to the West Coast and back. With satellite radio. Summers only (in winter I’d test mattresses). Hiltons, at least, or equivalent. All expenses paid on top of my menial salary of only $250,000 a year. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/45 "2013-12-24T22:51:35Z")
Grounds Maintenance on a large rural campus. I did this in my early twenties for a few years. 160 acres with several athletic fields. I had a large tractor, a small tractor, a push mower and a weed whacker. Had to cut all the grass once a week, athletic fields twice a week. That was it. Wore a walkman, smoked a lot of joints and interacted with hu-mans only a few minutes a day. Best job ever. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/46 "2013-12-24T23:23:44Z")
Raise children ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/47 "2013-12-24T23:48:35Z")
grave digger I saw a movie on the topic called [Cemetary Man](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109592/?ref_=nv_sr_2), and it looks like an all-around great job. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/48 "2013-12-24T23:56:05Z")
Cat sitter or night watchman. ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/49 "2013-12-25T00:21:41Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Sperm donor. I’m at work and trying to suppress my laughter. It is not working. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/50 "2013-12-25T00:24:28Z")
I’m not sure nighttime security guard counts as “menial.” There’s a lot of professionalism involved with security guards. It’s not like unloading boxes from a freight car. But I would choose that, because there’s be lots of time to kick back and read. Assuming I could stay awake. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/51 "2013-12-25T01:29:24Z")
I’ve long said that if I need to get another job, I’d like to start a service for taking people’s dogs for rides in a car. I don’t think that’s likely to bring in much money or require much in the way of skill. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/52 "2013-12-25T03:10:56Z")
Hmm. It’s hard to say that I’d spend the rest of my life doing a menial job that I’ve never done before so, of the ones I have done… Waitress - only if my life depended on it. Fast food - only if my life depended on it. (D’angelos doesn’t count as fast food to me and I’d do that in a heartbeat) Home maid - sure but not for the idiot I worked for last time Farm hand - only if I worked only inside. Sun poisoning isn’t fun. I’d rather not do that again. Dog kennel worker - sure, just not if said kennel contains more than 2 Saint Bernards at one time. Retail clerk - well, I’m doing it now and I enjoy it so sure. Grocery store cashier - absolutely Grocery store bagger - absolutely Grocery store trolley attendant - only if my life depended on it. Security guard - only if my life depended on it. (and yes, security guard is a completely menial job in many places) Packer in a factory - yes, just not in a plastics factory that makes PVC stuff. That is a totally nasty smell. office worker - only if my life depended on it. Babysitter for spoiled rotten brats who are older than I was when I became a certified babysitter but can’t even make a PB sandwich - not even if my life depended on it ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/53 "2013-12-25T04:04:02Z")
Done my time. 4 years of security work, 3.5 in a call center. Was a janitor/custodian for one day (I was so sore at the end from heavy duty backbreaking work that I had to quit). ---
**Author:** ![Spaghettifrier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@Spaghettifrier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spaghettifrier)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/54 "2013-12-25T07:13:20Z")
what i do, maybe. provide captions for phone calls. easy. don’t have to deal with any assholes or idiots, period. only caption them. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/55 "2013-12-25T07:50:05Z")
I think I would make a marvelous Rust Inspector. Oh…you mean a “real” menial job? I’d be willing to be a sign flipper…it would give me a chance to catch up on a bunch of new music. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/56 "2013-12-25T10:56:43Z")
What’s a “sign flipper”? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/57 "2013-12-25T16:16:17Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > What’s a “sign flipper”? A person who stands on a street corner and holds an advertising sign. Or, in some cases, rapidly flips them around so the people driving by can’t tell what they’re advertising. Little Caesar’s is most notorious for this. The Chik-Fil-A in my area often has someone standing out by the road in a cow suit. I’ve seen people do this in 100-degree weather. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/58 "2013-12-25T17:14:06Z")
I’d drive a forklift. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/59 "2013-12-25T17:39:36Z")
shepherd. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678/60 "2013-12-25T19:56:28Z")
> [@CutterJohn](#): > > I work at a factory that produces printing ink(If you have ever drank a bottle of bud light in the last year, chances are good that I am directly responsible for its colorfulness. 😃 ) Is the printing ink **in** the Bud Diet or just on the can? If the former, can you add something, making you directly responsible for _some taste_ in BLight? Yes, I realize my question is to a 4½ year old post. As for my menial job, I’m going to become a high-rise window washer. The views you must get, both of the city & on unsuspecting people inside must be awesome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-do-a-menial-job-what-would-it-be/496678.md?page=4)