Well, it’s time to come clean-I have a new job. In fact, I’ve known about it for over a month now, but I didn’t want to say anything until I started, remembering the fiasco over my LAST post about a job this summer.
I’m now working at the Carnegie Science Center. It’s part time, working the admission counter and other tasks. I’ve always wanted to work at a museum, and how can you NOT love a job where your first two days are called “Play Days”. Basically, you’re acting as a visitor, exploring all the various exhibits and features. I got to see a cooking demonstration in the Kitchen Theater, planetarium and Omnimax shows, lie (or is it lay?) on a bed of nails, experience an earthquake simulator, and tour a real WWII submarine!
The commute’s a bit of a pain in the evenings, since I have to wait a while for the bus, but it’s not that big of a deal. It’s so much more fun working with people at a museum, when they actually WANT to be there, and not in retail, where people are just there because they have to get some shopping done.
Best of all, I get free admission to all four Carnegie museums here in Pittsburgh (you better BELIEVE I’m gonna be taking advantage of that!), and admission for up to six family members. I also get a discount at all the museum shops and cafes-which will be GREAT when it comes to gift shopping. My three young cousins were over the moon when I told them were I’m working-they adore the Science Center.
Today was my first day of real training-I had to stay at the counter and observe and help answer questions, take some membership orders, and watch the “ramps”. Basically, make sure the people going up the ramps into the exhibits all had their wristbands, and didn’t just sneak past the ticket counter (it’s been known to happen). The only real snag was a young girl about thirteen or so who ended up puking on the ramp. Poor thing. I felt really bad for her.
So, there it is. Next week I start training on the register-basically they’ll have me practice ringing sales in and out, that sort of thing.
(And yes, I know that certain people will be predicting a flake out. 
Go for it.
