Patty Waters:  

I would be a little more assertive. Not keeping an older boyfriend as a safety feature, then maybe I would have been open to dating guys at school. Also I would have gone to more sports events, like our football & baseball games. Workplace Babysitting a cousin for the first 1st few months after graduation. Moved on to the race car industry, picking up & delivering auto parts, welding and heat treating gears, glass beading...not making enough money. Finally got an answer & interview from one of the many utilities companies I applied to. Hired in 1973 by Pacific Telephone. Worked as a long distance TSPS Operator until 1978, became a clerk, then an order writer, then finally in 1980 to the job I wanted from day one, in the central office as a frame technician. Kept me doing what I love, working with my hands, and kept me in shape. I worked in many different offices, Compton, Bell, South Gate, Torrance, Gardena, Huntington Park, Lomita, San Pedro, Wilmington & of course Paramount. Stayed doing that job until I retired at the end of 2002. Decided that training the younger ones meant that they would merely watch how us older ones did the job...too frustrating to stay any longer. One of those plus - plus offers came, and I took it and ran. Update 2007: I took a part time job at a church office as a secretary. Gets me out of the house.....I was getting bored. You can only clean and quilt just so much =] Newer update 2009: Now working full time as my church / Pastor's secretary. =]