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1. Mangesh and I were just discussing our memories of past inaugurations. The only one I know I watched was Bill Clinton’s in 1993. I was taking a make-up vocabulary test in the library and the swearing-in ceremony was on TV. I do not recall why I was absent the day the test was scheduled, but that’s not important right now. And I’m not going to ask you your inauguration memories, because I’d imagine they’re not all that interesting, either.
Instead, let’s talk about your most memorable first day on the job (any job). One first day I got myself stuck in a stairway and set off a fire alarm right at lunch time, which made a brilliant first impression. But enough about me – do you have any good or horrifying first day of work stories?
2. The fine people who bring you this site are on the lookout for potential contributors from English-speaking countries outside the U.S. We figured a good place to start was to look at enjoyable sites from those countries. But an even better place to start is to throw out that question to our discerning readers. Do you know of any non-U.S. writers/bloggers/journalists we should keep our eye on? (You can include links as long as you leave out the ‘http://www’ part.)
3. We’re going to combine the ‘Giving Away A Book A Day’ with today’s Happy Hour, substitute a t-shirt for a book, and keep it really simple. I’m holding a box of 64 Crayola Crayons, and I’ve picked one crayon. Guess the color correctly and win a mental_floss t-shirt of your choosing. Have a great weekend!
[See previous 'Friday Happy Hour' transcripts.]
Comments (195)
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Periwinkle blue!
Sharing is Caring, 1X
posted by Frodopal on 1-16-2009 at 5:19 pm
violet!
posted by Gabbie on 1-16-2009 at 5:23 pm
Burnt Sienna?
How about this story? When I started an internship here in NYC a few years ago I a) got off at the wrong stop b) ended up in the wrong orientation and c) had one of those sewer grates blow my skirt up (in front of a construction crew, mind you). I’d say that was horrifying enough.
posted by Rebecca on 1-16-2009 at 5:28 pm
I’m going to guess macaroni & cheese. I was blown away when I found out that was a Crayola color now.
posted by Dave on 1-16-2009 at 5:29 pm
I can’t help with the first two… sorry.
3) Heck, the names have probably all changed since I last looked at a crayon… My guess is Raw Sienna.
posted by Jason! on 1-16-2009 at 5:33 pm
3. Asparagus, both because it’s one of my favorite crayon colors and one of my favorite foods. (Women’s Hobbits shirt, large)
posted by Kelsey on 1-16-2009 at 5:33 pm
Tickle-me-pink.
posted by Zach on 1-16-2009 at 5:34 pm
I once had a job working at the executive assistant to the Main Guy at a Medical Recruiting office. It is a chain Medical Recruiting thing so he isn’t the top of the top, but he acted like he might be. BEFORE the first day of work, he was upset that I gave my previous job two weeks notice and actually WORKED those two weeks! He wanted me to work for him immediately I guess.
The first day of work:
There was a murder in my apartment complex, so I had a hard time getting out of the complex with all the police, ambulances, new vans, etc.
My car stank – the kind of smell that you just KNOW is clinging to your clothes. (Turns out my roommate had spilled cat food in my trunk and on the occassion of my first day at work maggots decided to dine on said cat food).
I was getting a cold and felt like shit.
The Main Guy clearly had me confused with another applicant because he kept mentioning things that I know nothing about and know I wouldn’t have said in an interview I knew about.
The second day of work I wore a denim skirt and found out from someone else he found it offensive. That I was wearing denim (I had previously worn jeans to work every day so at least I was in a skirt).
I lasted 4 days before he fired me. Besides getting the wrong applicant, I think he was pissed when I told him that “I don’t care what the company does, just tell me what you want me to do; I’ll figure out the end result later”.
Apricot
posted by Jen on 1-16-2009 at 5:35 pm
3. Cerulean. (It’s definitely my favorite Crayola color.)
posted by M on 1-16-2009 at 5:36 pm
Going to keep it old school on the color of the crayon and say gray.
posted by Rick on 1-16-2009 at 5:37 pm
Crayon: Tickle Me Pink
T-shirt: Apathy (Med – mens) or whatever
First day of work (kinda) horror story: The night before I started my first real job right out of college, I met up with my Wednesday night volleyball team for a little pre-game dinner/drinks action. I don’t know what I was thinking but I ordered popcorn shrimp from a wings joint. The next morning, sitting at my newly acquired plot in cubeland I wanted to die. I had never felt so nauseous, but couldn’t figure out why. I went so far as to blame it on the new job… and over the next two days became convinced that I wasn’t cut out for the real world, especially if it felt like this. Turns out I had a slight case of food poisoning from the shrimp ordered at a wings joint.
posted by Pam on 1-16-2009 at 5:37 pm
3. Jungle Green!
posted by chia on 1-16-2009 at 5:37 pm
Red Violet
posted by Christina on 1-16-2009 at 5:38 pm
1. I don’t think I’ve had any horrifying first days. However, I just started my current position less than two months ago and I’m discovering some less than appealing things about a guy near me. My cube is about 15-20 feet away from his office, the door to which he never shuts. He speaks loudly and blows his nose loudly and sniffles and snorts and SINGS. It’s tiny doses of hell.
2. No bloggers to mention.
3. After perusing the color list on wikipedia, I’m gonna guess “awesome.” My name also links to a great old site where a spiderman figure explores the colors of of the 96 crayon box. I first saw it years ago and fell in love with it. Enjoy!
posted by nikki on 1-16-2009 at 5:38 pm
Periwinkle
i love that name
posted by HP on 1-16-2009 at 5:38 pm
I don’t have any good answers for the first questions, sadly.
However, Marigold always was my favorite Crayola color, so I’m hoping you’re feeling cold and picked it for the springtime warmth you know it reminds you of. :) Yes?
Pavlov, small
posted by Eileen on 1-16-2009 at 5:38 pm
I’ll go with yellow green
posted by Dave Jacoby on 1-16-2009 at 5:38 pm
Cleanup tasks for all newbies at a restaurant I worked at included mopping out the walk-in FREEZER.
And the color is magenta.
posted by Jim B on 1-16-2009 at 5:39 pm
D’ow! I was beat to the crayon… My new choice is Maize
posted by Pam on 1-16-2009 at 5:41 pm
Robins Egg Blue, of course.
posted by Jon Terry on 1-16-2009 at 5:42 pm
Cerulean.
*I* don’t have a first-day story, but I have one of my husband’s. In college he worked for several different Taco Bells. He decided it would be better to work at the Taco Bell on campus (in the student union), as it was closer. On his first day, he decided to rollerblade to work (in uniform even). Right outside of the union doors he biffed it and smacked his head on some kind of concrete pillar. He showed up to the Taco Bell bleeding profusely from the back of his head, and told his boss, “I think I need to go to the hospital.” LOL. Great first impression.
posted by Roxie on 1-16-2009 at 5:43 pm
Periwinkle
Is there any other crayon out there with a better name?
posted by HP on 1-16-2009 at 5:44 pm
*I* don’t have a first-day story, but I have one of my husband’s. In college he worked for several different Taco Bells. He decided it would be better to work at the Taco Bell on campus (in the student union), as it was closer. On his first day, he decided to rollerblade to work (in uniform even). Right outside of the union doors he biffed it and smacked his head on some kind of concrete pillar. He showed up to the Taco Bell bleeding profusely from the back of his head, and told his boss, “I think I need to go to the hospital.” LOL. Great first impression.
Oh and I’m going to pick yellow. Yes, plain ol’ yellow.
posted by Roxie on 1-16-2009 at 5:46 pm
Marigold
posted by Jesse on 1-16-2009 at 5:47 pm
Oh, and idioms girlie large, por favor.
posted by nikki on 1-16-2009 at 5:47 pm
Purple Mountain’s Majesty.
posted by Jon Terry on 1-16-2009 at 5:47 pm
Gee whiz… I don’t know… um… how about… black?
posted by Mike on 1-16-2009 at 5:55 pm
Burnt Umber
I don’t even know if it’s a color anymore – they’ve probably replaced all the old colors with things like “LED blue” or “YouTube red” or something.
posted by Leah on 1-16-2009 at 5:56 pm
1) 1st day at my current job I was about 5 months pregnant…Went out to start my car and the damn thing wouldnt start…I ended up walking/running the probably 3 miles to work in a skirt. It was also my best friends birthday so I was on my cell phone singing to her as well…Very interesting start. I’m still working for the company and it will be 4 years in April.
3) I’m going to say Red.
posted by Julia on 1-16-2009 at 6:00 pm
Eggplant
posted by christinai on 1-16-2009 at 6:04 pm
3) Purple Mountain’s Majesty
posted by Lisa on 1-16-2009 at 6:04 pm
3) Purple Mountain’s Majesty!
posted by Lisa on 1-16-2009 at 6:05 pm
I take it back – it wasn’t a crayon color, but a special marker color. And they retired raw umber like 19 years ago…
I’m going to go with Salmon then.
posted by Leah on 1-16-2009 at 6:06 pm
Purple Mountain’s Majesty!
posted by Lisa on 1-16-2009 at 6:06 pm
1) My job after graduating high school was working at this cafe-like place in the local mall. My first day there, I walked in and spotted a failed health inspection certificate on the counter.
2) Can’t think of anyone that would be good for the site, sorry.
3) Blue Violet?
posted by Liz on 1-16-2009 at 6:07 pm
1. Decided to have Sushi with some friends to celebrate the new start. I got home and felt terrible. Ended up spending the next 5 hours vomiting violently, so violently I popped a blood vessel in my eye. So here I go first day of work feeling not quite great and looking so scary I had a co-worker ask if I could wear sunglasses.
2. Um…sorry
3. Copper
Pavlov Large
posted by Chris Lauer on 1-16-2009 at 6:08 pm
O DaRN, how about SCARLET!
posted by Lisa on 1-16-2009 at 6:09 pm
Famous #E72094
posted by Natalie on 1-16-2009 at 6:09 pm
I’ll go with a white crayon. I don’t have a good answer to the first questions.
Natural Selection. Women’s Medium.
Thanks!
posted by Stacy on 1-16-2009 at 6:10 pm
you all picked such fancy colors, how about black?
posted by tiffany on 1-16-2009 at 6:15 pm
mulberry? i gotta get that shirt!
posted by Leo on 1-16-2009 at 6:17 pm
cornflower
posted by Alli on 1-16-2009 at 6:19 pm
inch worm!
mendel m!
posted by dan on 1-16-2009 at 6:23 pm
copper
posted by Janel on 1-16-2009 at 6:25 pm
ohh ummmm
Women’s small Hyperbole
posted by Alli on 1-16-2009 at 6:25 pm
A couple years ago, I applied for a position as a writer on the local county newspaper. I submitted a piece, passed a phone interview and made it to the in-person interview.
I got to the office only to find that he (the editor, owner, fill-in writer and photographer, etc of the paper) had to cover the dedication of a memorial for fallen police officers at a nearby city building and was gone and I was supposed to meet him there for the interview.
So I trooped over there (like three blocks), watched the ceremony while he was asking me questions about my experience, telling me about the paper, taking pictures of the ceremony, etc… but it turns out that from the time I applied to now (maybe a week) he had decided that he was going to do something different and asked if I wanted the office manager position, which would include some writing and photography when needed.
I said okay and I was hired.
The first day, I was being trained by the current office manager and she was saying how horrible he was as a boss, that even though she hadn’t planned to leave (her husband got a job in a different state) now that she was leaving, she’s mad she didn’t think of leaving sooner! The boss sounded like a real terror… I was having my doubts about sticking around for day two by noon.
Well, because the paper is small, the office manager also had to take care of the ads and classifieds which includes cold-calling businesses, setting up the layout, etc… and, for this, you get a percentage of what is brought in in addition to your regular wages but she didn’t want to tell me what she was getting because she didn’t know how he was going to do it since he was kind of changing duties around.
Day two…. after about an hour or so, I was told I was supposed to go to one of the other offices in a different city which the person training me assumed the boss had already told me (nope) so she called him to ask him about it and then he was talking to me and I asked a question to clarify what she had told me about the classifieds and he started going on and on about how she was telling me things that she wasn’t, like about that commission from the ads and classifieds and how much she was getting.
I kept telling him that she didn’t tell me how much just that that is something you had to do and got a commission from doing it. Then he’s actually arguing with me about it, saying that she was telling me and she wasn’t supposed to and I kept saying she didn’t give specifics.
Finally, it came down to the offer for employment being withdrawn and me getting the hell out of there and being glad about it!
posted by Sarah on 1-16-2009 at 6:26 pm
Mahogany
Lady Macbeth, Womans small
posted by Amy on 1-16-2009 at 6:41 pm
1. I worked on an mechanical assembly line and I literally almost fell asleep on my first day of work there.
3. Red-Orange
(I always wondered how big the difference was between Red-Orange and Orange-Red)
posted by Jordan on 1-16-2009 at 6:42 pm
1. My first day of my current job was pretty perfunctory, but the first week was exciting. I work at an alternative school in a very, shall we say, interesting part of town, and on day three I learned just how interesting it could be.
Two teenage boys were standing at the pop machines, and Boy A inadvertently scuffed the brand new white sneakers of Boy B. A little verbal sparring, and they both went off to class. Throughout the day, the situation escalated as A and B were egged on by their fellow gang members (rivals, of course) and by the time that school let out, both kids had their crews outside waiting. Boy A had called his seven-month-pregnant mother to come back him up, and she’d brought weapons. There was a fight, Boy B got stabbed in the face, and the police came.
Afterwards, our vice principal came up to me and said, “This doesn’t happen every day, I swear. Please don’t quit!”
The next day, another fight happened.
I have to say, though, I’ve been there four years now and I’ve yet to see a week as exciting as my first one.
3. Midnight Blue
posted by Keri on 1-16-2009 at 6:42 pm
While I have always been curious about sign language and deaf culture, I ventured to my first day of volunteering at a camp for the deaf with no real knowledge of either. I assumed I would be doing some menial task, or helping out behind the scenes due to my inexperience. I couldn’t have been more wrong! My boss showed me into a meeting, and when I turned to ask her a question, she was gone. While the room was loud, there was no spoken English, just many adults signing. I saw the group leader begin signing for all to sit, and everyone began introductions. When it was obviously my turn, I quickly signed my name (all the ASL that I knew) and bowed my head. The rest of the day continued to be somewhat lost in translation, but the summer grew to be the most rewarding, challenging and fun experience as I discovered a new culture and community. Now when I am nervous for a first day, I just remind myself that at worst, hey, at least I can speak the language!
And magenta. Definitely, magenta.
posted by Tara on 1-16-2009 at 6:48 pm
Wisteria?
posted by KerriH on 1-16-2009 at 6:53 pm
I got nuthin for 1 & 2. And I’ll guess black for the crayon. :)
posted by Eden on 1-16-2009 at 6:55 pm
PLum…
posted by Dan on 1-16-2009 at 6:59 pm
Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown #C45655
Created in 1998
Hyperbole M
posted by Jay on 1-16-2009 at 7:01 pm
Razzmatazz. It’s all about razzmatazz.
posted by Nathan Miller on 1-16-2009 at 7:01 pm
My first day working at a movie theater in concessions, I dumped the popcorn out of the popper too early, and a seed flew out, landing in my collar. We had to wear collared shirts and bowties, so it stayed there long enough to give me a second-degree burn, which I still have a scar from. Later on that night, I also spilled a large drink all over one of the registers, and maybe on a customer.
Crayon guess — brick red
posted by Erica on 1-16-2009 at 7:06 pm
3) I’ll keep it simple…Blue Green
posted by Andy on 1-16-2009 at 7:12 pm
Gold
posted by Doedina on 1-16-2009 at 7:13 pm
Chartreuse!
No bloggers that I know about
First day on the job? My first job was cook at Chuck E Cheese (CEC). Yet I did anything but make those infamous cardboard pizzas. I worked the 4p-9p shift.
4p-5p: Learned how to put all the balls from the ball pit into a mesh bag and run it through the dishwasher because Junior peed in the pit
5p-6p: Dressed up as Mr. Cheese himself and was promptly hit in the nuts not once, not twice, but 3 times in a matter of 30 minutes. Bonus points, I had to wear glasses to see, but they kept coming off my face because it was so hot in the suit. From then on out, I took off my glasses but kept running into walls, other employees, and kids.
6p-7p: Garbage time! I proceeded to take out FOUR 55 gallon drums of trash to the dumpster and tip them over myself on an icy surface. It really did take me an hour! Bonus points, found out that local Muslims like to pray in the back hallway. Had to maneuver that obstacle course.
7p-8p: Learned how to clean up puke and other “accidents” around the gameroom. Apparently, if you pump your kids full with crappy pizza and sugary soda and then have them run around full speed,, they will puke.
8p-9p: I got a one hour crash course on who are the good and bad managers, who is dating whom, who is cool to work with and who isn’t. Apparently, my first night I was with the “bad” managers and all the people who weren’t cool to work with.
It’s amazing I stayed a whole year after that first night.
posted by Scott on 1-16-2009 at 7:13 pm
Chartreuse
posted by Scott on 1-16-2009 at 7:15 pm
1. They cut off my hair, put me in a uniform and started giving me orders.
3. Fuschia – because all the good colors have already been taken.
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 1-16-2009 at 7:20 pm
Sepia!
posted by T on 1-16-2009 at 7:32 pm
red
posted by mj on 1-16-2009 at 7:34 pm
Banana mania.
Why? Why not?
posted by Mike on 1-16-2009 at 7:35 pm
Pacific Blue, but only because Periwinkle was taken.
posted by Karen on 1-16-2009 at 7:43 pm
How about Yellow-green.
posted by Monica on 1-16-2009 at 7:50 pm
I discovered 15 minutes into my first day at my new office job that I was not quite as well dressed as I thought. My black and white suit was complimented by one black dress pump and one NAVY dress pump! Needless to say it was a very loooong morning trying to keep my feet hidden. I went home at lunch to change shoes.
NAVY BLUE
posted by Stephanie PH on 1-16-2009 at 7:59 pm
Razzmatazz
As for a first day at the job — I was a peer mentor for my college and over slept. I ended up calling my boss sobbing about a family emergency. Oops!
posted by Liz on 1-16-2009 at 8:00 pm
robin’s egg blue
posted by lis on 1-16-2009 at 8:02 pm
I’m surprised by the lack of bloggers/sites to recommend!
Not sure exactly what you’re looking for, but I’ll make a few recommendations of blogs I find interesting:
nodebtworldtravel.com – Everywhere
atsuko-playingwithlight.blogspot.com – Qatar
unsinkabledreams.blogspot.com – Hong Kong
arisingtideindia.blogspot.com – India
posted by Kathleen on 1-16-2009 at 8:36 pm
Not sure exactly what you’re looking for, but here are some blogs I find interesting:
nodebtworldtravel.com – Everywhere
atsuko-playingwithlight.blogspot.com – Qatar
unsinkabledreams.blogspot.com – Hong Kong
arisingtideindia.blogspot.com – India
posted by Kathleen on 1-16-2009 at 8:39 pm
Not sure exactly what you’re looking for, but here are some blogs I find interesting:
Everywhere – nodebtworldtravel.com
Qatar – atsuko-playingwithlight.blogspot.com
Hong Kong – unsinkabledreams.blogspot.com
India – arisingtideindia.blogspot.com
posted by Kathleen on 1-16-2009 at 8:42 pm
Cotton Candy.
posted by Emily on 1-16-2009 at 8:47 pm
tickle me pink
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 8:53 pm
timberwolf
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 8:55 pm
best friends
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 8:56 pm
carnation pink
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 8:58 pm
purple mountains majesty
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 8:59 pm
violet blue or maybe blueviolet
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:00 pm
cadet blue
Sorry, but I want a t-shirt and a a mom and a teacher I know my crayons
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:02 pm
maybe it is vivid tangerine
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:05 pm
brick red
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:06 pm
violet red or maybe red violet
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:08 pm
maize
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:09 pm
Could it be goldenrod?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:10 pm
plum?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:11 pm
1) I suppose my best (horrifying) first day story is thus: It was my freshman year of college and I got a job at Macy’s for holiday help. Unlike a lot of people, I was a floater and just went where they put me. My first day was Black Friday and I was in intimates. Now, even though I’m female, I still hate that department. While a lot of the stuff that day was just ringing up pajamas and the like, for some reason the women in the department were horrible. They got angry at me for ringing things up under my own number and not theirs (this wasn’t a commission job for anyone, note), not knowing how to fit a bra, and generally anything I did. By the end of my 8 hour shift I was about in tears. I wandered down to the main office and ended up crying about it to a manager, who then told me I never had to go back there, and yes, those women were known to be mean.
Spring green, although it’s one of my least favorite.
recaptcha – wealth tory; kinda funny, isn’t it?
posted by Sarah on 1-16-2009 at 9:15 pm
pine green?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:16 pm
granny smith apple
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:17 pm
I hate spring green too!
Is it mauvelous?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:18 pm
Maybe thistle?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:19 pm
yellow
posted by Liz on 1-16-2009 at 9:20 pm
cornflower blue?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:20 pm
midnight blue
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:21 pm
mahagony
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:22 pm
black. easy choice
posted by Justin on 1-16-2009 at 9:24 pm
I always liked Salmon. Is it salmon?
posted by Rachel on 1-16-2009 at 9:24 pm
chestnut
I think this crayon was Indian red when I was a kid.
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:24 pm
I’m an 8th grade Social Studies teacher in an large urban school district… the first day of classes for me this year introduced me to a fistfight between two girls 8 MINUTES into the first period class. Absolutely incredible… I loved every minute of it. Hair extensions were flying, lots of screeching and no punches ever connected.
posted by Drew on 1-16-2009 at 9:25 pm
neon carrot?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:25 pm
Turquoise blue?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:26 pm
wisteria is a pretty crayon
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:28 pm
Wild Strawberry or is it Electric Strawberry?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:29 pm
tumbleweed?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:30 pm
How about the metallics
silver, gold, bronze, copper?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:32 pm
sky blue?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:33 pm
I had just finnished my first year of high school and was ready to start my first summer job. Luckily a brand new IHOP had just opened up in our town and they were hiring anything and everyone. Unfortunately, just because you were getting hired doesn’t mean you were getting a great job. At the age of 16 i’m pretty sure you are only qualified for three jobs, paperboy, busboy, and dishboy.(and probobly any other job with boy in the title, except you may be pushing it for batboy) So i took the dish/busboy job. They felt the need to combine the two at IHOP.
When you live in a small town whenever a new restaurant opens it’s the cue for everyone to put on their sundays and take the family to dinner. My first day was particularly exciting because I got to meet the other person i was going to work with every weekend. His name was Jerry, a 45 year old mentally handicapped man who was absolutely hillarious. And just to cluttter up the dish pit he brought along his “helper” to make sure he didn’t flip out on anyone. I worked the 4 P.M to 10P.M shift. This IHOP hasn’t gone 24 hours quite yet.
So it was go time. I asked Jerry what it was he would like to do, wash dishes, or clean tables. So i started washing the dishes. Every color imaginable came back on those plates due to the variety of syryps, eggs srambled a million ways etc. After about 45 minutes of washing dishes i thought the job couldn’t be any easier. That’s when Jerry’s “helper” came in and said, you may want to come out here.
There was a line out the door because none of the tables were clean. Jerry was doing a hell of a job on the tables he was cleaning, but he felt the need to only clean one corner of the store. So i hurried him to the back showed him how to work the machine and began wiping down as many tables as i could, quickly amassing a huge pile of plates and syryp containers for Jerry to clean. After another 45 minutes, the same song and dance happened. Jerry was flipping out because he had too much to do. After we calmed him down i decided to take out the trash.
As i drug the two drums outside i saw the mess that awaited me. The people from the morning crew had left their bags on the outside of “big blue” leaving 5 bags out in the middle of summer. I knew right away this was going to be bad. As i bent down to pick one up the whole bottom blew out leaving hot garbage all over the ground. This hapened with two other bags and i decided to leave the other two as is.
I finally went back inside not telling anyone. This went on for the next three hours. Jerry and i swip swapping positions for the rest of the night.
After we closed we discuseeed the night over a plate of pancakes that someone had left on their table(untouched, but still a little gross i knnow.) And i told him how mad the people that work in the morning were going to be cause they were going to have to clean up a hot mess first thing. His response, “Screw’em.”
posted by Eloch84 on 1-16-2009 at 9:34 pm
Do you have a specialty box like the crayons named after the states and the American tyhemes like Pacific Blue?
Or one of those smelly boxes with the awful smelling Grandma’s Perfume pink crayon and the Licorice one?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:35 pm
Do they still do screamin’ green?
or turtle green? (Turtle green may be Rose Art not Crayola)
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:38 pm
maybe raw sienna?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:39 pm
maroon?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:40 pm
tan?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:41 pm
rurple pizzazz?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:42 pm
oops! purple pizzazz
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:43 pm
orange red or red orange
Isn’t there also yellow orange
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:44 pm
How about sepia?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:45 pm
brown?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:46 pm
green
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:47 pm
I myself just bought a box of Crayola 64 (50th Birthday Edition) as well as a Planet Earth coloring book. Keeps the kid in me alive. I’m gonna guess: BEST FRIENDS. Its a pinkish-purple Kid’s Choice color.
As for bad first days, in high school I got a job as a dog washer at this pet store. Five minutes after I walked in I was being shown how to squeeze the anal glands of the dogs, on of my many vile responsibilities. If you have never had the pleasure of seeing just what comes out of anal glands I will describe: Thinner than pudding but thicker than gravy. Color ranging in the brown family. Smells like what pure evil threw up, ate again, pooped out and set on fire.
posted by Missy on 1-16-2009 at 9:47 pm
Rumplestilskin?????
Luckily for all of you readers that is all the crayon name that I can think of
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:48 pm
My first day working at one of the NYS Parks, I managed to disturb a Heron nest AND fall into a river. Two big no-no’s.
Crayon color: Macaroni and Cheese!
posted by Meghan on 1-16-2009 at 9:51 pm
It was the first day of a waitressing job, and as soon as I sat down with the trainer to go over the menu tests (it was a chain), I started feeling nauseated. I must have come down with a stomach virus at that exact moment. I excused myself and almost didn’t make it to the bathroom before projectile vomiting (luckily, into the toilet). I went back to the table, thinking it had passed, and lasted about 45 seconds before jumping up and running to the bathroom again. After the 3rd time, I told her I was coming down with something and I wasn’t feeling well. I’m sure she thought I was hungover, but I didn’t even drink at the time. I didn’t work there very long…
Also, Midnight Blue.
Rhesus or Hokey Pokey – woman’s large.
posted by doublechee on 1-16-2009 at 9:52 pm
1. So my first day at Chick-fil-a–I fainted about one hour into my shift. I slammed my head into the corner of the wall next to the register and fell into the trash can! At least it wasnt full of trash yet…anyways nobody let me live it down and they never even learned my name, I was just that girl who fainted on my first day. So i quit!
Another first day that wasnt great…it was my first day being an after school instructor for the 3rd graders at a local public school. I had never met these kids or even had a tour around the school! I didnt expect to have the kids by myself either, so there I was with 25 8yr olds alone and had to get them from point A to point B without knowing their names or where I was going! I worked there for 3 years with the same kids and now i miss them dearly! It was a crazy first day but a wonderful job!
Crayon guess–forest green
posted by Becca on 1-16-2009 at 9:54 pm
Could it be a scarlet crayon?
Did you know that when you eat this crayon it turns your teaeth and lips scarlet? No you don’t want to know.
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:54 pm
I wonder if namingf Crayola colors is a full time job?
Did I guess thistle?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 9:57 pm
I think there is also a crayon called teal. Could your crayon be teal?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:01 pm
Is it sea green?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:02 pm
Indigo?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:03 pm
apricot
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:04 pm
There is a crayon named either Rainforest green, or Joungle Green-something eco-friendly like that. Is this your crayon?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:06 pm
lemon?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:07 pm
I know there is an olive color?
Is it just called olive green, or does it have a fancy name?
Is olive green your crayon?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:10 pm
Is razzle dazzle raspberry only in specialy boxes, or is it in your box of 64 complete with sharpener? It it your crayon?
What is the name of the watermelon crayon in the neon box?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:12 pm
wild blue yonder?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:14 pm
violet (purple)
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:17 pm
sunset orange
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:18 pm
We once had a box of gemstone crayons, but I don’t think any of them, were in the 64 box.
saphire, emerald, amythest(sp, emerald, tiger eye, etc
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:20 pm
bittersweet?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:22 pm
blue grey?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:23 pm
Maybe forest green?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:24 pm
White.
posted by Sarah on 1-16-2009 at 10:24 pm
Teedy Bear Brown?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:25 pm
green yellow
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:26 pm
Can’t forget the light purples.
Lanender?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:28 pm
oops, make that lavender.
another guess-orchid?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:29 pm
pink pig?
posted by haselwoman on 1-16-2009 at 10:30 pm
CORNFLOWER?
posted by KC on 1-16-2009 at 11:02 pm
1. I managed to used the word c**t very loudly in front of a group of elderly people on my first day working for a clothing store. Luckily the manager’s were having a meeting so no one important heard
2. unsinkabledreams.blogspot.com (American living in HK)
I guess I will plug my own chasingirrelevantdreams.blogspot.com/
(Brit now living in HK also)
3. Cotton Candy
posted by Chris on 1-16-2009 at 11:06 pm
I wonder what year your crayon box is from, according to wiki, “8 colors were renamed for the 50th Anniversary 64-crayon box” last year. I will guess “Giving Tree” (formerly Screamin’ Green).
posted by nib on 1-16-2009 at 11:12 pm
2. some pinoy blogs:
*lovely sarcasm and attempt at ruling the universe of writer Jessica Zafra–
JessicaRulestheUniverse: jessicarulestheuniverse.com
*March Jacobs loves this guy–>Bryan Boy:
bryanboy.com
–
and although this is not a non-US site, it’s still worth submitting:
dinosaursandrobots.com
3. You went for the gold!
posted by juju on 1-16-2009 at 11:19 pm
After looking at the Wiki to see what colors there are, I was shocked at the names….Not the colors I used as a kid. So I will pick……Atomic Tangerine, which was chartreuse. (ff9966)
Outer space? give me a break…
posted by Owen on 1-16-2009 at 11:40 pm
First days always suck. The fake “I am so happy to be here!” and the awkwardness of being the newbie.
cyan?
posted by tiffani on 1-17-2009 at 12:15 am
3. Midnight blue.
As a side, Raw Umber is perhaps the grossest color in that box.
posted by Steph on 1-17-2009 at 12:28 am
Cerulean
posted by Talya Mazor on 1-17-2009 at 12:30 am
2) desipudit.com – Gateway to Indian blogosphere
indiauncut.com – Site of Amit Varma – Winner of bastiat prize in 2007
3) Goldenrod
posted by Kam on 1-17-2009 at 12:56 am
2) desipudit.com – Gateway to Indian blogosphere
indiauncut.com – Site of Amit Varma – Winner of bastiat prize for Journalism in 2007
3) Goldenrod
posted by Kam on 1-17-2009 at 12:59 am
burnt umber
posted by elizabeth on 1-17-2009 at 1:38 am
Though there are many more that 64 guesses, I’ll say Mango Tango, since no one seems to have guessed that yet.
posted by Jenny on 1-17-2009 at 1:56 am
olive green
I know this color has been said already, but this is my first and only guess, not my 50th. I don’t know if that color is right or wrong in your book, but I do know that it would be wrong to give it to haselwoman. I’m sorry, but you ruined it for everyone, haselwoman. Way to go. Thanks a lot
posted by Scott on 1-17-2009 at 2:31 am
1) My first day on this job was my first day at Air Force basic training. It the longest day of my life including a communal shower, all of my belongings being poured out of my suitcase and a kind of blocked memory of the rest of the day.
2) I am a huge fan of Jfrater from Listverse. I think he’s from New Zealand and writes great articles.
3)I’m going with Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown, just because it’s fun to say.
posted by Tricia on 1-17-2009 at 6:57 am
I won’t guess on the crayon because this isn’t my story. My friend graduated the New York Fire Department Training Academy, and was assigned to a fire house for his first day of work, Sept 11, 2001. He made it through unharmed. I will never complain about a day at work after that.
posted by Dep103 on 1-17-2009 at 8:26 am
Raw Sienna?
The first day on the job: So I moved to Italy a year ago fron the United States and after taking Italian lessons from a private school for four months they offered me a position teaching English. They noticed I was a strange person who likes to wear bright colors, they mentioned Children. I said Kids? Awesome! I LOVE kids… I’m 22, I’ve never seriously taught before, and I was still in the Wow! Lets play a Game! phase. So my first day was a Tuesday. It was a gorgeous, yet muddy, mid-september morning. My first class was a group of 4 year old children who had no idea who I was and missed their mothers terribly. In Italy mothers are INSANELY overbearing and protective, so their children are attached to the preverbial nipple until age 35. I married an Italian. I know for a fact… We were learning how to play duck-duck-goose when a little girl burst into tears. I didn’t know why, I knew they weren’t used to being in school so I figured I would stop the game and try something new. I tried to play Red Light Green Light. Everyone was having fun now except her. She stood in one place with eyes overflowing with tears and wailing for her mother. I came up to her and I asked her to calm down and take a few deep breaths. I had to demonstrate for her because I’m not allowed to speak Italian to them AT ALL. She began to breathe deeply and after a few breaths she inhaled and exhaled a load of vomit like I’d never seen in my life all over my feet and all over herself. They had just had a snack so there was clearly blood orange, banana, milk, and a mysterious piece of something green that didn’t look organic… I didn’t panic, I calmly walked the little girl to the restroom and went and got her teacher (trailing footprints of puke the whole way) and went outside to find a hose. All I have to say is thank whatever God might be listening that I’m from Oregon and if its been raining and theres mud I NEVER leave the house without my rubber boots. From that point on, I’ve rescheduled my 4 year old classes to be BEFORE their snack time.
posted by Kate on 1-17-2009 at 8:35 am
A fact I forgot to mention: My Italian was Terrible. Terrible to the point that I couldn’t communicate with anyone at the school decently enough to have a small conversation. One-word needs, thats it. I took the little girl to the bathroom, pointed to the bathroom, pointed at my boots speckled with fruit bits and milk, and went outside.
posted by Kate on 1-17-2009 at 9:03 am
Woah, I just realized I guessed marigold and I totally meant dandelion. I think. Lists I’m looking at don’t even mention marigold, so it had to have been dandelion. How could I forget the name of my favorite Crayola? Can’t keep my orange-y yellow flowers straight I guess. Suppose that ruins my chances. Oh well.
posted by Eileen on 1-17-2009 at 10:00 am
mango-tango
posted by PATRICK on 1-17-2009 at 10:02 am
Haselwoman should be banned for being a twit.
posted by Jerry on 1-17-2009 at 10:03 am
I work in a bank as a teller and my first day behind the line (out of training) I was short $600! Somehow I had given out $600 without knowing it and received a write up and a watchful eye from my coworkers on my first day on the job.
My Crayola crayon guess would be “Flesh,” just because no one else has guessed it yet and it sounds kind of creepy.
posted by Josh on 1-17-2009 at 10:05 am
I agree with Scott. I don’t deserve the t-shirt. It kinda became a thing coming up with how many I could name without going and finding a box of crayons to see what they really are called. I must of colored a lot because I think I got most of the box covered, may have to look them up to see.
This would be a good quiz. How many crayon colors can you name in X minutes, or “Is it a real crayon color?
Kudos to Scott for remebering olive green. That was way in the back of my brain before I came up with it.
posted by haselwoman on 1-17-2009 at 10:13 am
Burnt Sienna!
posted by Karen on 1-17-2009 at 10:43 am
I haven’t seen anyone go with Shamrock yet, so there’s my guess.
Also, Red-Orange is red-tinted orange and Orange-Red is orange-tinted red. All those hyphenated colors are that way.
posted by Amauriel on 1-17-2009 at 12:30 pm
1. I was hired as a manager while most of my co-workers were non-managers (which only meant i was paid salary while they were hourly. Our job requirements were identical) and my boss called me into his office on my third day there saying that I shouldn’t be friendly with them. He kept saying “don’t make me regret hiring you”. He was (and is) a huge jerk. Worst job ever!
3. Screamin’ Green
posted by Mor on 1-17-2009 at 1:04 pm
Wisteria,
Lady Macbeth, men’s large.
posted by Sara on 1-17-2009 at 1:08 pm
After reporting for my first day at a software development company, the owner’s daughter had me do all of the HR paperwork then took me around and introduced me to everyone in the comany. Everyone. At about 10:00 AM I go into the Men’s room only to find my fly is down!
That job lasted about 2 weeks!
recaptcha = Conquest election
posted by Stan A on 1-17-2009 at 1:12 pm
1. My very first job ever was a summer job as a waitress in a diner. I broke a bowl my first day. Later in the summer, I dropped a steak sandwich on a customer’s lap. I am way to clumsy for that kinda job.
3. Aquamarine
posted by catherine ann on 1-17-2009 at 1:50 pm
Manatee! (it’s one of those stupid new colors that Crayola created)
posted by Ann Elizabeth on 1-17-2009 at 5:51 pm
3. Peach
I haven’t any decent “first day” stories for you, sorry!
posted by Diamond on 1-17-2009 at 7:02 pm
Bear hug. Because it was the only one that wasn’t taken already…
posted by ash on 1-17-2009 at 7:19 pm
Crayon: Blizzard Blue
posted by Leigh on 1-17-2009 at 7:20 pm
Crayon: Spring Green
Job: This isn’t nearly as bad as most of the other stories but I’ll share it anyway. It actually happened the other day. I was starting the first day of an internship, and all of the interns had preliminary interviews scheduled within ten minutes of each other. Being new to the city, I of course decided to take a route I hadn’t taken before. I got lost, turned around, and got all gross and sweaty on the underground (apparently, I’m the only one who sweats on the underground). Anyway, I was about twenty minutes late to my own ten minute interview, and was all gross-looking when I got there. Subsequently, everyone after me was delayed because of my lateness.
As for websites, I don’t really know any, but I’m studying in London right now (I’m an American student from Chicago), and I’ve started a blog for the duration of the time that I’m here. You guys are welcome to look in on it, if you’d like.
notallwhowanderarelost-wanderer.blogspot.com/
posted by Lena on 1-17-2009 at 7:51 pm
Beaver
posted by Rachel on 1-17-2009 at 10:44 pm
Crayon: Beaver
posted by Rachel on 1-17-2009 at 10:46 pm
Crayon…hmmmm.Cadet blue.
posted by Ferret on 1-18-2009 at 12:29 am
Macaroni and Cheese!
posted by Erin on 1-18-2009 at 12:19 pm
Has anyone said the color “Awesome” yet? Needless to say, it’s an awesome color!
posted by Mike on 1-18-2009 at 1:16 pm
Worst first day:
Office manager told me my first task was to get quotes from cleaning companies, because they were looking to hire a new cleaning person. she gave me no other information, so when the cleaning companies asked questions such as “how often should we clean?” “do you recycle?” “What kind of chemicals can we use on your wood floors?” “What is your budget?” “what’s your fax number?” I just sat there and said “um, i don’t know, let me ask”.
in retrospect, it doesn’t sound that bad, but it did make me look like even more of an idiot in front of my boss.
crayon is turqoise!
posted by redhead on 1-18-2009 at 4:22 pm
I guess the crayon you are holding is Granny Smith Apple.
posted by elaina on 1-18-2009 at 7:44 pm
My first day story actually began before my first day. I was beginning residency, and the program secretary (who has since found a happier home elsewhere) for some reason did not mail out information on our own departmental orientation program, which was to begin a week before the official residency orientation. Even though I spoke to her on the phone four or five times prior to the start date, she never told me about the pre-orientation orientation. So, on the day that I first showed up, I was confused that all of my classmates seemed to know each other; I was even more confused when they repeatedly asked me how my car was. I later learned that, in a desperate attempt to cover her butt, the secretary had told my program director and my classmates that I had car trouble and had been stuck somewhere in Michigan. It took six months for my boss to realize that I hadn’t been stuck in Michigan…
Cerise?
posted by lizzie on 1-18-2009 at 9:41 pm
Carnation Pink.
posted by ditzen on 1-19-2009 at 1:18 am
I had a horrible first day on the job at Target. I was on the 4am shift and the HR rep told me to report at 4am the morning after I got the job. I got to the dark parking lot and went to the side door where I was supposed to be let in. No one there, no one responds to the bell. Am I late? Is everyone already inside? Great, I’m late for my first day. I walked around the entire building, trying every door (don’t forget it’s 4am and I am a tiny girl). I finally get back to the first door and see a young kid on the janitorial crew. He speaks no English, but I manage to use motions to convince him to open the door for me. As soon as he does, blaring alarms go off throughout the entire store. Insanely loud. The crew of janitors just keeps on working and there is no one who can speak to me. I walk back to the stock room to try to find someone. Empty. As I make my way to the front I see a cop standing at the door. Great. I try to explain what happened without crying and luckily he believes me. He waits until the two store managers who were called out of bed at 4am show up, in sweat pants and scowls. Turns out the HR rep didn’t inform the shift manager that a new person was coming and he had changed the shift to start at 5am that day. I sat and waited as all the workers filed in and stared at me and then I had to listen to the kid from the janitorial crew get yelled at for opening the door for me.
Believe it or not, I had a horrible 2nd day at my next job as well so I’ve been on pins and needles for first days ever since.
posted by KT on 1-19-2009 at 11:18 am
Crayon color: Green
posted by KT on 1-19-2009 at 11:20 am
Today was my first day of work at my new job.
Turns out, tomorrow is the day that everyone finds out if they’ve lost their jobs in the massive company-wide layoffs.
No one bothered to even introduce themselves. Most won’t be there after tomorrow. :-(
posted by Kaytee on 1-19-2009 at 5:58 pm
1. I haven’t had many bad first days (lots of bad last days,though!) The most awkward was here in New Zealand – my “buddy” was walking me around the floor, introducing me to my coworkers. We got to one office, and a couple of the women there teased me about ‘orientation’ later that day. I made the standard US joke about ‘not drinking the Kool Ade’, but they didn’t get it.
So then, I tried to explain about the cult, and how they all drank Kool Ade and died…they just stared at me a bit, and then asked what Kool Ade was. They thought it was some sort of antifreeze! The whole thing was just a mess, so I moved on to the next office!
2. There are a few Kiwi blogs that are quite good. Will write another post when I get home to list some of them.
3. Ehh…are there any colors left? How about brown?
posted by Dawn on 1-19-2009 at 10:42 pm
Worst first day? More like my worst first 12 seconds.
Spraining my ankle on my first step off of the bus on Parris Island, SC for the first day of Basic. Doesn’t get much worse than that. At least not until I dialed the wrong number when calling my folks to tell them this recruit had arrived at Parris Island.
posted by Scott-O on 1-20-2009 at 12:22 pm
As mentioned in my earlier post, here are some Kiwi (NZ) blogs, including my own:
amerinz.blogspot.com
tikieast.co.nz
bloggingcafechick.blogspot.com
dawnanddarren.blogspot.com
posted by Dawn on 1-20-2009 at 2:38 pm
The color of the crayon is “SILVER”!
Thanks so much and will love my new shirt!!!
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com
posted by Darby Lohrding on 1-20-2009 at 9:33 pm