Karen, you are very kind. That experience wasn't the easiest for a shy teen. Now I can smile as I look back and especially as I bite into a crisp apple.
Thanks for your first visit to my site and for your very warm comment.
Jackie, I hear what you are saying. 
When I came to the U.S., I grew up in a rural area of Western New York so lost the lovely musical rhythm of my Australian accent. I came to find as you that the rural accents are strong and not as pleasant as those in more cosmopolitan areas. I had to work hard to lose the flat A that is very prevalent in this area. It sounds very harsh.
Mark, the great things about being out in the orchard is the sun on your shoulders, the aroma of the apples that rises from the bushels and the bright colors of apples. Plus the fresh taste of juicy fresh fruit. I didn't get a chance to speed up there, but I really remembered that lesson as I moved on to wrap packages for the next four years in a sweat shirt factory to earn my way though college. That really brought many lessons as well. I decided to focus on just the one. 
Thanks for the fresh idea since I'm sure that the entries are just a delight! You could compile into a fun book!
You'll be amazed at what Lisa says about zuccini.
http://www.threesixtyalliance.co...ng-
zuccini.html
I was quite frankly amazed at what Drew McLellan learned about sweeping up hair in a beauty salon.
http://www.drewsmarketingminute....-i-
learned.html
Enjoy!
GL, thanks for your encouraging words about the way I get conversation going. I still have much to learn in this area and keep growing myself. I'd like to recommend a post at Joanna Young's Confident Writing site that provides some excellent tips in this area. http://www.confidentwriting.com/...ecret-20-
w.html
Robyn, I have a new appreciation for apples and a new way of thinking about speed and judgment. Thank you for the powerful teaching. The next time I bite into an apple, I shall be thinking of you and smiling.
Karen
Robyn
I grew up in a coal mining area of Scotland on the outskirts of the city of Edinburgh. The difference in the accent from the city centre to the outskirts was quite marked! I would love to say that I have a lilting Scottish accent now but it is really Scottish with a cosmopolitan twist.
J
Robyn, this post reminded me of the time I helped a German family pick apples one day. We collected an entire flatbed trailer of apples and pears (same difference for apple juice apparently)--from an orchard that was growing in the moat of an old castle. It was a good day.
(Also, I eat at least one mistake everyday too.)
Fessing up time: I really want to read what Lisa Gates has to say about zuccini.
I have been working hard at writing to get more interaction and conversations going over at what would dad say. You are the master, Robyn, at getting these conversations going...truly.
best, GL
Hi Jackie, I enjoyed your story of delivering letters to people in tenements when you first worked in a bank. These early odd job experiences put us on a tremendous learning curve didn't they?
I'm glad for that early learning experience though it was tough at first, because I had a different view of how things needed to be done from that point on.
I appreciate your story about your strong accent. Did you grow up in the lovely Scottish countryside?
Great story Robyn and great learning point! I think there is something there about judgement and our ability - over time - to fine tune that ( which you explain beautifully with regard to what our brain does). In one of my early jobs I recall a colleague telling me that my accent was so strong that I should probably think about refining it so that people in other parts of the country would understand me. I was self conscious and a bit embarrassed about it at the time but after a while I realised that a wee bit of adjustment would make a significant difference!
Bob, you have a great way to see the light side! Now eating my mistakes... never considered it, but if I look at it in that light I eat one shiny red mistake daily!
Truth be known... I eat lots of fruit and veggies daily to stay in good physical and mental shape.
And here's a great way to serve apples... cut them in small slices and top with a smidgeon of cheddar cheese. What a treat!
Robert, it was great to have Chris Brown and Lisa Gates see this blog and each write one, too.
Robyn, it's a good thing they didn't make you eat your mistakes! But is it really true about the "apple a day..."?
Good story with great lessons, Robyn! Thanks for chipping in this month!
Cheers!
Brad, you're absolutely right. The hard lesson of actually losing my job, helped me to see that one can't hesitate - that "very good" works fine and the fast pace really counts! The school of hard knocks is one of our best teachers!
Lisa, I found the prospect of writing on what I learned from "Odd Jobs" something I wouldn't have considered. Everybody has something different to contribute. For instance, Chris Brown, stopped by my site and thought about her job of pumping gas [see Trackback underneath the post] and it brought a chuckle as I pictured her. Can't wait to see what's up your sleeve with the zuccini!
Charlotte, your experience goes to show that if fun's connected with your work, the rest can fall into place for you. I appreciate this perspective!
Thanks for your visit and for sharing.
Robyn, you learned an excellent lesson sorting apples. It would be a nightmare job for a compulsive perfectionist, that's for sure.
Robyn, this is such fun! Who doesn't have a story like this? I will jump on this fine idea just so I can talk about zuccini...
Reminds me of picking strawberries to earn money in the summer. I was always miserable at it, but it was fun to ride the berry bus with all my friends, at least!
I enjoy your blog.
GL, I absolutely love apples and especially many of the new varieties. I have never been part of fruit of the month companies, but if our fruit were sold fresh in markets with seasons opposite to our own, such as in South America and Australia and New Zealand, Fruit of the Month fruit of the month in their stores would really work well.
Times have changed immensely since those days. Eventually migrants took over the work of locals and now the harvest is changing even more as more dwarf trees replace full size in orchards and new machinery has been developed for the harvest.
Robyn...my question is---do you still like apples? Actually, what do you think of the fruit of the month companies? rip off or good product/idea?
Seems pricey for tissue paper wrapping?
best, GL
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