Part-time job without fluorescent lights?? Help with ideas!

Page 1 of 1 [ 14 posts ] 

Chama
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 165

07 Feb 2011, 1:23 am

I'm ready to start looking for a job again! I loved my last job and they'd take me back, but it's too far away now, and I can't work in a retail environment anymore, I realise it's what was making me sick!

Can anyone help me come up with ideas of part-time jobs that don't involve being under fluorescent lighting?
I really want to compile a little list so I have a lot of options to think over and plot about. I've been thinking for awhile, but I can't come up with much.

I'm not looking for anything extremely fulfilling, and I don't want to start my own business...

I've come up with a few things, but most of them I don't know where I would start to begin doing them. I feel so lost!! I used to go around with applications for any store I could find that didn't make me want to kill myself, but fluorescent lights are an absolute no now. I can be under them for a little while if I'm shopping, but there are some stores I can't even shop in because the lights are too close. I get nauseous, and my skin feels strange and more sensitive, I start to feel dazed, heavy and tired, sounds sound far away, I yawn and yawn, my eyes get dry and bloodshot, and through all this I get more and more irritable feeling -- I'm guessing fluorescents just make every sensory problem I have amplified and it gets worse the longer I'm under them. I've even had panic attacks! That's how I quit my first job, hahaha. I was emptying an indoor fish pond and it started, and by the middle of it I was telling my manager that I thought my coffee that morning was poisoned because I was dying and I kept telling her it poisoned me (from where I was curled up in the break room lmao)

I've thought really hard, but all I can remember that I came up with is an outdoor plant nursery.
I don't know. I've never worked with plants, but I could learn. So, I'd really appreciate any help! I'm desperate!!



purchase
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Feb 2010
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,385

07 Feb 2011, 7:13 am

Hi Chama!

Just some ideas (I have the same problem):

local farmer's market
health food store (the type with dim lighting and usually wood paneling)
independent bookstore/toyshop (may have fluorescent lighting, but the "indier", the less likely)
jobs outdoors with animals (horse exerciser <- (where there are horses, there seem to be people looking for horse exercisers), barn helper, dogwalker)
babysitter/private tutor in people's homes (assuming they don't have fluorescent lights)
this only works for warm weather obviously, but outdoor beach/pool lifeguard/swimming instructor (and you'd need certification)
This might be overwhelming in another way, but zoo/botanical garden/other outdoor destination park



PatrickNeville
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Sep 2010
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,136
Location: Scotland

07 Feb 2011, 5:50 pm

LED lighting should be used everywhere in my opinion.

I do not noticeably feel ill being under fluorescent lighting but feel it must be having an affect on all of us, no matter how marginal.


_________________
<Insert meaningful signature here> ;)


RomanceAnonimo
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 21 Sep 2010
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 80
Location: Lancaster, CA, USA

07 Feb 2011, 6:18 pm

PatrickNeville wrote:
LED lighting should be used everywhere in my opinion.

I do not noticeably feel ill being under fluorescent lighting but feel it must be having an affect on all of us, no matter how marginal.


Fluorescent lights have always been so bothersome to me that when I experienced a period of mania at the age of eighteen in 2002 one of my major focuses was the fact that I believed fluorescent lights caused cancer (the manic part being that I had cancer as a result, which luckily I did not).

Studies since have linked high exposure to FL to increased rates of various types of cancer. It makes sense when you break down the physics of the light production and the utilization of light by organisms, including humans, and the likely results of going artificial vs natrual. Its analguous to artificial chemicals in foods etc.

At my current job, at my old office, I was able to keep the lights off all day because I was the only one in that particular building. Now that I am at a new location in a shared office, the lights bother me a lot but I can 'live with it'. To only turn them off though....



PatrickNeville
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Sep 2010
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,136
Location: Scotland

07 Feb 2011, 6:56 pm

RomanceAnonimo wrote:
PatrickNeville wrote:
LED lighting should be used everywhere in my opinion.

I do not noticeably feel ill being under fluorescent lighting but feel it must be having an affect on all of us, no matter how marginal.


Fluorescent lights have always been so bothersome to me that when I experienced a period of mania at the age of eighteen in 2002 one of my major focuses was the fact that I believed fluorescent lights caused cancer (the manic part being that I had cancer as a result, which luckily I did not).

Studies since have linked high exposure to FL to increased rates of various types of cancer. It makes sense when you break down the physics of the light production and the utilization of light by organisms, including humans, and the likely results of going artificial vs natrual. Its analguous to artificial chemicals in foods etc.

At my current job, at my old office, I was able to keep the lights off all day because I was the only one in that particular building. Now that I am at a new location in a shared office, the lights bother me a lot but I can 'live with it'. To only turn them off though....


It is possible you could get it officially diagnosed, as hard as that is, then maybe get organisations such as your work to take precautions.

Got to wonder though - with all the radiation from these lights and the EM radiation from all our electrical devices everywhere, are the generations being born today going to be passing down ever more slightly damaged genes from generation to generation?

That worries me. Even if it is almost negligible in adults, young babies development could be harmed more than we know.


_________________
<Insert meaningful signature here> ;)


RomanceAnonimo
Blue Jay
Blue Jay

User avatar

Joined: 21 Sep 2010
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 80
Location: Lancaster, CA, USA

07 Feb 2011, 8:40 pm

PatrickNeville wrote:
It is possible you could get it officially diagnosed, as hard as that is, then maybe get organisations such as your work to take precautions.

Got to wonder though - with all the radiation from these lights and the EM radiation from all our electrical devices everywhere, are the generations being born today going to be passing down ever more slightly damaged genes from generation to generation?

That worries me. Even if it is almost negligible in adults, young babies development could be harmed more than we know.


I've been officially diagnosed with Asperger's after much trial and tribulation. I work in public education in a district that doesn't even provide sufficient accomodations to students with disabilities, so I can't expect they'd take anything I have to request seriously without going through major hoops.

I much agree with your thoughts about the possible long term effects of our devices. The unfortunate thing is that even in this age of major advancement in understanding (unfortunately restricted to a slight minority of the population), we do not adequately pose sufficient questions for concern of long term safety. There are many interests that spin scientific data, or the lack thereof, to proclaim that all we do is well and healthy. We will not know any significantly impacting long term effects until it is too late. In the mean time we can only hope to come out on the better end of the potential, although I am convinced at the rate development is occuring world wide, some generation in the future will pay the ultimate price for the arrogance of the powers that be. We have no baseline for the total impact we will have on the future, by the time we get one...

But for the OP:

Landcaping would be one thing that would assure you spend virtually all of your time out doors. I previously worked as a landscape/maintenance worker and the most time I spent under artificial lighting was the few minutes it took to clean a restroom at a park. The rest of the day was spent mowing, weeding, watering, digging, etc. The only downside would be if you have bad response to auditory sensitivity. I am auditorily sensitive but (luckily?) have high tolerance to pain and discomfort.



jackbus01
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 Feb 2011
Age: 52
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,197

07 Feb 2011, 10:43 pm

RomanceAnonimo wrote:
PatrickNeville wrote:
LED lighting should be used everywhere in my opinion.

I do not noticeably feel ill being under fluorescent lighting but feel it must be having an affect on all of us, no matter how marginal.


Fluorescent lights have always been so bothersome to me that when I experienced a period of mania at the age of eighteen in 2002 one of my major focuses was the fact that I believed fluorescent lights caused cancer (the manic part being that I had cancer as a result, which luckily I did not).

Weren't you relieved to find out that fluorescent lights DON'T cause cancer and that you didn't have cancer.

Studies since have linked high exposure to FL to increased rates of various types of cancer. It makes sense when you break down the physics of the light production and the utilization of light by organisms, including humans, and the likely results of going artificial vs natrual. Its analguous to artificial chemicals in foods etc.

what studies? and no it doesn't make sense and no it is not analogous to artificial chemicals in foods etc.

At my current job, at my old office, I was able to keep the lights off all day because I was the only one in that particular building. Now that I am at a new location in a shared office, the lights bother me a lot but I can 'live with it'. To only turn them off though....



Chama
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 165

08 Feb 2011, 7:59 pm

Thanks for the good ideas, purchase and Romance Anonimo. C:
My coordination isn't good enough to have a job that involves being in the water, but it's a good idea for anyone who swims well~
Zoos and outdoor parks are a REALLY good idea! Thankfully, I'm not very sound sensitive. Some electronic sounds kill my ears, but it's pretty rare for me to be bothered by sound. If a metal song were to suddenly blare in my ears I might s**t my pants, but I think that's an average reaction. :lol:
Purchase's suggestion of independent bookstores and toyshops is really good too, and made me think that I can just go "shopping" around at various places and scope out the lighting, and write down places that seem okay then contact them later. I'm really determined to get a job. I can't work more than part-time, but I enjoy getting out and being around people sometimes. Even though I'm hypersensitive to many things, I'm a fairly social person and just moved away from all my friends, so it gets lonely! :[

Ooooooh, fluorescent lights. :x I am constantly doubting my sensitivity to them, then I go into a store with my mom and its proven again. There are a few stores where I don't feel very bad. Of course, the longer I'm under the lights the worse I feel, but the Wal-Mart where I live is very big, updated and spacious. The ceilings are VERY tall, and I noticed hat being there for about an hour, I just felt a little dazed, and sometimes things looked like a camera flash had gone off in my eyes previously. It's relieving compared to lots of other stores. Last time I was there, I finally noticed that not only does this Wal-Mart have extremely high ceilings, but it has sky-lights throughout the entire store! I've only been there during the day, so I bet that helps a LOT. So even though Wal-Mart can be stressful because of... well... because of the people that shop there... I don't mind so much, because I don't feel like I want to pass out and vomit while angrily setting everyone on fire. In most places with fluorescent lights, on top of all the physical symptoms I get so irritable that I could just STAB someone and I'm not a violent person. 8O I can hear the damned lights, too, even the newer model ones! The new ones are less of a sound I hear in my ear, I guess, more like a tiny, repetitive vibration I feel in my middle ear. There are many times I've been out shopping with someone and we've had to put down anything we had and leave the store. I try my best to get through it, and I'm not as sensitive as some people I've heard of, but it gets really bad. Nausea, dizziness, sense of unreality like I'm floating away, everything looks too bright and sharp and like it's projected from a TV screen, my skin hurts and becomes more sensitive than it already is, and the irritability... that is the WORST part... I'll go from having a good time to ruining everyone's good time... I become silent and ignore anyone who talks to me... I have to steady myself on shelves or a cart because I feel like my feet aren't on the ground anymore. I feel better almost immediately upon leaving. After about half an hour I feel back to normal, but right from leaving the light source I can tell the difference. I hate it so much, it really isn't fair... but if I can find a good job outside, it's for the best, I'm sure.



BTDT
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Age: 61
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,420

09 Feb 2011, 11:32 am

Another problem with big box stores are the extremely hard floors.



BTDT
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Age: 61
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,420

10 Feb 2011, 1:12 pm

http://rosesforautism.com/

Roses for Autism trains folks with autism to work on farms in Connecticut.



MurdersRow
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 20 Jul 2016
Age: 57
Gender: Male
Posts: 39

08 Dec 2016, 9:57 am

Chama wrote:
I'm ready to start looking for a job again! I loved my last job and they'd take me back, but it's too far away now, and I can't work in a retail environment anymore, I realise it's what was making me sick!

Can anyone help me come up with ideas of part-time jobs that don't involve being under fluorescent lighting?
I really want to compile a little list so I have a lot of options to think over and plot about. I've been thinking for awhile, but I can't come up with much.

I'm not looking for anything extremely fulfilling, and I don't want to start my own business...

I've come up with a few things, but most of them I don't know where I would start to begin doing them. I feel so lost!! I used to go around with applications for any store I could find that didn't make me want to kill myself, but fluorescent lights are an absolute no now. I can be under them for a little while if I'm shopping, but there are some stores I can't even shop in because the lights are too close. I get nauseous, and my skin feels strange and more sensitive, I start to feel dazed, heavy and tired, sounds sound far away, I yawn and yawn, my eyes get dry and bloodshot, and through all this I get more and more irritable feeling -- I'm guessing fluorescents just make every sensory problem I have amplified and it gets worse the longer I'm under them. I've even had panic attacks! That's how I quit my first job, hahaha. I was emptying an indoor fish pond and it started, and by the middle of it I was telling my manager that I thought my coffee that morning was poisoned because I was dying and I kept telling her it poisoned me (from where I was curled up in the break room lmao)

I've thought really hard, but all I can remember that I came up with is an outdoor plant nursery.
I don't know. I've never worked with plants, but I could learn. So, I'd really appreciate any help! I'm desperate!!



I knew there had to be someone else that those blasted lights bothered.



BTDT
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Jul 2010
Age: 61
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,420

08 Dec 2016, 10:00 am

https://www.theraspecs.com/
They make special glasses to filter harmful light.



Quiet Water
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 31 Jul 2016
Age: 53
Gender: Female
Posts: 123
Location: Northern New England, USA

08 Dec 2016, 7:11 pm

Any outdoor work, really. Construction might be a good fit; if you haven't strength enough to be a laborer, see if there's an apprenticeship program in which you can learn a skilled trade (though that's more likely when/if you're able to commit to full time), or try for a flagger position on a road work crew - they don't make quite as much as most on the work site but you'd be outdoors. Working in parks is another possibility, though some park positions require occasional indoor work to fill out paperwork.



SCW73
Butterfly
Butterfly

Joined: 1 Dec 2016
Age: 51
Gender: Female
Posts: 10

09 Dec 2016, 8:42 pm

I got a part time job as a direct care aide for local ISLs. In my state they are supported living homes with up to 3 people living there. My position is with a branch under the state department of mental health. It's not the job for everyone, but for me it's a nice fit. I feel comfortable with the clients. Folks with all different diagnoses but all on the more "severe" end. Being part time helps avoid getting overwhelmed or burnt out. I have more control over my schedule and can turn down extra work if I need downtime. (Although I have trouble telling them no and am working a double today :? ) It's in actual homes so generally no fluorescent lights.