College Crunch

Christopher Nolan has always been fascinated by perception and memory, ideas that have defined his films since Following and Memento. With Inception, he's made a fantastic action film rooted in the human subconscious, and though the technology and premise of the film are stuff of fancy, the story has plenty to teach viewers about the ways our brains really work. Some of the revelations may be old news to those who studied psychology in college, but there's always more to learn about the fascinating and often unexplored world of dreams. Read on to discover what Inception can teach you about your brain. (Heads up: Plenty of plot spoilers to follow.)

1. Dreaming occurs only in very deep sleep: There are five stages of sleep, each one progressively deeper and stronger. Dreaming happens in the fifth and final stage, known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which kicks in about an hour and a half after you go to sleep. One of the reasons Cobb and the rest of his team use such powerful drugs is that, in order to move through the dream world, they have to go very deep, very quickly, in order to send their brains into REM sleep.
2. You're pretty much paralyzed while dreaming: One of the key concepts of Inception deals with how people using artificial sleep methods to enter the dream world are essentially left paralyzed while doing so. This is why one member of the team is left behind to watch the others and regulate their activity. The thing is, it's true. During REM sleep, an amino acid called glycine is released by the brain stem and onto what are called motoneurons, which work to conduct impulses from the spinal cord out to the body. Glycine inhibits their ability, which effectively paralyzes your body during dreaming, likely as an evolutionary way to make sure you don't physically respond to the images in your head.
3. Dreams are important for your brain: The inhabitants of the world of Inception are often addicted to dreaming, with some of them returning again and again to artificial sleep just to keep dreaming for hours at a time. It's an interesting interpretation of a very real phenomenon: your brain, some researchers say, needs dreams to function properly. A Harvard psychiatrist published a paper in fall 2009 posits that dreams help the brain get warmed up for the day ahead, with REM sleep and its attendant images the mental equivalent of stretching before exercise. It's a novel but powerful idea that goes a long toward explaining the benefits and purposes of dreams.
4. Dreams can be controlled: The entire plot of Inception hangs on this one idea. It's what lets Cobb and his gang do their jobs, allowing them to manipulate and manage dream environments for total strangers. Although the phrase isn't mentioned in the film, what they're doing is a version of lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming is what it sounds like: dreaming with clarity and understanding, in which you are able to react to and control your dream without waking up. It's an acquired skill that not many have, though researchers have done their best to understand and implement the process. German psychologist Paul Tholey developed what he called the "reflection technique," which required users to constantly suspect real life to be a dream, hoping that the habit would carry over to the dream state and allow for recognition and control of dreams.
5. You can construct your dreams: It's one thing to control your dreams lucidly; it's another to actually create them. Inception revolves around the idea of artificially constructed dream space built by a dream architect responsible for designing safe but believable worlds into which the dreamers can insert themselves. How close is that to reality? Closer than you probably think. Many therapists and researchers use a technique called "dream incubation" as a way to help patients deal with terrifying and traumatic nightmares, and the incubation process works on the brain similar to the rules of Inception. As patients drift off to sleep, they tell themselves to prepare for possible nightmares by having escape routes; someone who dreams of fire might tell themselves that, should the dream occur, they'll find a fire hose and exit to safety. The process can also work for basic problem-solving, as patients write about a problem before bed and think about it as they go to sleep, often visualizing it in their dreams.
6. "Kicks" are real: The dreamers in Inception are pulled back into consciousness via "kicks," sudden drops (often from a chair) that startle their body into waking. The kicks are based on hypnic jerks, the twitches that often accompany a sense of falling that occur when someone is drifting off to sleep. Hypnic jerks often wake people up even as they're falling asleep, thanks to the physical twitch, and it's this very real brain phenomenon that Inception deftly uses on all its dream levels, requiring everyone to synchronize their kicks and ride a wave of them back up to the real world.
7. Your brain assembles information while you sleep: The bulk of Inception deals with a plot to plant an idea in Fischer's subconscious so that, upon waking, he'll have the urge to do something he previously didn't want to do. The plot sounds at best like something out of science-fiction, using dreams to plant ideas that come to fruition upon waking. But there's a nugget of truth in there about how our brains really work while we dream. Neurologists have recently found that sleep might actually be an invaluable part of the problem-solving process, allowing ideas to marinate and letting people see problems in a new light upon waking. A possible incubation period for ideas that happens while dreaming might be able to increase people's ability to make inferences and connections in their lives by one-third. So if there's a problem you can't seem to solve, sleep on it. You just might figure it out.
8. Bad memories can haunt our dreams: Throughout Inception, Cobb is haunted by the memories of his wife, Mal, who killed herself after going crazy while stranded in limbo. Every time he travels down into the subconscious world of dreams, even in someone else's brain, he's attacked by a manifestation of his anger and guilt that's transformed into a murderous version of Mal. He keeps her memory locked up in his subconscious, never healing, and he suffers the consequences when she/it gets out. That kind of thing can happen to you and me, according to researchers. In fact, most of our dreams are negative in some way, functioning as escape hatches for our darkest fears, worries, and memories. New traumas can trigger the release of old, suppressed horrors that make themselves known again in our dreams, as was the case with the man who was abused as a child and found himself reliving the horror in his adult dreams after being burglarized. There are many ways to deal with past problems, whether it's therapy, dream incubation, or something else, but the lesson from the movie is the one to carry into real life: you have to deal with the bad stuff, or it will tear you apart.

Whether you're a casual drinker just out of college or a serious connoisseur, you probably don't think about the incredible history that's behind the brew you're enjoying. But the fact is that there are many interesting tidbits from the history of beer, from stories of the brewers themselves to inventions and laws created just for beer. Here, we'll take a look at 25 of the most fascinating historical facts about beer.

1. Many brewers were women: Clay tablets from Mesopotamia indicate that the majority of brewing during that time was done by women, and that it was a fairly well-respected occupation.
2. Beer is on the oldest document known to man: An ancient clay tablet discussing the preparation of beer is the oldest document known to man.
3. The first consumer protection law was written for beer: In 1516, Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria enacted a purity law limiting beer ingredients to barley, hops, and water. Yeast was not mentioned.
4. The straw was invented for beer drinking: In 2,400 BC, Sumerians invented the straw so that they could drink beer without ingesting the solids left over from brewing.
5. Double-walled railcars made Budweiser the first national brand of beer in America: Adolphus Busch pioneered the use of double-walled railcars to transport beer, so Budweiser could be distributed widely.
6. Beer turned wanderers into farmers: In 5000 BC, Neolithic people left the nomadic life to farm and grow grain for beer brewing.
7. Only 160 breweries in America survived prohibition: In 1880, there were more than 2,300 breweries in the US, but by 1934, only 160 remained. Today, there are about 1,640.
8. Beer was part of FDR's Presidential campaign: Franklin Delano Roosevelt promised to end Prohibition in his Presidential campaign. He was elected President in 1932.
9. Beer was a part of the oldest laws: The oldest code of laws is the Code of Hammurabi, which regulated drinking houses, including the death penalty for watering down beer.
10. Spit has its place in beer: The Incas made beer using chewed corn. Modern brewer Dogfish Head makes their Chicha beer in a similar way, chewing the corn used in the brew.
11. Monks built with beer: In the middle ages, some monks used mortar mixed with ale to build their churches and monasteries.
12. Brewing has a patron saint: St. Arnold brewed beer and encouraged the locals to drink it for its health benefits, particularly the fact that the bacteria was boiled out of it.
13. Monasteries popularized brewing as a trade: Monks built breweries so they could provide drink to travelers and pilgrims, and they were among the first groups to brew beer as a trade. Monks also used beer for sustenance during times of fasting.
14. Beer can be dangerous to more than your liver: In 1814, a vat at a London brewery exploded, sending more than 100,000 gallons of beer into the streets. The liquid destroyed two houses, one pub, and killed 9 people, including one person who died from alcohol poisoning after drinking beer out of the gutters.
15. IPAs were made to sustain long journeys: As the British developed colonies in India, they discovered that the beer brought along could not make the trip. What resulted was more hops and a higher alcohol content, today called an India Pale Ale, which helped keep beer fresh on the long trip.
16. Babylonians drowned bad brewers: The ancient Babylonians were so serious about the quality of their beer that they decreed commercial beermakers selling unfit beer should be drowned in their own brew.
17. George Washington gave his soldiers beer: As one of his first acts while Commander of the Continental Army, George Washington proclaimed a quart of beer in the daily rations for his troops.
18. Louis Pasteur experimented with beer before milk: As he worked to perfect the pasteurization process, Louis Pasteur killed bacteria in beer before milk.
19. The oldest brewery in America started in 1829: The oldest remaining brewery in the US is DG Yuengling & Son, which survived prohibition by creating de-alcoholized beer and dairy products.
20. Rule of thumb came from beer: Before thermometers, brewers would dip a thumb into the mix before adding yeast, and this is where we get the "rule of thumb" phrase.
21. The Mayflower stopped at Plymouth Rock for beer: A diary from a Mayflower passenger indicates that instead of continuing on to Virginia, the pilgrims decided to stop in Plymouth Rock because they were out of beer.
22. Diamonds can be tested in beer: Sierra Leone jewelers immerse diamonds in beer to study the way they reflect light and prove their authenticity.
23. The term "wet your whistle" came from beer pubs: Regulars in English pubs had whistles baked into their mugs and cups so they could whistle for a refill.
24. Beer made the pyramids: Egyptian pyramid slaves, stonecutters, and public officials were paid in beer. This particular beer was called "kash" and is where we get the word "cash" from.
25. Marijuana and hops are cousins: Recreational plants marijuana and beer are actually first cousins, but we don't recommend trying to smoke hops.

These days, just about everyone is watching their finances a little closer than usual. One of the best ways to take better care of your money is to be more frugal, and you can learn how to improve your frugality from those who make it their passion. In this collection, you'll find 100 lessons from frugal people that can help you save some cash.

Saving & Spending

Cut down on your spending with the help of these lessons.

1. 5 Lies We Tell Ourselves to Help Us Continue Spending: Use delayed gratification to rein in spending.
2. Operation Keep the Change: Make a habit of saving your spare change.
3. Frugal Living on $34.01 a Week: It's possible for you to live on $34.01 a week.
4. How to Create Your Own Extended Warranty: Turn down extended warranties from the store and make your own.
5. How Long Do I Have to Act Poor Til I'm Rich?: Think of acting poor as a way to become rich.
6. 8 Tips on Saving Money Without Scrimping: It's possible to save money without having to scrimp.
7. What Do You Splurge On?: Spend your money on smart splurges.
8. Help Your children Visualize Money Management with the Four Jars Approach: Using jars, you can teach kids about managing money.
9. Frugal Lessons from the Amish: Going Goodwilling: Shopping at Goodwill and other thrift stores can help you save money.
10. How Low Can you Go? Cutting Back to Minimum: A great way to save money is to use less of things.
11. Forced Frugality: Don't just be frugal because you absolutely have to.
12. Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs: Cut these games out of your life to save money, time, and sleep.
13. Love, Love, Loving the Library: Save money by learning to love the library.
14. New Year's Resolution-Start Budgeting Today: Don't wait to start your budget right away.
15. Budgeting on No Income: Make a budget, even if you don't have the income for it.
16. My Personal Excel Budget Spreadsheet: Creating a budget spreadsheet can help you stay on track.
17. How to Want Less: Throw away catalogs before you read them so you won't be tempted.
18. Living the Minimalist Lifestyle-Is It Possible?: Live a simpler, cheaper life with a minimalist lifestyle.
19. How to Live Frugally: Lessons I Learned From My Grandparents: You can save cash by living small, as in, living in a small home.
20. 15 Products That Save Time, Money, and Space: Products like CF bulbs, water pitchers, and coupon books can save real money.
21. There's No Quick Fix for a Downsized Income: You should get started on a downsized income before you need it.
22. Frugal Shopping and Seasonal Sales: Stay on top of seasonal sales for frugal deals.
23. Rebranding is Your Frugal Friend: Keep an eye out for brands offering steep discounts on rebranded items.
24. Trade the Stuff You Don't Want…For the Stuff You Do: Instead of selling your stuff, you can swap it out.
25. Ugh Overdraft!: Watch your bank accounts carefully to avoid unnecessary fees.
26. The Merits of Used Clothing Translated into Japanese by a 14 Year Old: Used clothing can help you stretch your budget.
27. Five Lessons I Learned From My Own Frugal Dad: This dad insists that you are not what you wear.
28. Oh, Cut-Offs! How I Love You!: When clothes wear out, find another way to use them.

Bills

Squeeze your bills til they scream for mercy with these frugal tips.

29. Fees Suck-Don't Pay Them: Save your money by avoiding fees.
30. How to Get the Best Deal When Signing Up for Cable or Satellite TV: Negotiate a great deal on TV to save some cash.
31. How I Went 99.9% Paperless at Home: Stay organized and save money by going paperless.
32. Saving Hundreds of Dollars on Cell Phones by Switching to Pre-Paid: Consider whether pre-paid can help you save money on your cell phone.

Major Purchases

Use these frugal lessons when buying a car or other large purchase.

33. Top 10 Tips for Saving Money on a New Car: Do your research before buying a new car.
34. How to Buy a Flat Screen TV: Think about what you really want when buying a flat screen TV.
35. Buying a Car: How Choosing the Right Car Can Save You Money: Choose your car wisely and you'll save money for years.

Travel

You can make travel frugal, and you'll find out how here.

36. How I Bargain on Hotel Rates: This travel writer asks for a tour and a discount, gets ready to leave, and scores on hotel rates.
37. 50 Budget Travel Tips and Save Money on Vacations: Take connecting flights, and you'll usually get a discount on your airfare.
38. How to Save Money on Your Summer Vacation: Share vacation rentals with friends instead of paying full price on your own.
39. 10 Tips for a Memorable Staycation: Create a staycation to save money on traveling.
40. CouchSurfing: The New Way to Travel?: Save money on travel by couch surfing.

Homeownership

Whether you're buying a home or working on it, these lessons of homeownership support a frugal lifestyle.

41. Frugal Home Maintenance and Repair: Look for free advice in big box home improvement stores.
42. Get New Furniture Without Getting New Furniture: Make your furniture new by repurposing items.
43. Tools to Buy, Tools to Borrow: Instead of buying new tools, consider when it's a good time to borrow or rent.
44. Frugal Home Repairs: Do It Yourself or Call a Professional?: Know when it's time to handle problems on your own, or when it's better to call in a professional.
45. Our Complete Home Buying Experience: From Offers to Mortgages: Do the math before jumping in to buying a house.
46. Pay Off Mortgage Early? Or Invest?: Consider whether you should pay off your mortgage early or not.
47. What Percentage of Income Can You Afford for Mortgage Payments?: Know what percentage of your income that you can afford when it comes to mortgage payments.
48. 5 Chores You Can Do Yourself to Save Money: Save cash by doing household chores yourself.

Credit Cards

Use these lessons to make your credit cards more frugal.

49. 5 Most Common Mistakes Leading to Credit Card Debt: If you're trying to get out of credit card debt, you'll have to stop using your cards first.
50. Credit Card Debt Reduction: Only pay what you can afford for debt settlements.
51. Why I Collect Miles: Collect miles on your credit cards for a big payoff.
52. Credit Card Perks: Be smart and take advantage of the perks offered by credit cards.
53. How a Good Credit Score Can Make You Save Money on Credit Cards: Keep a good credit score, and you'll be able to save on credit cards.
54. Suck It, Credit Card Companies!: Cancel your credit cards and say good riddance.

Health & Retirement

Whether you're young or old, you'll find knowledge in these frugal lessons.

55. Wheeling and Dealing for Health Care: Use the power of negotiation to get a great deal on health care.
56. IRA Consolidation: The "Super IRA" Strategy: Building a "Super IRA" may be a smart retirement strategy for you.
57. The Dark Side of Early Retirement: Early retirement is not without its dangers.
58. Flexible Spending Accounts Help You Save: Using a flex spending account the right way can really help save some money.

Negotiation

Mastering the art of negotiation is one of the most frugal things you can do.

59. Get Sprint to Credit You for the Discount They're Taking Away: Threaten to cancel your services, and you'll be surprised what you can negotiate.
60. Always Ask for a Discount: Never be afraid to ask for a discount.
61. How to Ask for a Discount When You're Embarrassed to Ask: Ask about future promotions and sales to open the door to negotiations.
62. 5 Steps for Scoring Great Deals No Matter What You're Buying: Do your research before starting negotiations.
63. Negotiation Tips: Buy in bulk to negotiate for a better discount.
64. Negotiation Tips for Beginners-A Real Life Example of How I Saved $150 With Just a Few Questions: Put your negotiation skills to work and save some cash.
65. Help a Reader: Asking for a Discount: You should never be afraid to ask for a discount when negotiating.

Food

Use these lessons to stretch your food dollar as far as it will go.

66. How to Avoid the Restaurant to Save Money: Enjoy a home cooked meal instead of restaurant food to save some cash.
67. Eating on $1.00 a Day: It may be possible for you to eat on $1.00 a day.
68. Freeze Your Garden Produce Now and You'll Be Thanking Yourself Later: Take advantage of your garden produce and save it for later.
69. Home Preservation and Pressure Canning: Preserve bulk buys or garden harvests with canning and more.
70. Eat Well, Lose Weight, and Save Some Money: Eat fresher foods to improve your weight and save money.
71. The 72 Hour Emergency Food Pantry: Prepare an emergency stash of food that can last 72 hours.
72. Ground Beef: Shock and Awe: Take advantage of sales and stock up whenever you can.
73. How Freezer Cooking Saves Me Money: Cook in batches and save them in your freezer to save time, money, and energy.
74. Free Water Filtration Methods: Filter your water for free instead of paying for it.
75. Homemade Herb Blends: You can make cheap, fresh, and fast herbal blends at home.
76. 25 Ways I Save Money: Avoid vending machines to save money.
77. Five Frugal Lessons from My Parents: Cook more food than you need, so you'll always have leftovers and don't have to worry about eating out when you're hungry.
78. How to Harvest Growing Herbs: Get the most out of your herbs by harvesting them properly.
79. A Beginner's Guide to Beans, Plus 42 Bean Recipes: Stretch your food budget by making the most of beans.
80. Making Breadcrumbs: Instead of throwing out old ends, turn them into breadcrumbs.
81. Buying Generic to Save Costs: You can save a considerable amount of money by purchasing generic items instead of brand name ones.
82. Saving on Dining Out Expenses: Look for discount books to save when you're dining out.
83. Favorite Frugal Dinners: Create a few go-to frugal dinners that you can enjoy regularly.
84. 5 Ways to Preserve Zucchini: Make the most of your overflowing zucchini crop by preserving it.

Gifts

Make gifts frugal and fun with the help of these lessons.

85. A Gift of White Gardenias: A Frugal Lesson: Being friendly can yield gifts and friendship.
86. Creative Ways to Give Cash Gifts: Put cash gifts in a book or box for fun.
87. How to Deal With and Stop Bad Gifts: Deal with bad gifts by turning them in to something you really want.
88. Frugal Gifts for New Parents and New Babies: If you've got lots of friends and family having babies, give gifts that are both frugal and functional.

Going Green

These lessons will save your money as well as the environment.

89. 12 Green and Frugal Lessons From My Mom: Use cloth for everything instead of disposable paper.
90. 9 Tips on Staying Cool Without an Air Conditioner: Chill out by staying calm and drinking cool water regularly.
91. Frugal and Green: Use energy saving appliances that will cut down on your electricity expenses and conserve energy.
92. One Man's Trash: Instead of throwing items away, recycle or sell them.
93. Ways to Keep Cool (Without Cranking Up the AC): Keeping curtains and blinds closed during the heat of the day can keep your home cool.
94. Top 7 Energy Saving Tips for This Summer: Plug your air leaks and change filters to make the most of your heating and cooling.
95. Improve Your Water Heater Efficiency and Save $125 a Year: You can save money by improving your water heater efficiency.
96. More Bang for Your Electricity Buck: Use fans instead of air conditioning to see a difference in your utility bills.
97. 6 Ways to Conserve Water and Save Money This Summer: Use a rain barrel to save money.
98. Stay Cool When Saving Money on the Electric Bill: With a programmable thermostat, you can save money on your electricity bill.

DIY

Make DIY work for frugality using these helpful lessons.

99. Do It Yourself: Why Your Time Is Not Worth As Much As You Think: Your time may not be worth very much-and you can save even more money with DIY projects.
100. DIY Projects to Save Money: Should You Take Them On?: Before you go DIY, find out if you can really handle the project or not.

JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater became a pop culture hero when, after receiving what he'd decided was the last bit of abuse he'd ever take from a passenger, he issued some choice words over the plane's intercom before grabbing some beers and escaping via the inflatable emergency slide. His actions were extreme, yes, but who among us hasn't dreamed of making a grand exit from a crappy job? Slater's meltdown is the same reason people cheered for the young woman who quit her job via a series of incriminating dry-erase board messages, even though that turned out to be a hoax. Everyone, from college students slaving away at internships to long-time pros dealing with awful bosses, dreams of executing that perfect walk-out, whether it's against a manager, a teacher, or just someone you can't stand anymore. However, real-world takedowns sometimes land people in hot water, so while you dream of making a scene, maybe it's a good idea to live vicariously through these classic movie meltdowns. All the fun, none of the paperwork. Take a look:

1. Jerry Maguire: Years before he went bananas in real life and starting vaulting over furniture on daytime talk shows, Tom Cruise made a scene in Jerry Maguire as the titular sports agent forced out on his own. When he's fired, he takes the opportunity to lecture the rest of the office about manners and take the company fish from the tank. A master class in how to have an awkward but memorable meltdown.
2. Half Baked: This is probably the most memorable (or at least quotable) moment in Half Baked, a stoner comedy starring Dave Chappelle and Jim Breuer. Fed up with his job, Scarface (Guillermo Diaz) offers some simple but harsh words for his coworkers before hitting the road. (Dialogue NSFW, as it will be with some of the other clips on the list.)
3. Glengarry Glen Ross: The film version of David Mamet's play is known for many things, including an awe-inspiring monologue by Alec Baldwin, but it's Al Pacino's rant at the end of the film that qualifies as a true meltdown from a salesman to his boss. When Kevin Spacey's character winds up blowing a deal for Pacino's Ricky Roma, he finds himself on the receiving end of an epic tear-down.
4. Network: Peter Finch's role as Howard Beale, "the mad prophet of the airwaves," won him a posthumous Oscar for best actor in Network, a fantastic film about media and manipulation that's as relevant today as it ever was. The scene in which Beale exhorts his viewers to reclaim their humanity and shout "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take this anymore!" is immortal, and one of the best on-screen freak-outs of all time.
5. American Beauty: Kevin Spacey also took home an Oscar for his work in American Beauty, playing a man so fed up with his meaningless corporate existence that he chucks it away to chase the true meaning of life. He gets the best of his boss by turning in a brutally honest self-evaluation and then blackmailing his way into financial security. For anyone who's ever hated their job, the moment is a thing of, well, beauty.
6. Fight Club: "I am Jack's smirking revenge." Forgive the low video quality on this one, but the list wouldn't be complete without Fight Club. Fed up with the pointlessness of his job and faced with a need for quick cash, the narrator arranges to get all he wants by beating himself up and then pinning it on his boss. This would be almost impossible to pull off in real life, but it would be awesome to see someone try.
7. Bridget Jones's Diary: Bridget Jones (Renee Zelleweger) spends much of the movie in love with her rotten boss (Hugh Grant), so when she finally tells him off, it's a great moment. The rest of the office cheers her on, too. How great would that be?
8. Office Space: Peter (Ron Livingston) took the easy way out of a crappy job by hypnotizing himself into a state of bliss, but Joanna (Jennifer Aniston) has no such option to deal with her odious boss and his inane requests that she wear more "pieces of flair." Her walk-out is perfectly done. I used to wait tables, and I could only dream of doing this.
9. Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Brad (Judge Reinhold) scores a few meltdowns in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The first one costs him his job flipping burgers, but when he eventually winds up working at a convenience store, he hits his limit and fights back against a robber. His freak-out even lands him a promotion, lucky guy.
10. Joe Versus the Volcano: Joe (Tom Hanks) quits his job in dramatic fashion, but the best is when he gets to the door and realizes that this is his opportunity to finally clear the air and let his boss know what he really thinks of him. The result is one of the best "I quit" meltdowns in modern movies, as Joe rants about the chances he's never taken.

So you didn’t get that awesome internship during your summer break from college. So what? Do you think you’re too good to flip burgers or do retail for another year? The truth is, your summer jobs don’t accurately gauge your future success in life. Here are 50 first jobs and summer jobs of uber-rich and popular celebrities. We’ll bet that some of their gigs are much worse than what you have lined up this summer.

Food Industry

These celebrities paid their dues at fast food chains and even back in the kitchen before getting famous.

1. Eva Mendes: Eva Mendes seems to sexy to have had this unfortunate (and unfortunately named?) job: she used to sell hot dogs at Hot Dog on a Stick at the Glendale Galleria in California.
2. Fred Durst: Fred Durst always thinks he’s such a bad boy, doesn’t he? Maybe it’s just pent up anger having had to work at McDonald’s during the breakfast shift.
3. Gwen Stefani: Today, singer/songwriter Gwen Stefani is also a very successful fashion designer. Back before her No Doubt days, though, she worked at Dairy Queen in California, which she said made her fat.
4. Michael Dell: Young entrepreneur Michael Dell dropped out of college when he started his computer business, but that doesn’t mean he was a slacker: at just 12 years old, he started working as a dishwasher at a Chinese restaurant, moving up to water boy and then assistant to maitre d’.
5. Chris Rock: Comedian Chris Rock joked that he used to stare down kids at his Red Lobster job so they wouldn’t finish their meals, and then he’d get their leftovers.
6. Rachel McAdams: She’s quickly becoming a Hollywood sweetheart, but Rachel McAdams also worked at one of the greasiest places on the planet: McDonald’s. She says she was slow but a good organizer.
7. Bill Murray: Funnyman Bill Murray has had some cool onscreen jobs: ghostbuster, TV reporter, and Angels partner, but one of his first jobs was selling hot chestnuts outside of a grocery store.
8. Suze Orman: Love her or hate her, Suze Orman has banked thanks to her straightforward financial advice. She must know what she’s talking about, because she has worked her way up from the bottom, when she bussed tables for money.
9. Brad Pitt: Who would put such a pretty face behind a chicken suit? We think Brad would have sold more chicken if he hadn’t been stuck inside that El Pollo Loco costume.
10. Michael Caine: British actor and Academy Award winner Michael Caine has such a debonair way about him, no matter what roles he plays, which is so why it’s so hard to picture him working in the kitchen, washing dishes.
11. Seal: Seal could only take his job at McDonald’s for two weeks. He cleaned the lobby when he was 17, but moved on quickly.
12. Howard Stern: We don’t want to profile, but this one seems like a creepy match: Howard Stern once worked as an ice cream truck driver, selling to kids.
13. Amy Adams: Adorable Amy Adams is actually a very raw, very good actress, but that doesn’t make it any easier for us to imagine her working at Hooters. Well, you know what we mean.
14. Tony Stewart: Geez, was McDonald’s the only food joint in town? McDonald’s employed NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, too.
15. Mick Jagger: People probably thought Mick Jagger was crazy when he offered to pay a passing ice cream van driver $150,000 for his vehicle. But it was probably just a case of spontaneous nostalgia: Jagger used to push an ice cream cart for dough back in the day.
16. Keenan Wayans: Keenan actually worked his way up to managing a McDonald’s in high school.
17. Pink: Our final McDonald’s entry is for Pink, who cleaned toilets and mopped the floors there.
18. Madonna: She’s worth God knows how much now, but Madonna worked at Dunkin’ Donuts when she was broke in New York.
19. Eva Longoria: Eva is tiny enough as a grown woman, and we wonder who believed her forged application when she asked for a job at a Corpus Christi Wendy’s when she was just 13. The actress returned to the same Wendy’s to bring awareness to a charity event in 2008.

Retail and Sales

With a few exceptions, these aren’t even the better paying or more fun retail and sales jobs. This list of celebrities includes those who had to work at convenience stores, gas stations and for companies selling door-to-door.

20. George Clooney: Okay, be honest: would you buy a pair of shoes — no matter how great they looked or fit — just because George Clooney was helping you try them on? He was probably McAlpin’s department store’s best salesman.
21. Jerry Seinfeld: Now one of the richest men in Hollywood (um, and other places), Jerry Seinfeld once sold light bulbs for cash.
22. Colin Powell: We knew he was a softie: Colin Powell was a baby furniture salesman in New York, where he learned Yiddish from customers and store owners.
23. Bill Cosby: Bill Cosby once worked as a stockboy at grocery store. What a waste: couldn’t they have at least put him behind the register so that he could win over the customers?
24. Kanye West: Kanye’s known as much for his style as much for his wannabe bad boy ways. His first job was at the Gap, but he returned in 2009 to the retailer to work as an intern.
25. Clint Black: Clint Black dropped out of high school to pursue his music career, but until that really took off, he sold magazine subscriptions in Houston.
26. David Letterman: When he was a high school student in the ’60s, Letterman was a mere stock boy at Atlas grocery store in Indiana, which is now closed.
27. Carrie Underwood: Underwood is one of the most successful American Idol alumni yet, and that show rescued her from small town Oklahoma life for good. Underwood actually used to work at a gas station as a cashier.
28. Jeff Goldblum: Could you honestly imagine Jeff Golblum selling anything over the phone? The mumbling actor managed to sell stationery, pens and pencils, and says it made him physically ill with dread.
29. Quentin Tarantino: Does this one sort of make sense? Tarantino used to work as an usher at a porno movie theater.
30. Steve Carrell: Now we know where Steve Carrell gets his material: he admits to using stories about former customers at his Store 24 cashier job for inspiration.
31. Edgerrin James: Football star Edgerrin James grew up in a migrant worker town in southern Florida, and even worked in a watermelon patch during high school to help support his family.

Outdoorsy and Adventure Types

These celebs had to sweat it out in the fields or laying brick.

32. Orlando Bloom: Such a pretty face, such a weird job: Orlando Bloom’s first job was as a clay trapper at a pigeon shooting range before studying poetry.
33. Whoopi Goldberg: Whoopi had a very rough childhood and early adulthood, at one point working as a bricklayer in between a struggle with drug abuse and finding acting work.
34. George Clooney: We know George has Hollywood roots — his aunt is Rosemary Clooney — but he’s also close to his Kentucky family, and worked as a tobacco cutter when he was young.
35. John Krasinski: Jim Halpert (okay, so he’s a movie star now, too) is a proud product of the Boston area, and served his community as a teenager when he worked as a counselor at Camp Chickami during the summers and after school.
36. Matthew McConaughey: We all knew Matthew McConaughey was an outdoorsy man’s man. But did you know that after graduating high school, he ran away to Australia for a year and made his money shoveling chicken manure?
37. Rod Stewart: Now this is a creepy job: singer Rod Stewart worked as a grave digger in England when he was a teenager.
38. Keith Richards: Who new this great rocker had such a preppy past? Keith Richards used to work as a ball boy at a tennis club.
39. Jim Carrey: Jim Carrey had a tough teenage period and had to drop out of high school to help support his sick mother. During this time, Jim Carrey worked as a security guard before turning to The Comedy Club to open for Rodney Dangerfield.
40. Tina Fey: This could be the best “SNL” skit ever: Tina Fey actually worked at a swimming pool snack bar when she was a very young teenager.

Office Work

Answering phones and doing filing work was just part of the daily grind before these stars turned into some of the most powerful women in music and entertainment.

41. Beyonce: Before bringing Sasha Fierce to the world, Beyonce worked as a receptionist and swept hair at her mother’s Houston hair salon.
42. Jennifer Lopez: Most people think J Lo got her start as a Fly Girl, but during her one semester in college, she paid for dance classes by working as a legal assistant.

Entertainment

Even though these celebrities got jobs in their chosen field, they still had to endure some humiliating and bizarre gigs.

43. Christopher Walken: What a showman: the legendary Christopher Walken worked for the circus one summer, as a lion tamer. He’s said the lion was old and tired, but what if you could back that up on your resume?
44. Jimmy Stewart: Actor Jimmy Stewart had a pretty exciting summer job two years in a row: he was a magician’s assistant.
45. Kid Rock: At least Kid Rock was able to practice his craft: he sang hamburger jingles before making it big.
46. Johnny Depp: This one is just too funny. Depp fronted a Kiss tribute band when he was a teenager, opening for Iggy Pop and the B-52s.

Miscellaneous

From scaring rats to pushing refrigerators, here are more wacko celebrity first jobs.

47. Warren Beatty: This might be the most un-glamorous job on our list: Warren Beatty was entrusted with chasing and shooting rats outside of a movie theater to scare them off.
48. Brad Pitt: Pitt deserves another shout out on this list for putting up with a grueling job: he moved refrigerators in LA while trying to get his big break.
49. Ellen DeGeneres: Lovable –and onetime very controversial — celebrity Ellen DeGeneres drove cars out of a car wash and wiped them down for the customers.
50. Will Ferrell: Would you trust Will Ferrell with your fancy car? He used to work as a valet.