When I was a kid I used to tell people my mom was a photographer that worked at the L.A. Times (in the 90s this would have been pretty cool)

Which was technically true.

She delivered papers for the LA Times (actually a pretty good job that had good insurance and retirement benefits. Again, the 90's) and worked at the portrait studio at Walmart (which was almost shittier than it is now, because they hadn't lost as many workers rights cases yet).