What do you do for a living?

#1

Not sure if this is ok but at amazingribs.com (the only site I actually pay to join!) this thread turned out to be amazingly interesting.

I’ll start. For 45+ years I was a petroleum engineer traveling the globe helping to produce oil and gas. I became President of our professional society and won some awards, published gobs of papers and three books. I am a member of the National Academy of Engineering and consult. I have moved more into the Energy Transition space and teach classes in the area.

Big opera fan, world traveler. I raise bees but now I give the sweet stuff away. 6 kids and 10 grandchildren keep a smile on my face.

(Marianne) #2

Wow, my props, dude!!! Where did you go to school?

I am a retired executive assistant in education (30 years). Before that, I was an admin. asst. in several organizations. Hard work and necessary but not very exciting.

(Edith) #3

Okay… I went to school for physics. Since then I have been involved with processing sensor data for spacecraft instruments that measure the Earth’s radiation environment.

I just went back to work full time this year. For the past twenty years I worked part-time to keep my foot in the door while I homeschooled my kids.

Edit: I can’t believe I forgot this. I briefly attempted to be a professional opera singer, but I got tired of the rat race when child number four arrived, so I “retired” from semi-professional singing.

(Robin) #4

30 years with the school district. Various positions but ended up as high school librarian. My happy place.
Retired 8 years ago.

Became a graphic artist for local theaters. My fun place for 3 years.

Final retirement gig was at a local indie bookstore. My absolute dream job. Only retired because covid changed the job and I left it for the younger staff who needed the continued employment.

I do not miss working. But I absolutely miss finishing a great book and putting it in the hands of others the very next day.

I was always lucky in that I loved every job I had.

(Edith) #5

I always admire you artistic folk. I still draw stick figures.

#6

Computer programmer in Hartford CT for CIGNA Ins. company.

Moved south and worked in 2 insurance agencies in tech dept until I ‘had enough’ and took on temp jobs and bounced around, then I did 12 hr shift work for knitting which didn’t last too long, hard work and those hrs!, and then…

I became a parts technician in an antique car remodel parts company in the toolroom. A job I loved actually. With that job we full timed our farm. 400 layers, 120 Boer goats, Angus herd, my horses, 125 hogs in rotation for our pork sales, and had about 5 acres in crops, had about 5 acres of sunflowers and had about 80 acres in hay. I made natural goat milk soap (that side biz became huge and profitable!)

age 43 had my one and only daughter, quit auto parts toolroom job and farmed only. early retired in 50s…now do whatever I want. age 60 and loving life doing nothing mostly unless I wanna :slight_smile:

(Robin) #7

Ok… this is a fabulous smorgasbord of knowledge and experience!
Have you been excited to see the new photos from Webb? Wow.

#8

Retired professor of writing (academic, researched, business, and creative). I live on retirement funds, and I’m a novelist. I’ve done pretty well at that in years past, but this year is pretty awful! Thank heavens i don’t rely on that income to buy the New York Strip Steaks.:slight_smile:

(Marianne) #9

Holy cow!!!

This is really fascinating from everyone.

:open_mouth:

#10

If things get tough I could choke down Choice instead of prime —-

#11

The gf and I are HUGE opera fans and have traveled the globe listening to performances and seeing the great houses

(Edith) #12

You are certainly a Jill-Of-All-Trades. It sounds like there is never a dull moment.

#13

@VirginiaEdie, yup, describes me well :sunny:
big fashion, high heels, pantyhose to muck boots and flannel shirts and critters. I can do it all, haha
I like the flannel and walking barefoot better!

and you, singing and physics! you are a Jill too and back to work full time no less!

#14

Undergrad was electrical engineering and applied math, then graduate degrees in systems engineering, then combinatorics, and also business.

Worked for a large defense contractor for five years. Did ops management in silicon valley for a few years. Moved to the finance space and did that for a few years. Currently I am doing analytics and data science. When people ask what I do I usually tell them I enjoy learning.

Have written a few books that are unpublished, so I guess I want to be a novelist. When the left brain cedes control to the right brain, that’s when the true chaos of artistry occurs.

(Robin) #15

Sounds like you are well balanced in the brain department!

#16

After decades of <cough> “partying”, I’m on disability because severe emphysema (~30% lung function left) Who knew that smoking all of the things could be bad for you?
I’m one of the few survivors of that group, so many folks died it’s just not funny, so I count myself lucky I got off with nothing but poopy lungs (heh, you can’t say ■■■■ ??)

Anyway, clean and sober for some years now and currently living my best life. I lift, do volunteer work at the local environmental centre and eat a ruminant sourced diet with some fruit because tasty. I’m always in ketosis to reduce breathlessness from hypercapnia (due to the emphysema thing)

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #17

I retired from IBM 7 yrs. ago. My education was in counseling and social sciences, turned out I preferred fixing computer problems instead of people problems. I also was doing community school work for about 15 yrs.

Hubby I love traveling, we lived in Australia for almost 5 years. We have traveled for extended periods (over a week) in different areas of Europe, and the UK. We go to Mexico every few years.

We both like to garden both flowers and herbs/veggies along with some raspberries and apples.

I have always been an avid reader as well.

Great idea for this thread, thanks for getting it going.

#18

Was originally a Telecom / Network tech for 10yrs, then when into IT for a few years for a better “career” type thing. Turns out me and white collar work aren’t a good match!

Since 2014 I’m a Tractor Trailer driver, I listen to music on blast, and of course Podcasts, stop for coffee and crap when I want to, I do my own thing… Oh ya, and since the world is weird I make more money, and get more bonuses than I did doing “Technical” work! Go Figure!

(Bob M) #19

Especially now, as drivers are really in demand.

(Shawn Patrick Malone) #20

I spent the first 28 years of my life after high school in the navy. i retired in 2019. Now I’m a government contractor for the Navy managing ship repair projects. I don’t miss the inspections I was always going through while active duty but I do miss the people and sailing around like a pirate.