Thread: What you do for a living?

First real job other than "chores" was chopping cotton. 11 years old, a gooseneck hoe and miles of rows of cotton that had weeds to be annihilated. Paid 10 cents an hour in 1963. I was on top of the world, had my own money to blow on ammo!! Graduated to driving tractors plowing wheat stubble and doubled my hourly pay! Age 12, started hauling wheat to the elevators from the fields. Drove a 1954 White tractor with a 35' grain trailer. They put blocks on the pedals so I could sit high enough to see through the steering wheel, paid the same as plowing but a lot more fun.

Broke horses, did ranch work until the late 60's when dad sold the ranch. Moved to the big city. New school, new friends, lot of fights. Rode bulls and broncs at local rodeos, worked at a gunshop during the evenings three nights a week and Saturdays. Worked at a wrecking yard during the week cutting up junk cars (classic cars by today's standards). Built a hot rod '57, 2dr hard top Bel Aire. Raced it, chased girls, out ran cops, and was a general ne'er do well. Nice thing about the wrecking yard was I could limp in there Sunday morning and usually find enough parts to fix what I'd broken on blown of Friday or Saturday night.

Graduated high school went to work welding trailer house frames. Money was OK, but job sucked. Quit that, joined the Navy and saw the world, part of it called Viet Nam anyway. They closed that fiasco not too long before I was due to either ship over or get released from active duty. Figured out real quick that the peacetime navy was no place for a man whose job involved explosives. Got released, went home, drank a lot, went to college, drank a lot more, got kicked out of college a few times. Started driving trucks over the road.

Got a letter from an old buddy one day. He had a deal that sounded too good. We met up and met another gent that spelled the deal out. Got a few tips from an uncle who'd been a wardog in several different theaters. My pard and I went South for almost a year. Met some very interesting and nefarious types. Several were intent on depriving us of our ability to process oxygen. My pard and I got out that mess intact and decided that we weren't going to push our luck and take any more contracts of that nature.

Drove trucks pretty much for the next 25 years hauling everything you can think of to put on a trailer.Owned and operated my own rig for 8 years. Sold that and went to work hauling oversize/over weight stuff. Started a small aircraft repair business working part time when I wasn't off on trip to wherever with a rolling road block, with a buddy working on tube and rag junk. Got my pilot's license and had a lot of fun being stupid in hot rod aerobatic planes. Built a few hot rod big twin bikes during that time and tried unsuccessfully to kill myself that way a few times too. Enjoyed that, made good money. However, the transgressions of my youth started catching up with me and it got to where it hurt too bad to keep on keeping on.

Met a lady, fell in love, got married for the first time at 51. I wasn't ready to "settle down" before that. Stealing milk through the fence was easier than owning a milk cow in my mind. I will say that the last 12 years since I got married have been the best of my life.BIG changes in my life but they are for the best. Being married to me ain't easiest thing for lady but I'm glad this one thinks so.

Cleaned chimneys for a while. That was fun but too seasonal. Decided to take a break and liquidate my gun collection. Lived high on the hog for two years buying and selling guns and related junk at gunshows. Finally sold all I was going to.

Went to work for the highway dept as a road hand/equipment operator. Went from that to maintenance contract inspection. Nowadays, I ride around in a pick up and check on the work that low bid contractors do for the highway dept. It's not a job, IT'S A POSITION! When the weather turns the roads to ice, I get paid to drive in it and sand or run a blade to plow snow/ice too. At this stage in my life, I'd rather sit home with a fire burning and drink in my hand than mess with that stuff.

If I can make it four more years where I'm at without pulling some idiot supervisor type's lip over his head. I'll retire.

It's been a wild ride, and yes, I'd do it again.

What a great read, Wullie!

Sounds like you should consider writing your autobiography!

Mortgage Banker

I'm pretty early in my life yet, but I've worked gravel in Pearland (weekends and summers), collected tolls (same), delivered pizza, operated fireworks stands, graduated high school (chronologically - haha), quality control for Frito Lay, then worked for six years for the Texas prison system before coming to university as a double degree student in applied mathematics and physics. I intend to go on to a graduate program in mechanical or electrical engineering and hopefully find a position as a design engineer somewhere.

Edit: A few weeks ago, I was picked up for a position with the university's department of physics research group within Texas Center for Superconductivity at University of Houston studying thermoelectric materials.

Eff me runnin' AS the guy that was SO GREAT on that one particular day, hasn't called, won't return my calls and isn't there when i drive over.

I gotta find some other way to bust into the precision metal/fab biz. Any ideas?

Originally Posted by WadePatton

I hate the question because i've not produced much of late (or ever). BUT since I had a great, one-hour, unscheduled interview today, i'm happy enough to talk about it. Basically under-employed my whole life.

Reverse chronological:

Interviewed at machine shop TODAY for process engineer position. Looks promising. This is the direction i should have taken as a young fella, but what can you tell a young fella? ...

Well, let's see...I was a cook for about eight years, then I got a social work degree and did that for a while. I was also a full-time pastor for two churches but for the last seven years I have been in auto-parts manufacturing. Two of those years I have been a supervisor in PCB connector soldering (wave soldering and selective soldering machines).

Left school at 18 and started engineering at university, worked in an abattoirs over the annual breaks (the abattoir work was actually quite a good job; I’d take it over borehole logging any day - see below). Did that for a couple of years and eventually switched to physics - couldn't stand most of my fellow engineers in case you’re wondering. Worked as a storeman and labourer while studying science and after graduating did borehole logging and geophysics in remote and often unpleasant locations for 4 years. Did a year of a masters and then joined the local state health dept as a health physicist. And that’s what I’ve been ever since. Left state health in 93 and went to a big university as head RSO. Retired after 19 years aged 57. Now do consulting in my profession, sourdough baking and razor honing, If anyone’s interested in these topics (other than razor honing - in which I am an amateur) please feel free to PM me. I know it sounds like a shortish career but a month out where the dingoes howl equals a year or so of normal life.

Well guys I just told you what I'm doing now. So here is my list. Grew up around a apple orchard where my Dad worked, and so did I in the summers. Worked as a cook for KFC. while in high school, Worked at a Gas station as a mechanic. Next I worked as a certified welder for a union coal mine till it shut down. Than I was a production supervisor for a Turkey processing plant, then for company I Got my class A, B,& C State waste water license, and Lab license as well. I got my State Boiler license, Federal Refrigeration license, & my Ammonia refrigeration technician license. When I got my job at the power plant I was hired for the water lab, but you start at the bottom and work up in job position as they come open, so I bid on a Heavy Equipment operator for a pay raise until I got a lab job, but like running equipment so much I stayed put,and been doing it for the last 17 years.

Interesting folk here.
me?, well....
started cleaning toilets for the local council aged 10. Then worked in a corner store before and after school each day and on weekends. Then started working in hairdressing salon as well as corner store. Finished high school ( first in my family to ever do that). Worked on farmsas a general hand. Recreational shooting and hunting since about 8, then became semi professional on farms. Bank teller. Taxi Driver. 7-Eleven cashier. Service station attendant.Amway distributor. Service station and car wash manager. Door to door vacuum cleaner salesman. Then had a choice between Karate school instructor or Supply Officer in a Private Hospital. Went hospital for regular paycheck with marriage on the way. Went from casual to part time. Self employed Business Consultant to Private Hospitals. Back to employee in hospitals full time. Storeman, receiving officer, purchasing, then Supply Manager for the last 12 years. Started seing a girl 26 years ago - now been married to her for 18 years with two kids, 13 and 10.
Also Cutler and Bladesmith at night and hope eventually to make a living doing that and having time to hunt and fish.

Well the name says it mostly. I am a Diesel technician. Mainly engine an chassis work. From regular maintenance to full rebuilds. Even though that's my daily job that pays the bills. My favorite job is being a musician. Playing music an getting paid all be it inconsistent enough to make a living is still a great part time job.