Thread: What you do for a living?

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?

Spent 7 weeks remodeling a home first of this year. Usually sell some firewood and also do some bushhogging/grading work with small tractor as i can. Jack of all, can do anything...sometimes with nothing. Doing follow up work on remodel tomorrow. (the artwork came, i have to hang it)

Bought up some razors and hones to try to make some scratch there...hard to decide which to sell and even harder landing honework.

Selling timber to pay bills, ran out of trees.

Setting up shop (still) to make bicycles to order, fitted racing road/cx/mountain bikes. underfunded. Have been riding my own stuff since 2009.

Started new business with new wife, blowing my "inheritance" when the real estate market dipped (bought the biz real property) and the biz flopped after wife left. Lot of lessons there. $$$ ones. 2005.

1998 Law degree, no desire to practice. Diagnosed ADD. didn't pass bar, and never re-took.
1991 College degree, no purpose for it but to go to law school.

Dumb punk kid before that...grew up in grocery store biz.

Originally Posted by WadePatton

Interviewed at machine shop TODAY for process engineer position. Looks promising.

Good luck!!

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.

You seem like the inventor type....invent something....then Kickstarter.....have others fund the start up......you can do it Wade.

Originally Posted by WadePatton

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?