Fi8ve Best Occupations in the World

I have just finished reading Charles Willeford's memoir entitled, " I Was Looking for a Street", for the second time. Willeford is my second favorite writer just behind Nelson Allgren when it comes to writing about life in depression era America. In the book he makes the statement that the five best occupations in the world are, 1. Baker, 2. Infantry Rifleman 3. Novelist, 4. Light House Keeper and 5. Professional Boxer. How he arrived at this he does not say. In my youth I had many ideas about the best occupations. I dreamed of being a French Foreign Legionaire, Navy Frogman, Homocide Detective, owning a Speed Shop, Hobo, etc. My best friend says that undoubtly the best job in the world would be to be Sophia Loren's husband. I was 28 before i settled into my lifelong career of being a Railroad Detective. It took me a while to find my place. I would be interested in what others think are the five best occupations in the world.

If money didn't matter and I could afford to get into it I would be a farmer.

Other than that, I'm still trying to figure out what I really want to be when I grow up.

I think the best occupation is retired. No clue what the other four would be but certainly not what I did for a living for 35 years. It only took me 35 years to find my place.

Bob

I don't know about the five best occupations in the world however I know what the best one is. It's the one where you wake up in the morning and can't wait to come in to work and feel sad leaving at the end of the day.

Having worked in bakeries and as a pastry chef I can say that Baker is right up there. Very satisfying, although hard, work. And the smells....

Fresh baked bread, hot out of the oven with butter, every morning....

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Originally Posted by BobH

I think the best occupation is retired. No clue what the other four would be but certainly not what I did for a living for 35 years. It only took me 35 years to find my place.

Bob

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Oh yea! I agree with you Bob! Nothing like it in the world. I still get up at 5:30 a.m. and watch the sun come up with a cup of coffee or tea and I think...D..m I am one lucky SOB!



Take Care,
R

The #1 best job for me was being a member of The United States Marine Corps.

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Originally Posted by d. m. ellington

I have just finished reading Charles Willeford's memoir entitled, " I Was Looking for a Street", for the second time. Willeford is my second favorite writer just behind Nelson Allgren when it comes to writing about life in depression era America. In the book he makes the statement that the five best occupations in the world are, 1. Baker, 2. Infantry Rifleman 3. Novelist, 4. Light House Keeper and 5. Professional Boxer. How he arrived at this he does not say. In my youth I had many ideas about the best occupations. I dreamed of being a French Foreign Legionaire, Navy Frogman, Homocide Detective, owning a Speed Shop, Hobo, etc. My best friend says that undoubtly the best job in the world would be to be Sophia Loren's husband. I was 28 before i settled into my lifelong career of being a Railroad Detective. It took me a while to find my place. I would be interested in what others think are the five best occupations in the world.

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Railroad Detective, cool!
I picture it like this; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K89xgioWOWI

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Originally Posted by honedright

Having worked in bakeries and as a pastry chef I can say that Baker is right up there. Very satisfying, although hard, work. And the smells....

Fresh baked bread, hot out of the oven with butter, every morning....

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When I was in the Navy I stood my watches in the Radar room. After the Mid Watch, 12 to 4 am, i would go down to the bakery get a large piece of fresh baked bread, go into the galley throw a chunk of butter into the bread, proceed to the mess deck, get a cup of coffee and weather permiting, (the north Atlantic is cold in winter), go out on the fantail, eat the bread and butter, drink the coffee and smoke two camel cigarettes and then hit my rack. I could sleep like a sick cowboy.

I don't know what the five best would be, but my personal favourites (in no particular order) that I've had personal experience with, would be, Night shift manager at a 24hr diner, Swagman (hobo), Farmhand, Rifleman in the Army and Stay-at-home-Dad...Pay is sh!thouse on that last one, much the same as a Swaggie's rate of pay, but the benefits far outway any loss of income...Much like the Swaggie :).


Mick

Bladesmith if it paid better.
Competition Pro Fisherman if time and money permitted. But hell.... if i was loaded i would have a mansion with a huge cave underneath, some cool cars and a great suit for nightwear.......... :p
Adam

My five best would be Farmer, Truck driver, Equipment operator, Rancher, Builder. I have done all 5 and deciding now what I want to die doing. Maybe a little of each.

I think I would add (World Renowned) Photographer, and, Artist to the list.


Mick

Aside from loving my occupation (electronics design engineer) the best occupation for me would be, whatever I felt like at the time.

So I would have a great passive income from such things as businesses (that run themselves), realestate, etc.
Then I would just do whatever some examples would be (in no particular order) mushroom grower, woodworker, aquaponics hobbiest (already do this), farmer (cows, sheep, goats. Not crops, been there, grew up in that), straight shaving barber, race mechanic, oops more than 5..

Like I said, whatever I felt like. I would do it for probably a year or so, get bored and move on. Maybe come back to some.
Being fickle is a burden :/

Attachment 123598

This one is super corny but had to share it anyway!

My top five would be:

1. Pimp
2. Pimp
3. Pimp
4. Pimp
5. Pimp

Unfortunately, so far I'm unemployed. Dang it!

When I was a little kid my grandfather took me to a movie. This was way back in the mid 1950s when they had newsreels in between the previews and the feature. One of the things they showed in the newsreel was ironworkers erecting a skyscraper and I told my grandfather I would love to do that. He told me those guys were 'lunatics'.

I ended up doing that for 20 years. When it was good it was very good and when it was bad it was horrible. In the 1970s when the politically correct crowd was taking over the media the emasculation of men began. The word was that there was no such thing as a 'macho man'.

Walking around on I-beams a couple of hundred feet in the air on a beautiful spring day with your bridge belt and spud wrenches strapped around you ..... the operator swinging another piece ..... climbing columns .... that made a man feel like a man. I'm glad I got out of it when I did but I'm also glad that I did it for the time that I did.

1. Astronaut
2. Ninja
3. Midfielder for Manchester United
4. Farmer
5. Furniture maker
Well there is my list, but sadly I am a technician in a hotel and this morning my first job was cleaning pigeon crap off the swimming pool pumps. Never too old to have a dream .

I would love to have a job as a food reporter on world food.
Travelling all over while eating and drinking good stuff.
I'd be fat and happy:)

1. Brewmeister
2. Explorer
3. Travel Magizine editor
4. Food critic
5. Gynecologist at a Women's Prison

The last one is the one I used to tell people when they asked what I wanted to do, in reality, not so much.

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Originally Posted by Birnando

I would love to have a job as a food reporter on world food.
Travelling all over while eating and drinking good stuff.
I'd be fat and happy:)

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Ha!! I looks as if we think alike! Yeah, that would be awesome. There's a couple of shows that I enjoy watching and one of my favorites is of Anthony Bourdain, traveling around the World, meeting people, drinking and eating. So many cool places to see, so much great food to eat in our World!!

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Originally Posted by donv

Ha!! I looks as if we think alike! Yeah, that would be awesome. There's a couple of shows that I enjoy watching and one of my favorites is of Anthony Bourdain, traveling around the World, meeting people, drinking and eating. So many cool places to see, so much great food to eat in our World!!

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It sure does;)

Yeah, Bourdain's show is one of the finest shows on that subject.

Like you said: So many places to see, so much great food out there.
And all the new people to meet is yet another bonus of that job:)

Yes, I agree Bourdain has a great job!

Top 5

1. Financial Investor / Strategic Investor
2. Firearms Instructor
3. Professional hunter
4. Food and Wine critic
5. Librarian

1. Razor honer
2. Razor collector
3. Razor shaver
4. Razor restorer
5. Amateur OB/GYN

Why not?

Jerry
____

1. Master craftsman
2. Bladesmith / metallurgy
3. Photographer
4. Brewmeister
5. Taxidermist
... #1,286,177. Liability Examiner - (ahhh, I love my job :-) )

1. Han Solo
2. Retire extra early
3. Captain of the Enterprise
4. What Lynn/gssixgun does?
5. Professional Food Taste Tester

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

When I was a little kid my grandfather took me to a movie. This was way back in the mid 1950s when they had newsreels in between the previews and the feature. One of the things they showed in the newsreel was ironworkers erecting a skyscraper and I told my grandfather I would love to do that. He told me those guys were 'lunatics'.

I ended up doing that for 20 years. When it was good it was very good and when it was bad it was horrible. In the 1970s when the politically correct crowd was taking over the media the emasculation of men began. The word was that there was no such thing as a 'macho man'.

Walking around on I-beams a couple of hundred feet in the air on a beautiful spring day with your bridge belt and spud wrenches strapped around you ..... the operator swinging another piece ..... climbing columns .... that made a man feel like a man. I'm glad I got out of it when I did but I'm also glad that I did it for the time that I did.

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I agree JimmyHAD I cant imagine any job in the world other than being an Ironworker. I've had family that are now retired and I always looked up to them. The day I was accepted into my local apprenticeship was that proudest day of my life. in my opinion people saying "your one of those crazy guys" and "I could never do that" make me feel great and fill me with pride.