Thread: What is your profession or real job?

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97-03 in the flooring business(my dads business take note i was born in 85 and no not 1885 like some of you ) doing carpet, vinyl, ceramic, hardwood, laminent
03-05 forklift driver for a big multinational corporation while going to college
05-current working as a full time mechanic specializing in heavy line
and i'm now working on getting into the California Highway Patrol i begin my first part of the testing phase tomarrow morning

Ive been in telecommunications since the age of 13...I was probably working more hours weekly than most others by the age of 16. I started wiring houses with my grandfather who just retired from SBC with 33 years of service. After teaching myself how to repair and program larger telephone systems (known as PBXs in our industry), I founded my own company which I sold to a public company and began to work for the "other man" for the first time in my life.
I lasted as long as I could (6.5 years) in the corporate world and finally bought into another privately held company which I now own 50%. Fortunately this industry is very active and I am having more fun now than I ever have. We have a blast helping customers lower their expenses through the use of VoIP (Voice over Internet) and HD Video Conferencing. Here are some links to our websites for those of you who are tech junkies...
http://www.comm3.net http://www.buylifesize.com

best regards,
Troy

Been working industrial maintenance for the last ten years or so. Lots of electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical, plc, electronics, etc.

it's getting old

work for the cat in the hat(roush racing)engine r&d i was there for 5yr.went to work for donzi boats. building the off shore teams racing engines.they stoped factory racing 2yrs later.next flow tec inc dyno operator engine r&d for fords mod motor.now building racing engines at my shop next to the house.race the pro outlaw 10.5tire class at local track.win a total of 28 buck last yr after exps.

I had a real job once, didn't like it.... It was for the US of A government. They sent me to this strange little country where people spent the next two years shooting at me!!!! Came home, been building Hot Rods ever since.

up untill 1 1/2yrs ago i was Mr. Mom. now i just hold down the furniture or work on Marge...joe

Started welding when I was about 16. Took a 2 year course in machine work when I graduated from HS. Worked in a couple of machine shops for about 15 years, before going to work as an operator in a hydro-electric power plant. One of my old machine shops asked me to work part time, so I did another 5 years for them before they closed. Love the fab and machine work, but the money in this area just isn't that good.

Retired A&P mechanic,22 years in the Air Force and 24 years civilian. Worked on a "Gazillion" different aircraft.Refurbished 3 ElCaminos,(65,66,67) and sold them all.Did a 32 Ford p/u with a built flathead, sold it.Still have our 46 Ford with a sbc, Camaro clip, etc. Used to help out a lot of friends when I lived in 'Vegas, wired up a few cars,helped out with mechanical and body work. Still like to lend a hand, but not much interest in North Idaho. We did do a body off on a 37 Chevy for my daughter,(my son in law and myself did the majority, but the daughter did A LOT of sanding). Plus she always did a great cleanup at the end of the day. I'm always available to assist.

Originally Posted by Don Lyon

Retired A&P mechanic,22 years in the Air Force and 24 years civilian. I'm always available to assist.

Well, Don, as one retreaded career service man to another (I was 20 years USN) I'd gladly let you come to Iowa and assist me with my truck as soon as this 14 inches of snow we got today melts and the temps get above 45 degrees. Just kidding about you coming here.

Originally Posted by Don Lyon

Retired A&P mechanic,22 years in the Air Force and 24 years civilian. Worked on a "Gazillion" different aircraft.Refurbished 3 ElCaminos,(65,66,67) and sold them all.Did a 32 Ford p/u with a built flathead, sold it.Still have our 46 Ford with a sbc, Camaro clip, etc. Used to help out a lot of friends when I lived in 'Vegas, wired up a few cars,helped out with mechanical and body work. Still like to lend a hand, but not much interest in North Idaho. We did do a body off on a 37 Chevy for my daughter,(my son in law and myself did the majority, but the daughter did A LOT of sanding). Plus she always did a great cleanup at the end of the day. I'm always available to assist.

Welcome to the forum, Don... One question, your daughter that does the shop cleaning so well....Does she make house calls?????

Did some Air Force time myself. I was aircrew, first on Huey then CH-3's... Suppose your time was fixed wing??

Brian told me I can check out anytime but never leave the Forum, but I have been hibernating for a few months working on a book and getting pretty tired of it. I had a lot of odd jobs as a youngster, pumped gas at an Atlantic Station, was a Millwright helper for a while, occasional part time rigger, farm worker, worked on a refridgerator assembly line, worked in two different electroplating shops but my Dad was a Chemical Technician during the Depression and he was always talking about Chemistry so I did well in college studying Chemistry and then got suckered into thinking computers could get the answers without all the fumes. So although I was a Professor of Physical Chemistry until 2003, I was really a computer programmer for over 30 years writing programs to model elctronic structure of molecules and even now I spend most of the cold days debugging my own programs. During High School in the '50s I really got hooked on Hot Rod Magazine and "fixed up" a '31 Ford Fordor and a '47 Ford convertible (aztec red paint with grey leatherette interior, Zowie!) Unfortunately trying to get govt. funding for research is the name of the game in Academia and I was not very good at that but I could write up obscure calculations on atoms and molecules. Actually I spent a few years studying small clusters of Lithium atoms and DennyW set up my avatar as part Lithium atom and part roadster. Since the fifties I wanted a roadster and about ten years ago I restored a MG Midget but I always wanted a Model A roadster so I now have one about 70% finished but the book has to be done by Sept. 2007 so I am typing day and night now. I have always liked Math and was duly impressed by the atomic age so I am still fascinated by atomic stuff and the quantum mechanics math that explains it. I spent two summers at nearby NASA-Langley
but only got part of a patent on metal ions in high performance plastics like polyimides. The U.S. Govt. really got the patent and sent me a little acknowledgment but most of my work has been related to electro-optics and magneto-optics of molecules.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Hi Don,Welcome to the forum.I was out in your area late last summer for the goodguys show in Spokane. Stayed with my daughter and her family in Coeur d alene. They have a regular get together at one of the local restaurants every weekend thru the nice weather. Quite a lot of stock car interest in the area too. check out stateline speedway.I know we've got at least two members from Spokane on this forum. Hank

Ive spent the last 18 years in the vending industry, mostly on the equipment repair end of it. Ive worked for a couple vending operators & a couple vending distributers.
Ive been self employed for over 5 years. I drive all over the St.Louis metro area & beyond repairing vending machines on location in my Safari Van. Not a bad gig really. John

14 years at a hardware & plumbing store, not much money but a good education, repaired appliances on the side.
Then 16 years in appliance sales and repair.
The last 4 years selling, installing, & repairing wood, coal, pellet, & gas stoves, fireplaces and furnaces, not very exciting but it gets me out and about instead of working inside. Ken

I was in steel construction for 20 years, then I was a racecar mechanic for 10 years and now I am semi-retired and work for the local School District as a trade craftsman (Building repairman).

I drag raced from 1963-1972, Offroad raced 1972-1986, Road raced from 1986-1996 and roundy-rounded all the while. Mix in the occasional WW2 warbird and you get the picture of my area of usless knowledge...heh MIZ