What Do You Do?

[Buppies]

Worked for family steel business for 27 years got to travel all over country and some overseas work as well. Built bridges over southeast us jail equipment world wide. Had over 500 employees at one time. Sold out and retired for ten years. Had three acres that looked like a park. Then reality set in started a new company 10 years ago doing paving and thru ups and downs doing ok. We have raised a fine son who is now in law school. Wife of 36 years has been there for all and keeps the company running as well as me. Now have 21 acres and a nice tractor what more could I ask for? I have truly been blessed

 

[rpeter]

Have ended my professional career as a high school teacher for 15 years. What with everyone thinking their kids do not excel because of bad teachers and now Newton Ct. it is time to retire. Have 22 acres with a 6 acre pond that will keep me busy for the rest of my days. Buying a new seat for my tractor and hope to wear it out :laughing:

 

[Lou66]

I was raised in southeast Oklahoma in the hills.. We didn't have running water, electricity or natural gas,,
We had a well, wood and outhouse,, No tractor just an old mule name Don,, did have an old truck and when it wasn't
too muddy we could drive it to town about 10 miles away..
So my first Job was hoe,, you heard right a hoe,, I had more hoe time than the best in Vegas,, When I was old enough
to leave and joint the Army (16) my Grandpa said you sure you want to leave all of this behind and joint something you
don't know what going on?
I joined the Army the next day,, off to Fort Polk La. Then to sunny Asia where we walked a lot and looked for bad guys..
After my time was served the captain said we sure would like for you to re-up we like your style and
we believe you will do well here,, I was on my way back to Oklahoma the next day..
I was welcome back with open arms and a hoe,, but we had advanced some, we had electricity, running water, propane and an indoor outhouse..
That when I decided to head to Texas to make my mark,, some went west to California while others went east to New York,,
but not me I went south to Texas cause I heard they didn't have any hoes there only Chemical plants,,
35 years as a Technical Adviser on process control and trouble shooting,, Then one day one of the VP said we like your work ethics and
we would like to promote you to Senior TA.. I retired the next day,,
So I've come full circle,, been farming and ranching for the last 8 years full time,, but not making any money at it but we didn't make any money
at it when we farmed in Oklahoma,, but we always ate good,, just like now..
I still like the feel of a good hoe. Sometimes I may have one in each hand.. Lou

This story may not be exact but close.. lol..

 

[tcreeley]

I live in Maine- I love it, the peace, the country side, the trees and old farms. Home is where the heart is, where your animals are buried, where the wild things come to live and visit. I've found my home. I teach highschool- the fringe kids, until I can stop and lose myself in my spot here with my tractor and my plants. Two fine sons, and my wife of 39 years + things waiting for me to do...the forge, the garden, the landscaping, the horses, barn, woodworking, the birds to see + listen to- endless. Making a living is always secondary to what my mind comes up with as something worth looking into. As I heard as a child- never read what everyone is reading, never think what others think- and I've kept to it. Keeps one fresh and able to connect with one's surroundings. I need please only myself and my internal sense of balance.

From: a poets community/Majorca/divorced parents/dairyfarming in Mass/private&prep school/divorce again/university/Morganshow stable/married + sons/Maine + homesteading/birding/wroughtiron/university/teaching/taekwondo/fencing/living+sons' college/etc,etc/

 

[jones6780]

Well 3 years in the Army from July 73 to July 76 as a machinist, worked several small machine shops then in 1980 went to work @ Warner Robins AFB. I worked in Tool & die and Optical Tooling for 17 years. Optical tooling is like surveying land but we surveyed Jigs, fixtures and airplanes. Moved into management for the last 13 years and retired in 2010. I have 4 acres to work and also help my mother, 83 years old, with her 45 acres.

 

[tractchores]

I've had just about every job possible in the software industry. Now im president of a medium sized company. I also own and manage rental properties and when i get the chance like to buy houses to fix up.

 

[David M]

LOTS of interesting jobs and careers talked about in this post!
I grew up on grandparents farm but they didn't task me a lot. Helped frame and finish carpentry until end of high school. Then worked as a radiation safety guy for fast attack subs for couple years. Spent two years hitchhiking around the US to decompress from the sub work... (ELT is Navy equivalent). After that, went back into rad safety in Health Physics for commercial power plants, research reactors and so on, for another 14 years. During that time, got my head wrapped up in computer programming so when got burned out on radiation (so to speak), went to work full-time as software engineer for another 16 years; part of that time was R&D in an Army research lab (I feel for ya, Budlite from Toney, Alabama and EE_Bota!). My greatest fun is writing code, doing 4D graphic simulations, and database creation and management. Oh, sure, supervised and managed people along the way but my heart is just not in that... Give me a task, give me my tinker toys to get it done, and then leave me alone till it's done. Perfect redneck way. Also designed and built the Advanced Concepts Lab on a really, really small budget. Mr. Analyst might know about that, too.
These days, I stay one half step ahead of debilitating pain and separate lymph node cancer but I have a great deal of fun working (playing really) on my kubota BX2660.

 

[Stihlrunner]

Myself? I'm the Director of Sales - Northeastern United States for Monster Energy.

Pretty good gig. I've been with the company almost 8 years so I've lived nearly our entire growth story as its unfolded.

Lots of great "fringe-benefits" as you can imagine!

I.....love.....you!!!

 

[46andtool]

I'm an Avionics Specialist working for a private jet fractional/charter operator based in Ohio. My degree is in specialized technology - avionics - and I hold an FCC radio telephone operator's license. I provide technical repair guidance and management for our fleet of 100 jets. Navigation, communication, autoflight, electrical power, in flight entertainment, engine management, basically anything electrical on the aircraft I fix. I get my hands dirty on actual airplanes periodically and also get to fly on checkflights every once and a while. It's a good gig, but I need the balance of Kubota-ing and firewood processing due to the stresses of business aviation.

 

[Mike1369]

I have been in the health care field for over 24 years. Was hired as the youngest medic at Jackson memorial hospital in miami, level 1 trauma. Worked as orthopedic tech for 16 years, became an orthopedic PA(physician assistant) and did that for 4 years. Now I am a regional manager for the largest orthopedic bracing company in florida. Represent over 114 offices from Detroit to homestead Fl.
About 20 years ago I dabbled with landscaping work, mostly as hobby, and now I get to run my own 10 acre palm farm. Of everything I have done, being on the farm is heaven to me.
Can't wait to get my new tractor.