Author Topic: What do/did you do for a living? (Read 3741 times)

Bullfrog · « **on:** April 30, 2007, 04:36:57 AM »

Just trying to start a conversation here as I'm new and don't know what you all do for a living.

I'm a Firefighter/Paramedic and I work for one of the evil, greedy oil companies as my main job. I'm the Captain of the Emergency Medical Response Team at a large refinery and also a firefighter there. I work rotating shifts which explains why I post at odd hours but I'm off 15 days a month.

This leaves a lot of time for other things so I also work a few day a month at a fire training academy as an instructor teaching rookies how to fight industrial and municipal fires (house fires).

When there's nothing there I also work for a company that teaches safety procedures such as how to don an airpack to enter a toxic enviornment and execute a rescue or do what needs to be done to put the fire out before it goes boom and disrupts the neighborhood.

I'd like to know what you do for a living so I can ask for advice or just get to know you all better, we all need advice.

CT · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2007, 05:51:01 AM »

I'm an ICU rehab nurse doing complex wound care and ventilator management and weaning 12 hour night shifts weekends. I also volunteer time as a dog walker/general flunkie at our local pet rescue.

Marilyn C · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2007, 07:31:24 AM »

I volunteer. I rehab wildlife, but possums, only. I have about 100 possums right now...orphans, injured or just in poor condition. I handle about 300 possums a year, although this year it will probably be more since a couple of the rehabbers who also took in possums have moved or can no longer do it.

This is Trudy. She came in with a very bad dog bite to her face. Her head was very swollen. She recovered but had tiny babies in her pouch, and so I kept her until they were old enough to go on their own. Here she is with her 7 babies hanging on.

CT · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2007, 07:38:01 AM »

Oh Marilyn, what a great picture! What a blessing you are for them.

JohnInFlorida · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2007, 07:45:08 AM »

Hmmm, what do I do for a living ...

For almost a year now, I've been retired from the Florida Department of Corrections, and let me say, not having to walk into that prison everyday is the biggest positive change in my life since my Christian rebirth and my marriage to my wife Dawn.
Just to put a point on it ... I give thanks every day that I will never set foot in that place again. (Gee, maybe a LITTLE too emphatic? Oh well ...

My passion these days (besides throwing money into a hole that used to be a swimming pool but is now our pond

... ) is for planted aquaria. I've had fish tanks and kept tropical fish on and off for years but was never able to keep aquarium plants alive and robust. I love to tinker (my middle name should have been Rube) and all the gadgets that seem to be needed to do aquarium plants correctly have piqued my interest and excited my tinkering genes. Therefore, lately I've been up to my elbows in researching the aquarium forums and various substrate choices and lighting choices and designing/building DIY tank stands/hoods and CO2 injection systems and fertilizer dosing formulae and etc, etc, etc ... $:-\$ The normal day to day household activities and the pond and the passion sure do make the day fly by !!!

Keep Smilin'
John

Esther · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2007, 07:50:18 AM »

Hi Bullfrog,
That is a good suggestion for a thread.

I am retired from banking. I started in 1960 and worked off and on since then until 2004 when I retired at age 62. I think I totaled about 36 years with them during that time. I processed "proof" work when I started. That was composed of "prooving" deposits (checking the addition on them) and sorted checks with a huge machine to send them on their way back to the check writer. I was a teller/clerk a lot of the years in between. I tried out customer service, management and personal banking in the later years and wasn't real thrilled with management.

DH has been a plumber for 42 years and is a master plumber now.

Desertponder · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2007, 08:36:31 AM »

Quote

I'm a Firefighter/Paramedic and I work for one of the evil, greedy oil companies as my main job. I'm the Captain of the Emergency Medical Response Team at a large refinery and also a firefighter there. I work rotating shifts which explains why I post at odd hours but I'm off 15 days a month.

Very cool!!

I bet that pays pretty well.

I am a full time graphic artist for a local paper. Been here 18 years.

I would much prefer to leave that behind and work in EMS and Fire but there just isn't the jobs around here.

Very competitive.

I am a volunteer EMT-B and FF1 for my local dept. I work one 12 hour shift a week and others as needed.

I also work part-time at our local airport as an EMT-B and ARFF (aircraft rescue firefighter). I love this job and I'm hoping one of these days I can get one of the full time positions and get away from the paper.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2007, 10:18:23 AM »

My first job was at a garden center. Then I went to work for a florist and learned floral design. I was a floral designer at various locations for over twenty years. The last nine as floral and garden manager of an FTD shop in a large upscale supermarket.

For the last three years I've been a sales rep. I sell gifts and home decor and a lot of coffee and tea related items to stores. I work for a showroom in the Seattle Gift Center we represent more than twenty manufacturers.

I miss bringing home half dead plants free, I miss buying wholesale from local growers and at the gift center but I do not miss working with the public! I'll never do it again.

Johns · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2007, 10:39:50 AM »

Well, Lithobates catesbeianus (BF),

If you hang around here long enough, we will get to know each other better, but for now, I take exception to your "evil" comment re: the oil companies, and hope that you meant it in jest, since my father was a refinery worker at Shell Oil Company's Wood River location and worked his way up from laborer to terminal superintendent (management), all because of the capitalistic nature of our economy. So for my childhood years, the “founder of the feast” was the Royal Dutch Oil Cartel. Even at $3 a gallon (I remember when gas was 18 cents a gallon, and you can guess from that that I’m an old man) I still have a soft spot in my heart for the petroleum industry. When they profit , all of us who own stock in them also profit. (Wish I had some)

Now, as to me specifically: After a military stint where I was an internal guidance repairman for guided missiles, I enjoyed a successful career as an electronic research technician with General Electric Company and Caterpillar Tractor and then began career number 2 as a CPA for 25 years until felled by a stroke in 1995, from which time I have been retired. I began ponding in 1972, have kept fish and water plants since then, paying for my hobby by propagating and selling water plants, so you can depend that my opinions are worth exactly what you pay for them!

I have been associated with numerous pond forums over the years and can unequivocally recommend this one as the best! You will enjoy yourself here!

By the way, you are a hero by job definition, and deserve accolades for your avocation.

barb · « **Reply #9 on:** April 30, 2007, 11:17:56 AM »

Firefighters are a good thing.

I'm a SAHM. I have been for 17 years, and after our third came along unexpectedly three years ago I guess I will be a SAHM for some time to come.

Gorgeous possum! I would love to be a wildlife rehabilitator. It's hard, hard work 24/7, how wonderful that you are so dedicated, Marilyn.

El Jefe · « **Reply #10 on:** April 30, 2007, 02:21:42 PM »

Well Hmm lets see, I joined the Military right out of HS. and I spent 23 years there as an AT or Avionics electronics Technician. Worked on many advanced electronic systems including some very 'Sensitive' systems, served in Desert shield and Desert storm, southern watch as well as various others. I retired from the Navy as a Senior Chief in November of 2002 and started my new career as an IT (for a shop of 6) and I love it. I started ponding right around the time I moved to Florida. I have always had an affinity for water (Navy Duh!) water falls, and fish tanks so combine them all and you have a prescription for ponding. It keeps me sane.

It was not until recently that I decided to search out sites like this. I must say this site really has become a second home. In a short time I have learned much and made many new friends. Good job John and Sean!

Andy

Bullfrog · « **Reply #11 on:** April 30, 2007, 02:45:39 PM »

It's really great seeing all of the different experience that we have here. I see some real animal lovers, you and my wife would really get along. She even rescued what she though was a "baby" bat laying in the yard and got the Health Department all in an uproar. Luckily it didn't have rabies.

Marilyn, the newspaper here in Southeast Texas carried a story a while back about an animal rescue Lady who dealt in opossums, I'll bet that was you. Trudy looked good and sure has a load of babies on her back.

Shanna it's great that you volunteer as a medic, I found that to be the most rewarding part of my life and had some really unforgetable moments.

Johns, of course I was kidding about the "evil" oil companies. Another board that I visit were bashing the oil companies and I was defending them, as a stockholder, I want them to do well. They set in on how the oil companies should be more "socially responsible" and I really unloaded. Millions donated annually to charities, I started naming all of the local charities that my refinery donates to, names that they all recognized. Anyway, I was kidding about them being evil.

It is wonderful to hear what everyone does, we have a lot of collective experience here in different areas.

Jerry · « **Reply #12 on:** April 30, 2007, 03:08:56 PM »

This may become an all time great thread! Thanks Bullfrog.
Johns you warm the cockles of my heart with your comments about this site!
I love it!

As for what I do and or, did; it would take a book so I will pass for now. Being the oldest here I have had time for many experiences.

I have a bit in a "Biography" thread that Esther started, pretty dull unless you like fishing.
it is called "Getting to know you."

jclements · « **Reply #13 on:** April 30, 2007, 03:16:34 PM »

Bullfrog, did I see that there are armed men in the parking garage at your place of employment (that is, if I got the right evil employer...there are probably a few in Houston). If so, I hope you and your coworkers are OK!

Marilyn C · « **Reply #14 on:** April 30, 2007, 03:34:07 PM »

No, Bullfrog, it wasn't me. I don't know who it was. I do live in s/e Texas though. Near Galveston.

-Greg- · « **Reply #15 on:** April 30, 2007, 03:59:24 PM »

I was going to MSU back in 89' (majoring in beer bongs and water bongs) when I came home for Christmas, down at the local bar I ran into a guy I went to HS with, he asked me if I still remembered how to use a plazma cutter from shop class, and if so, he could get me some quick work over the Christmas break (I was very very poor, only could afford old mud or pabst beer at the time), anyway I said heck yes! Went down to this company the following Monday, put in the app, and the next thing you know I am cutting the rear floor pan out of 150 new Aerostars (a run of bad panels) making 10 bucks an hour. Needless to say I never went back to school, went out of town to the Ford test track in Orlando a couple of months later, then came out to Cali in June of 1990 to work in Fords prototype shop here, never went back to Michigan, put my time in here, busted my rear every day, and am now the facility manager! Anyway, out here on the west coast we support Fords marketing and advertising adventures, from TV commericials, print ads, and market researches to engineering support. We build, paint, update prototypes for these projects, then man and support each project, it is something different eveyday! I will have put 20 years in here in 2010, I have invested well over the years, (including Chevron and First energy among other things) and plan to retire early.

Greg

Bullfrog · « **Reply #16 on:** April 30, 2007, 05:10:09 PM »

So many interesting stories. Greg you have lived the American dream it would seem. I also majored in bongs at one time.

My parents immigrated here from Spain. He was an oiler on a ship for Socony Vacuum. My mothers father got him hired when he was very young, maybe 15. Years later when he educated himself and was making enough money, he married my mother. He was 20 years her senior, but this wasn't considered odd in the old country and her father liked him anyway and blessed the marriage.

During the second war, he was commissioned by the Navy and given the rank of Lt. Commander. He was on the first commercial vessel to be torpedoed and sunk during WW2, the Rochester, steaming out of New York. He swam and hung onto flotsam, he never would swim again after that for the rest of his life, "I've swam enough" he would always say.

He died when I was 12 and social security only paid my mother $44.00 a month as long as I was in school. As soon as I was able, I quit school at 17 and became a fitter/welder at a local shipyard. Young and foolish, I went through a lot of different jobs. I climbed and trimmed trees, was a machinist for 6 years, sold new cars for a Ford and an Oldsmobile dealership, managed a Radio Shack, was a service writer at several dealerships and became a manger of a service department at a Chevy dealership.

Then I got hired at a local refinery where the money and benefits were good. Living in a small town with only a volunteer fire department and EMS, I really got head over heels involved in emergency services. The refinery wanted medics in the yard at night and they paid for my training as first a Basic EMT, then Intermediate and finally Paramedic.

I didn't hire in here until I was 35, so I still have to put in at least 8 more years if I want to retire well. By the way Jerry, I love fishing, especially out of my kayak in salt marshes for redfish and flounder.

jclements, i'm not in Houston, but security has been beefed up considerably at all refineries since 9/11.

OK... enough about me, what do the rest of you do?

Mikey · « **Reply #17 on:** April 30, 2007, 06:18:54 PM »

After 29 years, 8 months and 3 days I retired from the City of Long Beach, CA where I was a cop. I now enjoy a life of leisure

SheilaJ · « **Reply #18 on:** April 30, 2007, 06:36:15 PM »

I've had a bunch of "careers". After college, I went into a Management Training Program at a bank in Baltimore. Discovered that I didn't really like management or banking (it was mostly my dad's idea - do something practical, he said; I think he was afraid I would want to major in music since I adore singing).

I gave it 4 years, planning to stick with it until I started a family, but it took me several years to get pregnant, so I finally had to quit to save my sanity, and decided to work at a day care center for a while since I loved to teach, and teaching early childhood took only two night classes, not a whole new college degree.

I finally had a baby and was a stay-at-home mom for about 10 years. While I was home, I did a little mystery shoppping, and worked out of my house part-time for an artist for a while.

I started going stir-crazy, and I had become obsessed with plants, so when the local garden center was hiring and needed someone to work during school hours, I tried it. Did one year at that garden center, then it got bought out by a large local chain. I did one spring/summer there, then they got a new manager and it was time to move on.

I volunteered for a while at the Baltimore Conservatory and was working up to a job there, when I discovered the field of Interior Landscaping (you know, the "plant lady" who comes to the office once a week and takes care of all the plants). I really enjoy this, and still like it after 2.5 years, although I cut back to 3 days a week to give me more time for my family and my own gardening. The pay isn't great, but it's fun work and good exercise. Bonus - I get to keep some of the plants that we take out of the offices because they aren't up to standards, and I have an endless supply of cuttings of really exotic tropicals from the pruning I have to do. I've learned a lot about plants from my coworkers and from the experience of working hands-on with literally thousands of plants every week. I also like the fact that it is year-round work, not seasonal like garden centers or outdoor landscaping. I don't like sitting home all winter. I also like the fact that, although I do have to deal with clients, most of my time and effort is focused on the plants, who are much better behaved than most clients!

Jerry · « **Reply #19 on:** April 30, 2007, 06:44:14 PM »

Bullfrog: here is a buddy, Vic Van Wie with a fine white sea bass athwart. I know you will love the shot.
I was very active in kayak fishing. Now I pick my spots. I am now a "fair weather angler" call it old age, but that's how it is.
Try my name on Google (Jerry Esten) and you can see the derby's I sponsored for many years.
i gave it up last year. I am devoting my energies to acting. Doing pretty well too.
There is an opportunity to be a stand in for Ned Beatty in a film called "Charlie Wilson's war" with Tom Hanks. I am dying to tell the Casting director, "Okay, as long as it's not "Deliverance!" (joke)

I will pass, Speaking roles or nothing!

Oceanbum · « **Reply #20 on:** April 30, 2007, 06:52:09 PM »

I'm a part-time bank teller. Just started back to work in June of 2006. Before that I did a year and a half of substitute secretary/educational aide in the city school district. Prior to that I was a full-time-stay-at-home-Mom since March of 2000. Before we adopted our girls I was customer support rep/tech support for our local credit bureau. I did that for nearly 10 years. Before that I was a bank teller. So I guess I have come full circle!

Esther, we have a teller in our bank that just celebrated her 50th anniversary with the bank in October!!! Can you imagine?! I can't imagine working any place for 50 years!!! She keeps telling me it's not too late for me!!! But I just can't see me doing this at 94!!!!

Shawn · « **Reply #21 on:** April 30, 2007, 06:54:53 PM »

Well, I too worked for one of those "evil" companies for awhile (Marathon)... Worked in IT for 7 years there before I was outsourced (entire IT Dept...) Did another year of IT work and got tired of trying to keep a job in the area, so I switched careers. I have been a financial consultant for AG Edwards for a couple years now... Definitely a nice change of pace, getting to help people meet their dreams of retiring, and sending kids to school, etc... Nice change of pace than just fixing computers, networks, etc...

Bullfrog · « **Reply #22 on:** April 30, 2007, 08:22:47 PM »

Jerry, that's one helluva fish to be caught in a kayak. We call it a "Texas Sleigh Ride" when we hook one big enough to pull us around. Theres nothing like being towed by a fish. Kayak fishing in Southeast Texas can be a little dicey in the salt marshes as the alligators can be bigger than your kayak and you are at eyeball level with them.

It's also a consideration off of the beach as there are plenty of sharks off of our waters. You don't use a stringer there, and you keep a close eye on your stringer in the marshes, an alligator ride I really don't want. I started to post a picture of fish but didn't want to upset any ponders who love fish. but here goes.

Well I don't want to hijack my own post so tell me... what do you do for a living? This is interesting to me, seems we could open our own city, we have medics, cops, firefighters, bankers and tellers, child care, animal shelters a little of everything. Pondville USA

-Greg- · « **Reply #23 on:** April 30, 2007, 10:17:00 PM »

This is a great thread! Thanks Mikey, El Jefe, Johns, Bullfrog, and everyone else who sacrafices to keep us safe! I can only imagine all the sacrafices each of you and your families have made! Jerry, that is one LARGE fish, in one very small boat, I can only imagine the ride! I enjoy fishing as well everytime we go camping, mostly trout though. June lake in the eastern Sierra's is one of our favorite spots, there are many lakes up and around that area as well.

-Greg- · « **Reply #24 on:** April 30, 2007, 10:18:29 PM »

A few more, this time with the kids, even learning how to clean the fish!!

Jerry · « **Reply #25 on:** April 30, 2007, 10:30:07 PM »

We did open our own city LOL you are there NOW!
Didn't realize there were gators on Texas. There are some good Texas Kayak fishing web sites!
I don't think you will upset anyone. Maybe a vegetarian?
Fine photo there too.
Yes, sharks here too. There are some North Coast places I would never paddle, like Ana Nuevo State Park. It is a cafeteria for Great Whites. We are both hijacking this thread, I better shut up!

Jonna · « **Reply #26 on:** April 30, 2007, 11:45:16 PM »

I grew up on the beach in southern California, I was a surfer which was not common or well accepted for girls at the time. I persevered and became more or less accepted. In my 20's I was kind of a perennial student, I went to several universities, got good grades. Every summer though we would take off down the west coast of Mexico surfing and sometimes I'd forget to come back for fall semester. I always loved the excitement of signing up for all these classes in things I wanted to know but after a couple semesters of it I'd want to learn something else. I lacked discipline and perseverance in everything except surfing. I paid for my schooling and travels working as a bartender, there wasn't much available in student loans and so luckily I came out of it without any debt, I paid as I went. Of course, it was also a lot cheaper then too and I was very frugal.

Finally, in my 30's, a friend suggested I should get a real job, one with benefits and retirement and all. She brought me a flyer from the SF Sheriff's Dept and I decided I'd show up for everything, complete everything and let the cards fall where they did. They hired me. Damn! I had to grow up and be responsible and only get paid every 2 weeks. It was a good job though, I retired 5 years ago as a Lieutenant.

Then, as if the previous 20+ years had never happened, I bought an RV, sold the house in Marin, and took off on the road again. My partner and I have been fulltime RVers for almost 6 years, we spend the winters in Mexico and Central America and the summers in the US. It's been wonderful. We do have a condo in the Yucatan and this winter we bought a 100 year old house in the colonial city of Mérida, Yucatan. We start renovating it this fall and plan to move in when it is finished and only travel north in the hottest months of April, May, and June.

My oldest and dearest friend has adjoining lots in Cathedral City (next to Palm Springs), she put in a patio and RV hookups at the lot next door and we generally spend several months there every year. A couple years ago I decided to build a pond there, I started researching it and when the pond was finished, I was hooked on ponding. Now I'm planning the ponds I want to put behind the house in Mérida.

Cindi · « **Reply #27 on:** May 01, 2007, 06:28:50 AM »

My job is pretty boring compared to some of you others! Anyway, I am a secretary for an excavating company. I work in the maintenance department where I input all the maintenance work done to our machines. I am the little fish in the sea here, meaning I am the only female out in the shop. I have worked here for almost 15 years now and have developed some pretty thick skin since working with all men. Nothing seems to phase me anymore! LOL!!

Bullfrog · « **Reply #28 on:** May 01, 2007, 11:20:45 AM »

Jonna, I love Merida, was working on doing some charity medical work there but things fell through as the Mexican government wasn't cooperative at the time. We have climbed Chitchen Itza several times.

Have you ever been to Paamul? It's on the coast just below Playa Del Carmen, I have friends that live there.

Jonna · « **Reply #29 on:** May 01, 2007, 01:05:15 PM »

Quote

Have you ever been to Paamul?

Yes, Paamul is about 11 miles north of our condo. Some years when we were in Akumal we stayed in the RV for part of the time, renting the condo is profitable, and we would go to Paamul to dump our tanks and get water. Over the years we've known several people who lived there part of the year or owned a space there. Most of those have moved on and right now I only know one family that is there.

Glad you like Mérida, if one can fall in love with a city then I've done it twice. The first time with San Francisco when I was still a teenager and visited with my family, I spent 30 or more years there and most of my working life. The second was Mérida and while I don't have another 30 years, I'm enchanted by the city and can't wait to live there.