What do you do, (Or don't as the case may be.)

[BlueStreak]

For the last 6.5 years I have been a High-Speed canning line maintenance mechanic, at Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group U.S.A.

Before that I worked for Federal-Mogul Corporation, Automotive Exterior Lighting Division.

Before that Action Air Parachuting and Aircraft Charter.

Before that U.S.Navy, Egress/Environmental/Weapons cooling Mechanic.
F4 Phantom and F14 certified---(showing my age there).

I still hold a valid FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics liscense.

I've had other jobs in "between" times, I can't stand to be without work.
I've driven forklifts, inspected Oriental Rugs, and even sorted apples through "temp" services. Never too proud to work beneath my skills to keep a paycheck comin'. I will uproot and move if I have to. But I will not just sit around the house and bitch, like that fat, lazy piece of shit across the street.
("I'm a small businessman , I'm the engine of the economy.", he says. Pffft!)

I have never collected unemployment.

Dave

[HatchetJack]

I've never drawn a government check either Dave, good for you. I started
cutting grass for the local widow women at about 10 years old or before.
Got a job sweeping floors in '79 when I was 15, moved up to mechanic for a
couple years, electrician for a couple 3 years, wood shop for 2 years, worked
as a boiler room mechanic for a hospital for a couple years, got a machinist
degree and worked on milling machines and surface grinders. Took another
machinist job running cnc milling machines and lathes building gun parts.
Street sweepers, thunder 5's, deringers, barrel compensaters, grenade
launchers for the military and everything else you can imagine.
Left there and started working for a small loan company in 94. I am co owner
and manager all rolled into one worn out 45 year old dude.

[d-ray657]

I've sold shoes, been a trash collector (that summer got me in the best shape of my life), worked in a plant manufacturing oil field equipment; ass manager at a department store; & gas controller for a pipeline company. Then I went back to school, and worked as a researcher and legal writing instructor during law school. I worked as a researcher (called a law clerk) for a couple of judges after graduation, and now I'm one of the owners of a firm that fights for Truth Justice and the American Worker.

But I really respect the work my wife does. She has been a Registered Nurse for 28 years. She cleans up shit off of old people, and I toss it at the opposition. She nurtures people, and I get paid to argue. She takes care of some people who are confused, I try to confuse the other side's witnesses. She helps people who need absorbent briefs, I write a hundred page document and call it a brief.

Regards,

D-Ray

[d-ray657]

Hey Jack. Do you shorten your lines on purpose, or is that just a function of your browser. I gotta admit, the compactness makes it easier to read - until I digest the content.

[Charles]

I get a new job every couple of weeks, seems like.

Chas

[merrylander]

What ddid/do I do? Dropped out of high school aafter the 10th grade because I was bored. Worked for Canadian Pacific Railway for a bit, then went to a major power plant maker. Recession of 49 no advancement so I tried the Insurance business, yeech. Drove a truck for a summer then applied at Bell in '50, started as a plant craftsman ended up as Section Manager of the long range planning group. Took early retirement in 83 and came down here in 84 and married Florence, was easy to get an H1B as I was one of some fifty people working on a new standard and the rest were happy with their jobs.

Worked mainly as a consultant and also a lecturer both here and abroad. When jobs dried up I would work as a private consultant (wonder if those folks ever knew they were paying a dropout $85 an hour.) Went with a VOIP software firm as a senior instructor, fun place until a big Dallas firm bought us up, eventually as the fune went away I retired at 73, no point in working at something you don't enjoy.

And that my dears is a brief summation of my 56 odd years in the workforce. And some of them reall were odd, in fact downright strange.

[piece-itpete]

Started 'real' work (paid by someone other than newspapers and my family/neighbors) at 14 in a pet store. Glamorous work that

Dropped out, went back, dropped out again, got my first punch a clock job prepping vinyl window parts for assembly. THAT company was a piece of work.

I liked to float around, I had many jobs, for some reason tended to machine maintenance but did a lot of production as well.

A little aside: I worked at Cardinal Fasteners for a while. Obama visited it last year iirc as an example of what a great American company could be. I would've almost rather have worked at McDonald's than that crappy soul-killing place.

I worked at good companies too. Westport Axle (probably long merged etc) was one of them, with the good old fashioned benefits and attitude towards workers, do your job well, get treated well, go home. And interestingly enough when the Brazilians bought it out it got BETTER.

Got a chance to partner in a home flipping group (buy'em, fix'em, sell'em) and in between houses I got my real estate license.

So now after my 'big break' into sales I'm getting flabby and out of shape at a desk selling insulation.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job and my 'evil owners' treat their employees very well. But sometimes when the shit hits the fan I wish I was back threading bolts or squaring up machines.

Pete

[HatchetJack]

Originally Posted by d-ray657

Hey Jack. Do you shorten your lines on purpose, or is that just a function of your browser. I gotta admit, the compactness makes it easier to read - until I digest the content.

It's an old typewriter habit I've yet to break. Does make it easier to read
for me as my right eye does not lazy to the right anymore. Fell down a well
and my eyes went crossed, got kicked by a mule and they went back straight
I dont know?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Started 'real' work (paid by someone other than newspapers and my family/neighbors) at 14 in a pet store. Glamorous work that

Dropped out, went back, dropped out again, got my first punch a clock job prepping vinyl window parts for assembly. THAT company was a piece of work.

I liked to float around, I had many jobs, for some reason tended to machine maintenance but did a lot of production as well.

A little aside: I worked at Cardinal Fasteners for a while. Obama visited it last year iirc as an example of what a great American company could be. I would've almost rather have worked at McDonald's than that crappy soul-killing place.

I worked at good companies too. Westport Axle (probably long merged etc) was one of them, with the good old fashioned benefits and attitude towards workers, do your job well, get treated well, go home. And interestingly enough when the Brazilians bought it out it got BETTER.

Got a chance to partner in a home flipping group (buy'em, fix'em, sell'em) and in between houses I got my real estate license.

So now after my 'big break' into sales I'm getting flabby and out of shape at a desk selling insulation.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job and my 'evil owners' treat their employees very well. But sometimes when the shit hits the fan I wish I was back threading bolts or squaring up machines.

Pete

Buy a sewer machine and hang out your shingle. No one in their right mind screws with the sewer man.

And if they do, just point out that turds in their bathtub doesn't bother you in the least, them charge 'em double and make 'em pay cash in advance.

I've been considering it myself.

Chas

[Writewing]

I am Vice President in charge of looking out the window