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What do you do for a living?


Frenchee

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After 17 years of working for somebody else, I took the leap and started working for myself. Designed and built a line of Bicycle Carrier products called Traps. 15 years later I'm still making Traps......we've built over 250,000 of them. Sold all over the world now by a company named Saris.

I've always liked cars and started making parts for the 2002 a few years back. Some days I regret giving up the secure paycheck, but I like what I do and luckily some other people do to. (PS......very important to find a Great life mate if you choose this work for yourself route! I got lucky about 10 years ago)

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What a great thread... I had no idea!

I'm gonna have to take some of you guys more seriously from now on... :P

Maybe this will lead to a greater overall respect among members and cut down on some recent flaming we've seen.

AMEN to the member who posted having the right 'Life Mate' - makes a lot more things possible!

My wife has chosen to stay working even though I'm semi-retired. She runs most of the Major Golf tournaments in the country - PGA, FedEx Cup, Champions Tour, etc. Basically, if you see Tiger on TV, my wife is there.

She travels a lot - 2 weeks home, 2 weeks away. She accumulates so many air miles, that we can basically travel whenever we want (current air miles total - >600,000).

I do miss having her around at times, but the homecomings are great and I get to tinker out in the garage all the while she's away.

Plus, as they say in the MasterCard commercial: 'Wife who loves her job... PRICELESS!!'

Cheers!

1976 BMW 2002

1990 BMW 325is (newest addition)

1990 Porsche 964 C4 Cabriolet

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wow I never thought this many people would respond!!

I wish I was like some of my friends. They know exactly what they want to do and are so involved already.

My ideas....

FBI- I feel like police officer or even FBI would be really cool. I cant really figure why it appeals so much but it does. Mabe the thrill? Interacting with people everyday.

Mechanical Engineer- So entering SJSU this year I had this in mind. After talking to many people taking the program I feel discouraged. I have a really really hard time with math. I put so many hours into my algebra class and barely understood it... As much as I think creating machinery robots or new car parts would be cool I doubt I could ever get through these crazy physics calsses and calculus classes.

Business- I dont really know what kind of business I would want to do but Im pretty fascinated with different languages and maybe traveling to different countries and present new ideas on technology or products.

Mechanic- Ive thought about this but the only way I would ever become a mechanic was if I had my OWN shop and it was a high performance shop. Building custom cars or mods. I would hate replacing alternators and water pumps for everyones honda everyday.

I wish this decision was easy.

M20 Turbo 2002- Sold

1970 2002- Sold

1972 2002 Tii. - Sold

S50 e30- DD

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I have advanced degrees from the Univ of the Streets. Pipefitter/Welder by trade. had a mech contacting company in CA, which I hated (the business, not CA). That was a catastrophe of my own making, but hopefully, you learn. Started a manuf rep firm 25 yrs ago so I now sell what I used to install. Sold that company last year and my work contract expires 7/31/11. 8/1/11 we will be heading west to Nevada City, CA. I'll be just short of 63 then. To young to quit and in todays world, if you can work, you need to. Surprisingly, I have a number of excellent opportunities. Basically, I'm a peddler!

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wow I never thought this many people would respond!!

I wish I was like some of my friends. They know exactly what they want to do and are so involved already.

I felt the same way in HS when all of my buddies got in to UT and Texas A&M. I've been working since I was 15 and my wife and I worked through college (I'm still in school). Only 3 of those people who I once envied have good jobs. 2 work at grocery stores and many are unemployed. Several of them have asked ME for work.

Don't try to keep up with the jones'. Don't envy anyone - each life is the same as the next. Follow your own path and take your time but don't stop.

Patrick Sloan

1975 inka 2002 - 2375719

1991 325iC

2001 325i

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jim__75Sahara & srnoncom in SF Bay -

you are in my hearts for the comfort you

bring to man everyday. Nurses outrank doctors

anyday.

Old wisdom - train, have a skill that you can take with

you anywhere in the world, any time, and all you need

are the clothes on your back, a place to sleep with good food.

any city, any state, any country and you'll be working.

while this is a sharing thread - I'll share that i'm typing this from The Rosenthal Hospice Residance - standing watch over my 84 year old

mother. A U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps graduate during WWII, worked hard. saved wise, invested, raised 2 loving sons. Mom is very mechanical, being raised on a dairy farm in Hammondsport, NY. The values you learn,

the hearts you touch, the satifaction for a job well done and always appreciated. The only job I can think of that would bring a body more fullfillment would be a Combat Nurse.

me ? - 1 year of college, 19 years for 1 Mercedes-Benz dealer - earning 2 Star Technician awards , the highed rating in M-B. Then changed to 1 BMW dealer for the last 20 years. 1.5 year at a BMW motorcycle dealer along the way. Lots of fun, working with your hands, I've trained more technicians than I can

remember. Many see me after many years after and tell me I was the best influence on them - both as a technician, and as a kind, caring, respectful person. That from the influence gained from my loving, gifted parents.

I 'hang-out' here to help others not snap off bolts, and I hope that

maybe you'll listen to a German Trained old timer with 40 years of employment, plus the knowledge I earned form my tudors

of an earlier generation.

ABOVE ALL - BE HONEST, BE KIND, BE RESPECTFULL.

CreightonDemarest

'86 R65 650cc #6128390 22,000m
'64 R27 250cc #383851 18,000m
'11 FORD Transit #T058971 28,000m "Truckette"
'13 500 ABARTH #DT600282 6,666m "TAZIO"

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Lots of great helpful advice, but one thing I will add: learn another language if you're so inclined. Especially if you are working with people, you would be surprised how much it can help. I am pretty fluent in Spanish, and it helps with people who speak Italian and Portuguese as well. And it will help you if you decide to work in other parts of the world. Another most often overlooked language to learn is A.S.L., American Sign Language.

In the policing field this could be invaluable.

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After talking to many people taking the program I feel discouraged. I have a really really hard time with math. I put so many hours into my algebra class and barely understood it... As much as I think creating machinery robots or new car parts would be cool I doubt I could ever get through these crazy physics calsses and calculus classes.

Physics and Calc are nothing like Algebra. The only down side is that while taking Physics, you will finely see why you needed to learn Algebra and will have to go to the math lab again and again. That's what I did. That and pester my Engineering student friends for help. One semester I had the class after Physics off so I would follow the professor back to his office and go through the whole class again.

Physics and Calc are the sorta theory and philosophy of math. We really don't know the circumference of a circle, but we can get real close.

If I did it, you can too.

John

Fresh squeezed horseshoes and hand grenades

1665778

 

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jim__75Sahara & srnoncom in SF Bay -

you are in my hearts for the comfort you

bring to man everyday. Nurses outrank doctors

anyday.

ABOVE ALL - BE HONEST, BE KIND, BE RESPECTFULL.

OUCH C.D., I take that personally... but I understand your point. I'm an ER Doc, and definitely don't think I outrank my nurses. In fact, I don't really mention my profession much outside of the hospital because I don't think I walk on water or am superior to any other human being just because I'm a physician. In fact, I tell students and resident docs everyday that the absolute worst mistake they can make is to forget that nurses are players on the same team and not subordinates. Worst move you can make is to piss off one of your nurses by acting superior... they can make your work more difficult and they don't forget! ...but treat them with respect and kindness and they will become some of your best friends and can save your ASS at 3 a.m. when you've been up too long and do something stupid!

I came to this career after getting a fine art degree and working in a graphic design studio for a few years. Frenchee your experience in math classes reminds me of my first Biochemistry test... I wanted to raise my hand and ask if I had accidentally been given the Spanish version of the test... so I ran away from medicine and it took a few years of doing something else to realize that I didn't want to wake up 15 years later and still be working the same crummy job. I went back to college, took all the science classes I had avoided and got into med school....

Medicine isn't what it used to be and that is both a good and bad thing. The ER is definitely not like you see on TV, so much so that my wife has banned me from the room if Grey's Anatomy is on... But medicine is still a noble profession whether as a doctor, nurse, researcher, lab tech, physical therapist, social worker. You definitely have to have the calling to help others to make it through the years of education and daily burden of regulations and paperwork. In the end, I think it was worth it and wouldn't change a thing about my earlier career attempts.

Plus, the ER has the BEST stories!

Aaron

Walter: You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me. I'll get you a toe by this afternoon--with nail polish...

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I was a Marine Officer and met a woman that change everything I though I would do. I wound up as a transportation mgr and then out of a job went back to grad school and became an 8th grade teacher. Best job I ever had. Funny thing was I took one of those tests when I was a kid and it told me I should be one. Well, we had 4 kids. My neighbor said that my wife would get pregnant, have the baby and drop it off so that I could raise it.(Not , true, But funny!) I wound up being Mr Mom for the last decade. I never thought as a young Marine(with a huge ego) that I would do what I do today and love it. My wife does have better BMWs than I do and has been driving an 02 since 90.

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jim__75Sahara & srnoncom in SF Bay -

you are in my hearts for the comfort you

bring to man everyday. Nurses outrank doctors

anyday.

ABOVE ALL - BE HONEST, BE KIND, BE RESPECTFULL.

OUCH C.D., I take that personally... but I understand your point. I'm an ER Doc, and definitely don't think I outrank my nurses. In fact, I don't really mention my profession much outside of the hospital because I don't think I walk on water or am superior to any other human being just because I'm a physician. In fact, I tell students and resident docs everyday that the absolute worst mistake they can make is to forget that nurses are players on the same team and not subordinates. Worst move you can make is to piss off one of your nurses by acting superior... they can make your work more difficult and they don't forget! ...but treat them with respect and kindness and they will become some of your best friends and can save your ASS at 3 a.m. when you've been up too long and do something stupid!

I came to this career after getting a fine art degree and working in a graphic design studio for a few years. Frenchee your experience in math classes reminds me of my first Biochemistry test... I wanted to raise my hand and ask if I had accidentally been given the Spanish version of the test... so I ran away from medicine and it took a few years of doing something else to realize that I didn't want to wake up 15 years later and still be working the same crummy job. I went back to college, took all the science classes I had avoided and got into med school....

Medicine isn't what it used to be and that is both a good and bad thing. The ER is definitely not like you see on TV, so much so that my wife has banned me from the room if Grey's Anatomy is on... But medicine is still a noble profession whether as a doctor, nurse, researcher, lab tech, physical therapist, social worker. You definitely have to have the calling to help others to make it through the years of education and daily burden of regulations and paperwork. In the end, I think it was worth it and wouldn't change a thing about my earlier career attempts.

Plus, the ER has the BEST stories!

That makes 3 of us in the ER. A nurse, a physician - and myself in business office management. I never would have guessed. My wife is a labor and delivery nurse and has the same sentiment towards physicians - she hates the arrogant ones and loves the humble ones. she may have it the worst though - L&D docs hate being called in at 3AM. I haven't been in the ER too long (spent most of my time in outpatient imaging) so the stories haven't piled up yet - but I'm at the busiest level 1 in texas so I'm sure to have many soon.

Patrick Sloan

1975 inka 2002 - 2375719

1991 325iC

2001 325i

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i own a small plumbing company in hawaii started it after i could not get funding for vet school at ucd . learned it from my father when i came back from collage. funny how the road of life works, follow the road that has the most turns and you will love it.

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