What do you do for Living?

[Mark DeCou]

I left a Mechanical Engineering, Sales & Project Management Career in the oil industry back in 1997 to start a full time adventure building things in wood and other materials. I seem to have been born into woodworking, yet ran away during my twenties and early thirties wanting a desk job doing something that paid better. After ten years, the money didn't seem to matter as much, and my hands were just itching to work at what I really wanted to do. So, I quit and became a woodworker one day. It's been quite an interesting journey. Back when the economy went bad in 2008, expensive carved furniture commissions became hard to find. I have been selling my walking canes at the Hatman Jack Hat shop in Wichita Kansas for several years, and in the summer of 2007 Hatman Jack got me started on hat making tools with four little Foot Tollikers. They weren't hard for me to carve out, so I did them. Those Tollikers and Google's magic started me on a hat tool making journey to supplement the furniture, walking canes, custom knives, powder horns, and other crafts I was doing. Jack has continued to provide his Hat expertise for me as I design new tools and re-craft the old ones, going to dozens and dozens of different hat tools now. If not for the Hat Makers ordering my tools, I don't know what I would be doing now, but it probably would not be crafts. So, for those that have purchased from me in the past, my family sincerely appreciates your support, and I hope the tools are working well for you, and I'm hanging in there. The biggest hurdle with making hat tools is the seasonal swings of orders. Two times a year everyone wants their tools immediately, while the rest of the year, not much sells. So, it's a challenge to understand the trends and complexities of the hat making world, but it's been interesting and has taken my work all of the world now, as I regularly ship internationally. Again, without Google, Hatman Jack, and my dad showing me how to work in wood, I would not be doing what I am now. It's interesting to ponder how the Journey directs each of us..

 

[m0nk]

I don't know that I've ever commented in this thread...

I'm a computer programmer by day and an EMT on weekends... I've tried my hand at a few other things over the years, such as winemaking and rare book dealing, but these are the two jobs that seem to stick. I started working in data centers doing systems administration about 13 years ago and worked my way into programming. After a layoff nearly 4 years ago, I got an EMT certification and have been doing that between jobs and on weekends ever since.

 

[AmateisGal]

I left a Mechanical Engineering, Sales & Project Management Career in the oil industry back in 1997 to start a full time adventure building things in wood and other materials. I seem to have been born into woodworking, yet ran away during my twenties and early thirties wanting a desk job doing something that paid better. After ten years, the money didn't seem to matter as much, and my hands were just itching to work at what I really wanted to do. So, I quit and became a woodworker one day. It's been quite an interesting journey. Back when the economy went bad in 2008, expensive carved furniture commissions became hard to find. I have been selling my walking canes at the Hatman Jack Hat shop in Wichita Kansas for several years, and in the summer of 2007 Hatman Jack got me started on hat making tools with four little Foot Tollikers. They weren't hard for me to carve out, so I did them. Those Tollikers and Google's magic started me on a hat tool making journey to supplement the furniture, walking canes, custom knives, powder horns, and other crafts I was doing. Jack has continued to provide his Hat expertise for me as I design new tools and re-craft the old ones, going to dozens and dozens of different hat tools now. If not for the Hat Makers ordering my tools, I don't know what I would be doing now, but it probably would not be crafts. So, for those that have purchased from me in the past, my family sincerely appreciates your support, and I hope the tools are working well for you, and I'm hanging in there. The biggest hurdle with making hat tools is the seasonal swings of orders. Two times a year everyone wants their tools immediately, while the rest of the year, not much sells. So, it's a challenge to understand the trends and complexities of the hat making world, but it's been interesting and has taken my work all of the world now, as I regularly ship internationally. Again, without Google, Hatman Jack, and my dad showing me how to work in wood, I would not be doing what I am now. It's interesting to ponder how the Journey directs each of us..

I think it's awesome that you left the corporate world and did something you loved. I want to do that, too, but it will have to wait until hubby is done with college and can get the full-time job so I can quit my office job!

 

[filfoster]

Does anyone ever read this thread? I am a trust officer, 35 years; a licensed attorney (OH and KY) and certified loon, to wit:

I recreate, at hideous expense and effort, historically accurate uniforms, screen-accurate Movie and TV costumes.

 

[filfoster]

I'm a true nerd! Just finishing my PhD in human geography and now looking for some sort of post-doc research job.

I was a keen amateur in your field when I was a much younger man....didn't call it 'geography', exactly..

 

[David Conwill]

Is there a separate organization for lunatics in Ohio or Kentucky? Here I'm pretty sure we're admitted to both at the same time we pass the bar exam.

(See, someone reads it.)

 

[filfoster]

Is there a separate organization for lunatics in Ohio or Kentucky? Here I'm pretty sure we're admitted to both at the same time we pass the bar exam.

(See, someone reads it.)

It's not a 'unified bar' sort of membership but there is an enormous overlap. Glad to see someone else wandered into this thread.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I keep telling Hatman Jack that he needs to get into the internet more, but he doesn't. He sells quite a few hats in Wichita, but I was in talking to him a couple of years ago and he was sending a bunch of (I think custom) hats to Prince in New York for a show. You never know who you'll see in his place.

Later

 

[Rathdown]

Previously I was a Herald of Arms in the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland. Now I'm back to producing television shows.

 

[casechopper]

Chemical Engineer by education
Systems Administrator/Programmer/Web Design/Graphics Design/Technical Support/R&D/Forklift Operator etc.... at a small wholesale retail mail order warehouse. Small companies allow/require a jack of all trades approach.

 

[randooch]

Chemical Engineer by education
Systems Administrator/Programmer/Web Design/Graphics Design/Technical Support/R&D/Forklift Operator etc.... at a small wholesale retail mail order warehouse. Small companies allow/require a jack of all trades approach.

Sounds like a great opportunity to wear many hats.

 

[Gregg Axley]

With local gov't, doing purchasing and working with vehicles.

 

[James71]

Scientist for the government in water supply by day, professional musician at night and on weekends.

www.jamesbyrnes.com.au

 

[Phineas Lamour]

I am a material handler at an autoparts distribution warehouse. I am also the union shop steward for my shift.

 

[countryclubjoe]

I race fast car, I play tennis, I chase woman, I have Friday and Saturday off however I am my own BOSS!

Now really,

I am a professional poker player, I also tutor bridge class and chess classes.

Best Regards
CCJoe

 

[texan]

Personal Fitness Trainer (PFT). Former Texas Peace Officer, and WWII reenactor (25 years).

 

[Yeps]

Just got my schedule for being an opera-singing busser at a restaurant here in Philly, the pay is pretty bad, but hopefully the tips (we pool tips apparently) will make up for it. Well, that and the performing and modeling I am doing.

 

[countryclubjoe]

Just got my schedule for being an opera-singing busser at a restaurant here in Philly, the pay is pretty bad, but hopefully the tips (we pool tips apparently) will make up for it. Well, that and the performing and modeling I am doing.[/QUOTE

Hey Yeps, I was born in so.Philly, grow up in GraysFerry, went to St.Gabriels, Bishop Neumann HS.
UoP for business and then Villanova Law.
I still have an Aunt living down there, she will never leave.
I had a ball growing up there in the 50's and 60's. We had great neiborhoods, great bakery's, great resturants, people left there front door opened and sleep on the porch in summer. It was fun time.
Best regards
CCJ

 

[DesertDan]

Planner/scheduler in the facilities maintenance department of a large defense contractor.
And like James71, a professional musician on nights/weekends.

 

[Equality 7-2521]

I notice we don't have a lot of factory workers here. A rather golden era profession, if you ask me.

I started work in Norway for Tine which makes the Jarlsberg cheese, it happened to be in the factory that exported the most cheese to America at one time. Interesting job, I worked both in the creation process and packaging division.

Also worked as a baker in a hand bakery where I had to learn on the fly everything. I enjoyed the work but working only nights and the fact that wages weren't as I wanted I left that job.

I'm currently working in a concrete factory, which isn't as hard/tough as it sounds. We make concrete pipes for water/sewage. There I'm a part of casting all the pipes, welding metal reinforcements and eventual drilling of pipes.

A lot of my friends feel I have unfulfilled potential and should have gotten a higher education but I think I've come to realize that I prefer doing stuff with my hands and body for now. It's not to say somewhere in the future I might not seek something else out but I'm content with what I have. I enjoy jobs where I can see the fruits of my labor and get a certain bit of pride when I see our products going into new road ways or as in my past jobs being eaten and enjoyed by people .