day job?

[sparx35]

what do you do for your work....i'm an electrician...

[jerrycat]

i am in the executive recruiting business...specialty in marketing /market research. i work for myself and started my company a year ago this january. it's been tough, but worth it.

jerrycat

[exrunner]

Defense contractor. We are in the supply chain for military aircraft and ships. We also have a couple minor contracts with Big Tobacco. (No kidding!) A relatives of mine s an importer of firearms and religious supplies, among other things. (If only we had a distillery and a casino - that would complete the package.)

[Ian]

Bioanalytical chemist, specializing in xenobiotic metabolism.

I could do the drug testing many were clamoring for but trust me, it isn't cheap.

[eliana2003]

grad. student (u.k. university)- also help with husband's risk management/ international security company...

[heydavis]

Lead Forecaster, Meteorologist for the National Weather Service

[eliana2003]

wow... that's kinda cool! I always liked science at school; one of the schools where I took some night classes- way back in the beginning of my academic career- offered a meteorology programme... I (and a lot of the other lit. majors) was in awe of how difficult the programme was- all the maths and physics... I've always been fascinated by weather and how it all works... actually, when I stop and ponder the physical universe and all that it implies, I suddenly understand how insignificant all the 'small stuff' really is (like sets of 200s) ... hmmm......

:eek:

peace...

[laineybug]

School psychologist... major duty is diagnosing disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act... but, like an ER in slow motion, I handle what ever walks in the door. I serve one middle and two elementary schools for a caseload of about 1,700 students. Swimming is a great way to burn off the stress.

[Glenn]

I teach adapted physical education in an elementary school district K - 8. I see 60 students at 12 schools. Six schools a day - they are only 1 -2 miles apart. I get lots of exercise during the day and then work out about 4,000 yards in the afternoon. No wonder I am tired at night!

Had been an assistant principal and school principal for 13 years but finally got tired of the.....stress. Love what I do now, kids are great and I can't wait to get to school each day!:cool:

[cinc310]

Work in a call center for Greyhound bus lines, and take informaton calls and sell some tickets order the home, really. Not very professional but its a living. Laineyburg, if I had you as my school Psychologist I might have not been railroad in grade school. Back in the 1960's if a kid got dianogized with ADHD,wasn't the best student, learn to read and write later; then they got placed in special ed with mildy retarded,no joking. I got out of it at 12 years old and got to into regular classes with some remedial classes in Jr High. But I was far back in basic skills partly because of what happen to me.

[mark_varney47]

Hedge Fund trader for clients in London.Swimming gives me the release that I need both physically and mentally.

[dorothyrd]

Computer Analyst

Laineybug, as one who is having my 5th grader going through the testing process, I appreciate the hard work you are putting in. It is hard to deal with a child who is struggling and it was the psychologist who caught that she has an eye condition as part of her problem. Unfortunately, dealing with the eye problem pushed the testing back a year, which is why she still is struggling 3 years after I asked her to be tested. The psychologist has patiently explained again and again, the laws she has to follow to make sure my daughter gets the help she needs. She has done a good job working with my daughter and it will be interesting to see the results at the end of this month. My gut, she will test above the line and won't be aloud help!(I am preparing for the worse)

[laineybug]

First I want to say a huge thank you for the positive comments about school psychologist. Too often a sch psych only sees a student a couple of times during the assessment progress and maybe once or twice after to assist in the transition and program development. We seldom get to see the growth and progress a student makes over the year that teachers see. In a way we never get to see the results of our psychological assessment, diagnosis and recommendations. Hearing from parents and students that we have made a difference is one of the most wonderful things in the world.

Cindy, it was horrific what was done to students back in the 60's. I'm not sure if Least Restrictive Environment was being 'enforced' back then. I'm sorry about your experience. It does sound like someone recognized the error. Everytime I recommend Special Education, whether it is for an intellectual, emotional or learning disability(or any of the other categories) I worry about whether this is truely the right thing to do for this student. I also ask myself, if this were my child what would I want? If you were diagnosed with ADHD today and needed remedial help or academic support to succeed, more than likely you would have received services through a program called Other Health Impaired.

Dorthy, I wish the best for your daughter... it sounds like you have a very good sch psych on your side. Federal and State Regulations are very frustrating to us, so I'm sure they must be to parents as well. They are there, however, to insure that what happenned to Cindy doesn't happen to other students. On an emotional level though, all I know, and all a parent knows, is that this student is struggling and needs help! It wrenches my gut to have to tell a parent that a child doesn't qualify for services. If your daughter doesn't qualify for services under IDEA then ask about services and/or classroom modifications under Section 504.

Laineybug

[Denise Brown]

I am an ordained Lutheran pastor - currently serving at a facility for mentally retarded/developmentally disabled children and adults.

[Scansy]

Mechanical engineer (yawn!)

I work for a company that designs and constructs buildings. Mostly pharmaceutical plants and labs. If you look in the ceiling at the pipes and ducts, that was me!

Jerrycat, I have thought about going out on my own, but haven't worked up the nerve yet. I keep coming back to how will I make the mortgage payment and feed the family if I have a bad month (or 2 or 3).Congrats on taking that step.

[jerrycat]

scansy, you've got to just do it. If you think about it too much, it's easy to get scared to death, and not do it.

ultimately, i always wanted to be self employed...then the perfect opportuntiy came when the organization I worked for was aquired--it was the messiest, ugliest thing I'd ever been through. finally, i said enough is enough! i asked them to fire me (so the my noncompete wouldn't apply). they had no idea what I was up to, but less than one month later, I was up and running with my own company.

last friday I cried alot, because so many bad things happened--but a bad day like that working for yourself, beats any good day working for somebody else. Plus, the good days on your own are so powerful and rewarding...

If you're serious, get some money, put it away somewhere so it's liquid, draw up your plan, and get going. the thing to remember is that you can always go back to working for someone else--not that you'd want to, but you could if your business was a total flop. Plus, if you're married, make sure your spouse/companion believes in you, because they'll keep you emotionally floating when you feel down.

what kind of business are you thinking of doing?

Jerrycat

[dorothyrd]

Lainey, thanks, the school has already placed her in supported classrooms, so she is getting extra help. I never really knew what the school psychologist did until we started dealing with her issues. You have a lot on your platter.

One thing that has been a real positive for my daughter is to swim. She is not the best, very average, but she is proud of her swimming and it helps her in other areas. Get your kids swimming, it helps their school work!!!

[born2fly]

Network Engineer/System Administrator

Company I work for deals with fingerprinting. When people are arrested now a days,their prints are scannned into my system then stored. Then for example, if at crime scene,and you have a latent lift (1 print), the examiner scans that print in and it then searches my database of hundredes of thousands of records multiplied by 10 if they have all fingers in a matter of minutes and comes back with matches. Yes, just like you see on the TV show CSI. A lot of pressure on keeping system running but not as much pressure as swimming the 200 fly :-)

I have one central site where the brains of operation are at then 5 remote sites tied into it, not to mention, its a 7x24 hr operation.

Overall, I love my career however, have been thinking recently of starting something up myself.

Oh, and my nightjob is swimming :-)

[waves101]

Small Business Commercial Insurance Agent (new to this side of business). Was a Company-based Personal Lines Insurance Financial Analyst in previous life (merger and acquisition consolidation). Just started in this role last month and have already passed licensing exam. Hoping to write small business insurance for some fellow masters in the near future.

[trevorstalker]

Materials Science Grad-Student
Technician on a Polymer-Recycling Lab

[Msparks378]

Regional Manager for a Technology Leasing and Integration company.

We work directly with mid-size companies and their business partners to streamline IT operations, reduce costs and improve business continuity. Most of our business is leasing technology and building IT infrastructure but we also provide short term rental and Disaster Recovery contracts.

Michael

[Sabretooth Tiger]

Lawyer (Employment and Civil Rights)

[Scansy]

Jerrrycat - I would do a business similar to what I do now, but on a smaller scale. Designing buildings, running construction projects for clients who don't have the knowledge (or time) to do it themselves, etc. I would start as a "one man band". But I have resources available to me in a pinch.

I already do some work "on the side". But I don't make nearly enough to live on, especially in the northeast corridor (suburbs of Philly). I hope to build it some more while keeping my other job. Then when it gets too big to manage on the side, make the leap.

My wife believes in me, but the whole idea scares the hell out of her (as it does me). Right now she is not working - ok, she actually works her butt off taking care of the kids/house but you know what I mean. But she would like to get back to the workforce and already has an offer on the table. That would help to ease the financial fears - especially if she gets a job with medical.

Thanks for the encouragement.

[Jayhawk]

I'm an UNEMPLOYED engineer. My degree is in mechanical engineering; all of my experience is in process & manufacturing engineering.

The company I worked for closed our plant in July, 2002, and moved our operations to its plant in South Carolina. We were given big retention bonuses to stay until the plant closed, so I took a few months off and didn't start to look for a new job until January, 2003.

It was probably just as well that I hadn't started looking - the job market was, and still is, terrible. I've been unemployed twice before and those times were NOTHING like this.

I'm already seeing age discrimination, at the ripe old age of 42. Maybe "salary discrimination" is a better term. I've been on several interviews where it quickly became clear that they want a less-experienced engineer because they want to pay less. WAY less. I interviewed for one job that would have been a 40%-45% pay cut from my last salary.

At this point I don't know what to do. Manufacturing does seem to be disappearing in our country. Maybe I should become a plumber or an auto mechanic!

[jerrycat]

anna...send me your resume,

joanne3P@fuse.net. (3P Consulting, LLC is my business)

It's tough right now for your speciality...but send me the email, and we can converse a little, as I'm in the job market everyday, and can help you strategize to land the job you deserve.

Jerrycat. :D

[James]

Realtor. But I also run our families JC Penneys catalog store.

[CoachMike]

Senior Software Engineer for a Defense Contractor (Northrop Grumman). Where I do a lot of automated testing of embedded systems (mainly airborn radars).

[Leonard Jansen]

Minion of Satan.

I do R&D work/math/software development for a company that makes the world's most advanced marketing software. We show retailers/companies how to squeeze every last dollar out of your pockets. It is truly terrifying as to how well it works and our client list is a who's who of large American companies.

It was either that or become a hit man and, to my shame, I chose the greater of the two evils.

We OWN you..... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

-LBJ

[sparx35]

lots of differing occupations...some real good jobs some of you have...good luck with them..

[Mark in MD]

I am in the business of building correctional facilities (nice word for prisons) for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services as a full-time profession. In addition, many of you know that I am also a Church organist currently serving a Lutheran church. (Hear that, Rev. Denise?)

[UKswimmer]

I work as a Pilot and Cabin Crew Controller in the Operations Dept. for an Airline in UK

[cinc310]

Well, that's true about manufactoring jobs going overseas. But having lived in Calfornia, most of the manufactoring blue collar workers were mainly hispanic. So seeing the Rosanne show and seeing alot of nonhispanic whites do manufactoring jobs was strange. In other parts of the US, things are like they were 20 years ago.

[Horace]

Philosopher.

[cinc310]

Interesting name Horace, he was a writer during the reign of Augustus. I never heard that he was much into philosophy. Cicero I know wrote a little about the philsophers of his age mainly before Horace's time.

[Horace]

Good for you! Yup, he was a sex-crazed poet. Philosophers don't as often seem to have been sex-crazed.


(I'm new-ish here, and sheepish about posting a new thread just to get me-specific advice, so I'll sneak it in here:

Can anyone recommend a stroke-coach for a lousy but eager swimmer in the Stanford or San Francisco area? Thanks!)

[Bert Bergen]

Mo Chambers, Mountain View Masters
Kerry O'Brien, Walnut Creek Masters

[Tom Ellison]

Vice President Sales/Marketing for a Part 145 FAA Licensed Repair Station. Sell specialized custom aviation tooling, sell and repair cargo handling and restraint system parts, manufacture aviation non-powered ground support equipment, load test and recertification of aviation maintenance support equipment, all to airlines around the world.

[salgut]

I've always been curious what everyone does when they aren't in Speedos! I'm a College Professor...I teach in a College of Pharmacy...my specialty area is drugs for psychiatric illness. :)

Sally

[MosineeBill]

Corporate risk manager for a healthcare facility.

[Peter Cruise]

Bookseller. I own my own general bookstore, new books only; specializations in scifi/fantasy, mysteries & childrens.

[Horace]

Thanks, Bert. Mo Chambers is no longer coaching, according to the MVM website (maybe she coaches privately now?).

Walnut Creek is a bit of a haul for me.



Originally posted by Bert Bergen
Mo Chambers, Mountain View Masters
Kerry O'Brien, Walnut Creek Masters

[Phil Arcuni]

Horace, here are a couple that I have used, and are very close to you:

Tim Sheeper, Menlo Masters
Tom McCrae, SOLO swim club

They both have a small number of reliable stroke coaches that they may refer you to.

but there are so many other swim programs in the area, look for links at http://www.pacificmasters.org , check the pacific USS site, also available as a link from the pacific masters site.

[cinc310]

Peter are you familar with the SCA-Society for crative anachorism. They are in the tourment period and fight with wooden swords to actual scale. I was involved with them about 20 years ago. Anyway, they are some of the biggest consumers of the sci-fi/fantasy. I have not read a sci-fi fantasy books in years.

[Denise Brown]

Mark in MD,
We could use an organist out here!! I can see Sunday morning Masters meets taking on an other event - Event 1: Hymn sing and prayer!!

[Mark in MD]

Thanks Denise for your offer and thinking of me; however, the commute would be a tad l-o-n-g. Besides, we are starting the process of fund raising for a new organ (instrument) here at my Church. I don't want to change postions now?

Now let's think of hymns for swimming. Let's see . . . here's a start: Eternal Father Strong to Save (for open water events). That reminds me, what hymn do you associate with changing type faces when working on a document? Simple. "Come Thou Font of Every Blessing." I'd better stop . . . Matt S. will be after me . . . again.

[Betsy]

I haven't been reading the forum regularly for the last few weeks. I find this thread fascinating! One of the best things about friendships within Masters Swimming is the mixture of ages, lifestyles, and professions.

I have to brag that I have the very best job - retirement. I taught math in junior or senior high schools for 30+ years. I loved it, but the freedom to set my own schedule is wonderful.

Anna Lea, ever thought of teaching? I know the pay is not great, but it is satisfying and math jobs are available.
Betsy

[Shaky]

I haven't been around lately either, because my job took me to Canada for a week, then I went off to visit a business school.

I'm a television news photographer, AKA "cameraman," for an independent news service in Washington, DC. I cover our fearless leaders for overseas news networks in Singapore, South Africa, India and New Zealand. I also cover their fearless leaders when they come to North America, which is why I was in Canada: I spent the week following South African president Thabo Mbeki around Toronto and Ottawa, into their Parliament and even into Prime Minister Jean Chretien's office.

I have been to the White House for bill signings by our own silly President, and I have shaken Colin Powell's hand after videotaping his personal "happy birthday" wishes to Nelson Mandela. I have shadowed most of India's top brass and ALL of Singapore's top brass and followed Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf for a week all around Washington. Friday, in between my Canada trip and my school tour, I had a one on one with Hilary Clinton for the New Zealanders to learn all about her book (zzzzz). I have interviewed four sitting state governors (Chiles and Bush in Florida, Siegelman in Alabama and the NC guv, whose name escapes me at the moment) and a whole host of Senators and Representatives, and I've now shot video of every Democratic Presidential candidate except Clark; we've shot Dean several times, because we all think he's going to get the nomination and need the freshest video on hand as possible. I even got to shoot interviews with Wyclef Jean from the Fugees and Chaka Kahn.

It's been interesting and exciting, but I've decided to give it up. I spent the day today at the University of Pennsylvania looking into my prospects as an MBA student. I was considering trying to double up in law and business, but several lawyers (including Matt S.) have just about talked me out of it. I'm trying to find a way to get up to Boston to tour Harvard next.

I'm glad to see so many aviation folks on the list. I have my private pilot's license and have found pilots to be very cool people. Flying isn't practical for me now, but I plan to continue on to my instrument rating after I get school paid for. Someday I'll have my own plane.

Also:

Originally posted by Scansy
Mechanical engineer (yawn!)

I don't think that's boring. Ten, twenty even thirty years from now, you'll still be able to drive by buildings you did and say "I did that." People who build things are cool; in twenty years, it's unlikely anyone will give a crap about the video I shot in Canada last week, but someone will still be using your work.

[Scansy]

Gee Shaky, maybe you should go to school for engineering - not the MBA/law thing.

Better yet, is there a degree in swimology? Imagine the classes

Freestyle 101
Advanced Techniques in Body Roll
Ethics in Lane Sharing
The History of the xxxxx Stroke
Physics of Water, Air and Body Temperatures
Oganic (Hair Maintenance) Chemistry
Advanced Pace Clock Management
Philosophy of TI

:p

[jerrycat]

Shaky, giving up your profession? What's brought this on?

This is life changing stuff you're talking about.

One thing for sure is that we've got one crack at living on earth...do what you want to do before the time is gone.

Best of luck,
JoAnne

[aquageek]

I have to tell you Shaky it sounds like you have one sweet job. Might be hard if you have a family. Everyone I know has an MBA and all we do is sit around computers crunching numbers all day long. Stay with you very cool job. I think we are all envious.

The NC gov was either Hunt or Easley, depending on when you did the filming.

[eliana2003]

Originally posted by aquageek
I Stay with you very cool job. I think we are all envious.



Shaky, at least you HAVE a job!! I'm finding work hard to come by (and so are a lot of others...). Good luck with it, though!

[Shaky]

Originally posted by aquageek
The NC gov was either Hunt or Easley, depending on when you did the filming.

It was Easley. I could have looked it up, I guess, but I was feeling lazy. Hunt came strolling through our newsroom once, but I didn't interview him.

My job is cool, but not as cool as you might think. The first time you go to the White House is exciting. The second time is just like the first time, and the third time is just the same. You quickly realize that it's just another government building with government employees. Everything is so controlled and premeditated that you don't really get much by being there in person that you wouldn't get from watching teevee. Once you've shot a couple of "grip 'n grins" between politicians, it doesn't matter whether it's Colin Powell, Thabo Mbeki, George W, Pervez Musharraf or Arnold Schwartzenegger, the events are all exactly the same and will probably someday be accomplished by preprogrammed robot doubles of the dignitaries instead of the politicians themselves. Even shaking hands with Colin Powell is mostly meaningless, because it's really just a reflex for those people; they meet so many other people that none of them would remember me a month later.

The thing I'll miss is the think tanks, which the regular public doesn't usually see. We've all heard the nutty reasons George W and friends have given for going into Iraq, all boiled down to easy soundbites and slogans formulated by top advertising consultants; but the conversation is entirely different coming from the mouths of Richard Perle and James Woolsey when they give academic briefings at AEI. At first they scare the crap out of you; then what they're doing starts to make a lot more sense, even if you still don't agree with it.

I'm going back to school to change careers, or rather resume a career I left off too early. I started out working in the film industry, making films. It was tough physically and financially, and I needed a steady job, so I kind of fell into teevee news as a temporary thing. I was good at it, so I figured I would see where it would go. It's been a fun ride, but I really want to get back to the entertainment industry.

I had been leaning toward entertainment law, because I have always enjoyed questions of law and felt it would be a good way to get back to the industry. At the same time, however, I eventually want to build up an equipment rental house and production company, and that goal seems to be at odds with the law career. That's what had me thinking of doubling up in law and business.

However, I did so well on the GMAT (750) and had such a high undergraduate GPA (3.89) that my b school prospects are much better than my law school prospects. That, and talking with lawyers, helped me to realize that b school alone would probably be the better path. What I would like to do from this point is get my MBA and re-enter the motion picture industry in the distribution end, learning how that phase of the business works. I am particularly interested in international distribution, as well as domestic distribution of foreign films.

I think I can get into Wharton at Pennsylvania, where they have a pretty strong media and entertainment club, as well as strong entrepreneurial and marketing majors. With my split goals, I might double major. I'm also negotiating with my boss for time off to visit Harvard and learn more about them, but I gotta say that I REALLY liked my visit to Wharton and the way they run things there.

I'm not sure that anyone wanted to know all this, so I'm sorry if I've rambled too long. It just looked like some explanation was in order.

[cinc310]

Well, you can say that about the other side too. Personality I wasn't a big supporter of the Kosvo/Bosnia adventure myself but as Shaky states think tanks can give more reasons for us getting involved with the Balkins when we did in the 1990's.

[SearayPaul]

Intersting reasoning for changing carriers. I know that I am old because of what I am about to type.

I have noticed over the years that no matter what one does or does not do, how important or how unimportant a position is, how well or how poor of a job one does, how finacially successful or how broke one is the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

That must be because of the human spirit or because we live in the greatest country in the world. We learn from the very begining that we can succecd at anything, except spelling, if we only dream hard enough and work hard enough at an endevor. Isn't America great.

Shakey I sure hope that your dreams come to be reality. Just save a little time for this site as I enjoy your humor.

By the way I am a husband, dad, and pharmacist.

Have a great day


Paul

[Shaky]

Originally posted by SearayPaul
Intersting reasoning for changing carriers. ... the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Just to be clear, that's not why I'm changing careers.

I always wanted to work in film. Once I worked in film, I wanted to run my own production company. I also want to understand the market for the product of that company, so I want to work in film distribution for a while before taking the leap.

I'm not leaving my current career in teevee news because I changed my mind about it. It was, from the beginning, only supposed to be a temporary sideline to regroup from my original foray into the film business. It just so happened that it was enjoyable enough, and I was successful enough at it, that the temporary gig turned into six, going on seven years.

Yet every year that passed seemed to remove me further from my original goals. Now I am taking steps to reclaim them.

[laineybug]

Go for it Shakey!

I think its great, too many folks get side tracked by other things in their life. I started my career late so I had the chance to really understand what I wanted out of life and a career before I ventured into getting the education and training needed. I'm happy where I am even though I could make a lot more money, and have a lot easier caseload practicing in the private sector.

I think another factor comes into play also. To this day have other career field instrests and have considered going back to school so I could switch fields, simply because sometimes I want a new and different kind of challenge in my life.

On a related note: I was reading an article the other day that was discussing the impact that living longer will have on us. This futurist believes that people will HAVE TO HAVE two careers over their life spans in order to support themselves into their old age!
AHHHHHH, can you imagine working 60 years?!

[jerrycat]

each and every day I work with people regarding their careers. My experience has been that the older someone is, the less likely they believe the grass is greenier--many people grow out of that belief in their careers when they come to understand that work is work is work.
So, many career changers change because they can't ignore their hearts anymore. It's more about doing what you really, really, really, really want to do--not what's acceptable to do, or what one would make more money, or what's least likely to upset your wife/husband, whatever. Doing what you really, really, really, really want to do can be a scary reality--and not everyone allows themself to pursue it--because of money, it's hard to start over, giving up health benfits, or any other reason under the sun.

Shaky, this is great news what you're doing. Keep the faith, and ignore everyone who discourages you. You're going to make it!

Jerrycat


:D

[dcarson]

Fascinating thread........

I'm an IT auditor with a small national professional services firm called Urbach Kahn & Werlin Advisors, Inc.. I do technology related assessments for Federal government clients in DC.

[Conniekat8]

Ya had to ask.... lemme see, what do I do...
Civil Engineering, Land Surveying
Yes, I can measure and certify pools ... ;)
Some other stuff too, like GIS, database design, some programming, graphics design, 3D graphics, website design, whatever else people will pay me to do... ;)
Some of it is explained here:
www.cb-design.net (http://www.cb-design.net)

[Conniekat8]

Originally posted by jerrycat
..... Doing what you really, really, really, really want to do can be a scary reality--and not everyone allows themself to pursue it--because of money, it's hard to start over, giving up health benfits, or any other reason under the sun.

Since you mentioned this...
Just this May, I bit the bullet quit where I was working and started getting my business off the ground.
It was scary as hell taking that leap.
It's turning out a lot better than I had planned. It's also allowed me the flexibility in schedule to start swimming :D .

[sparx35]

lots of replies to my post...i know im a little late re-replying but thanks to all for making this a good post also i wish all you good swimmers a good future in your works..and keep up the good swimming;)