Your Career or what you do day to day?

[jerseybigfoot]

I'm a geologist. That usually elicits the response "So, you look at rocks?".

The easy answer, is yes.

The way-too-expensive-and-will-be-paying-off-till-I'm-50 pieces of paper on the wall say "Geology", but that's inclusive of a lot of different disciplines from Geomorphology to Crystallography/Minerology. I'm technically a Hydrogeologist ("hydromike" lame, I know....). I've worked for the same environmental consulting firm since grad school, and it's a pretty cool place. In a nutshell, we manage environmental issues for public and private entities and help them stay in compliance with state and federal regulations. The work ranges from performing geotechnical investigations for the temporary storage pads desinged to house the spent fuel rods for nuclear reactors (Yucca Mountain ain't gonna happen in time....) to just standing behind a drill rig in the dead of winter for months at a time. It usually shocks the driller when the dude logging the soil cores can diagnose a bearing in a Moyno pump that's about to go south.

I love to have an understanding of how things in the world work, and that ranges from plate tectonics to just about anything mechanical. I was a gearhead way before I was a rockhound, and I can't figure out if it's cooler digging a 420 million year old brachiopod out of the local fossil beds, or digging a 40 year old ATV out of the fence row.

Hey Mike I bet you didn't think anybody heard of a Moyno pump. AKA bent worm rotor with a rubber stator. Esplain how dat Moyno works again?

[spookum]

Grew up in dads shop : He worked on cars, everything but transmissions. Said he hated slush buckets, dunno how they work and didn't care.

Me: First go-kart at 8 years old. Modified and modified and modified.

Built a 20000$ race kart (electric), chromoly frame (i welded it) kevlar tub and a fiberglass body by age 17.

Made a driller in the oil feilds in Montana.

Moved to alaska, 2 years left in in a petroleum engineering degree.

Nothing is more satisfying than taking an unknown object, making it run again. I especially love the challenge of figuring out what it is and its history.

[guyfox]

Well at the ripe old age of 43, i have been retired for the past 4 years. After finishing high school I joined the Canadian Forces. I use to be an Ammunition Tech (use to blow things up and play with bombs....LOL). Retired after 201/2years and went back to school. I am now a registered massage therapist. Quite the career change i know. I now only work to pay for toys that i want. It is a hard life but someone has to retire early to enjoy life....

Guyfox

[Joe M]

I work for the Dept. of Revenue of Pa. " B.I.D.M." Bureau of Imaging and Document Management. We process all the Documents generated by all other Pa. State Agency's, and reduce them to a Virtual Image.

[Joe M]

Can't believe they stopped making the H3. What a great vehicle!!!

[LarryW]

This is a pretty interesting topic!

[amphibious drew]

Ok, I'll go but I have to be kind of vague due to heavy regulations of my industry. I work in consumer goods, and am a trade marketing rep for a fortune 500 company. So basically I drive around to gas stations, convienient stores, and other retailers and handle company relations with customers on all levels. I contract independent retailers, ensure contract components are in place with them as well as large chains, and talk to the end consumer about all the brands I am responsible for. Sounds pretty boring, but I get a 4x4 escape and have a huge rural area to drive around as I please as long as I get my work done. I make my own schedule as to where I go during the day, and some of the stuff I get to see is crazy.

[hydromike]

I'm a geologist. That usually elicits the response "So, you look at rocks?".

The easy answer, is yes.

The way-too-expensive-and-will-be-paying-off-till-I'm-50 pieces of paper on the wall say "Geology", but that's inclusive of a lot of different disciplines from Geomorphology to Crystallography/Minerology. I'm technically a Hydrogeologist ("hydromike" lame, I know....). I've worked for the same environmental consulting firm since grad school, and it's a pretty cool place. In a nutshell, we manage environmental issues for public and private entities and help them stay in compliance with state and federal regulations. The work ranges from performing geotechnical investigations for the temporary storage pads desinged to house the spent fuel rods for nuclear reactors (Yucca Mountain ain't gonna happen in time....) to just standing behind a drill rig in the dead of winter for months at a time. It usually shocks the driller when the dude logging the soil cores can diagnose a bearing in a Moyno pump that's about to go south.

I love to have an understanding of how things in the world work, and that ranges from plate tectonics to just about anything mechanical. I was a gearhead way before I was a rockhound, and I can't figure out if it's cooler digging a 420 million year old brachiopod out of the local fossil beds, or digging a 40 year old ATV out of the fence row.

[gearhead1937]

High School Math Teacher. Geometry to AP Calculus. Knew in 3rd grade i was going to be a teacher (or fighter pilot). Worst part about being a math teacher is being able to count how many wheels my attex has on it. Currently four. Three on one side only one on the other. That was a fun trip home. Used to work summers as a carpendar. Been at the same school since graduation college (11 years). Hopefully will retire there.

[dkesonset]

Dkesonset - Petroleum Terminal Manager

Started working at Cities Service Company in 1978, at age 21 as a transport driver delivering gasoline to gas stations thru out Phila, - NJ area. Transferred to Madison, WI in 1984 as Asst. Terminal Manager, then promoted to Terminal Manager in Milwaukee, WI in 1987. Been there ever since. Now on my 33 year with CITGO. I manage pipeline receipts, Inventory, Safety, Security, and Environmental Compliance. Keep the transports loading the juice. And btw, no, I do not get free gasoline....or even a discount. I have to pay street prices....just like all of you do.

[lewis]

Mechanic buy trade, electric motors, winding machines and general all over plant maintenance. For the last 8 years I have been filling the position of Maintenance Safety Coordinator. I do all the training for our maintenance personnel on subjects: Fall protection, Confined space,....etc. Also hazardous waste coordinator. Been very fortunate to have been at this plant for 37 years, started when i was 19 years old and still there except when i was in the service.

[mudbug3]

I worked for General Motor corporation for 33 and a half years and then retired in july 2009. I worked in the stamping divison for 4 years before I retired. In a stamping plant you take raw sheet metal blanks and form them into doors ,hoods , fenders, roof tops with heavy presses. In 2009 the plant manager layed off the whole second shift ,which amounted to over 1,200 people. The economy got bad and people stopped buying big ticket items. The plant that I worked at built the regular S-10, extended cab, and the small size Hummer. My plant is now scheduled to close in june or july of 2012.

[Rock Doctor]

I work in the Natural Gas ind. Go out into the bush for 8 days, then I get 6 days off. By trade, I'm a Millwright/Welder/Steam Engineer/Jack of everything,lol. Work on everything: Compressed Air/N2 systems, pumps/compressors, Internal combustion engines and Turbines (up to about 20,000hp), ext. I push about 335,000,000 cubic feet of gas per day down toward the US ( no need to thank me, but you can send me a tip if you want)
All the places I work are remote, some can be driven to, some I have to run an AATV to, and others I have to take a Chopper to get there.
I guess that's kinda the jist of it

RD

[Dan67]

I work for a plastic blow molding company and we make plastic fuel systems for the automotive industry. I have done just about every job on the production floor in the last 14 years. From operator to apprentice process technician to line supervisor, and for the last 2 years, forklift driver. The economic down turn hit at a bad time, contracts expiring and new contracts delayed or cancelled. In all, about 75% of the employees where laid off. I feel fortunate to still have a job, even though I took a huge paycut.

[racerone3]

All I have done in life is race. started in Karts at age 8, was racing for a living by 14 SCCA, Karts and DIRT Modifieds. (luckily) I figured out early that making it as a driver was going to involve securing a lot of someone else's money. Moved to NC when I was 20 to find a Job in NASCAR. In 12 years with 3 teams, I did a bit of everything, Body shop manager, Fabricator, Tire Carrier on pit stops, Shop foreman, Car chief, Crew Chief....... 2 years ago I was working for the remaining shell of what had once been Evernham Motorsports when the economy tanked. Race teams rely on sponsors and when that dried up A LOT of us lost jobs.

Luckily due to the Karting background, I'm pretty good with small engines. Opened a lawn equipment business and it is finally starting to help pay the bills. I also do some restoration work for people.

short reply.... Mechanic... anything and everything.