Where Do You Work or School or Retired?

[Janice]

What do you do for a living? Do you work, are your retired, or do you go to school?

I am a housewife, I do not work outside of the home.

My husband is a chemist.

[tomboudreau]

I work for the second largest sporting goods company in the United States as a help desk technician....Dick's Sporting Goods

[Dee Bee]

I'm an adjunct college English instructor. I currently teach 2 composition classes and 1 literature class T-W-Th mornings (8:30-12:15) at City College in Ft. Lauderdale and 1 English class on Thursday afternoons
(1-4) for MedVance Institute in West Palm Beach.

Since the campus in Ft. Lauderdale is a 30-mile round-trip and gas prices continue to skyrocket, I'm going to begin looking for an adjunct day-time position closer to Boynton Beach. The MedVance location is only 7 miles from here, but the course I teach for them is not offered every term. I don't want to work full-time (such as in high school), but I'm not quite ready to "hang up my tap shoes" yet, so to speak. I'm looking forward to volunteering once I officially retire 6-8 years from now.

[Kim_in_MN]

I work as a legal secretary in the small town where I live. Went to college for and worked as a paralegal for seven years before moving here; but the closest opening I could find was in Fargo, North Dakota, about 50 miles away. At the time I didn't take the job because I had a one year old DD and 7 year old DS and didn't want to risk being out of town all day (have them get sick at daycare/school, etc) but now I am glad I can get by with a tank of gas every week and a half or so (have to take them to their dad's every other weekend, which eats up the gas). This job is not what I want to be doing for the next 25+ years; I actually figured out how many more days I have to work before I can retire - I need to find something else. But it pays the bills (most months, anyway)

Kim

[weathermom]

I am a full time mom. Though things are getting kind of tight lately and I may have to add part time at something that pays better than the $0/hr I currently get! (need to pay the gas bill somehow!)

[azskyman]

I manage a major printing operation here in Phoenix. 30+ employees and the place operates 24/7. I am 4-8 years away from retirement, which simply means I am 4-8 years from working at another less all-emcompassing job.

My idea of retirement is working at something less intense until I drop over.

[weathermom]

azskyman- I was in print production before I got into the mom business! It is very demanding. My husband is still in the business and I worry about his health. These companies employees seem to have a high level of heart attack and stroke. I had days where I broke out in head to toe hives due to the stress! Now that I am home and can look at it from an outsider's point of view, I realize that most of the stress is over jobs that are destined for garbage cans soon anyway (advertising, annual reports, freebies for drug and cosmetic companies).

I will add you to the list of people in the business that I pray will get out with their health still good.

[beachbum_al]

For eight years I have been a SAHM. Loved every minute of it! This year I am entering the work force again. My second love! I am going to sub in the public schools so I can be close to my children and off when they are. My two youngest daughter are going to stay in daycare but their Nana (my mom) owns it.

Were we supposed to put husband's job...My husband works for the City of Daphne as City Clerk. Loves that job!

[Dee Bee]

My idea of retirement is working at something less intense until I drop over.

Gee, you and my husband must be "(overachieving) twins of different mothers"!

He's a city manager, a profession to which (like for those in the printing business), heart attack and stroke are no strangers. He's literally on the job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A typical day begins at 7, has a business lunch meeting, breaks at 6, resumes for an evening meeting by 7, and ends by 10 (if he's lucky -- the last council meeting lasted until well after midnight).

He regularly has city functions on weekends; if not, he's doing work not possible to squeeze into weekday hours. He also teaches an evening graduate course for the Palm Beach Gardens branch of a university based in Miami at least one term per year. The press calls not only his office, but also our home for info. His bosses are the elected officials (and every citizen within the city limits, actually). Currently, he's also working through some very nasty negotiations with one of the unions.

Yet he loves city management, couldn't imagine doing anything else, and is one of the best in this business, nationally. It's the kind of career that's not just a job, it's a "calling" (just as I consider my career in education).

Now almost 56, he's looking forward to retirement at 63-65 (we hope), but that retirement means going into adjunct teaching, consulting, and/or filling in as a temporary manager when communities are in the stage of recruiting (generally a several-month process) -- plus volunteering.

[CajunMama]

I make signs and banners. I get to play at work!!!! My husband and his family own a printing company. They have been one of the top 10 franchisees for the last 20 years!

[DaylilyDawn]

I work as a school crossing guard for the elementary school behind my house that my kids went to when they were a lot younger. My husband works as an electrician in a phosphate mine but will be losing his job in Oct when the plant closes for good.

[bfez1]

I am a receptionist with an Insurance Co.

[gtalum]

I own a (very) small business that manufactures epoxy coatings and adhesives.

[Skywatch_NC]

I work/volunteer and help out the department of surface water quality protection where my Dad works. It's a great feeling to help out others by filing reports and permits, making copies and entering data into the computer!

Eric

[coriolis]

I can relate to that, Eric.

I'm a civil enginner working at a medium size architectural/engineering/surveying firm. We have about 110 people, and I've been there 9 years, since it was about 40 people. The company designs buildings, bridges, highways, land development, site work, and in my department, water and sewer facilities. I design pipelines, tanks, treatment and pumping facilities for both water and wastewater. We try hard to keep them separate.

Presently working on a project to separate storm sewers from sanitary sewers to prevent sewage from going into a high quality stream when a big rain storm hits. This project will cost about $15 million, which is about the value of all the real estate in the town. Thank goodness for gov't grants and loans. I do design, obtain permits, meet the public, attend municipal meetings and a whole slew of other things during the course of a project. After design, we administer construction, and deal with contractors, the public, and the municipal authorities. Some contractors are real weasels, some are real good. It's rewarding seeing something that existed on paper (or now cyberspace) get built and actually work. I've had some close calls when things didn't work, but usually it was a piece of equipement that needed adjustment, or the contractor did something incorrectly. Keeping fingers crossed....

[stormie_skies]

I work in residential land development as a market analyst for one of the larger homebuilders in Texas. Basically, I am the information go-to girl for the veeps and the division presidents on anything concerning communities we are building in or are thinking about buying into or developing (everything from competition shopping to finding out lot prices to figuring out which faucet would be a better value). Its pretty interesting work....not exactly my childhood dream job, but it pays pretty well, has great benefits and lets me travel a little and spend a lot of time out of the office. Oh, and I like getting to help pick the names for communities and streets ....everyone at work teases me about that....they hate doing it so I've become the street namer....

I'd still like to use my real estate license again someday....I miss the flexibility (its hard to take college classes while working full time ), but I do like knowing what my paycheck will be - and having health insurance for a change.

[azsnowman]

Peace officer maam! DA FUZZ, COPPER!

Dennis

[Stephanie]

I'm a Financial Analyst for a casino in Atlantic City. I've been in Accounting/Finance for 20 years now (GULP!!! ). I think I need a life!

[azskyman]

DeeBee and Weathermom. Interestingly, I find printing to be a great way to further my first career...teaching. I left that after ten years to pursue journalism which led to print production which led to where I am today.

I have developed and surrounded myself with a great group of people who I have watched grow over the years. I took two of them to lunch today....18 and 17 years experience...and who started with the idea they needed a part-time job for a few extra bucks while the kids were in school, but who now can run their departments without me anywhere in sight! Stressful, for sure, but no so much as teaching was.

My other career has been politics...so I have a great appreciation for city managers. I have been elected, appointed, voted in, and voted out of numerous positions over the last 25 years. I currently serve on the City of Scottsdale Planning Commission and can talk at length with lawyers and developers and their representatives about issues that put most people to sleep.

This is not an "I" thread, but as long as the thread asked, I'll mention the many opportunities over the years to volunteer for everything from being a Wish Granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation to traveling to Europe as part of our Sister Cities contingent!

Even with all this, my passion is weather. I love people who love weather.

And for that reason....whatever it is that the rest of you list as your job or position here, if you love the weather, you make me smile!

[R-Dub]

I'm a Superintendent of a golf course, so I am dealing with weather on a daily basis. A month without rain and a 30year old irrigation system don't mix Have had my hands full for the last 30 days trying to limp the old system along!