What did you do or still do for a job or career? I was a teacher for 42 years.What about you?

[debm55]

[TommieMommy]

1. Worked in a gas station, met my future husband and became his secretary in the insurance office. We moved to Florida

Then I worked for Eckerd Drugs for over 20 years and Tom became a bus driver 😁 we both retired

[debm55]

10. Thank you TommieMommy, I am glad to see that you were able to do a variety of work, You are so adaptable,

[MiHale]

2. Army, construction, farming then...

We started our own companies…Carpet & Upholstery cleaning company along side a residential home cleaning company that spurred a graphic design biz … then RETIREMENT…last 10 years.

[debm55]

8. Thank you Mihale, You are a very creative business owner,

[FloridaBlues]

3. Registered Nurse about 30 years. Still employed.

[debm55]

6. Thank you FloridaBlues and bless you for the work you do.

[True Dough]

4. I was a bouncer for a lot of years

so if there's any trouble in The Lounge, let me know.

[debm55]

5. HAhAHA, Thank you True Dough

[Niagara]

38. Yes, poster #36 seems to be a Troublemaker with a capital T

[True Dough]

50. My spider senses tell me

that poster #36 is really a swell individual. Nothing to worry about there!

[Niagara]

72. You better keep on eye of them all the same, True...

rumor has it, they can be full of shenanigans!

[oberle]

7. Music things

I was a music librarian in a university, totaling 30 years. I was also a church organist from the age of 14, and am now an organist/choir master. I also taught taekwondo for 15 years.

[debm55]

12. Thank you oberle. what a variety of jobs . and welcome to DU.

[Alpeduez21]

9. Sole prop small engine repair

Do it for a couple more years then retire. Been at it almost 15 years. Had a few “careers”. Lasted long enough to really understand everything but when adhd says it’s time to go then it’s time to go. Teacher, construction, TSA, computer tech, ATM tech, cook, and an office career( ). Really found a groove with what I’m doing now

[debm55]

13. That's wonderful. I am so happy for you Alpeduez21 It is always good to work at something you really like doing.

[KarenS]

11. It evolved,,,,

began in Data Processing,,,, evolved into a Computer Programmer,,,, Programmer/Analyst,,,, Data Integration Specialist,,,, All business systems - fun stuff like Inventory Systems and Work-in-Process kinds of systems for manufacturing,,,,, began in 1968 thru 1999,,,, married the love of my life & 'retired' in 1999

[debm55]

14. That is wonderful, thank you very much KarenS. You have jobs in the same type of area. You were lucky to have found your

soul mate also.

[biophile]

15. Nuclear medicine for 45 years

Now blissfully retired!

[debm55]

16. Thank you biophile, My husband finished his radiation last week. Enjoy your retirement.

[biophile]

24. That's the plan! Thank you and

Congratulations to your husband - best wishes for clean scans going forward!

[RoadRunner]

17. University Professor

Glad I’m out, retirement is a big improvement.

[debm55]

18. Thank you RoadRunner. When I started teaching it was enjoyable. I loved teaching ,but glad I was fired. Had a fall at

the school that resulted in a concussion. Teachers complained that I couldn't get to their class in time--traveling teacher-and they were missing 3 minutes of their free period.

[RoadRunner]

20. That's sad, you deserve better.

[Redleg]

26. It looks that way to me too

I have been a professor for 24 years now and the increase in the online courses has caused a proportional decrease in my job satisfaction.

[LuckyCharms]

19. Accountant/Commercial Credit Analyst/Cost Estimator/Highway Construction/Business Manager.

[debm55]

21. Thank you LuckyCharms. You had a varied career.

[Marigold]

22. Psychotherapist

Had a private practice many years ago. Thankfully retired. Glad to be out of it.

[debm55]

75. Bless your heart Marigold. That have to had been an extremely hard job, I wish you well.

[duncang]

23. 40 years

Working as an electrician/instrumentation/lineman construction and maintenance in refineries, chemical plants, offshore platforms. Even did a little design and drafting electrical control circuits for compressors and offshore remote control.

[Redleg]

25. College professor- last 24 years.

And 7 years from retirement.

[wcmagumba]

27. Worked in IT and imaging dept for a printing firm, then in IT at a large hospital, then

moved to Branson MO and worked in theatre management and sales, now retired back in KS...woohoo!

Edit: Had lots of other jobs from childhood and older: Sold cards and knickknacks door to door, paper route, fast food, retail, construction and other...

[Nikossitti]

28. Like you!

Teacher in an urban school district 41 years. Learned a lot from those teenagers!

[rsdsharp]

29. Meat cutter, disc jockey/music director/program director, jewelry sales

then attorney for 33 years. Retired now.

[roscoeroscoe]

54. Respect

Like a Bogart character; saloon keeper, gun runner, etc.

[no_hypocrisy]

30. Attorney/Teacher/Cashier

All 3 at the present time

[SWBTATTReg]

31. Ah, lots of jobs...

dishwasher, head janitor, inventory specialist, retail clerk, head accountant, IT instructor, IT standards, IT programmer, IT course developer IT Separations of Revenue (many different jobs in IT), Interconnect Agreements, etc...

Wow, a teacher for 42 years.

Thank you for your service!!!!!

Being a teacher, in my opinion, believe it or not, is a very hard job despite what some say, 'smartass remarks 'oh, anyone can teach...blah blah blah'...it's one of the hardest things to do, believe me, I know.

[DJ Synikus Makisimus]

32. Allow me to interject a bit about what teachers make.

[brewens]

33. I was a driver/registrar for Inland Northwest Blood Center based at Spokane, WA. I worked at a remote

center 100 miles south at Lewiston, ID. I was like the blood drive guy on campus at the University of Idaho and Washinton State U among other things.

It was a pretty fun job some days anyway. Talking to college kids and signing them up. High schools and wherever else.

I was a blood bank tech for the Red Cross before that. Before that I was employed supplying alcohol junkies with their shit which was not satisfying at all.

[cloudbase]

34. Merchant Marine officer.

[Lunabell]

35. Over 30 years as a nurse.

Still working, but as a private duty home health nurse. My knees won't let me do staff nursing.

[Niagara]

36. My job titles have included:

Waitress

Cashier

Manufacturing Associate

Housekeeping/Room Attendant/Room Inspector

Breakfast Attendant

Cafeteria Aide, Cook, Professional Cheese Slicer, Lunch Lady and Dishwasher

Personal Caregiver/Personal Care Aide

[debm55]

69. Wow you did a lot. Such a varied work career. YOU DID IT ALL, Congratulations. to you Niagara.

[Niagara]

73. Well almost, Debbie :)

Almost!

[Abstractartist]

37. My career

I had a phenomenal career. Most of my jobs were all somewhat related.

I worked for a major University as a graphic artist and photographer. When I retired, I when back into art as an expressionist abstract painter. Sold some, but mainly did it for my sanity. Still do. Life can be hard, and expensive, but remember this young people…. “ If you work at something you absolutely love to do, the money will follow.”

Now… GET UP AND GET OUT THE VOTE…..HARRIS/WALZ.

We can do this together… help your neighbors, grandparents, parents, drinking buddies, whomever needs a ride to the polls…. Volunteer at your county election polls…. This serves 2 purposes. 1. Shows civic pride, 2. Help keep an eye on wrongdoing.

[lkinwi]

39. Teacher for 32 years. 28 years in special education, my last 4 years in grade 5.

I would have taught longer if it hadn’t been for Scott Walker and Act 10. 🤬

[LucasD]

41. Amen....

My wife was a damn good teacher (AP English). She loved the kids and worked her butt off to the point
where it put a strain on our marriage, because if she wasn't grading papers she was lesson planning, or at a school event.
Spending weekends doing things together was not possible. 60-80 hour work weeks were the norm for her, and her "summers off" were spent renewing her certifications, or teaching summer school.

Between Act 10, clueless admins, parents looking for babysitters to coddle their child rather than challenge them, or being yelled at for giving Johnny Football an F, she couldn't take it anymore.

She's making a lot more money now, and our lives are more predictable, but she still misses the kids. At least the good ones.

[sakabatou]

40. Part-time martial arts instructor

[True Dough]

53. Which martial art?

Karate? Tae Kwon Do? Jiu-jitsu? Aikido?

Do you watch mixed martial arts, like UFC?

[sakabatou]

61. It was a mix of karate and kenpo

There was a bit of other stuff, too, but mostly just techniques rather than style.

[OLDMDDEM]

42. Accountant for 50 years.

[mike_c]

43. retired university professor

Emeritus professor of zoology.

Had lots of random jobs before joining academia in mid-life.

[gopiscrap]

44. started out as a soial worker, then worked in elections

spent time being an associate pastor at a United Methodist Church. Also have directed 6 different church choirs in 3 different denominations. Primary work now is to work for a consortium of 38 different church denominations singing, speaking, consulting and teaching all over the US

[kimbutgar]

45. Worked in investment banking from 1978-2013

In early 2000’s I went back to school and got my teaching credential, I realized when my son started middle school I couldn’t teach full time. But I started substitute teaching in 2014 and also took a small job packing up people who were moving and unpacking them. I left the moving job in 2015 because the boss was really mean to my other co workers and I knew that wrath would come my way eventually. A year later one of those abused co workers called me and she started working for a company that specializes in senior moves. We help downsize them, pack them up, move them to new residences and then clear out their homes if needed. I love my jobs working for the young and old. Even though the investment banking job paid big bucks and I hated having to be at work at 5:30 am and dealing with rich a holes. Luckily I saved a nice sum of money for my IRA account.

And I can work when I want to ! Today I’m off and only working Thursday and Friday this week!

[PikaBlue]

46. Still teaching! 50 years.

[True Dough]

52. 50 years?!?

Wow! You've devoted most of your life to education. That's a major contribution to society.

[PikaBlue]

66. Yep!

I started as a graduate teaching assistant at 22 years of age. I am now nearly 72 years old and and will retire June 30th, 2024 at age 72 12. Not my choice but will explain why post retirement.

[kimbutgar]

68. Have you seen a change in kids?

[PikaBlue]

97. Several changes observed in students over the decades

My most recent graduating classes were definitely not party animals. They were and are very goal-oriented in their approach to academic life and give serious consideration to getting an appropriate return on the investment of their education dollars. They are more inclusive among their cohort of classmates and more liberal in their social views. When I started in my current position 31 years ago, our student body was 95% Caucasian. In talking with my immediate family members, I used to refer to my classes as my "cookie cutter kids". When I gazed out over the sea of faces in the lecture hall, I thought it looked like I had rolled out a long length of sugar cookie dough and just stamped them into existence with a single cookie cutter. My classrooms this semester are 50% students of color and I have a good sized cohort of international students as well. More recent classes also appear to have less self-confidence, are more afraid of failure, and require more advice, assurance, and mentoring on both a personal and an academic level. It should be noted that I teach in a medical education curriculum and my students are more homogenous in their career goals and academic background. Instructors who teach in general curricula may have student cohorts with entirely different traits and personas.

[Mad_Dem_X]

47. I was a receptionist for various companies for about 30 years

Before that I worked in the mail room for a big company here in Delaware, where I met my husband. If I had to pick one job to go back to, I'd choose the mail room. I had a lot of fun working there.

[OldBaldy1701E]

48. My career was failure. And, I surpassed any expectations, I must say. (n/t)

[Shermann]

80. Any fringe benefits? nt

[OldBaldy1701E]

99. Nah.

The word 'benefit' just never seems to apply.

[Harker]

49. I started off in a news & smoke shop...

and worked in bookshops (new, second hand, and antiquarian) for 45 years.

[snpsmom]

51. Retired from the Navy, then

went on to teach middle school and high school. Will retire from that after the 2025-26 school year.

[Walleye]

55. When I lived in New York in the 80s, I worked in a photo lab doing advertising stuff

But then I came back to Delaware and got the job. I always wanted as a staff photographer for our newspaper here. Kept at it for 20 years. retired when I was 65, it’s a pretty physical job and I was getting arthritis everywhere

[roscoeroscoe]

56. Didn't Work at McDonalds, but...

Busboy, horse wrangler, landscaper, DJ, welfare worker, Soldier, surveyor, digital mapmaker, pizza delivery, space operations... all interesting. Mapped in Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and California. Got to update the Four Corners and the Hopi/Navajo reservations.

Still loving the work!

[Diamond_Dog]

57. Just out of college, I got a job as a stripper.

NO NOT THAT KIND OF STRIPPER!

I worked in a union print shop. Stripping is an actual job classification. Here is a description of what I used to do there.

Stripping: Typical tasks: examines job order, past samples, artwork, dummies and any special instructions to visualize final product; selects base material based on registration requirements; upon occasion determines layout based on stock size and grain, presses to be used and printing method, scoring, perforating, numbering, die cuts, drilling, types of folding, padding, collating, binding and trimming; calculates margins and draws layout; figures imposition and head direction by making folding dummies; some jobs require additional processing such as film reverses, spreads and chokes, cutting rubylith windows, duplicate negatives, color separations, angle screens or composites;may produce a "blue line" print or prepress proof of finished layout for client review before proceeding further, may review product with customer service representative to insure it meets customer needs, reviews final product for quality, or submits to supervisor or leadworker for review and approval.

I did a little bit of artwork, too.

It was a fun place to work. My work mates played in a rock band together and we always had music and singing going on. Until the foreman told us to get back to work! He was a cool guy, too.

Before that I worked summers in my dad’s office answering the phone, typing legal briefs and patent applications.

[captain queeg]

92. When I worked at the meat plants my usual job title was "Boner" removing the bones from the meat.

[Diamond_Dog]

93. Aren't we a pair!

The stripper and the boner!

[captain queeg]

94. Yep. It's a job title I rarely mentioned outside of work.

[nocoincidences]

58. For 40+ years,

I was a Neuropsychologist, specializing in TBI treatment. I loved it.

[Wiz Imp]

59. Worked as a Statistician for 33 years

I actually worked on the programs that measure the number of jobs (as published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics), only at the state level. That is how I know how trustworthy those numbers are. When Trump or other Republicans have tried to call them "fake", I know that is total BS. Those numbers quite literally can not be manipulated for political purposes. There are tons of safeguards in place. Of course, that has been the case for the close to 100 years those programs have been in existence. If Trump were to get back in, I don't doubt that he'd get rid of the the safeguards protecting the honesty and integrity of the numbers. He would like try to turn the BLS into a total propaganda mill.

[doc03]

60. My first full time job after high school was with AT&T for 1 1/2 years, then I was drafted in the Army

for 2 years. After the Army got a job in a steel mill. I worked 17 years in production then bidded into the utilities department and worked 23 years operating environmental systems. Retired at 62 14 years ago with 40 years in the mill, retirement is the best job I ever had.

[Charlie Chapulin]

62. Ski Patroller

37 seasons, 40 in the ski industry. Done the year it all shut down to covid.

About to be done with landscaping after 30.

[RainCaster]

63. Teachinng for the last 2 years, high tech engineering before that

Retiring in 4 months. I can hardly wait!

[MoonlightHillFarm]

64. Occupation

I was a mental health counselor for over 20 years. Retired early. Got some cats, dogs, donkeys, goats and llamas. Decided I preferred to be with four legged individuals.

[ProfessorGAC]

65. Scientist For 43 Years

24 years in the lab/scale-up division, 19 years as a director of the corporate problem solvers group.
Retired 6 years ago.
Since then I sub math & science when I'm not on the golf course.
You retired from teaching, I went to the schools upon retiring! Go figure!

[Luciferous]

67. I was a homemaker for a long time. When

my kids started school I became a lunch lady so I would have a similar schedule. When they got older I went back to school and now I work in health information. I love it because I get to help patients and work from home.

[debm55]

70. Congratulations Luciferous. What a career. I took off for two years from teaching. Homemaker, is a hard job and don't

let anyone way other wise, Congratulations on going back to school

[3catwoman3]

71. Almost 48 years in nursing.

I became a pediatric nurse practitioner pretty early in my career - 3 months shy of turning 25. I retired 1 month before my 70th birthday.

Along the way, I taught nursing students at 3 different universities, and served a short stint as a special projects consultant at Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC, helping to design part of their orientation program for new hires.

My favorite thing always was first time parents and newborns/young babies. I love health teaching and first time parents are very eager learners because they get home and realize that they don't know much.

[bottomofthehill]

82. Howdy neighbor.

I lived on 1st St NW in the 90's. They are gutting out the old DC water filtration site it 1st and Michigan and making it residential and retail.

[3catwoman3]

91. My time at Washington Children's was way back in 1987.

My husband was in the Air Force as a pilot, and his last assignment before retiring from active duty was at Andrews Air Force Base. He then got hired by United. In 1994 we moved to the greater Chicago area so he could be based at O’Hare, and have been here ever since.

I did enjoy the DC area except for the brutally hot and humid summers. One of the most beautiful sights on the planet is the cherry blossoms.

[bottomofthehill]

96. The mid to late 80' s into the 90's were some rough times in DC.

Things have gotten a lot safer and North East DC housing is no longer affordable. The Cherry Blossoms are still beautiful!

[3catwoman3]

98. We had to live near he Air Force base, as the plane my husband was assigned to...

...had a 30 minute report time if some VIP had to go somewhere all of a sudden.

As you would well know, the beltway traffic and resultant travel times around DC can be horrendous, so that 30 minute reporting requirement severely restricted where we could live - anything in Virginia was out, and the nicer areas of Maryland like Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Silver Spring were also not possible. I had an aunt in Chevy Chase, and I really wanted to live there.

We ended up in Upper Marlboro. I worked in Silver Spring, and on a good day, my commute was 45-60 minutes. Traffic would always slow to a crawl at New Hampshire Ave, exit 28, where the beltway narrowed from 4 lanes to 3. It would be so slow that sometimes I could file my nails while waiting to move ahead a few feet.

[blueknight73]

74. 42 years on the Railroad

The last 30 as a Locomotive Engineer

[sdfernando]

76. Currently I.T. Infrastructure almost 20 years

before that various other gigs in IT and one 10 year stint in office manager at a Real Estate office....Been working full time since early 80s.

[NoMoreRepugs]

77. Little of this little of that. Lately more that than this.

[vishnura]

78. Careers

Teacher 40 years, in ůurban high schools.

[captain queeg]

79. I worked in beef packing houses for 10 yrs. Then went back to college and worked as a mech engineer for 30 yrs.

Sure glad I made the change I did a lot of damage to my body when I was young doing hard physical labor. Mostly didn’t show up till I was 50 or so.

[BlueKota]

81. Research Director at a small local museum

[underpants]

83. I had 9 W-2's one year.

Since then I’ve been in the Army, worked in a lumberyard, gotten an accounting degree, and now move the paperwork from left to right on my desk on odd numbered days and reverse it on even days.

Damn you February 😡

[Shermann]

84. Software engineer for 30 years and am doing the early retirement thing at the end of this year.

I did random low-paying part-time jobs for 5 years before that, so I have a full 35-year work history in Social Security.

[Lochloosa]

85. Well, let's see...

At 14 - Garbage Man LOL..every Friday where I lived.
At 15 till 18 - Night Manager for the local Whataburger (high school job) I made more money than anybody else in my school. Blew it on Pot and girls, but damn i had fun.
18 till - 22 - Electrician apprentice for a hospital
22-24 - Lab Technician for a major chemical plant
24 - 30 - Maintenance Cooridinator for above hospital
30 - 32 - Office manager for a very large Flea Market
32- 36 - Part owner and manager for a new Flea Market in a different city
36 - 38 - Lab Technician for a major defence contractor building circuit boards
38 - 53 - Project Manager/Estimator for various Electrical Contractors.
53 - Present - Regional Purchasing Manager and Estimator Manager for a very large Electrical Contractor specializing in Dept. of Transportation work.

I've had an interesting work life....there were a few other jobs sprinkled in there somewhere. Something to keep a roof over my head.

[southmost]

86. congratulations!

spent most of my career in many aspects of the petro-chem industry from the process, analytical, instrumentation, mechanical, programming and automation...for almost 30 years, before that almost10 years in the food restaurant industry 😊

[Lochloosa]

87. Front line on a lot of changes.

[lapfog_1]

88. 45 year career as a Computer Scientist

focused on High Performance Computing including a 10 year stint at NASA.

A number of patents, founded one semi-successful startup in Silicon Valley.

Oh, and in the middle of that, 1 year teaching Scuba Diving in the Caribbean.

My patents created a number of sub-fields now common in computing including RAID storage and something called de-duplication... and finally, I contributed to the basics of the Arpanet/Internet and Cloud computing.

Still working, now as a senior architect at a major tech firm.

I haven't retired because I really wouldn't know what to do with myself and I can still contribute.

There... a thumb nail resume.

[FalloutShelter]

89. Fifty years in the arts.

Costume design, restoration, painter,
Author currently working on my 5th novel.

[soul kitchen]

90. What did you do or still do

Vo-tech student in 1983 at 18, working in Telecommunications since, still going after 40 years same company , I count this as blessing!

[arkielib]

95. Teacher also!

Right out of college I worked at a CPA firm doing audits and taxes. Then I started teaching accounting and never looked back. For 37 years I've taught at the small liberal arts university literally a block from my house. I've walked to work everyday - rain, shine or snow. This is my last year before I retire in August 2025. I've loved my job and my colleagues, but I am looking forward to retirement!