What do you do?

[pgnewarkboy]

I still think law school would be interesting, but after reading your post maybe my 11 years in grad school was ok after all! I was never interested in trial law, really more interested in contracts. Anyway, I'm reasonably happy, have a pretty flexible job, tons of autonomy, and nobody breathing down my neck. I don't think any of that would have happened in Law.

I practiced law for close to 40 years. Most of it as a litigator. I started out as a prosecutor and became a criminal defense attorney. I have also done a great deal of civil litigation "first chair" which means lead attorney on a team. In criminal cases people lives are at stake. Literally. The pressure is intense and a furious battle is fought. It provided the most exhilarating experiences of my professional life. I will tell one "war story" to illustrate what I mean. It is the practice in undercover work for police officers to go "under" for an extended period of time as they develop numerous cases. When they come "up", all their cases are tried. That means they take the stand in a court of law to prove their cases under the direction of prosecutors. It is extremely hard to win cases against these cops. Most of them know what they are doing and are pretty honest. There are exceptions. In one particular situation a dishonest undercover cop started to have all his cases prosecuted and nobody could beat him. Contrary to public belief the courts side heavily with the police and not many people are released on technicalities. I guess you know why I am bothering with this story. Trapping this cop in his lies and exposing him before the jury resulting in an acquittal for my client was a great moment for me I will never forget. It was a moment that can only a good criminal trial lawyer can experience. This experience and many other experiences make me very glad I took the path I took in life.

 

[mpizza]

I manage the global real estate portfolio of a high-end retailer. I love so many things about my position - I work for a great company with creative co-workers on interesting transactions. Since my specialty is a small community, over the last 20 years, I have made many social friends in the industry.

It's a good fit for me because I am controlling (a/k/a mentoring the staff), plan ahead (a/k/a troubleshoot), persistent (a/k/a get the deal done no matter what), and responsible (a/k/a take the bullet when things go awry).

Maria

 

[Elan]

As the OP, I'd like to request that we keep this thread on topic and allow other TUGgers to briefly share their occupations.

 

[ricoba]

As the OP, I'd like to request that we keep this thread on topic and allow other TUGgers to briefly share their occupations.

Thank you for starting this thread. I have found it very interesting.

While some threads wander a bit, (as most TUG threads do ), I think overall people have kept to the intent of the original post.

Again, thanks for asking this question, it's fun to learn about TUGGERS, non-TS life.

 

[Rose Pink]

Boy, if the educators and techie folks weren't participating, us mere mortals would sure be lonesome here.... Jim

I invented the internet.

 

[Patri]

I invented the internet.

:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:
Then you must be wealthy beyond means.

 

[Rose Pink]

Actually, I am wealthy but not with money. I have a husband and three wonderful children, a grandchild and another on the way. I live in a nice community with good neighbors. While we aren't millionaires, we don't have to go hungry, we have a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs. We vacation. I don't live in Afghanistan. (That is my reminder when I start to whine about my life being less than perfect.)

I graduated with a B.S and worked as a clinical dietitian (R.D.). I found working outside the home interferred with raising my children and I opted to be a stay-at-home mom*. From time to time, I'd get a call asking me to come back to work and I would for awhile but I don't enjoy working in the hospital and so I think I've quit for good. I tried substitute teaching for the flexibility it provided but the pay was awful and I didn't really like that job, either.

I've worked as a volunteer for my children's schools, for my community and for my church.

*I don't know why it is called "stay-at-home" mothering since I was almost always in my car driving the children here and there and running errands.

 

[margieann]

Registered Radiation Therapist

 

[hefleycatz]

I'm a stay at home working mom. I have ran a small day-care in my home for the past 15 years. Although my children are now grown, I still love it very much.

I was in corporate america from the time I was 18 until 30 and I will probably never go back to an office job.

I now have all teachers children, so I get several paid holidays and vacation breaks during the school year and have the summer off (not paid). I get to wear comfy clothes and I don't have to worry about traffic, my work is brought to me and I am just excited about snow days as the kids are.

lee

 

[jmzf1958]

I worked as a court reporter for the Unified Court System in the State of New York from 1978 to 2001, when I took a disability retirement related to my work (carpal tunnel and back and neck problems.) I started out in the local justice courts, went to Family court, then to Syracuse City court, and my last 18 years I worked as a senior court reporter for the court system in County and Supreme courts. Despite my disability, I'd do it all over again. I had a front row seat to some great cases, murders, drugs, malpractice, contract, divorce. I was never bored. (okay, maybe on some of the contract cases!) I made a lot of wonderful friends along the way. My son was ten and my daughter was 14 when I left my job, so I was lucky enough to be able to be a full time mom for quite a few years. Also, my parents were ill, and I was able to be there to take care of them and spend a lot of time with them in their final years. Right now, I'm at the cross roads - empty nest (almost) - and I'm trying to decide to do with the rest of my life. I'm 52, so hopefully I've got a long way to go. I've volunteered through the years and will continue. I'll definitely continue taking some great vacations!

 

[Timeshare Von]

After nearly 20 years in retail management with the "then" major retailer in their respective categories (department stores and later convenience stores) I stumbled into the association management profession.

Like most, I never aspired to be an association executive, but went to work for an organization for which I had a passion . . . and a career blossomed. Since that first not-for-profit position in the bowling industry back in 1994, I have since managed associations serving funeral directors, agricultural economists and youth soccer players. Today I'm the executive director of the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association . . . 55k players, 130 clubs/leagues and over 10,000 volunteers including coaches, officials and administrators. It's fun AND challenging.

Professionally along the way, I had to learn about human resource management (not many NFP's can afford an HR manager type) and I've acquired my professional certification (Sr. Professional in Human Resources) to go along with my Certified Association Executive credential. In 2004 I started a consulting business to work with small volunteer based NFP's that cannot afford a paid staff. I do some side work when my "real job" isn't keeping me too busy.

I would still love to find a way to make a living traveling, but alas at 53, that's not very likely.

 

[3kids4me]

I have an MBA and for many years worked in consumer products brand management for companies like Nabisco and Pillsbury.

Now (for the past two years) I do pharmaceutical marketing research and consulting for a small consulting company about 20 minutes from where I live. I work mostly on chemotherapy and cancer support drugs, and other infusion therapies. While it's not as fun as working on consumer products, I have found that I have a talent for learning about new drugs (and their associated medical conditions) quickly (and have become an "expert" on certain classes of drugs within the company) and so the job is stable, and I also have a lot of flexibility there and am often able to work from home.

 

[memereDoris]

I was a corporate tax specialist till a few years ago. I couldn't handle being locked in an office anymore. I am now the manager of a bulk fuel station. I get to spend half my day outdoors.

My husband was a service supervisor in a diamond mine till 2 years ago. He is waiting for spinal surgery (long waiting lists in our province). I really hope he never goes back to work. I enjoy having him home.

 

[CatLovers]

I am a recovering professional accountant who spent 14 years as a senior financial manager with a multinational oil company, right after I got out of school with my freshly-minted MBA. Nine years ago, I left the corporate job to follow a passion ... I am now a professional speaker and author and the principal at a leadership development practice. My work takes me to virtually every large city across Canada and the U.S., plus worldwide locations in Mexico, China, Singapore, India and Australia. Somehow , my DH always seems to find time to join me before or after the speaking engagement for some R & R at the best of these locations!

I truly am very lucky ... I have the best job in the world -- I get paid to talk (which I would probably do for free, but shhh, don't tell my clients) AND I get to travel to incredible locations.

 

[pgnewarkboy]

Actually, I am wealthy but not with money. I have a husband and three wonderful children, a grandchild and another on the way. I live in a nice community with good neighbors. While we aren't millionaires, we don't have to go hungry, we have a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs. We vacation. I don't live in Afghanistan. (That is my reminder when I start to whine about my life being less than perfect.)

I graduated with a B.S and worked as a clinical dietitian (R.D.). I found working outside the home interferred with raising my children and I opted to be a stay-at-home mom*. From time to time, I'd get a call asking me to come back to work and I would for awhile but I don't enjoy working in the hospital and so I think I've quit for good. I tried substitute teaching for the flexibility it provided but the pay was awful and I didn't really like that job, either.

I've worked as a volunteer for my children's schools, for my community and for my church.

*I don't know why it is called "stay-at-home" mothering since I was almost always in my car driving the children here and there and running errands.

With all that you do it is amazing that you found time to invent the internet ! Congrats!

 

[Rose Pink]

With all that you do it is amazing that you found time to invent the internet ! Congrats!

Well, I had a little help from Al Gore.

 

[geekette]

don't s'pose you'd believe I sell mens underwear??

Nah, geekette.

I'm one of those people that never knew what they wanted to do (still not sure I know), so have had many very interesting jobs in attempting to find my place in the world. I remain a free spirit, and considered ditching IT a few years ago after a particularly nasty stint at a badly-managed company.

Went to a state U since I was footing the bill. It was a top 10 biz school at the time so I went biz. graduated during a recession and had low-level jobs to have a job at all and worked as many of those as I needed to in order to survive. one lucky "word processing" job at a whopping $6/hr turned out to be my path to geekhood.

I came up on the data side in imaging and eventually had to figure out how to write software to do everything I wanted to with the data. I was fortunate to be among people that were willing to share their knowledge since I had zero tech background (one class in Fortran doesn't count!), but a decent head for it. I found early that I don't like proj mgmt so have avoided it and much prefer doing data architecture and working with clients from requirements to delivery. I can't have a job that is just "pound code in a cube all day every day" and have managed to find roles with the variety I need and the challenge to keep me interested.

I love small companies so have mostly made my career in small app development. A recent work is being patented, which I'm excited about.

currently pursuing an exciting new job which would have me doing data a whole new way and getting back to hi-tech. I just need one more long term job to get me to retirement, and I think this one is it.

If not this job I'm perfect for, another great fit will come along. With the job market in the crapper, IT is not a bad place to be.

 

[salpal]

I spent 35 years in the motion picture business as a property master

 

[MommaBear]

I am a nurse practitioner- spend half my time as a hospitalist in inpatient medicine and about half my time in the ER. I am super lucky to have found the perfect job in my 50's. I worked part time as an RN while raising my three (wonderful smart talented) children, then went to grad school when my second child started college. My wonderful and longsufferinghusband of 33 years works as a planner for a shipbuilding company working on NATO ship building projects. We are hoping to go into part time intermittant work in about 3 more years.

 

[Banker]

I am an unemployed banker after 12 1/2 years with the same bank. I just could not get quite enough referrals to the financial planner for the past two quarters. I tried...but I guess it was not good enough! Overall in banking for about 23 years. I am 55 now and thought I would keep on working for retirement, but they wouldn't let it happen. I had a lot of wonderful customers who I still see around and they all say it isn't the same without me...it makes me feel great, but alas, some of them are also jobless or have no good contacts for me. I am open to almost anything at this point, unemployment money is just about run out. But I keep my chin up and keep on networking every day....I was great at so many things but it does not seem to help me now. Husband is still working, he is a supervisory electrical engineer.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Prominent Bankers Convention.

Overall in banking for about 23 years.

Click here for the Prominent Bankers gag.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Beaglemom3]

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: BA in English Literature.
My first love is modern poetry. ‎"A book should be a ball of light in one's hand"--Ezra Pound

North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine: DVM. No confusion though as to basketball loyalties. GO HEELS!

Auburn University: Rotating Internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery. Um, why are all the restaurants closed on Sunday? Because you're living in ALABAMA now.

University of Georgia: Residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery. Too bad I was too busy to enjoy Athens, it is a great town.

I also spent time at North Carolina State as an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery.

H

Elan, I know I am veering off, but need to ask.................

Hi,
I have a friend who taught there, but I won't post his full name.
Did you have the pleasure of working with Dr. David R. - radiology oncology?
I went to his wedding in Fuquay Varina and visited the N.C. Vet School Campus.
Small world.
B.

 

[heathpack]

Elan, I know I am veering off, but need to ask.................

Hi,
I have a friend who taught there, but won't post his full name.
Did you have the pleasure of working with Dr. David R. - radiology oncology?
I went to his wedding in Fuquay Varina and visited the N.C. Vet School Campus.
Small world.
B.

Oh yes. What a character. I mean that in the best possible way.

H

 

[Beaglemom3]

Oh yes. What a character. I mean that in the best possible way.

H

So we don't hijack further, please PM me if you'd like.
Thanks !

 

[JoAnn]

This is an interesting thread. I have been retired for 10 years. (It sure went fast). I have a Masters Degree in Social Work and spent the last 20 years of my employment as a renal social worker (dialysis clinic). For the most part I loved my job until it became more paperwork than peoplework (state requirements). I have to say while I enjoyed it, I now enjoy being retired and sleeping late and traveling.
Pat

Pat....thanks for being a renal SW. Since DH & I are both dialysis patients (DH hemo, me PD) I talk to our SW quite a bit. We couldn't do without you!