How do you make a living?

[strongback]

I'm just curious really. From what I see in the pictures posted here many of you live in rural to semi-rural areas and I was just wondering if there were any trends in what you folks do to put bread on the table.

Me? I own a small inflatables rental business. You know, the things that kids get in and jump around on? That's my most popular one in the picture below. In my spare time, I am employed by a government contractor 40 hrs a week as a force analyst. It is the latter occupation of my time that drives me most to cut big majestic trees into tiny little pieces of firewood. I sit at the desk aaaaaalllllllllllll day long and I'm just itching to do some MAN-WORK when I'm finally unleashed. If I could make as much or more money with a chainsaw or welder I'd jump at it in a second.

Enough about me though... How do you provide the food, shelter and clothing that your families don't fully appreciate?

 

[nickblaze466]

I'm an operations analyst and project coordinator for an EBPP company in Toledo. I'm also working on an MBA with a specialization in finance and am enrolled in the doctoral program to study subatomic structural physics.

and i own a tree service/firewood company.

 

[strongback]

I'm betting we will see white collar jobs over-represented in this forum.

 

[thombat4]

Enough about me though... How do you provide the food, shelter and clothing that your families don't fully appreciate?

Good thread strongback!

I work at a nonprofit organization in downtown Cleveland where I'm in charge of the mailroom operations. Been there ever since I graduated from high school. In fact I just reached my 30 year milestone...too bad I can't retire so I can devote my life to my newfound passion of firewood and all that it entails!! I wish I had some land to speak of. I live right in the heart of the city with a backyard that's just a little bit longer than the norm. I'd love to live in some of the areas you guys live in. opcorn:

 

[coppermouse]

I work for as a design engineer (electronic) for a company in Columbus Ohio and live about a half hour south of Columbus

 

[ShoerFast]

I'm betting we will see white collar jobs over-represented in this forum.

I'll take that friendly bet! (I really don't know, but a fun bet!)

My main-stay is shoeing horses, a Farrier by name. My typical day involves driving around the mountains and the area just west of Denver maintaining horses, mules and donkey hoofs.

As side lines, I make and sell custom hunting and trail knives, firewood, clearing, fire/environmental mitigation, and occasionally guide big game hunts, elk mostly.

Filler time, winters are leaner, I weld and take fabrication jobs.

Something new this year, a friend of mine and I were just awarded a bid to construct a steel frame buildings an a remote areas, the coin is still in the air, they could pan out well?

Maybe just me, I was an instructor, aviation repair for a time but white collars make me ichy!

 

[country boy]

Self employed at my residence . I do auto collision repair and painting out of my shop also do light mech. and welding. Dont have to spend much on gas everyday going back and forth to work.

 

[bama]

I teach elementary music and band(grades 4-12) in a rural school of 320 kids in K-12. I also coach an after school LEGO jr. robotics team that we take to competition every year. In the summer, I help my BIL and FIL farm about 100 miles away on their 5000 acre small grain farm. In my spare time, I work on anything mechanical. This summer, I overhauled my dad's Farmall 826, 6 cylinder diesel. Quite an education when going from gas to diesel!

 

[testlight]

I work for a float plane company in rural Alaska.

 

[thombat4]

I'll take that friendly bet! (I really don't know, but a fun bet!)

My main-stay is shoeing horses, a Farrier by name. My typical day involves driving around the mountains and the area just west of Denver maintaining horses, mules and donkey hoofs.

As side lines, I make and sell custom hunting and trail knives, firewood, clearing, fire/environmental mitigation, and occasionally guide big game hunts, elk mostly.

Filler time, winters are leaner, I weld and take fabrication jobs.

Something new this year, a friend of mine and I were just awarded a bid to construct a steel frame buildings an a remote areas, the coin is still in the air, they could pan out well?

Maybe just me, I was an instructor, aviation repair for a time but white collars make me ichy!

Can I quit my day job and come work with you?

 

[TJ-Bill]

Parents and I own a small graphics company, I was a mechanic for 3 years but they offered me a job and I jumped on it. Been almost 6 years nows..

we do stuff like this..

http://img114.imageshack.us/my.php?image=trailerpszl6.jpg

http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture0881sb0.jpg

http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=imgp1683ee5.jpg

http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sabianbooth2jx5.jpg


Sorry for the links, Image shack has played with the setting .. too lazy to reload.

 

[boostnut]

I'm an estimator for a steel fabrication business, mostly tube bending and forming. Small family owned business with about 20 employees.

We used to have too much free time on our hands and built the contraption in the attached pic, the Q-36 pumpkin modulator. The business has grown to a point where free time is non-existant but the toys still come out on occasion.

 

[Kingsley]

Outside Sales Representitive for an International Truck Dealership.

I'd quit my day job in a second as well if I could make the same dough with my saws!

I work all day long and sometimes see nothing get done. It is rewarding to go to work with a saw, and at the end of the day actually see a difference. I like the workout too.

 

[RDT]

I work at Mercedes-Benz ,Collision repair.

 

[mga]

i'm a retired bum.

cutting wood is just a hobby for me.

 

[ShoerFast]

I'm an estimator for a steel fabrication business, mostly tube bending and forming. Small family owned business with about 20 employees.

We used to have too much free time on our hands and built the contraption in the attached pic, the Q-36 pumpkin modulator. The business has grown to a point where free time is non-existant but the toys still come out on occasion.

At the risk of you needing to kill me after you tell me!

What is a Q-36 Pumpkin Modulator, and what and how do they modulate pumpkins?

 

[mga]

At the risk of you needing to kill me after you tell me!

What is a Q-36 Pumpkin Modulator, and what and how do they modulate pumpkins?

LOL....i was afraid to ask that.

 

[MNfarmer]

My two main occupations are farming and school bus driving. About a year and a half ago I bought the farm from my parents. I'm the fifth generation to own in and it's been in the family 115 years. It was a dairy farm until 11 years ago when we switched to beef cows. I just started my fifth year driving school bus this fall and so far I'm enjoying that. In my spare time I'm a volunteer firefighter.. starting my seventh year at that. In the summer when I'm done haying I work for a couple other farmers in the area. In the winter I cut firewood for myself and some to sell then I help a friend of mine get his cut. It's interesting to hear about other people's occupations.. good thread!!!

 

[Wood Scrounge]

Customer service\satisfaction manager used to be an electrician.

 

[Booshcat]

I'm a Network Engineer for a company outside of Boston.
I keep all of our location's people and computers talking to each other in the US, Thailand, HK and mainland China.

I also take care of about 120 computer users.
Sometimes while dealing with a particularly troublesome customer I dream of my chainsaw.....lets leave it at that:chainsawguy: