"Work" do you love it or hate

[tallhair]

I love my job too. I make sure all the aeromedical equipment used to bring our wounded warriors and other servicemembers back home get's back to the theater of operations to bring more home as safe and sound as humanly possible.

 

[Deleted member 214]

I do risk management for an insurance pool of public entities - villages, cities, fire and EMS, parks, county fairs. I work from home, see by boss maybe two times a year. I set my own schedule - If I want to hump it some days and take off early others, nobody cares as long as I get my work done. Most of the people I work with are underpaid and overworked but really care about what they do and are great. That's the good parts. I drive 30k miles a year and sometimes it gets a bit much, and sometimes I'm so far out of the loop I can't even see the freakin' loop! Overall, I'm a lucky guy who fell into a great career.

 

[dangina]

i'm in the undertermined pile. I'm a maintanence electrician at a big food plant. I only got into electrical because I knew I didn't want to do plumbing or bodywork. And Most guys that become mechanics end up hating working on cars so I didn't want to go that route. I can't say I hate my job, working rotating 12 hr shift work days and nights do take a toll on you. I do envy those people who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up and achieved it. I never had that. I do hard a hard work ethic. I'll work long, hard, tedius, boring, hours, days or weeks straight on end to make the money to to provide for my family and buy the toys that I want. So I guess I'd be in "the work to live" category. I don't care much for what I'm doing, but I do care about the money I'm making, which is more than what any of my friends make. I think I'd like to open a shop someday that has nothing to do with the trades. Be your own boss, has a nice sound to it...

 

[demonram]

I'm a carpenter, but I'm also the go to guy. We do remodeling, mostly baths, kitchens and floors. The company I work for has been around since 1968. I've been there 19 years. Prior to that I built and remodeled on my own for 16. I've always loved what I do, but I do get bored. Soon the original owner will be gone and the kids really don't have a clue! I,m thinking it's about time I do my own thing again.

 

[747mopar]

I have my own gig rebuilding stuff that spins ridiculously fast that no one has heard of and I love it. Usually it's not even like real work. I've been at it for about 15 yrs and I can count on one hand how many people in the US do the same thing. Customers have told me that I'm probably the best shop in the country to fix a turbomolecular pump and they just keep coming in from within the US and everywhere else. I have one employee and he can do no wrong and he's even an old MoPar guy! Prior to this I worked at a national Lab, which exposed me to the world of high and ultra high vacuum.

Very cool, sounds like a you have a good gig.

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I'm a carpenter, but I'm also the go to guy. We do remodeling, mostly baths, kitchens and floors. The company I work for has been around since 1968. I've been there 19 years. Prior to that I built and remodeled on my own for 16. I've always loved what I do, but I do get bored. Soon the original owner will be gone and the kids really don't have a clue! I,m thinking it's about time I do my own thing again.

That's about the same thing that's getting ready to happen at my work "the kids are taking over" not looking forward to it.

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i'm in the undertermined pile. I'm a maintanence electrician at a big food plant. I only got into electrical because I knew I didn't want to do plumbing or bodywork. And Most guys that become mechanics end up hating working on cars so I didn't want to go that route. I can't say I hate my job, working rotating 12 hr shift work days and nights do take a toll on you. I do envy those people who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up and achieved it. I never had that. I do hard a hard work ethic. I'll work long, hard, tedius, boring, hours, days or weeks straight on end to make the money to to provide for my family and buy the toys that I want. So I guess I'd be in "the work to live" category. I don't care much for what I'm doing, but I do care about the money I'm making, which is more than what any of my friends make. I think I'd like to open a shop someday that has nothing to do with the trades. Be your own boss, has a nice sound to it...

Boy does all that sound familiar "I still haven't found what I want to do".

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I enjoy my job. I work on the Airforces F-35's at Edwards AFB. Im in the Marine Corps though, so its a unique situation. Sweet jet!
View attachment 142204

Sweet, that would be a cool job.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I'm in the elevator business which has it's ups and downs. 35 years now & I'm getting burnt out. 6 more years & I'm done.

 

[shag766]

I've been working for myself since 1983. Some days my boss is a BIG a-hole other days hes the greatest guy I know. Cant say its always easy but its all mine.

i am close to ya. wholesale meat business started in 87. 7 straight trucks and 10 to 11 employee's depending on season. a 1/3 of them have been with me 20yrs plus. made my 2 key people partners and now i am semi-retired from the day to day stuff. have some commercial properties but thats a no brainer, 5yr leases.
if i had to do it again i wouldn't go over 4 to 6 employee's. too much govt. b/s. most times i am happy with the situation but i am finding my fuse getting shorter on the day to day aspect of it, truck repair-govt b/s-etc-etc. But i do consider myself lucky starting out as a drop-out truck driver being able to get up in the morning and pretty much doing whatever i want for the day and my pay cheque's don't bounce. priceless

 

[John L]

I've been working for myself since 1983. Some days my boss is a BIG a-hole other days hes the greatest guy I know. Cant say its always easy but its all mine.

Good one. Self employed myself and I know exactly where your coming from. No greater motivation than "No work No pay".

 

[krowbar]

I'm the QA/QC in a structural welding shop. I can weld or fabricate anything that comes through the shop. I usually don't fit or weld much anymore though. I do sight visits to alot of chemical and refining plants for things they need built. I draw some of the designs for the jobs. In this business it's feast or famine. Money's good, but definitely not my dream job.

 

[MoparMitch]

Hard work early in life has rewards. I retired from business ownership of a small chain of Auto Parts stores in 2000 when I was 44. Started in the business at age 17 as a delivery boy. The year I sold out to Carquest, I built a shop here at my home, to work on my hot rods. It has turned into a little more though. We do charity jobs for some people from our Church whom are less fortunate. Couple small jobs a week. We also do an oil change ministry here at the shop. Our Church pays for filters and oil, and I get a couple of guys from Church to come and help. If you are a widow or divorcee or single mom, you sign up and come. My wife makes coffee and muffins and everyone has a great time. I've been very Blessed.

 

[YY1]

Went to school for auto mechanics and worked in that field for two years.
Got tired of never having clean hands, and had a horrible experience working for goodyear which soured me on the whole career aspect.

Moved to FL and was an electricial apprentice for 2 years.
Cleaner hands, smaller parts, same set of skills, same asshole people (maybe worse, actually).

Went to general building maintenance for about 8 years.
Liked the variety and being able to basically choose my specialties.
Not enough income to make a satisfying career, even after becoming chief maint at one property.

Self taught computer repair led to job with increasing promotions at municipal government.
Have been 2nd and 3rd level tech support, and project manager for servers, switches and infrastructure planning application /deployment since 2002.
Currently not real happy with the way technology is heading with unnecessarily over complicated operating systems and network administration, and poorly written applications.

Have been trying to acquire income and growth stocks and both residential and commercial rental properties (on what most would consider a salary much too low to do so), and sure wish I could afford to retire early, but currently I'll have a great supplement to any retirement beginning around age 58.

 

[Sonny Black]

Sonny is self employed.....has a payroll, pays weekly for 45 years...(I was 19 when I opened this business)....I love my job!
Also, my family has a business since 1937 Grandpa started &.....still going great, branched out into bigger and more.....4th generation working there!:skier:


I have been a lucky guy! but stink at trouble shooting on cars!

 

[YY1]

I have my own gig rebuilding stuff that spins ridiculously fast that no one has heard of and I love it. ...

My neighbor works on centrifuges.

Sounds like a good gig.

Everything from blood/plasma separators, to NASA G simulators.

 

[CudaChick1968]

I've got the best job there is -- I work for you guys!!!

After spending 20 years in the legal field, I haven't truly "worked" a single day since I hung my own shingle and started powder coating full time in 2007. It's rare that any two jobs are alike -- well, except for a $hitload of HP273 Commando valve covers over the years anyhow lol -- and every day seems to bring something new to my workbench.

You might find it funny or odd that I didn't really get into it for the money; I do what I do because I LOVE THE CARS and want to see them last for another 50 years. Truth be told, I don't make much money doing this because I'm **** and detail oriented (translated: slow and a total Virgo perfectionist). The final 'test' before I wrap parts up and send them home is "Would I put that on my own car?" If the answer is Yes, they get shipped out ... and if the answer is No, I work on it until the answer becomes Yes.

I was talking with one of my longtime customers the other day on the phone -- actually it was on my birthday -- and something he said really surprised me. "Imagine how much a pair of your custom valve covers will go for 50 years after you're dead. You're the Picasso of the Mopar world!"

And if that's true, then I guess I'm doing all right. Regardless, I really wouldn't change a thing.

 

[satman72]

I hate going to work, but I do love my job. I work in a steel mill. I started off as a crane operator, and loved it. Now I'm a shift foreman, but still drive crane occasionally. After 34 yrs I still love driving a crane.

 

[Cranky]

I have my own gig rebuilding stuff that spins ridiculously fast that no one has heard of and I love it. Usually it's not even like real work. I've been at it for about 15 yrs and I can count on one hand how many people in the US do the same thing. Customers have told me that I'm probably the best shop in the country to fix a turbomolecular pump and they just keep coming in from within the US and everywhere else. I have one employee and he can do no wrong and he's even an old MoPar guy! Prior to this I worked at a national Lab, which exposed me to the world of high and ultra high vacuum.

I used to work at a place that didn't need TMP's because most pulled excessive vacuum the whole time they were out there!

 

[Moparsmitty]

I'm kind of semi-retired now but it seems like I'm still busy fixing/repairing everything that goes sh*thouse within a hundred miles of my place. Not really, but sometimes it seems that way. I get the "can you take a look at this" calls pretty regularly. I guess it's good that I'm staying busy and I can still disappear when I feel like it without getting fired.
I have to say that there was good and bad about every job I ever had. I worked in Telcom for 33 years and I loved the technical part of the job and most of the contact I had with customers. You just had to put up with all of the BS that comes with working for a big corporation. I worked another 8 years in the auto parts business and I liked that a lot even though it didn't pay very well. Being retired is good if you can stay busy, I recommend it to everybody.

 

[HYRDGOON]

I started out in the fitness industry as a personal trainer then gym owner and worked nightclubs as a bouncer on weekends (that is where HYRDGOON or Hired Goon comes from).

Now I work as an inspector/design consultant for hospital medical gas systems (Oxygen, Medical Vacuum, Med Air, Nitrous etc...) as the only accredited inspection body in Ontario, Canada there is tons of travel (I drive 100,000kms a year or 63,000 miles) but always seeing new people and different things helps a lot. The story behind how I got into this field is an unusual one though..

 

[Budnicks]

I went to school to be an Architect, but never worked as one thou... I've done many different jobs over the many years... Been a welder, Been a carpenter, Been a plumber, Been a utility truck & equipment designer, Been a hunting guide, Been a Golf Pro {owned & ran a Golf Pro-shop also}, Been a certified Range Master & Firearms instructor, Been a military contractor, Been a ski instructor, Been an equipment operator & equipment maintenance/mechanic, Been a Contractor/Engineer & I drag raced all over the US from 1981-1997 15-20 races a year & then part time tell about 2007, also built a bunch of race cars, for friends & myself over that period of time too, to help support my racing addiction... My work/job was just to pay for my, education, family, hobbies & racing... Construction &/or Dealership work is really so slow right now, I might as well be retired, I kind of stepped back @ age 38, downsized allot so I could enjoy my family & live life instead of working my a$$ off in my mid years... Work/Business, well it's been really dead for like about 5 going on 6 years now... Damn shitty economy & govt. crap killing business... I worked for a coupler of automotive dealership groups, doing construction & maintenance projects, facility management & consultation... But with the construction industry "all but dead here" & the automotive business barely coming out of it's all time low & bail outs or sell outs, with about 1/3 of my former clients going under or Bankrupt &/or out of business or selling out all together... I've been doing golf related stuff, sales, repairs, fittings, building clubs & giving lessons every so often, since about 1997, mostly to all old farts & some youths or a few women, but they aren't spending or buying like they use to either.... I don't/didn't love my work or the 60-70+ hrs a week to run the company in it's hay-day, or all the headaches & hassles it is to deal with employees & all their problems/issues... Then the 125 dealerships & all the different ownership &/or management or personalities at the time... I did enjoy the people that I worked with thou & the great money when the business was booming, but it could be a whole lot worse... Thank goodness, kids are all grown up & out of school, especially out of the house & everything is paid off... I did decent/well young in my career, I invested well/smart, worked my a$$ of when I was young & spent my money well, except for the drag racing costs...LOL... I also own everything out right & I don't have any payments, no real debt, just monthly bills etc., but very little income either now, but Pop's helps some too, now that he lives with me... The economy sucks a$$, for the most part...

 

[Cranky]

Started out in carpentry at the ripe old age of 14. Dad dragged my butt out to the job because I got into too much trouble during the previous summer of 63. Stayed in that until late 73 after doing a couple of years in the military then went on to working at a steel mill for 5 years where I ran an overhead crane for 3. Got tired of that and bummed around for a couple of years then hired on at the largest refinery in the states as a machinist and managed to be an inside machinist for most of the 26 years I was there and retired in 2006. I'm so busy now I often wonder how I ever got anything done while I was working! My wife and I also owned a furniture store (sales and rental) for several years during the 80's and early 90's. That was ok but man, working with the general public can really suck. I mostly did deliveries (and repo) so I didn't have to deal with the morons that came into the store but doing a repo can really suck.