"Work" do you love it or hate

[747mopar]

Knowing that I may not always make great money I chose a different route than most, Seeing my brother struggle over the years with house payments, car payments and the usual I decided if you can't do it on income then you gotta do it the old fashion way. I got married and started building a house using every trick I could to save a buck, bought lumber from a local sawmill, did absolutely everything myself, all cabinets and allot of the furniture I built, gathered tons and tons of sandstone from the property for the foundation and fireplace and so on. Then started buying salvage vehicles to end the car payments. All said and done if it wasn't for my crappy insurance and my wives medical bills we'd be almost 100% debt free at 38 yrs old. I'm pretty content but still hate getting out of bed at 4:30 in the morning. Oh well, we have a unique home with allot of space and woodwork and nice cars on the cheap "lifes good".

 

[kb67mopar]

I provide consulting engineering to industrial plants. Basically I get away with a 40 hour work week and the pay isn't half bad. But to be honest I don't ever find myself satisfied by it. I have worn 4 different hats since graduating college and 6 total professional hats...to date only one has really been decent and I can't seem to worm my way back in.

I've thought about leaving my degree behind and becoming a logger to just become one with the tree's but I doubt my wife would like that. I keep looking to find a way to get the hell out of cities and move to the country but for some reason people don't need mechanical engineers in the woods.... go figure.

Some day I'll find a way to be happy at work...or I'll retire by the time I figure it out.

 

[themechanic]

Should have made this a poll.

Be careful what you say. Employers may be able to check all the sites you post at even after you're hired.

 

[747mopar]

Should have made this a poll.

Be careful what you say. Employers may be able to check all the sites you post at even after you're hired.

Honestly I don't care, if they were to snoop around after me being at work almost everyday on time for the last 9 yrs and contributed to the company in ways others couldn't then I don't want them anyhow. I really don't worry about employment, I've got a couple jobs in the bag if I want them and have proven my ability to make money on my own. Just saying

- - - Updated - - -

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.

That's great, I'm glad to see it works for you. I have nothing but bad memories of my dad and his willingness to help the church "they never quit coming and always expected allot right now for nothing" but he did it. Sounds like you made some good decisions.

- - - Updated - - -

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...

Wow that's quite a list there Bud. I can't wait to be 100% debt free "it's close" maybe a year or two. I could never work for the public "no way" not the best people person and can't stand the headaches associated with it. Bet you'd be an interesting guy to wrench with haha

 

[66Satellite_in_NC]

I work in the telecommunications field for a company that services a great majority of the Fortune 500. Some days it's great and others not so. But after 27 yrs I will stick it out to the end.

 

[747mopar]

I provide consulting engineering to industrial plants. Basically I get away with a 40 hour work week and the pay isn't half bad. But to be honest I don't ever find myself satisfied by it. I have worn 4 different hats since graduating college and 6 total professional hats...to date only one has really been decent and I can't seem to worm my way back in.

I've thought about leaving my degree behind and becoming a logger to just become one with the tree's but I doubt my wife would like that. I keep looking to find a way to get the hell out of cities and move to the country but for some reason people don't need mechanical engineers in the woods.... go figure.

Some day I'll find a way to be happy at work...or I'll retire by the time I figure it out.

You don't know what your missing out in the sticks although I'm not that far out but none the less it's pure freedom to do as you see fit. What I've learned over the years is balance is the most important thing, keeping it under 50 hrs a week, getting home at a decent time, plenty of weekends off, and paying the bills with money left over. Good luck

 

[zyzzyx]

I'm a Machinist For General Electric Power Systems in Chicago. Been at this job for 35 years. Love working on large rotating equipment and traveling to new places I've never been.
Something new every day and always learning. Love C.N.C. machines of any size! Retiering February 1st.

 

[Budnicks]

Wow that's quite a list there Bud. I can't wait to be 100% debt free "it's close" maybe a year or two. I could never work for the public "no way" not the best people person and can't stand the headaches associated with it. Bet you'd be an interesting guy to wrench with haha

Thanks 747mopar I pretty much "all but retired" in 2007 @ 48 y/o, I'm not old enough now even to get Social Security Benefits yet... I kind of walked away from the hustle & bustle of day to day work... I wanted to get Pops off the mountain, spend time with him, go fishing & RVing, with him in his latter years now & the kids are all grown & I physically work only select times now, probably couldn't/wouldn't even call it part time... I am pretty well rounded guy, I believe I have allot of talents, a legend in my own mind...LOL..., a jack of all trades & master of none... Well except racing maybe, but was just mediocre at that, won on the local level allot, but never really on the national level, allot of match racing wins thou... I did it, because I loved it, not for the money... Same reason I backed off work & started the golf business, it has become work too, not just fun anymore... I agree, I think we would be getten' along very well in a garage &/or shop setting too, we have allot in common, I could be your older & better looken' brother...LOL... I also worked at a Shell station & for my Pop's $1.65 p/hr @ his Skirting, Awning & Decking co. in HS, I also drove truck & delivered Ice, for Union Ice Delivery Co. from 1977-81 while funding college
- - - Updated - - -

You don't know what your missing out in the sticks although I'm not that far out but none the less it's pure freedom to do as you see fit. What I've learned over the years is balance is the most important thing, keeping it under 50 hrs a week, getting home at a decent time, plenty of weekends off, and paying the bills with money left over. Good luck

Amen to that, I won't ever live in the big shitty, ever again... Much better people around in the sticks & far fewer of them too...

 

[dodge41969]

At 52 years old, I've had quite a few jobs, (I'll only mention the ones that were ok)...worked at a bicycle shop in my mid teens, was a structures assembler at Lockheed Aircraft when I was 18 to 28 years old, worked in the film industry...living in Los Angeles that's almost a given!, was a mechanic at a well known west coast Mopar Resto shop, worked at Red Line Gauge Works for a few years, was a sales rep at 440 Source for 2 years, and went back to North Hollywood Speedometer a few years ago, mostly for a steady job close to home....I repair/restore 911, 912 & 914 Porsche instruments, tachs, speedometers, clocks etc. We have a tech there that specializes in pretty much all auto gauges foreign and domestic, we have seven guys and enough work for 20!!.
I have a shop set up at home where I repair American gauges, it's actually really relaxing and satisfying work.

 

[Jeremiah]

There are fun days and really fun days where I work. It's all what you make of it. A bad attitude means a bad day at work.

 

[Red63440]

I officially started work when I was 16 stocking shelves in the local grocery story, shitty job but it paid for my car insurance and gave me gas money. I left there and got a job at our local country club as a bus boy and worked my way up to short order at the pool in the summers and finally to full time cook in the main kitchen. Went to the Culinary Institute in New Haven, Conn. (now in Hyde Park, NY) and worked in food service for many years until I got married and then found that the long hours and crapy pay just wern't cutting it. Went in the steel mills in the early 70's and got into the Millwright apprenticeship program and stayed in the mill until it closed in 84. Great job, good people just bad management. I have about 40 years as a Millwright and have worked a lot of places but its been hard to find a place that I would like to call home, to many politics, too many broken promises and just way too much BS.

After Carlisle this year I realized that I was now 10 years older than my dad was when he died and felt that it was time to step down. I made up a plan that had several steps which all had to fall into place in the right order. Sold my car, applied for my SS, found a home where we needed to be and purchased it and on October 10th I will retire. Oh, I'm sure I will search out a part time job just to keep me busy but gone are the days of accepting a shitty job because I have to. I think I would like to get into retail sales or doing something to support our hobby. I have done a lot of things in my life so finding something new is a little hard as far as hobbies are concerned. Several years ago I had a great wood shop and built furniture which I sold all over the US and loved it but I no longer have my heavy equipment, who knows!

 

[racetiger]

I get to sit in this 450hp boy, top speed of 150kts (172mph) and there's no speeding tickets

what I can save up is going to go into the mopar!


I shouldn't give advice but - I think it doesn't matter how great your job is, if you do it long enough or to much, it will become a job.

 

[440+6]

I am a General contractor, I build Commercial and Industrial buildings (no residential) I have had a few jobs as a kid starting with a paper route, stock boy, ect. but when I got out of high school I went to work for a General Contractor and went to collage at night. By the time I was 23 I took what I learned and started my own company and been self employed ever since, I built mostly finished spec buildings and and put them up for sale or lease.
Now at 52 I have four company's: Construction, Development, Investment and Holding. While construction and development companies are in the process of closing down the others are my retirement, I truly love what did but I made enough and had enough fun, let someone else have a go of it in this economy.

 

[kb67mopar]

You don't know what your missing out in the sticks although I'm not that far out but none the less it's pure freedom to do as you see fit. What I've learned over the years is balance is the most important thing, keeping it under 50 hrs a week, getting home at a decent time, plenty of weekends off, and paying the bills with money left over. Good luck

Thats my problem, I do know what I am missing. I spent every summer growing up in the upper peninsula of michigan in a town with 1 stop light. Rode ATV's down the street to the trail to hit town or wherever, could take a 5 min ride in the truck to go shooting, we did just about anything we wanted and I loved every minute of it. I find myself thinking about it more and more to the point where I may offer to become another counter guy at my uncles auto parts store.

 

[BigBlock61]

I originally went to an automotive trade school called Motech back in 85 right out of high school. I was a master mechanic here in Michigan for 26 years. After about 20 years I really hated cars, customers, bosses, and the cuts and bruises that go with the job. I taught myself computers and HTML for a position I had as an automotive software tester for GM. That position lasted for 6 years before I got laid off and had to go back to being a mechanic. 3 years ago I decided to go back to school and get a real degree, not just a certificate. This year I received my associates degree in computer networking and now I'm working as a network engineer for the DMC hospitals. It's great pay, excellent hours, I come and go as I please, and as long as I get my work done everyone's happy. Every day is something different and so far I couldn't be happier. At the end of this month I begin the quest for my bachelors degree, and I'll see where the future takes me.

 

[krowbar]

Thats my problem, I do know what I am missing. I spent every summer growing up in the upper peninsula of michigan in a town with 1 stop light. Rode ATV's down the street to the trail to hit town or wherever, could take a 5 min ride in the truck to go shooting, we did just about anything we wanted and I loved every minute of it. I find myself thinking about it more and more to the point where I may offer to become another counter guy at my uncles auto parts store.

I grew up in the lower peninsula. I loved being able to get up early on the weekends and get my 2 stoke cr125 Elsinore out. Had to push it a ways down the road before I cranked it up so I wouldn't wake up mom and dad. I ride the piss out of that bike. Rode old logging trails, rode to friends houses. Fishing for bass and pike, and most of the time ***. Lol My first job was throwing bales of hay. That sucked, especially because I was allergic to that crap. Went to a vocational school in 11th grade. Got a job through that at a mechanic shop in 12th grade and stayed there for a couple years until all the new computer controlled **** came out. A few other mech. jobs along the way and alot of **** jobs. Now I'm 38 and at a decent place. WORK still sucks no matter where your at imo. If you like your job,then it's not really WORK.

 

[CudaChick1968]

This is an awesome thread! So many diverse backgrounds ... it's cool to see how ya'll ended up here.

 

[kb67mopar]

I grew up in the lower peninsula. I loved being able to get up early on the weekends and get my 2 stoke cr125 Elsinore out. Had to push it a ways down the road before I cranked it up so I wouldn't wake up mom and dad. I ride the piss out of that bike. Rode old logging trails, rode to friends houses. Fishing for bass and pike, and most of the time ***. Lol My first job was throwing bales of hay. That sucked, especially because I was allergic to that crap. Went to a vocational school in 11th grade. Got a job through that at a mechanic shop in 12th grade and stayed there for a couple years until all the new computer controlled **** came out. A few other mech. jobs along the way and alot of **** jobs. Now I'm 38 and at a decent place. WORK still sucks no matter where your at imo. If you like your job,then it's not really WORK.

Yeah technically I am a Troll too, I grew up in southwest Michigan but spent summers with grandparents in the upper peninsula. Graduated from Michigan Tech up there too so I have spent a ton of time in the UP.

Pretty much would describe my feeling for my job as "Meh"

 

[Moparsmitty]

You don't know what your missing out in the sticks although I'm not that far out but none the less it's pure freedom to do as you see fit. What I've learned over the years is balance is the most important thing, keeping it under 50 hrs a week, getting home at a decent time, plenty of weekends off, and paying the bills with money left over. Good luck

It's like I heard from one of the old guys I used to work with. I've never heard of anybody on their deathbed say "Gee, I wish I would have spent more time at work". Words to live by.

 

[747mopar]

I grew up in the lower peninsula. I loved being able to get up early on the weekends and get my 2 stoke cr125 Elsinore out. Had to push it a ways down the road before I cranked it up so I wouldn't wake up mom and dad. I ride the piss out of that bike. Rode old logging trails, rode to friends houses. Fishing for bass and pike, and most of the time ***. Lol My first job was throwing bales of hay. That sucked, especially because I was allergic to that crap. Went to a vocational school in 11th grade. Got a job through that at a mechanic shop in 12th grade and stayed there for a couple years until all the new computer controlled **** came out. A few other mech. jobs along the way and alot of **** jobs. Now I'm 38 and at a decent place. WORK still sucks no matter where your at imo. If you like your job,then it's not really WORK.

Funny you should mention your CR125, my dad got us (my brother and I) on bikes (KDX80's) when I was 10. We rode the piss out them and he even bought 11 acres across the road so we had more room to ride which I eventually built a home on (love my parents). I was hooked, started racing motorcross and built my own track in my front yard (still there) about 20 jumps total on the track biggest being 65 ft but have hit 120 footers. I did really well at it and usually won most of the races but my back eventually told me it was time about 5 yrs ago "man do I miss it". I mostly rode KX 250's and had a YZF450 "beast" but still think about getting another but then my back reminds me why I quit. Now I have all of my fun on the 4 wheeler with the kids still doing crazy stuff "they love it" just not to the same degree. I now love to restore mopars and bow hunt (season starts Sat):headbang:. Life's good

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks 747mopar I pretty much "all but retired" in 2007 @ 48 y/o, I'm not old enough now even to get Social Security Benefits yet... I kind of walked away from the hustle & bustle of day to day work... I wanted to get Pops off the mountain, spend time with him, go fishing & RVing, with him in his latter years now & the kids are all grown & I physically work only select times now, probably couldn't/wouldn't even call it part time... I am pretty well rounded guy, I believe I have allot of talents, a legend in my own mind...LOL..., a jack of all trades & master of none... Well except racing maybe, but was just mediocre at that, won on the local level allot, but never really on the national level, allot of match racing wins thou... I did it, because I loved it, not for the money... Same reason I backed off work & started the golf business, it has become work too, not just fun anymore... I agree, I think we would be getten' along very well in a garage &/or shop setting too, we have allot in common, I could be your older & better looken' brother...LOL... I also worked at a Shell station & for my Pop's $1.65 p/hr @ his Skirting, Awning & Decking co. in HS, I also drove truck & delivered Ice, for Union Ice Delivery Co. from 1977-81 while funding college
- - - Updated - - -



Amen to that, I won't ever live in the big shitty, ever again... Much better people around in the sticks & far fewer of them too...

LOL, Maybe if I ever get around to visiting my aunt in Cali I just might look you up but with only two weeks vacation "ever" chances are slim.

- - - Updated - - -

This is an awesome thread! So many diverse backgrounds ... it's cool to see how ya'll ended up here.

I must say I'm a bit surprised at the response but it is pretty cool seeing the diversity and talents. Can't say I'm surprised with the talent though "just look around this sight" these guys set the bar pretty high.