Jobs, Or how to pay for boat stuff

TyBoo

What do all you folks do for a living, anyhow? Boat's ain't cheap, ya know.

We had a similar topic on the old C-brat site, as well as the original C-Dogs, and it was always one of my favorites. Since here we now have lots of members who were not part of the previous groups, I figured we should fire this discussion up again. Also, since this site is our de facto home forever, the rest of us should only have to say it once more!

Thanks.

TyBoo · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 3:09 pm Post subject:

I am a millwright in a paper mill about 30 miles up the Columbia River from where I live in Warrenton, OR. I've been at the mill for going on 34 years, and have been a mechanic there for about 20 years. I don't do much, but every once in a while I do something fast and good for them, so they keep me around.

I was the youngest guy in the mill when I first hired on in 1970. Now I'm an old guy with three kids older than I was when I started.

Moxieabs · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 4:13 pm Post subject:

I'm an optometrist. Checked eyes for the Army for 20 years (a fine bunch of people) and retired. Now check eyes in Kittery, ME/Portsmouth, NH (so much for being retired). Worked on 4 cylinder Hondas before they made cars (CB750). Sailed a 30 Catalina on the Great Lakes for 6 years in the '80's. My wife, Valerie, is a highschool English teacher and a great sailing partner!

Sea Wolf · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 4:33 pm Post subject:

C-Brat Friends- I'm a retired High School Science Teacher and taught Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Earth Science for 35 years in Fremont in the S.F. Bay Area. I also raced small sailboats for 32 of those years, and have made some of my greatest friends through the sailing and boating communities. My wife and I moved to Redding, Ca, from Fremont last March after she also retired from teaching. My CD-22 Cruiser, Sea Wolf, is berthed at Bridge Bay Marina on Shasa Lake, some 15 miles north of our home. It' great to be a part of this group! Joe.

Da Nag · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 5:52 pm Post subject:

Well, my official title is Senior Systems Programmer, but I seem to be better known as a nerd. Basically, I've paid my dues and don't deal with end users any more, except around here - you folks aren't too bad... Mr. Green

My job consists of keeping the systems running you don't see, except when they break. For those of you who know a little about this, I primarily manage a network of about 30 Linux and Novell servers for about 2000 users, and numerous applications and services that run on them. I also do a fair amount of Oracle and web application development.

Thought I would end up being a Civil Engineer like my dad and brother, but was in school when the first IBM PC's came out. Started programming for engineering and physics projects in Turbo Pascal, and finally noticed I liked the computer side of things far better than the engineering problems I was trying to solve. When PC networks first hit the street, nobody was teaching it in schools - I dropped out of college, and took up a position with a local PC networking firm. Bogus pay but lots of experience, which set me up for the great job I've had for the last 14 years. Dropping out of college is one of my few regrets, but I really had no choice; had there been the very cool computer science programs of today being offered, I'd have been in hog heaven, gladly studying and soaking my parents pocket book for a few more years.

Translation - any of you aspiring nerd kids reading this, don't think you can do what I did - ain't possible any more, there's way too much competition. Stay in school and enjoy it.

As it turns out, I ended up at a local water utility, working in part with a bunch of engineers. Almost to a one of them, they'd rather be computer guys. Oh, the irony...

Liked the environment and place I worked at so much, that I took my talented wife under my wing, and started training her to be a nerd instead of a clerk. She started as a Help Desk tech, then within a couple years, was managing the section, much to the chagrin of the many folks she passed up so quickly. Client Services Supervisor is her fancy title. We commute together, eat lunch together, and will probably retire together - hopefully in about 10 years, settling in WA somewhere.

Next?

jimandlaurie · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 6:18 pm Post subject:

As for jobs, I am a Line Haul Truck Driver for FedEX Freight. Been driving professionally for 26 years. After 2 1/2 million miles I still haven't found the end of the road.
Laurie works in the finance area of Multicare Medical, and has been in the banking -finance industry for over 25 years.

DaveS · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 8:52 pm Post subject:

In my spare time, when I'm not boating, I'm a Paramedic/Firefighter and feel blessed that I've found an occupation that satisifies my need for "adrenalin rushes". When, I'm at home, I also volunteer for our local volunteer fire department....so I seem to always have a "fire pager" attached to my belt.
Wife, Carol is a school nurse with a varied nursing background (her position allows her to "have the same days off as our school aged daughter).
Our work schedules allow us to enjoy a lot of time together, particularly in the summer, so I'm in no hurry to retire. (Plus I'm still having too much fun at work! Wink

).

Pat Anderson

OK, I am the City Attorney of the City of Snoqualmie (going on 22 years), and in my spare time, Da Prez of Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company (David on Anna Leigh is Da Veep and GM). I like to say that I am a brewer who practices law to pay the bills! Until 1995, I was in a law firm in Issaquah, but found that my Snoqualmie duties put in
Snoqualmie most of the time, so I resigned from the firm and opened my own office in Snoqualmie next to City Admin. David and I started the brewery shortly after I opened up in Snoqualmie (incorporated in 1996, started operations in December 1997) The brewery is right across Falls Ave from my law office, so it is pretty handy. Patty is a full time mom and part time scrubstitute teacher - the scrubstitute teaching paychecks do pay for a trinket or two on Daydream!

Helen O · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2003 10:26 am Post subject:

I retired from the Postal Service last year. My wife Helen works at a local retail store.

MOOSE · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2003 10:57 am Post subject:

I'm an environmental engineer for a paper mill in International Falls, MN. I've been here 30 years. Myrna is an independent contractor in grant writing and planning. We used to do a lot of wilderness canoeing in northern Ontario, including a trip to Hudson Bay and a couple trips on Lake Superior. Now the MOOSE affords us the opportunity to enjoy the lake we live on (Rainy) in more comfort and with better cuisine.
Al & Myrna

C-Hawk · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2003 2:31 pm Post subject:

I am a Building Inspector for the campus at UCSB- University of California, Santa Barbara. I started out inspecting welds as a radiographer back in 1975, certified in 4 disciplines of Non-Destructive Inspection (X-Ray, Ultrasound, Liquid Penetrant and Magnetic Particle) Became a Certified Welding Inspector (AWS) in 1985. Certified for Concrete and Masonry inspection in 1991. Certifications now include Building and Plumbing Inspection.

PJ is the Operations Supervisor for the Santa Barbara County Treasurer/Tax Collector.

Lynn Marie · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2003 4:00 pm Post subject:

I too am a building inspector. I didn't start out this way but it seems to be a good fit. I started out as a cabinet maker but moved to a paper mill town and eventually became a mill wright like TyBoo. Didn't last though as an older brother wanted me to move to Florida to join him building boats. That's where I stubbed my nautical toe. After about five years in boat building I returned to the northwest and took up commercial fishing along with being a general contractor in the home building industry. The fishing lasted about six years with summer ventures offshore for salmon from California ports and off the beach here at home in Cannon Beach, OR then finally a couple of summers gillnetting in Bristol Bay, AK. That's when I said enough of this fishing and didn't care if I ever saw another boat from inside the rails. I built houses and remodeled for another twelve years then got a little old to compete with the young bucks and decided to let the brain take over for the back and got certified as a building inspector. After almost fifteen years I now hold certifications in structural, mechanical, plumbing and residential electrical. Although the brain gets overloaded from time to time it was still a good move and it's a job I still like getting up to go to. I've been at it long enough now that I again enjoy being on the water and have enough vacation time and can afford to use it. Being an inspector might be why I choose a C-Dory; well built, good looking, and priced reasonably.

Judy has spent most of her working career in an office setting and continues to do so at a property management company involved in the hospitality industry. Resort towns have a lot of that and building so we both keep busy and always look forward to spending our income to get away.

Tim, the "Wood Cop"

dotnmarty · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2003 5:30 pm Post subject:

After a hitch as a Navy hospital corpsman I had a career in public health-mostly in communicable disease prevention and control (from TB and polio to AIDS).
Now I am a babysitter-apprentice and work for my grandaughter Lizzie. Very Happy

baboos_boat · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2003 8:06 pm Post subject:

My wife, Jim, and I are both retired. She after 18 years teaching 5th and 6th grades and I after 23 years as Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and 9 years previous to that at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. I still teach a few courses in Justice over the internet (distance ed) and one course in aviation -- Private Pilot Ground School.

My wife and I enjoy 5th Wheeling and flying (especially on floats in Interior Alaska) and now I am looking forward to getting the ocean under my feet. And of all things I have taken up golf.

And by the way - my hat is off to all C-Brats! A more helpful group I have yet to see.

gary and jim

AK Angler · Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2003 3:07 am Post subject:

Well, I guess I'm a truck driver by trade. One of my first jobs was driving a delivery van for my uncle. For the next 6 years, I could typically be found in the seat of a truck, delivering freight for somebody.

Then, I got hooked up with a job at the Elmendorf Recycle Center and I put in almost 8 years there. I started as a collection driver and worked my way into a desk job handling the quality control duties for the contract, as well as filling in wherever else I was needed.

One day I decided that I wanted to get out of the drivers seat permanently, so I headed back to school to get a degree in Civil Engineering. I have been working and going to school part time for a while now, but the university doesn't schedule engineering classes in the evenings. So, with the blessing of my wonderful wife, I just quit my job at the end of November to go to school full time. Shocked

We know that things will be kinda tight for a while, but the missus has assured me that we won't have to get rid of the little CD just yet. Very Happy

However, she was very adamant that any shiny new add-ons will have to wait for now. Sad

(Unless I can convince her that "that old chart plotter came with the boat...really...see the dust on it?" Wink

)

So, while I spend the next two years in school and as an engineering intern, I guess I will have to learn to be content as a kept man. I know... it's gonna be tough.