part 2 of the what do you do for a living post. What was your favorite job?

[Lloyd Smale]

Mine hands down was the years I spend in the service.

[Wayne Smith]

Since I started doing therapy I haven't worked a day. It is all fun.

[EMC45]

I liked working at the machine shop doing CNC- waterjet and plasma tables. Also liked the Military and what I do now.

[Nueces]

I'm with Lloyd. My years as a squadron fighter pilot were the best. For a while after my last flight, the withdrawal made it all seem unreal, like a dream. After about 5 years, I recovered the memories and have enjoyed them ever since. I've spoken to other guys who have experienced something like that.

[OS OK]

An old timer told me about the 'find a job you like and never work a day in your life' idea before I graduated high school. That summer I had so many jobs that in one of them I only worked about 4 hours and walked out of the factory in disgust. My parents thought I was unemployable.
When I hired as an electricians apprentice the search was over...that is all I have ever done, retired as an Electrical Contractor doing motor control and power distribution...looking back, I never worked a day in my career, just went somewhere everyday where I was fascinated with the job and had a darn good time doing it.

[mold maker]

In 1967 I filed 17 W2 forms at tax time. In Jan of 1968, I took a job that lasted 39.5 years. Nobody tried to bump me from it and I really enjoyed doing it. I had a boss that understood his ignorance and was satisfied with the money I made/saved him. At one time my Dept included 23 very competent workers who made my job easy. In "07 all the work was taken by cheap labor (China) and the once very prosperous business closed. Under better economic circumstances I would probably still be working.

[dragon813gt]

I never stayed at a job long if I started to hate it. Had lots of good times working w/ best friend at his Uncle's construction company. Had a good run at my previous employer, was there 15 years. The last two years became a stressful grind which is why I left.

I'd have to say my current job is my favorite. It does take me away from my family but I get to see the world in return. All while providing my family w/ a better life. Most guys retire from this company so I'm hoping things don't change.

[Geezer in NH]

Professional Fire Fighter in a major city. I loved every shift for the action and comradery and the great pay and benefits and retirement.

[lightman]

I was a serviceman for an electric utility. I worked and lived in a small farming community. I loved it. I was almost a celebrity. I knew everybody and everybody knew me. I was the Guy that kept the lights on. And I was good at it. I was the guy that the farmers called after they put out $30,000 of chemicals and the phone center tells them it will be 10 days before they can get a well turned on. I was the guy you called when you had 200 trucks lined up at the dryer and the power went out. I was the guy that you called if your Daughter moved on the weekend and forgot to have the power turned on at the new place. I covered parts of 4 counties, 5 small cities and 5 communities, all pretty much rural. I would still be doing it if I was physicaly able.

[Nueces]

Pretty cool, lightman. A Knight of the Wires.

[smokeywolf]

I ran the machine shop on a major motion picture studio lot. Because I was designing and fabricating parts and assemblies which the parent company incorporated in profit making machinery, I had near total autonomy.

The ability and opportunity to conceive, design, machine and build a device or system from beginning to end, with little or no interference has got to be one of the greatest and most rewarding experiences an engineer/machinist can have.
For an engineer, it was a dream job.

Every job has a downside. Mine was, except when the company sent me to another facility or location to consult, I was not allowed to go anywhere or vacation where I could not make it back to the studio within half a day.
Some of the film editing/printing/duplicating machinery I designed and built required change-overs for different film formats. A delay in a change-over could cost over $2,500 per hour.

[robg]

Docker/longshoreman loading 40ft trailers onto a roro ferry to Ireland short hours but at strange times early and late shifts but fantastic pay and a great bunch of guys to work with. Had to leave when I got divorced long story ,still regret leaving that job.

[Handloader109]

Well, I've had a couple that is have loved. I loved doing design for a company that made restaurant supplies, and plastic goods. I hated it as that job transitioned into more of just a maintenance/manufacturing position as we declined and closed due to inept management on high and foreign competition. Loved my last job as manager of a blood plasma donation center. Donors were always interesting, and work challenging. Really loved seeing my employees grow, learn and get promotions and ultimately move to other centers. Over past year more pressure to cut costs at the expense of higher productivity and reducing hiring to part time employees. I happened to make a mistake in judgement the other day and I'm now looking for the next great job. But it was a great 10 yrs.

[OS OK]

I ran the machine shop on a major motion picture studio lot. Because I was designing and fabricating parts and assemblies which the parent company incorporated in profit making machinery, I had near total autonomy.

The ability and opportunity to conceive, design, machine and build a device or system from beginning to end, with little or no interference has got to be one of the greatest and most rewarding experiences an engineer/machinist can have.
For an engineer, it was a dream job.

Every job has a downside. Mine was, except when the company sent me to another facility or location to consult, I was not allowed to go anywhere or vacation where I could not make it back to the studio within half a day.
Some of the film editing/printing/duplicating machinery I designed and built required change-overs for different film formats. A delay in a change-over could cost over $2,500 per hour.

Could be that you know my oldest son, Eric Hanna. He built sets as an outside contractor for commercials and some music videos, now he does it as an an employee, as a designer or some such title in production?

[country gent]

I was a tool and die maker. Did alot of floor work setting up and tuning new equipment and or lines. I always felt my job was to make the production peoples jobs as easy as possinle. When they had an issue they would get me and show me what was the pronlem or issue. I would then attempt to make something to help them out. I ussually made hand tools to insert locate pieces that were missed by automation. I really enjoyed doing this type of work and the people I worked with.

[gunoil]

my favorite job was 1st ,,, caddie'ing on pga golf tour in 75'/76'. I was around all the big dog chsmpions nickalaus, palmer, etc.. People on the tour are not golfers, they are magicians. My 2nd favorite was off tour i drove ft lauderdale yellow cab from 73' to 80'. I am a pilot but never wanted to haul people in the air. It would have taken the fun away I've always thought.

[shdwlkr]

When I was serving my country, I have never enjoyed such positive rewards from any other job I have done, the second back was working with veterans with their mental health issues, sort of paying back that I am here now and so many others are not, one day I hope to be licensed so I can again work with veterans, current military, really anyone dealing with Crisis or Trama in their life as that is my specialty in mental health

[onceabull]

In the wayback, I spent most of a summer as a contract timber faller( paid $ xx.xx per Bd.ft.on the ground). Summer work outside when there was still some old growth to be cut in Ken Kesey's home country...40 summers later, I packed it in dayjob wise,without ever earning on a hourly basis ,what we averaged that summer... Onceabull

[shooter93]

I have the only job I ever wanted for over 50 years. The last few years though and most likely the future years might not be so great. This economy really beat up we small construction companies. It's harder and harder to sell craftsmanship as opposed to the production builders. I've pretty much trashed my body and there is simply no young help to be found anymore. However....I don't see myself quitting or retiring until I can't move and die. I truly do love what I do and would like to keep doing it until the very end.

[mac60]

Commercial telegraph operator. Galveston radio/KLC 1 yr., Mobile radio/WLO 14 yrs. Miss it every day. What a dream job it was.