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.

[smokeywolf]

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?

Didn't know too many of the prop makers. Did fabricate-machine some of the more complex or exacting special effects gadgets that were outside the capabilities of the effects department.

[xs11jack]

One of my jobs was to work with engineers that designed weapons. I built prototypes of what they dreamed up. Really fun job.
Ole Jack

[pworley1]

Carpenter

[Rufus Krile]

I'd have to say the brief stint as a wine taster but I can't really remember when that was...

[blackthorn]

Of all the things I did, I liked the last two jobs the best. From 1982 through 1991 I ran a center set up to help people with any problem related to being unemployed. In the course of that work I set up and ran a volunteer staffed food bank, represented people at Unemployment, Welfare, Pension etc. hearings in front of Administrative Tribunals. At this work, I was given a very rough set of guidelines and from there on I pretty much wrote my own job description. This was a very interesting job but the pay was poor! From this work I came to the conclusion that anyone contemplating becoming a "boss/employer" should have to run a volunteer operation first! My last job was being part of an Administrative Tribunal, and later sitting as a one person adjudicator involving worker or employer generated appeals from decisions made by our Workers Compensation system. Great pay, mostly good co-workers and truly interesting problem solving opportunities.

[1bluehorse]

Discharged from the Army in Nov 67', went to college on the GI bill in 69' and unbelievable as it was to me, came out with a degree in Forestry. Went to work for the Forest Service, absolutely loved the work. Most enjoyable job I ever had. But due to "life" I ended up working for the (now) BNSF railroad and retired from there after 35 years, the last 30 as a Locomotive engineer. I pretty much enjoyed those years. Good job, good pay, better retirement....:bigsmyl2:.....the only thing I miss about it is the great guys I worked with through the years, without them it wouldn't have been so enjoyable.

[trebor44]

I had two jobs that I enjoyed. One in the summer and one in the winter. Time off in between was spent 'vacationing' while waiting for the other to start up for the season. Summer job was Wilderness patrol and Winter job was Pro Ski Patrol. Hard to believe I retired from as a desk jockey!

[DerekP Houston]

My current job has been my favorite so far! Lots of new products/tech to learn, best friend works in the cubicle behind me, and all the office guys have the general same mindset.

[wildwilly]

Border Patrol aircraft pilot....best damned job I ever had.

[Djones]

I have been a mechanical engineer for 10 years. I spent the first 8 years trying to cling onto processes while the Chinese kept taking them away from me.

Well the last year and a half have been great. My company has started a Made in USA campaign. We are bringing back hundreds of jobs to the US. While it is a big challenge to stay competitive it has been a lot of fun.

Here is a video we made to try and get the message out:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zyIEyEIv8t0

[jonp]

Spent a summer cruising timber on The Dixie NF in southern Utah. Camped out all summer right in the middle of canyonlands, grand staircase etc. Totaly the best but doing spotted owl surveys on the north rim of the grand canyon was a very close second. We camped inside the park on the rim and watched the sun rise over the canyon every morning.

[jaysouth]

Spray brush technician in a tanning salon. tough job but some body had to do it!

[Lloyd Smale]

I envy you guys who had life long jobs you loved. You hear some that even look forward to going to work every day. I wasn't that lucky. I was an electrical lineman. A decent job that paid well and that's why I went to work. It occasionally was fun and there was lots of comradery but to be honest I had to drag myself in there every day. When I retired it was like a giant weight came off my shoulders. It took me months before I didn't jump every time the phone rang or I saw lightning or heard thunder or the wind was blowing hard. Best advice I can give some young man on here is to follow your heart not your wallet!!!!

[mtnman31]

My favorite: being a Marine. It's the only job I've held since 17. I love it and although it's had its highs and lows, I wouldn't change much. Having said that, the best job I've done as a Marine has been Marine Security Guard - worked at embassies in Central America and East Africa. Work itself was sort of monotonous but the time off was great. Got to live in and explore some very foreign places. Did some African safaris, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, explored the jungles of central America, met some great people along the way, fell in love (a couple times), and got to sample some horrible beers from a few countries that have no earthly right to be making beer.

[Echo]

Border Patrol aircraft pilot....best damned job I ever had.

My pal Harry Aitken was a pistol shooter, and a Border Patrol pilot, here in AZ. You may have known, or have heard of, him. Good guy...

[Echo]

My best job was as an Electronic Instructor (Control System) for the TM-61C Martin Matador tactical cruise missile. I thought I knew more about the Control System than anyone else IN THE WORLD! Did that at set school (Lowry AFB, Denver) and at Mobile Training detachments in FL & Germany. Did that my entire enlisted career, then got commissioned and had more fun. But.
I was NOT a pilot - in order to be a pilot one had to have Three things: One had to have great vision - One had to have Great reflexes - and One had to be Handsome as the Devil, and one out of three just wasn't enough for me!
(Don't go there...)

[jonp]

My favorite: being a Marine. It's the only job I've held since 17. I love it and although it's had its highs and lows, I wouldn't change much. Having said that, the best job I've done as a Marine has been Marine Security Guard - worked at embassies in Central America and East Africa. Work itself was sort of monotonous but the time off was great. Got to live in and explore some very foreign places. Did some African safaris, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, explored the jungles of central America, met some great people along the way, fell in love (a couple times), and got to sample some horrible beers from a few countries that have no earthly right to be making beer.

Tusker comes to mind

[Hick]

Engineering. With degrees in two different branches of engineering (Chemical and Nuclear), and having passed the Professional Engineering test in Mechanical Engineering, I always seemed to have jobs where I could pick and choose what to do and what not to do, and my bosses always let me make the choices. Tons of flexibility and never the same job twice. I loved the sense of independence.

[Lloyd Smale]

Got to thinking on that. We had an afb localy that closed about 10 years back but we had a number of pilots that went to our hunting camp and I knew quite a few more and none of them were as ugly as me!!!
My best job was as an Electronic Instructor (Control System) for the TM-61C Martin Matador tactical cruise missile. I thought I knew more about the Control System than anyone else IN THE WORLD! Did that at set school (Lowry AFB, Denver) and at Mobile Training detachments in FL & Germany. Did that my entire enlisted career, then got commissioned and had more fun. But.
I was NOT a pilot - in order to be a pilot one had to have Three things: One had to have great vision - One had to have Great reflexes - and One had to be Handsome as the Devil, and one out of three just wasn't enough for me!
(Don't go there...)

[fatelk]

Best advice I can give some young man on here is to follow your heart not your wallet!!!!

Darn good advice there! A lot of young folks, myself included (when I was young), don't put near enough thought into the long term when "choosing" a career or occupation. Things just kind of happen and before they know it they're forty-something with a family to support, working a job they don't particularly care for but stuck because they're making decent money and can't afford to make a change and start over at the bottom.

I think the job that I have the most fond memories of was working for a good friend many years ago, doing menial lawn maintenance/landscaping work. Pushing a lawnmower rain or shine, trimming hedges and fruit trees. It wasn't the greatest job but I was young; I made some great friends and learned a lot about myself. The reason I have such strong memories of that time right now is because the guy I worked for back then recently passed away unexpectedly. The funeral brought back a lot. He was a good man.

Anyhow, my job now isn't bad. I work in a very small crew running a noisy industrial plant for a large multi-national. I thought it was going to be a good job with a solid company that I already have a lot of years with, making enough money to raise my family and retire in a couple decades. Unfortunately we just found out that they're selling us down the river. We still haven't found out how it's all going to play out, but did hear that at the very least we're losing most of our retirement. I guess I need to figure something else out now.

[GL49]

Pulling green chain at a sawmill.