What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 08:11 AM

Hmmmm.... Greg? According to my computer and your last entry, you don't do nothin'.... :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: greg stephens
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 07:03 AM

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Kelticgrasshopper
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 06:57 AM

Hi to you KAT.. Yes the "ice cream social" was fun.. HOT MUGGY.. a great time on the 4th.. WE've been here in Deerfield for about a year now. It is lovely. We feel like we are living on a movie set..

KGH ( Meg )

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Greycap
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 02:43 AM

Hmmm..let's see. In order from first job: dairy worker,student, bus conductor, builder's laborer,estate agent's clerk, accounts clerk, pro musician, security guard,accounts clerk, cleaner, civil servant. 54 months to go to being-pro musician agin!! ( on retirement )

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 02:25 AM

I am a delivery driver.

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: MAG
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 01:35 AM

Yah, I wasn't sure I could wade through any more bio stuff, but this is fun.

In high school summers I worked as a full time nanny and did lots of babysitting. I loved it; a clue I would be working with kids. (never had any, tho'( 8( ). Sang in choir. Sang in friend's bedrooms all through the folk scare.Worked my way through college slinging HoJo food on the NJ Turnpike, slinging platters in the college cafeteria, and, when I came of age, slinging pitchers of on-tap at the local redneck joint. volunteered at the college library to see if I liked it enough to pursue it as a career. I did. Ran away to Chicago to go to library school. hated library school. Dropped out and did all kinds of odd jobs, including driving a taxi and Kelly Girl (temp. work). Most interesting assignment there was doing ad mailings for a topless manicure parlor. (Yes, the boss offered me a job. This was a LONG time ago.) Poured myself into one cause after another, and then, having trained as a printer and been laid off, done factory work and been laid off in the '74 recession, went into library work. LOVED public library work. hated my employer. finished library school. moonlighted in a children's bookstore. loved it. quit library job and did full-time free-lance storytelling. loved it. was offered a job as a full-time library storyteller in Miami that I thought I couldn't refuse. Loved the job, hated Miami, hated my alcoholic dysfunctional bully of a boss. Worst three years of my life. Took another library job on the continent as far away from Miami as I could get one. Love the Pacific Northwest. Love my work, when the job gets to me I remember I have had worse. much worse. I tell stories and sing songs on the job a lot. I play in a contra dance band. I work on losing weight and making my knees work. I grow roses. Life is good. -- MA

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 12:24 AM

KelticGrassHopper! Nice to see you, again!! Went a little north, have you? Old Deerfield is one of my very favourite places in New England, in fact I was "homesick" for it this July 4th! Congratulations and I hope we hear you in Paltalk sometime.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: GUEST,DancingMom
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 10:48 PM

Mom to 3 teenage daughters and a 9-year-old son.

Registered Nurse (as of February) in a hospital cardiovascular unit.

Herb gardener.

Guitar student and history buff. Sharon

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Kelticgrasshopper
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 10:01 PM

Well Jerry.. should you come and visit.. come on over to "Hall tavern Information Center" Most likely I'll be there. Unfortunately.. it's not a real tavern so I can't buy you a "pint".. But I'd love to meet some "catters".

Meg ( KGH )

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 09:11 PM

Historic Deerfield is a great place to visit, by the way. It's been many years since I've been there, but as it is a historic site, it can only get better as it gets older. Just like us Mudcatters. :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Kelticgrasshopper
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 08:30 PM

Aside from being a member of the fabulous Celtic band "Gan Ainm".. where I sing and play percussion instruments..My day job is that of "museum attendant" I work for Historic Deerfield.. a historic village in Western Mass. I greet people from around the world. Its a "cushie" job, I walk to work.. see my husband all the time because he works for the same museum. I spend my off time enjoying my son's band..and spoiling my grand daughter Molly.

cheers.. Keep the music going!!

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 07:48 PM

Melanie:

If you're still reading this thread, send us a PM. We sent you one and got no response. We need to talk to you about the maritime library.
<

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Caz
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 05:29 PM

Well if everyone else is joining the bandwagon I might as well. I have been a bar maid, shop assistant, clerk, cleaner, factory worker, supervisor, industrial engineer, personnel officer and now work teaching maths and computers and love, just about, every minute. But the best part or my working life is getting paid to sing in front of people. What more can a dedicated show-off ask for?!

Carole - OUTSIDER

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: DeanC
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 03:52 PM

I'm one of those odd people who have only had one job for nearly 35 years. I'm a computer scientist at the Naval Research Lab. I provide computer support for oceanographers, geophysicists and acousticians.

Actually although I have worked at the Lab for 35 years I've worked in several different groups along the way. I started out in the group that found the Scorpion. It was a nuclear submarine that was lost in 1968. We spent about 6 months wandering around the ocean in its vicinity before we finally took some pictures of it. Later while working with the same group we located and recovered the research submersible Alvin.

I spent a lot of time on research ships for several years. We got to go to a lot of interesting places while trying to collect and process data that the Navy thought was of value. Along the way I learned a lot about the ocean and even more about how to make computers do what I wanted them to do.

Most recently I've been working with a bunch of geophysicists developing a method of measuring the gravity field from aircraft. Yes, gravity varies over the surface of the earth depending on the local amount of mass beneath you. It only varies a few parts in a million, so measuring it from a moving platform is a challenge.

Dean Clamons

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 03:22 PM

You mean there's real life out there??

I've had a variety of jobs including office cleaner, baby sitter, waitress, mediaeval wench, library assistant, classroom assistant, painter and decorator, secretary, swimming instructor, worked in mechanical demolition, gardener, researcher, catering assistant, seamstress/tailoress, conservitor, embroideress, museum assistant and now work for the Inland Revenue in the same building that Bullfrog Jones probably worked in when he was at Capital Radio.

This is just the paid employment. Unpaid I've worked as a driver, bus driver, entertainer, parish clerk, child minder, designer, house sitter, dog walker, personal shopper, proof reader, genealogical researcher and mother.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Mudlark
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 03:03 PM

Tho I claim to read only the music threads, I must admit I've read thru the entire part 1 of this thread and enjoyed every post!

For the first 10 yrs of my working life I was in publishing, in one way or another...started out with what turned out to be an interesting but unpaid position writing TV scripts, back in the late 50's, then moved into tech. work, starting out as a tech typist, then editor then tech. writer. And then went on to head up a computer software graphics dept.

Life then took a sharp left turn. My husband and I left the computer industry, bought a 160 a. farm in Ark., and became homesteaders and potters. 20 yrs ago we moved us and our studio pottery back to Calif. I've recently retired from the pot business, am now I'm making a partial living from writing and photography, grow a big garden, and have lots more time to make music...

I feel fortunate to have been able to make a living at things I enjoyed, particularly pottery, altho the art show scene got very old after the first 20 years. But music has been a constant friend and companion, cheerer upper and soul satisfy-er for as long as I can remember. I guess I'd rather pick and sing than do anything.

BTW, Bev and Jerry...I'm in SLO Co. too...where are you?

Nancy

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Fortunato
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 02:42 PM

Hey Bev and Jerry, thanks for showing Jerry Rasmussen I wasn't making it up. I think the elephant story may have hurt my credibility a mite. Yeah those Kirbys weighed a ton. They made them out of real metal. Can you imagine? But they could suck the label off a Louisville Slugger. Cheers, Fortunato.

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 02:13 PM

Hey Fortunato:

We bought one of those Kirbys and the damn thing lasted over thirty years. It was still working fine when we replaced it but our house has a lot of steps and we simply couldn't drag it up and down anymore. It's probably being used as an anchor now.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 12:20 PM

Thanks for the explanation, Jerry. I won't even attempt to think up a Titanic joke, as I'm sure you've heard them all.

The French-sounding phrase is actually Irish, and means "the musical plumber", referring to the uilleann pipes which I can't always quite manage to steer.

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Naemanson
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 12:18 PM

Good thread! Is it my imagination or do the people who are posting her seem generally satisified with their lives?

I know I could find a better job (i.e., one that I enjoy more) but with only 5 years to go till I retire and a move to Italy in my cards I'd be an idiot to give it up now. This job fed and housed my family until they were all gone. Now it's my turn and Italy seems like the way to go. The nest is empty. So I sold it and I'm leaving myself.

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 11:14 AM

Thanks, Kat!

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Fortunato
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 11:12 AM

Well, Jerry,

I assume from the lack of response that I've told the elephant story one too many times...

So I'll tell you one less fantastic.

The 1st summer I'd been in college I took a job selling the Kirby Vacuum Cleaner door to door. If you're not familiar with the Kirby it cost $259.00 back in 1965 which was then a helluva lot of money. Anyhow I only lasted on the job for one week. They sent me into the absolute poorest section of Alexandria, Va., and I was demonstrating that the Kirby could suck dirt from the ground under the foundation up through the floor and rug, I mean it had some suction. But my clients to be were on welfare and couldn't buy the bags for the Kirby.

But the best part of the job was the sales meeting every morning. The Kirby company had their own song book. I'm serious. They were a very old company and they had a published song book of parodies of the old famliar tunes. For example, to the tune of "Pack up your troubles in your old Kit bag", we sang: "Pack up your Kirby and your extra bags and SELL, BOYS, SELL!" Or: "Make my bed and light, I'll be home late tonight, I'm selling the Kirby!"

Well, of course I excelled at singing the songs, but failed miserably at rooking poor people into a 'dollar down and a dollar week' deal. I didn't sell any vacuums. regards, Chance

Subject: RE: BS: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: Jimmy C
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 11:00 AM

Quit school at age 15 and have had many varied jobs since. e.g Cobbler- cabinet maker- trusk driver's assistant- gas station attendant - winter tire stud installer - soup mix mixer - business forms designer - records officer - archivist - musician. Was fortunate to be able to retire at age 55. Now I am a psrt-time musician - part-time genealogist and full-time husban,father and grandfather. Don't get any better than this. Thanks for asking.

Cheers.

Subject: What Do You Do In Real Life - Part Two
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 10:44 AM

Part One