What do you do for a crust?

[Corksniffer]

I'm a maintenance Gardener. Onea those guys you see mowing unit blocks and fixing the irrigation. Started the business a bit over a year ago after working jobs I absolutely hated that were completely not meant for me and killed my Soul a little more each day for many years prior and in the end couldn't stand any longer. I was about prepared to go broke than stay there! But luckily I do alright. I got to thinking: what does everyone do here and do they enjoy it? I generally like or even "love" my job now, but there are times (like now) when I'd rather not.

 

Goods for me are: I can work my own hours provided the work gets done so I start really early and try to get home around 1pm or so. Bads are: I'm finding that residential sucks and everyone wants to pay you the least amount possible so I'm looking to stop resi completely. It's also really hot work here but at the same time there's plenty of work because everything grows like nowhere else. To give an idea I'm mowing at least once a week in the wet season sometimes twice.

 

 

[ChristinaS1]

Ah, now I understand why you like Corona so much. Hot job.

 

I used to be a nurse practitioner. Right now I am a hobby farmer. We have four acres of land. It is spring time in Canada and there is lots of yard work. Currently renovating the chicken coop, which we are only now getting around to putting to use. As soon as it is done we are getting some baby chicks. Cheers! -Christina.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

I'm a finance manager. Don't go much on it but it pays the bills. Key to not killing your soul is to treat things like water off a ducks back (DILLIGAF) and leave it at the front door in the afternoon and till the morning. Never take work home.

 

The money allows me to do what I enjoy which is beer brewing, Aquariums and gardening

[MarkC]

Chartered accountant. Fun times ;-)

[Otto Von Blotto]

I'm a bus driver in Brisbane, just your standard city bus/public transport thing, I don't do long road trips or charters or anything. I'll have been there 4 years in August and really enjoy it. Cruisiest job I've ever had, although I only had two prior to this; I did courier driving for 5 years but it became so dead that it wasn't worth doing, hence the change to the buses. And my first job out of high school was doing a greenkeeping apprenticeship on a golf course.

[headmaster]

I wear my undies continuously for one week. They get crusty :-)

 

No seriously i farm walking sticks, so I'm a walking stick farmer.

 

No seriously I work in the telecommunications sector in a technical role all to do with wireless comms, have done so for more than 25 years.

[Beeblebrox]

I guess I could describe myself as a stay at home carer, househusband, or what have you.

 

It seems kind of odd, since SWMBO works full time, but I am her carer; I cook, clean, do all the housework, as well as helping her with any personal care needs, & maintain the small courtyard & boundary gardens around our villa.

 

SWMBO gets about in a battery powered wheelchair, & has limited mobility due to cerebral palsy, but is as sharp as a tack, & doesn't have the typical CP drawl you often hear.

 

When we first hooked up, I was working at the local David Jones store, when they still had a music section, & I still had some interest in working in retail.

This was a job I took as a "temporary measure" after a failed first marriage, & a number of short term admin roles, & some gardening work.

 

If I were to roll back the years & try to remember everything I've done I'd probably go mad, but some of the jobs I've had in the past not necessarily in order include:

Deckhand on Sydney Ferries, Pizza delivery driver, Security Guard, various admin roles in State & Federal Government departments, factory worker, possibly one of the worlds worst waiters, & a quite brief stint as a postie.

 

I quit my job with DJ's about 18 months after meeting SWMBO (having already moved in with her), then took up a role working in the same govt dept as she was working at.

I stuck it out for 6 years there, initially full time, then 4 days per week.

SWMBO's parents used to come over to help with housework & groceries, but that stopped when I came on the scene.

 

Over time I found the roles of carer, housekeeper, & govt employee increasingly tiring.

After my father in law passed, & my mother in law's health started to deteriorate I packed in my paid employment to focus on being a carer.

 

Admittedly there are times I wonder if I should go back to working in paid employment, but at least for now, I find the balance is right.

I also have to care for our 8 year old ex racing greyhound (Harry) now a trainee service dog (Mind dog).

 

Harry keeps me honest, as he has to be walked twice a day, needs to stretch out for a run at least twice a week (so he doesn't get cabin fever being indoors all the time), & I cook his food for him, as greyhounds can't tolerate the processed crap that comes in cans.

 

With Harry it's really a mutual care scenario; I look after his needs, & he keeps me from going around the bend, or from the anxiety & other issues getting too much for me, hence he's actually my trainee service dog.

 

When I'm not otherwise occupied, or distracted with something else, I like to play guitar; I have a neighbour who pops over for a couple of hours each weekend for a session, as he's also a guitarist.

I wouldn't say I'm a beginner, (been playing on & off for 27 years or so), but between the anxiety & my somewhat intermediate skills, I'm not going to be seen playing any gigs in the near future.

 

With all that in mind, you can see why I prefer not to label myself as anything other than who I am.

I'm so much more than a carer, husband, gardener, cleaner, etc.

We define ourselves by what we do, not just our occupation.

 

I'm Ben & I'm a home brewer, among many other things.

[Corksniffer]

I love that last sentence Beebs, always agreed with you there. A job's a job and I can't stand people who take it so seriously that it became their identity. You're completely lost once that happens. You've done alot in your time so far! Thanks for sharing your story. I've always been interested in people's lives because I think you can learn a lot if you just take some time to stop and listen

 

Otto, is THAT why you're called Otto, after the Simpsons bus driver!! Haha that's awesome man. It's great you like the job do much not much worse hating what you do.

 

Chris' thats very cool, now I've got an online Doctor friend who can diagnose all my weird Gardening diseases I get! We have land too and love it. We also had chickens for a long time until we took in an old Dog that couldn't live with them :( but that's how it goes I guess

 

I was in Comms too Head! Despised it though but everyone's different

 

Finance manager hey? I try to do the same at home :D

 

Accountant ey? Definitely a wise profession cause the money's good and you get to drink coffees all day!

 

An interesting bunch

[Otto Von Blotto]

I felt like that in my old job towards the end. It was terrible. Glad I made the change. Yes, that's exactly the reason I had longer hair then, still black, and I was also playing guitar in a rock/metal band at the time. Unfortunately in late 2013 my work hours ruined my ability to remain a part of that band, but I definitely had some bloody good memories. One that sticks out is when we played down in Sydney in 2011 I think it was, for a Miss Ink national final. We got screwed over; they put us on after the winners' announcements, instead of before them like it was meant to be, so everyone had pretty much left by then. I just decided screw this, and got pretty drunk before we went on and had a great time on stage.

[Payno]

I'm a Male Prostitute and part time Dolphin Trainer......really annoying when I get my 2 jobs mixed up!

 

Ah...Seriously - Im a Senior Financial Planner for a mid tier Accounting firm. I have been in the Advisory space for nearly 20 years now - started in Portfolio management and branched out into more general advice but specialise in wealth management. Its not a bad job - I enjoy making money for people and seeing them achieve their goals. . Spending too much time behind a computer can be a drag and can get repetitive - but I think all jobs must have some level of repetition. (even brain surgeons must occasionally get sick of looking at brains!). I spend most of my time managing portfolios of investments for clients - mainly equities, but all sorts. But also do strategic advice which provides some diversity as every client situation is different.

 

I certainly don't define myself by my job at all - and have seen what that can do to people who do (especially when they stop working......"who am I"). I generally like what I do but certainly am not doing cartwheels on the way to the office in the morning! - its a means to an end. Same as being a husband/parent - its all just a part of who you are.

[BeerEngineer]

I'm still a student :)

 

Finished my Chemical Engineering degree in 2014 and started a Ph.D straight away, looking to get into the brewing industry when I'm finished either as an Engineer or start from the bottom as a brewer.

 

When I started my degree, my first priority was money and I thought I would end up in mining or oil, but now that I'm a little bit older I've realised that beer is what I'm truly passionate about and is the industry I want to be in. :)

[Payno]

I'm still a student :)

 

Finished my Chemical Engineering degree in 2014 and started a Ph.D straight away' date=' looking to get into the brewing industry when I'm finished either as an Engineer or start from the bottom as a brewer.

 

When I started my degree, my first priority was money and I thought I would end up in mining or oil, but now that I'm a little bit older I've realised that beer is what I'm truly passionate about and is the industry I want to be in. :)[/quote']

 

Awesome!!!

 

Im sure your expertise will be welcome here!!!

[CaffeinatedSentryGnome]

I turn things off and on again.

[the villain]

good thread, i like to read these.

 

well im now 29, and basically ive never worked a day on land in my life.

 

at 16 i wanted an adventure not a maths lesson, so i quit school and got a job as a greenhorn deckie on a longline tuna boat, looking back, hands down best thing i ever did, learnt more about myself and had a work ethic smacked into me quick smart by the older guys. quickly rose to position of 1st mate/deckboss. made plenty of money, and became captain at about 22.

 

fishing took a downturn (australian dollar too strong) and i then realised i needed a trade backing, so took an apprenticeship as a marine mechanical fitter at sea,

then was approached by a major oil producer for a traineeship as a merchant seaman, currently sailing on 100,000 tonne LNG tankers sailing around the world, i now work 2 months on 2 months off. currently on my way to japan then singapore before i pay off, fly home and have 2 months at home.

 

ive been paid to see most of the world all my life, i miss much of what happens at home. birthdays, xmas ect, but wouldnt change it for quids.

 

sailors, beer, tattoos, and south east asia, until the bitter end ;)

 

[Koo wee brew]

Great thread.

Racehorse Veterinarian.

I have had the pleasure of working with some household names of the turf (Trainers and Horses).

I love my job, wouldn't swap it for anything.

Cheers,

Dave.

[porschemad911]

I'm a software developer. I work with lots of different languages, technologies and all the way through the stack (UI to low-level IO and everything in between). It's great because I've been doing this for nearly 11 years now and have had to cram in so much more knowledge just about every day. It helps that my employer likes to keep switching technology!

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Great thread.

Racehorse Veterinarian.

I have had the pleasure of working with some household names of the turf (Trainers and Horses).

I love my job' date=' wouldn't swap it for anything.

Cheers,

Dave. [/quote']

 

Feel free to post any tips on here anytime...

[Payno]

good thread' date=' i like to read these.

 

well im now 29, and basically ive never worked a day on land in my life.

 

at 16 i wanted an adventure not a maths lesson, so i quit school and got a job as a greenhorn deckie on a longline tuna boat, looking back, hands down best thing i ever did, learnt more about myself and had a work ethic smacked into me quick smart by the older guys. quickly rose to position of 1st mate/deckboss. made plenty of money, and became captain at about 22.

 

fishing took a downturn (australian dollar too strong) and i then realised i needed a trade backing, so took an apprenticeship as a marine mechanical fitter at sea,

then was approached by a major oil producer for a traineeship as a merchant seaman, currently sailing on 100,000 tonne LNG tankers sailing around the world, i now work 2 months on 2 months off. currently on my way to japan then singapore before i pay off, fly home and have 2 months at home.

 

ive been paid to see most of the world all my life, i miss much of what happens at home. birthdays, xmas ect, but wouldnt change it for quids.

 

sailors, beer, tattoos, and south east asia, until the bitter end ;)

[/quote']

 

 

Wow man! - any vacancies?

Im not sure what sounds better - 2 months off work or escaping my family for the other 2 months

Ah, you wouldn't want a poofy office worker like me though!

makes me regret my career choices

[jeremy-o]

I'm a high-school English teacher. Wafted through my 20s writing, getting my MA and getting a couple of short stories published, but I think it eventually sunk in that the literary game is really fickle and wasn't going to satisfy me no matter how hard I worked at it. Just before I turned 30 the lightglobe switched on and I got serious.

 

Teaching is a great job. The workload does get pretty intense, especially when you've got a bunch of senior classes, and it's not the sort of job you can often 'switch off' from. I'm currently looking down the barrel of a loooong weekend of marking... But to get to deal with the material I love every day makes it worthwhile, and the satisfaction of teaching kids and building resources to immediately use and share is far more direct than anything else I've ever worked on.

[BlackSands]

I've been largely without decent paid work for the last three years relying mostly on casual jobs here and there and meanwhile watching my life savings hemorrhaging. I used to work in IT before I was thrown on the scrap heap. The organisation I worked for 'restructured'. You get to a certain age and it seems employers don't wanna know anymore. Getting back into the workforce is proving very difficult. Ageism is alive and well in recruitment it seems!

 

Aside from that I'm a composer/songwriter, musician, record producer & recording engineer, also a videographer and photographer. These are more 'side activities' though, and ones that unfortunately don't pay the bills so well.

 

My monthly booze bill was exceeding what I could reasonably afford given my compromised financial circumstances so hence my recent entry into home brewing!

[ben 10]

Have worked as a baker, pizza cook, chef, petrol station manager.

 

Not now. Gov't job. 3 days a week. It's great.

[Dozer71]

Great topic and shows all walks of life in here.

 

I work to live, not live to work hence my employment in a regional area. Could earn more in a city but enjoy quality of life.

 

I'm a Geotechnical Engineer so do soil testing/investigations for anything that is built on/with soil (basically every type of building, road, dam, pipeline, bridge etc). In charge of young Engineers and drill rigs. Enjoy the inside (office)/outside part of the job (except when it is pissing rain/freezing cold) along with the regional aspect which means we cover everything from small (house site) to large projects. Keeps it interesting.

 

Cheers, Dozer

 

 

[Yogi]

I turn things off and on again.

 

I work in IT also

 

I used to turn thing on and off now I just ask others if they have done it.

 

From London' date=' spent 10 years in Holland getting hooked on.... no not that [img']innocent[/img] good Belgium beer. Now 8 years in SE Asia, currently calling Singapore my home.

 

 

[Corksniffer]

Good onya' Benno!

 

You know, when I left my job before becoming a Gardener I took months off to travel and experience something different. To try reconnect with myself I guess you could say. It was great and even now I still try to do only 3-4 days a week because hey, I just like to have more free time these days. Admittedly most of it is spent doing nothing, cleaning or being bored wishing I was at work or doing something fun.. but it's the balance and option I like. I think as you get older you want this more and more. Unless you're one of those people completely entrapped in an identity job. Ewwwww (shudders)

 

You know, my Dad ran his own business and worked 7 days a week. . If he was at home he'd be working on the computer. I, and others used to wonder how he was ever going to go in retirement but everyone's very suprised. He bought 50 acres of land on top of a mountain just above Nimbin and goes out farming and looking after the property all day long. He's happy as anyone's ever known him and he loves it. Pleasant surprise there

 

Have worked as a baker' date=' pizza cook, chef, petrol station manager.

 

Not now. Gov't job. 3 days a week. It's great.[/quote']

[Corksniffer]

Wow! Dylan that really is an incredible life you've got going there man. Very interesting.

 

I'm also a bit suprised (for some reason) there are so many IT and educated professionals here. Guess I expected more blue collar xxxx drinking types :D so this is really cool and some very interesting roles! I'm also suprised to see that most, if not all here don't take work too seriously. Love that. I think it shows intelligence because we're wise enough to see the bigger picture that is life. Aint' no one gonna wish they'd worked more hours at death (apart from Mr. Burns. He actually did..) because in reality, we're not here long. We're just passing through. One day our chair still stands, but we're not in it anymore. We go back to where we came

 

Sorry, too deep! lets talk about jobs n beer again

 

On the other hand. I'm beginning to get a bit frightened about the current state of Australia's economy and the World. I'm increasingly seeing layoffs and it's actually really hard to get a job here right now even with good quals.. people aren't spending and that leads to businesses not making money. Interest rates are plummeting once again and general affordability is on the decrease, even though things like fuel have also plummeted. I know of people who've been forced from their partners and Families to work interstate after long slumps of unemployment and so on. So we've really gotta think ourselves lucky. The better term is "blessed" and hope for the best into the future