Topic: My occupations

[Bob Wessner]

I'm assistant editor for a fairly well-known car magazine (no, not that one; the other one) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

So what do you think of A2?

[Snowdigger69]

Correct me if I'm wrong I work in a Prison.. I deal with murders, rapist, child molesters.. Good thing I ride... 

[bill440cars]

            When my Grandfather died in Dec 68', I made mention to my Dad that I'd like to keep the Motorcycle Shop going and he agreed that he would also like that. He told me, that when I got back to my Base ( I was in the Air Force at the time and stationed at Misawa AFB in Japan), to start sending some money home each month and we'd try to keep it going. He was working a Civil Service job by then and helping my Grandfather in the evenings and on weekends. Well, when I got back to Japan, I went right back to building on and riding my CB72 Honda Hawk and never sent a nickel (course I didn't make that much anyway). It makes me wonder if he really expected that I'd send any money, he knew I didn't make much ( I was an E-4 Senior Airman, at the time, with about 2 yrs service and 1 yr left in Japan) Trouble with me having a Bike Shop is that I'd always be wanting to ride them and build some to keep. It does kill me that that Shop died with my Grandfather back in 68' though.

                                                                Bill

[ChrisR]

But I'm working on a cunning plan

Would you care to share that plan, Baldrick?

Nick - Cunningly and after much brainbashing, I have worked that I need to get rich. You don't need to thank me for that information, you're welcome

[nuke]

I'm an Industrial maintenance Mechanic (Millwright) at a Nuclear Plant in Canada. I have had all kinds of jobs for 10 years till I decided to go back to college at the age of 26. My bro and my pa are also millwrights(mines and paper mills) and they seemed to enjoy it so I went with the flow. I was always told (in highschool 15 years ago) that computers and technology was the way to go. But a skilled trade in Canada is a sure and profitable way to go. Anyways Love working in the nuclear plant...super interesting. Work with wrenches all day...clean up...go home and work with wrenches all night. Learning so much all the time. This site is my continuous education.

nuke

[dusterdude]

I'm assistant editor for a fairly well-known car magazine (no, not that one; the other one) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

So what do you think of A2?

what is A2?

[Bob Wessner]

what is A2?

Just a local short-hand for "Ann Arbor." For lazy people like me, it's faster when putting return addresses on envelopes.

[Chris Schneiter]

My sister lives there..she calls it "The Peoples Republic of Ann Arbor".

[ChrisR]

Well, I've enjoyed reading about how everyone makes a living and it adds a bit of colour to posts knowing a little bit about where people are cominjg from. I feel I am among friends so here's my contribution.
I spent some time at various art schools doing sculpture and stone carving and then spent the next ten years or so as an architectural stone carver restoring old buildings, etc. Mainly in London, in Cambridge on the University buildings and at Ely Cathedral and then spent 4 years as a carver at Westminster Abbey in London carving some new figures for the front and other stuff.
All that time I had been doing my own artwork and working jointly with my wife Evelyn. We gradually found that we were making  a living at it and we get by doing that, teaching at art schools and other bits and pieces. I guess it's all I have really wanted to do (that and fiddle with old bikes and cars and have been lucky enough to get to travel a fair bit through it as well.

[cbjunkie]

that's excellent, Chris...

architect here, fledgling variety - i spent my 20's building houses in Nashville, TN - by building i mean BUILDING, like, with a hammer and stuff...

[upperlake04]

I feel I am among friends so here's my contribution.

I chip stone too Chris - have been carving images of Canadian wildlife full time for the past 20 years

[Chris Schneiter]

Well, I've enjoyed reading about how everyone makes a living and it adds a bit of colour to posts knowing a little bit about where people are cominjg from. I feel I am among friends so here's my contribution.
I spent some time at various art schools doing sculpture and stone carving and then spent the next ten years or so as an architectural stone carver restoring old buildings, etc. Mainly in London, in Cambridge on the University buildings and at Ely Cathedral and then spent 4 years as a carver at Westminster Abbey in London carving some new figures for the front and other stuff.
All that time I had been doing my own artwork and working jointly with my wife Evelyn. We gradually found that we were making  a living at it and we get by doing that, teaching at art schools and other bits and pieces. I guess it's all I have really wanted to do (that and fiddle with old bikes and cars and have been lucky enough to get to travel a fair bit through it as well.

Chris, It's great that you've actually been able to make a living at Art...I followed the same path early on (Worked in Museums, did Art Photography, taught, Had a Gallery) but ended up going commercial almost by default...I've never been able to get as excited about this as I did Art.

[ChrisR]

Upperlake - I love the old Inuit carvings - do you get to see many of them? Glad you can make ends meet doing something you love.

CBJ - Good luck with the studies - it's a long slog becoming a qualified architect. I was accepted at architecture school when I left school but the thought of 6 years more study put me off at that point. I did go to architecture school to do an MA later. It's good you know how to build a house with your own hands as I'm sure it makes designing things a lot easier if you know how something works in practice. A lot of the architects  I was at college alongside had no conception of how things were put together in real life.

Ces your work is really good - I think you've definately found your vocation there.

My son's home from school and wants to watch his Steve Irwin film 

[upperlake04]

Chris - the older Inuit carvings that were made by people living the old ways are  very expensive and are now mostly seen in public noncommercial galleries/museums. Those pieces were made as a response to the traditional  lifestyle and generally have a rawer more direct power, in contrast to the highly variable quality of contemporary work that is influenced by Western art and markets.
 Yes, the early years were thin for me, still feast or famine.

[putnaja1]

that's excellent, Chris...
architect here, fledgling variety - i spent my 20's building houses in Nashville, TN - by building i mean BUILDING, like, with a hammer and stuff...

Wow!  Good for you- that was always my dream job!  When I was in college, I'd always find a reason to walk through the lab section of the architecture building, and look at all the projects.  What kind of design do you do now?  Houses, buildings, park design? 

[cbjunkie]

i finished up the schooling just 2 short years ago - and have been gainfully employed in Saint Louis restoring some of the wonderful old brick buildings that this place is littered with...

i'm not set here - i don't care for the place to tell you the truth, but i have a great boss, and sometimes that's all it takes, i've learned.

[Rocking-M]

Great stuff upperlake. I'm saving some pennies. Can you email me some more pictures of your stuff?

[grumburg]

Wow. Cool bunch of stories...keep 'em coming.

Me:

Grew up around a restoration shop (Dad's) for old Brit/German/Italian iron. Changed cities for college, found a fairly well-known (nationally, oddly enough) Alfa Romeo shop about a block from campus, and worked as a restoration tech on afternoons and weekends for three years or so, learning as I went. Eventually graduated with an English degree (Journalism minor) and didn't really know what I wanted to do with myself besides writing...and knew writing probably couldn't pay the bills. Given that, I kept on wrenching on Alfas.

Circumstances changed, and I switched shops, working for a little while as a Porsche/Vespa mechanic (local P-car independent shop was also the local Vespa dealer). Hated the Vespa side of things, and once it looked like it was going to be my only focus (no one else there would touch the things), I picked up and moved to Chicago to be with some friends. Without any real direction, ended up working as a BMW tech for a friend of mine who owned an independent shop there.

Oddly enough, that prompted a pretty heavy involvement in the national BMW car club (BMWCCA). Had done a bunch of newspaper/A&E/car club freelance writing through college as a lark, and after some time, I landed a regular gig with the CCA's national club magazine. Two years later, thanks to a near-endless amount of hard work, my nearly four-year-long job search paid off: I found the job I've got now. I'm assistant editor for a fairly well-known car magazine (no, not that one; the other one) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

All things considered, even though the honeymoon's long over, I absolutely love it. I come to work every day, hang out with crazy, ridiculously intelligent people, and get to play with cars and travel for a living. It's the career I wanted when I was twelve but never thought that I'd get. I'm 25, thoroughly geeked on both my job and its subject matter, and I feel pretty damn lucky...

So, is Patrick Bedard really an A++hole?

[upperlake04]

RM - just sent you a few. 

[bill440cars]

upperlake,  That really is quite a talent you have. Unless folks get to sharing what they're really good at, you don't really know a person's talents. That is really cool what you can do. Keep up the good work and, if you get the time, I wouldn't mind seeing more also.

                                           Later on, Bill

[GoatBaSS]

All you guys who carve and chisel I have deep respect. I struggled with a stump in my sculpture minor. Still was a stump waiting to emerge. LOOK OUT!!! ITS AN ART BREAK!!!!!!!!!!
Leave it to us!

[hootle]

So, is Patrick Bedard really an A++hole?

I told you, not THAT one, the other one


(And by all accounts, he's a giant douche. So yes.)

[bill440cars]

    Completely forgot that, after I was discharged from the Air Force, I spent about a year building shortblocks at an engine rebuilder in Little Rock, decided that wasn't really going anywhere and got myself a job as a line mechanic at a VW dealership (also in Little Rock) for about another year, with my Dad after me to get a Civil Service job for the benefits and security and I did. (that's all in my other post). It really is interesting to hear all the different occupations and the stories behind them.

                                                    Later on, Bill

[grumburg]

So, is Patrick Bedard really an A++hole?

I told you, not THAT one, the other one


(And by all accounts, he's a giant douche. So yes.)

I have subscribed to "that other one" since it first went to press in 88-89. Sorry, but I do not think it is quite as good since DED retired.

[hootle]

Hell, everyone's entitled to their opinion. I work for the damn book, and I still think almost every UK/Brit-based enthusiast magazine out there (Evo, Top Gear, the like) does what we do BETTER than we do it. But it just means we have reason to work hard and suck less. And as of this month, Jean's been moved upstairs by corporate, and a new ed-in-chief installed (who happens to, oddly enough, be a Brit, and was formerly of Autocar/Classic & Sports Car/a few others).

So. Things are looking up. We keep trying harder. As for me, I'll say this: it's awfully frustrating when you don't make a lot of the decisions, and your magazine simply ends up being, well...full of big chunks of boring each month.


But...I take that back. You didn't hear me say that.



p.s. DED didn't retire. He got shoved out by the suits upstairs, and Jean was hurriedly shoved in as a replacement. FYI: He currently runs the digital mag Winding Road - www.windingroad.com.


p.p.s. Bob: Ann Arbor is definitely interesting. Can't say as I have a fully developed opinion yet, but I like it so far. Does take some getting used to, though, coming from a big city.