Just curious what the rest of the A/C family does for their livelihood. I'll start:

I was a mechanic (light and heavy) for 13 years then got a job as an assembler at a factory in 2006 and have done that ever since. And if you're retired/not working right now, what did you do? Be as specific or vague as you please. Look forward to the replies.

Maintenance manager in furniture plant about 25 yrs, plant closed, 8 yrs maintaining

Radio frequency  curved plywood presses, retired last 6 yrs.

@Lars(wi); Do you care to describe some of your duties as a terminal manager?

@klinemar; WOW! I'm worn out just reading that. LOL.

@Hubert (Ga)engine7; I've always wondered if my auto/truck mechanic background would translate into aircraft repair. Also, the volunteer firefighters that I know are REALLY passionate about firefighting.

@omahagreg; That's really cool. I wouldn't have thought it but that makes perfect sense. Who better to know when people need help in their homes during medical crises?

@TMiller/NC; Radio frequency curved plywood presses. I don't know what that is but it sounds d*mned interesting.

@thendrix; I really believe that kids would prefer to eat rice, beans, and peanut butter whilst living in a cardboard box with dad THERE than eat lobster thermidor, beef wellington, and filet mignon whilst living in a mansion with dad GONE at work all of the time. Well done sir. BTW, is EDM electric discharge machine? I've heard that term before. What is it used for? And how is a sinker EDM different? Thanks.

  Worked in a Paper Mill for 37 years and famed also.

Retired in 1996 and still farm a little with family helping.

J Carlson

I have worked in hospital labs, morgues, municipal emergency rooms, operating rooms water and waste plants, power plants, biohazard level 2 and 3 labs, and all sorts of industrial facilities, from dog food, to gypsum, graphite, lubricants, talcum powder, large diesel engine CAT converters, etc, manufacturing. 

On top of that I spent 35 years part time in the fire and ems services.

My favorite job though, has been being Dad and now "Poppy" to the grandkids.   looking forward to retirement in a few years so I can make that my full time job.

In 1978 I rented my first land, had been doing about all dad farming for a year or 2. He was always more into horses and cowboying. So after 40 years the right opportunities came along he finally had 250 cows and did not have to farm.  The 80's got ruff but with dads help made it through. I spent 7 summers work for farmer that did a lot of outside grain harvesting in trade for cutting my crop. He ran mostly AC equipment where I got started run Gleaner MH 2'. Was a good learning experience seeing how other farmed. How many Gleaners got 700 to 1000 hours in a year. Start the 1st of June got early Sept. Get a few weeks off, the go anther 4 to 6 weeks of safflower.

Always had odd jobs for the landlords and neighbors. Mostly caring for walnut orchards, working cattle, and fence building and hay making. In 2000 my mother had a stork and we realized how bad my dads dementia had become.   With the help of my 3 kids all in high school or college we managed to keep dad at home 3 years. My wife helped to but was teaching school then. Finally he needed around the clock care like mom. The first day he was in the care facility was the day of the San Simon earth quake a 6 point about 5 mile west of the house. Broken glass all over the area he would been sitting if he would of been home. Always took that as sign the Lord held it off until he was not here.

Also in 98 a landlord wanted to start growing wine grapes. It has become the biggest crop in this part of the state. At the time it looked like a learning experience to maybe plant some of my own. It was the learning I expected, but decides dealing with winos was not what I really wanted. Stayed with it until the owner also was very tired of wine makers that wined about everything. They where bulldozer in spring of 19.

Have not had a grain crop since 16. Been planting 60 to 80 acres of hay running as many cows as 2000 to 3000 acres will carry. Always pushing to get a 100 cows but it never happens. We get a dry year and cut to 40 or a piece of land sells and the hunt for more grazing land starts again.

Legs and knees are hurting, hard to climb onto my old Cat tractors or up the hay stack. If only I would of had a boss to get a retirement from. It was a fun ride but never much to put away. The luck of the draw I have my mother arteritis, does that mean I don't get my dad's dementia? Or is that around the next corner? I better talk to old uncle Joe's helpers at SS and get signed up for rocken chair money before it is all gone.

'73-'75, Tech School, farm equip Mnt & Rpr. Worked part time @ Cat Dlr. mech hlpr. 

'75 - '77, Cat Dlr Mech. least seniority and youngest put in Field Serv Trk. by them. 

'77 - '88, County Rd Dept, Mech & Wldr. 

'88 - '97, IDOT mech & Wldr. We had only portable welder in W Ia, a lot of traveling. 

'97 - '16, IDOT Area Mech & Eq Flt Mgr., moved to Sx City. 6 of us statewide responsible for mech's trng programs for 120+ mech's. Deal with contract parts n supply venders, Manage Eq repairs, Eq purchase programs. 

'77 Rented pasture from family friends when they sold their cattle, '78 rented land from Grt uncle, continued to get more pasture n crop land. '82 bought land from family friends on contract. Got up to 600+ crop acres, 200 + hay n pasture, mostly rented. '96 lost large area of pasture, sold cows. '01 gave up rented acres and rented my land to friend & his son. It's 100 miles each way from my house to farm, got to time consuming. Not bad for a kid that grew up in town, but always like farms. 

No wonder the ex- wives think I'm a bit crazy. 

Now I play in farm shop, help renters as needed, and ride my Harley. Some day may get a house at farm. 

Can you "elaborate" on the "trim carpenter/Pharmacy"  statement ??  Thanks

@thendrix; @Darwin W. Kurtz; Thanks for the explanations men.

@shameless dude; That is a lot. Sorry to hear of your health issues but glad you ain't dead yet. I really enjoy your posts.

@DiyDave; Diesel fitter is a term I'm not familiar with. I notice the winking emoji so you should know that even though I'm fairly tall, many times jokes part my hair as they go right over my #$%^& head. LOL.

@DMiller; From your posts I gathered that you were an "old school" diesel mechanic. By "old school" I mean someone who knows 2 cycle Detroit Diesels. I've done some work to those old green monsters but by the time I started wrenching most of the experts were retired or in the ground. They do still fascinate me though. Also, is a nuclear power station different from a coal fired power station only in the heat source? Thanks.

@plummerscarin; That is a job that I could not do unless it was new construction.. I can handle cow waste, horse waste, pig waste, and chicken waste. But human waste? I almost passed out from gagging so much when I changed out the toilets in my house a few years ago. 

For those who've never heard it before, here's the script version:

Been around auto repair all my life. Dad worked at GM assemble plant for 35 years, oldest brother had a small shop that I helped in since I was about 14.

Got a job at another shop in 1979 when I was 19 started as a tire jockey. Did that for 3 months and started wrenching. At 22 my brother in law was in the army as a Beret and stationed in Germany. My sister kept harassing to come over there and see some of the world. Gave in, sold everything and flew over there. Lived on base with them and started bagging groceries at the commissary for tips. Got pretty lucrative especially on paydays. Worked with 10 women and one old Turkish guy. Had to watch those army wives. Guys would be gone 30 days at a time on border patrol and some of the wives were like turning a penned up bird dog loose when they left.

Was there for about a year.

Got hired back at my old wrenching job and was there for 30 years. Owner sold the place along with me (had to have a certified tech on board for the deal) and worked at that for another 2 and moved to where I am now.

Been here about 10 years and will be at it for a few more.

Maybe retire at 65 if it doesn't kill me first. Can get pretty brutal on an old hide.