How You Buy Your Bacon.

[menace64]

The Job Thread

I work as a service technician for a small business called Arcade Games. I drive around the local city and adjoining towns on call, fixing arcade games, all the technical jumbo to be expected from a mechanic, plus filling redemption tickets and cleaning games.

This is my first job to pay $10+ an hour. I also bring in weekly 'expense' checks, which is .68 cents per mile I drive and reimbursement for anything I have to buy (light bulbs, spare parts, etc.). With gas as low as it is, I actually make a tidy profit driving.

The downside to this job is that like 90% of my time at work is spent on my own. I'm a very sociable person - working on my own is nice but I enjoy conversations and people in general. The unofficial rule of my boss is that if two coworkers are together (unless tasked to move a game or some two-person job like that) that usually means one of us needs to be doing something else. The arcades I visit are full of customers and employees; however, the latter group is well, working, and the former group tends to be an annoying thorn in my side.


So, what about you?

[macheteman]

i buy my bacon with cash...

[menace64]

You, sir, are a punk.

 

[macheteman]

alright, i guess i'm obligated to give a real reply.

i do a little bit of everything. yard-work is my main occupation. i usually have at least one day a week doing all kinds of things for Camden Plantation. (including cemetery maintenance). On Saturdays i work with a guy who is doing all sorts of things to his house. we are installing a geothermal system, home theater, building a garage, and various other little projects around. i also have a small list of people who call me on an as-needed basis for any odd jobs they have. they're mostly older folks who need help with normal stuff and willing to pay well for it. i tried to get a job at the local coffee shop in addition to these, but that fell through. i can't get a full-time job because i'm still doing school, dual-enrollment with the community college. but i'm thinking about applying for an apprenticeship or intern position at the naval base NAVSEA.

[MR. Lurtzy]

The lottery is a lovely thing.

[DáinIronfoot]

I think everyone knows by now, but I've worked for the Defense Logistics Agency for almost five years now. The DLA's purpose is pretty slick, but I've never felt like I was a huge part of it. Early on I did a lot of training and classes (the first two years were a quasi-internship), but these days I mostly do a lot of meeting and paper pushing. Yeah...not what I thought I was signing up for. My schooling background is in IT (including the master's degree I finished recently), but I haven't gotten to use it here since most of the true IT work is done not by government folk, but by contractors.

I have applied to and am (hopefully) close to getting a job with the NSA instead. 'Twould mean less time here, sadly, but it would be MUCH better for my mental well-being and for my growing family. The work is much more interesting (and would actually utilize my skills), and it's about 15 minutes from home as opposed to the hour+ (each way!) commute I have now driving from Maryland to northern Virginia and back. That's wearing me down FAST.

So, short version: not real happy with my current job, but will hopefully soon be in a much better place doing IT work.

[SomeRandomDude]

I'm working at a Vet Clinic cleaning doggie doo-doo right now.

I've got a job interview tomorrow for a debt collection agency.

[Gate Troll]

The lottery is a lovely thing.

Only when you win!

[FM]

Work at the State's Capital's Courthouse, surrounded by lawsuits. Petty crimes only, though, so it's a breeze.

[Kralik]

I work at a small high school teaching Math and Spanish, as well as being the "official" network administrator for about 60 computers.

The work is much more interesting (and would actually utilize my skills), and it's about 15 minutes from home as opposed to the hour+ (each way!) commute I have now driving from Maryland to northern Virginia and back. That's wearing me down FAST.

I used to have long commutes as well. Tip: Find something worthwhile to listen to on the way (books on tape/CD). Or, if you have something you'd like to memorize (say, chapters from a piece of literature), record it and play it back during your drive. Has worked wonders for me and makes me feel like I am using my time well.

[DáinIronfoot]

The work is much more interesting (and would actually utilize my skills), and it's about 15 minutes from home as opposed to the hour+ (each way!) commute I have now driving from Maryland to northern Virginia and back. That's wearing me down FAST.

I used to have long commutes as well. Tip: Find something worthwhile to listen to on the way (books on tape/CD). Or, if you have something you'd like to memorize (say, chapters from a piece of literature), record it and play it back during your drive. Has worked wonders for me and makes me feel like I am using my time well.

Soundtracks and books on CD. I have several of each, and more on my Christmas list. But all the same, after nearly five years, the long time away from home (especially with my first child now waiting there for me) gets to you a little bit more each time.

[Gil-Estel]

I'm a teacher, get payed fairly well and absolutely love my work. Commuting is more than doable, only 35 minutes drive to my work.
My wife also works so we tend to buy Parma ham......

[SomeRandomDude]

New job! w00t! Start December 1st, I'm working for a law firm/debt collection agency.

[FM]

Do you pack a gun?

[SomeRandomDude]

Nah, I just do research.