Have You Ever Loved A Job You Had? ...

[HB of CJ 1,263]

Related to the Thread about hated jobs.  This one is for the best job you ever loved, but had to leave it.  I will start.  Forty years ago I had the best job in the world which I dearly loved.  Got to drive a fire engine for a living.  Got to speed, (within certain guidelines ... strictly enforced) got to blow through stop signs, (within certain guidelines, again strictly enforced) got to creep through red lights and speed, (again the usual) and got to work the siren and blow the cool big air horn. Very much fun.

 

Then when we got to the address, we got to have all the fun squirting water on the fires.  Sometimes, (rarely) we got to save the fat lady. Lots of times managed to put the fires out very quickly.  We had an ISO Class 1 Fire Department then.  That means you could not get any better.  The downsides you tend to forget over time are the burned up human bodies including kids, the utter physical fatigue, the emotional ups and downs and the accumulating physical lumps, bumps and pain.  Yikes!

 

But overall a very fun job indeed for the Peter Pan type.

[Long Shot 1,287]

I like this one better. Cuz I never had a job I really hated. Life's to short for that shit!

 

The most fun job I couldn't believe they paid me to do?

 

Deck hand on charter boats out of Newport Oregon. That's right, I was THE master baiter! Did it for five seasons early to mid '80s.

 

Early '80s sport fishing off the coast of Oregon was an amazing adventure. It was a rare thing not to limit the boat before time was up. I could honestly promise the customers they would not get skunked.

 

I was on the boat called "Rapid Transit" that caught the Oregon record Halibut at the time 188#. Someone beat it by three pounds a year or two later which I believe still stands at 191#.

 

One day I took home $500.00 in tips in my pocket. Getting well paid for having fun, don't get much better than that!

[toothandnail 275]

I've enjoyed every job I've had, except my first when I turned 16 - got hired at Pizza Hut as a cook, but turned out all I did was wash dishes.

Been self employed since 19.

Right now a Gun mfg

Here's 2 from today.

[Heartbreaker 1,085]

My first job was at an ice cream stand that made it the old fashioned way with a John Deere hit-and-miss. Best ice cream ever. I almost never buy any other ice cream. That was am awesome job.

[JDeko 792]

Working at my college library was wonderful, surf the interwebs all day and occasionally actually help someone open word or some shit. If they hadn't fucked it all up even for the supervisors where I guess you just stare at the wall all day since you can't surf the web and I doubt suddenly exponentially more people need help now I'd be pretty tempted to brush up on my MS Office and work my way up to $25/hour like my one boss made.

[sjgusmc21 850]

17 of the 21 years as a Marine. The other four really sucked hard. Greyhawk Inc and CAA IT jobs were fun as hell. Miss them and my Marines.

[Sim_Player 1,939]

If you love your job, it doesn't feel like work.

 

Most of the time, I love house painting (inside and out), or small building projects for a customer. My wife is making the bacon so now it's all for fun and money.

 

There is nothing like thinking, "Wow, I got paid for doing that and it was really satisfying."

 

I'll kill this thread with a pic of our new dog.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Sim_Player

[Tundra1 391]

Patiently waiting for Gaddis to post here...

[evlblkwpnz 3,418]

I'm happy with my jobs now. My roles at one have dwindled to what I set out for them to be, finally, and I am respected there for what I know. I make all of the rules at the other job and I do something that I am truly passionate about there, so it rarely ever feels like work. There is a lot to running that company and some of it can be stressful, but it is worth it. I feel like a very lucky man, finally.

Edited February 28, 2016 by evlblkwpnz

[G O B 3,516]

I loved mod work as an elevator mechanic. Grafting modern tech onto ancient equipment. Dirty,hot,HARD work - but the satisfaction of making 30,40, or 50 year old equipment work like it was brand new  - and knowing I did all the field engineering always feels GOOD!

[THE NEW GUY 113]

I worked for a distillery for about 5 years  you could take a drink [ no I am not an alcoholic ] or smell like alcohol and no one ever said anything , they had a 6% workforce reduction and I was the last one hired . I miss that job everybody was cool

[Gaddis 1,689]

Patiently waiting for Gaddis to post here...

Well, I can't really think of a favorite job I personally had.

 

These don't look too shabby though.  Is that J Lo getting her tits adjusted in the first pic there?

 

And I think that's a dude(?) too in the second pic.

 

 

Any of you girls need a quick meat flap adjustment too while I'm at it?  

 

 

[gunfun 3,931]

I've loved at least part of most jobs I have had.

 

My current two jobs are pretty cool for me. 

 

Being a business attorney let's me be involved with creating new exciting business or big deals which benefit lots of people. Dreams coming together and all of that. It stresses me out, and I hate the indefinite nature of a lot of the answers I find. But making a thing happen and getting a ball rolling really works for me. I also love taking a situation in which someone is stressed out and hopeless, and breaking it into solvable steps. 

 

The Gun Trust business part has been slow for me so far, but I have enjoyed that too.

 

As for my other biz, I really enjoy fabrication and product development. I get to problem solve and innovate. I love that. When I get my product finally ready for market, I think I will be making a whole new niche that no one else has touched yet. It's been grueling waiting on other people to fill the gaps in my skillset, but I think the payoff is soon. 

[Sim_Player 1,939]

Developing a new product has always been a dream of mine.

 

I dread the legal costs. $5000 for a patent, last time I checked.

[tatonic 159]

I have always been blessed with jobs I loved.

My all time favorite was being a Doodlebug in the marshes of Louisiana. (oil exploration)

Worked my way up to Shooter. (set off explosives for underground mapping) 

Got paid to ride airboats and every day was a blast.

[jerry52 893]

Some jobs a person seems to be born for and I am blesses with that.

I have struggled with the constant demands and the depression that comes with what

I do.

All in all every day when I have counted up all the people I have helped in my career,I think God has put me here and I am thankful that he has.

Wife had a garage sale yesterday and some of the people that I have crossed paths with years ago, emediatly knew me.

It was a great affirmation that what ones job does make a difference.

There will always be a love hate relationship when I walk out the door every morning,I have come to accept this.

But the fact that is there is nothing I truly would rather do.

[YOT 3,743]

When I was 16 I traveled as a carnie with a midway circuit. I operated a dart/balloon game. My Aunt was a general manager for the company. I made $.04 on a dollar and averaged $425 (in 1977) a week. People love to give you money for nothing. And the chicks were free.

 

It was a dirty scummy life, but it was fun, too.

[Tundra1 391]

When I was 16 I traveled as a carnie with a midway circuit. I operated a dart/balloon game. My Aunt was a general manager for the company. I made $.04 on a dollar and averaged $425 (in 1977) a week. People love to give you money for nothing. And the chicks were free.

 

It was a dirty scummy life, but it was fun, too.

 

 

I always kinda figured the carnies had fun doing what they do.  Small town to small town every week, local dirty girls...

 

Joe Dirt liked it.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

Along the way Ive come to a rule "Never love anything that cannot love you back".

[6500rpm 670]

One of the most fun jobs I had was one of my firsts working at a gas station back in the early 80's (back when they had full service and a garage). It was a local stop in so I knew where all the good parties were, the mechanics gave me some hands on when I first started working on cars, and they let me use the garage after hours to work on the car I raced and the tow truck to bring it to the track.

 

Since those humble beginnings I've worked as a Tech for a large fleet/rental car company for 30 years. Great pay and benefits, I work on the latest greatest cars from pretty much every manufacturer, the company and my boss respect us for our skill sets and for whatever reason they love to feed us. Never at a loss to what we see in our line of work and I work with a great group of guys that I truly enjoy spending time with every day that I know I can trust to have my back for any reason. 

[HB of CJ 1,263]

Has my fire department days been that long ago?  Yes they have.  Began in 1970.  Definitely a young, fit persons job.  We routinely did silly and stupid things back then that would get one fired instantly in today's politically correct world.  Many dumb things, here is only one.  All true.

 

"It was about "Oh Two Hundred Hours" when the bells hit.  An unknown small fire burning in Central Park, no other info given.  Bakersfield's CA Central Park, not the other big one.  Small response; Engine 1, Squad 1, (hose wagon)  Captain "Bumpy", "Chilie", "Howey","Wilbert" and Me.

 

The nick names have been changed to protect the guilty.  A two platoon 84 hour work week with Kelley days.  24 hour shifts.  No Union.

 

Off we go.  Five of us.  Had been a very slow shift (shift is a West Coast word, "watch" is the East Coast one) so we had extra fun blowing the sirens and tooting the air horns to wake up everybody down town.  When we arrive, we find just a single trash can warming fire.  That is all.

 

The can is sitting by itself out in the middle of the park.  At least 200 feet from any paved access.  Policy was never get the heavy fire apparatus off pavement.  The grass was too soft.  No way even to spot the Squad closer.  It was as heavy as the Engine.  What could we do?  Yep!.

 

Since the place seemed abandoned and with nobody in sight, and since we were too lazy to take the time and effort to pull a small line and stretch it in across 200 feet of grass, we all looked at each other.  Bumpy asked if our bladders were all full.  "Yes Sir" we all answered.  Mine was.

 

Sossss .... we whipped out our heavy stream deluge personal appliances and all five of us pissed out that pesky 55 gallon trash can warming fire.  This is all true.  We actually did this.  Got it mostly out.  Left the embers for the homeless.  Buttoned up, took up and returned to the house".

 

Several other adventures to share, but I may not.  Too long ago and far away.  All true.  All dumb and stupid today, but fun then.  One of many reasons why being a firefighter was the best job in the world.  I would have done it for free.  Regression is fun, but only to a point.  :)

[throttle8 2]

Locomotive Engineer, load of fun!

[tatonic 159]

Has my fire department days been that long ago?  Yes they have.  Began in 1970.  Definitely a young, fit persons job.  We routinely did silly and stupid things back then that would get one fired instantly in today's politically correct world.  Many dumb things, here is only one.  All true.

 

"It was about "Oh Two Hundred Hours" when the bells hit.  An unknown small fire burning in Central Park, no other info given.  Bakersfield's CA Central Park, not the other big one.  Small response; Engine 1, Squad 1, (hose wagon)  Captain "Bumpy", "Chilie", "Howey","Wilbert" and Me.

 

The nick names have been changed to protect the guilty.  A two platoon 84 hour work week with Kelley days.  24 hour shifts.  No Union.

 

Off we go.  Five of us.  Had been a very slow shift (shift is a West Coast word, "watch" is the East Coast one) so we had extra fun blowing the sirens and tooting the air horns to wake up everybody down town.  When we arrive, we find just a single trash can warming fire.  That is all.

 

The can is sitting by itself out in the middle of the park.  At least 200 feet from any paved access.  Policy was never get the heavy fire apparatus off pavement.  The grass was too soft.  No way even to spot the Squad closer.  It was as heavy as the Engine.  What could we do?  Yep!.

 

Since the place seemed abandoned and with nobody in sight, and since we were too lazy to take the time and effort to pull a small line and stretch it in across 200 feet of grass, we all looked at each other.  Bumpy asked if our bladders were all full.  "Yes Sir" we all answered.  Mine was.

 

Sossss .... we whipped out our heavy stream deluge personal appliances and all five of us pissed out that pesky 55 gallon trash can warming fire.  This is all true.  We actually did this.  Got it mostly out.  Left the embers for the homeless.  Buttoned up, took up and returned to the house".

 

Several other adventures to share, but I may not.  Too long ago and far away.  All true.  All dumb and stupid today, but fun then.  One of many reasons why being a firefighter was the best job in the world.  I would have done it for free.  Regression is fun, but only to a point. 

 

I bet it stunk when yall were through.

[HB of CJ 1,263]

It sure pissed off the homeless.

[Capt Nemo 882]

Selling military surplus at gun shows.  Going to the show broke, and walking out with new toy and $3-400 in your pocket.  Was great until the .gov fucked things up.

 

Being a stagehand.  Seeing half nekid girls running around backstage.  Laughing at how many chicks want to blow you for your backstage pass. (don't try it.....or your dick will shrivel and fall off!)  Doing shit that the Mythbusters tell you not to try at home!  Battery mics for 15 minutes then sitting on my ass watchin movies and getting paid time and a half for 4 hours.  Awesome movie crew catering!    

[SmilinEd 364]

Along the way Ive come to a rule "Never love anything that cannot love you back".

 

Yes, the question could have been worded differently, Have you ever been completely Satisfied with a job you've had in the past or present...?  Pay, challenging, comradery..?

 

Been there, for several yrs, job is no longer there, but I still have those friendships with those ppl who I shared that time with.