What Do You Do? What Have You Done?

[Dan Gould]

I know we did the long "introductory" thread, but I'm curious about the different career paths people have taken, from earliest interests to where they're currently at and the path that got them there.

For me:

I don't recall any "dream" profession when I was a kid but I was always interested in the physical sciences, geology, astronomy and ultimately meteorology.

When Calculus II sunk my meteorology career, I latched onto Political Science and pursued a Ph.D. with an eye toward college teaching.

Then I found myself managing a tennis shop for two years, but really just treading water, until I found my true calling, using my God-given vocal qualities to pursue voice overs.

There was a two and a half year detour into radio but now I'm committed to voice overs and am fortunate to have a regular gig in audio production/voice overs for a web-based English as a Second Language company.

So what about you? What're you doing now, and how did you get to that stage in your life?

[Rooster_Ties]

As someone (me!) who is attempting to change careers for the first time (I'm in my mid-30's), after 10 years with the same employer in the same functional area --- I'd be particularly interested in hearing how other people have undergone big career changes in their own lives.

I worked in Information Systems (computer software design and implementation, but not much actual ‘programming’) until earlier this year, when I was laid off. Now I’m trying to venture out into something related to historic preservation, or urban planning or perhaps some sort of a support role with an architecture firm. I've even given some thought to trying my hand as an archivist of some sort, or perhaps something similar to being a museum curator??

Beyond (obviously) lots of interest in Jazz and 20th Century Classical music, I have fairly deep interests in historic architecture and design, particularly of the first half of the 20th Century -- so I’m trying to find something somehow related to those interests, despite the fact that I’m not a designer myself, nor am I much of a musician (though I’ve sung in the Kansas City Symphony Chorus for about 7 or 8 years). FYI, I have two Bachelor's degrees, one in Computer Science and the other in Music (history and vocal performance).

In my case, I'm finding it really difficult to break out of my shell, and really go for it - especially in this economy. Despite what my on-line personality may seem like, I'm actually a fairly introverted person, and a bit shy when it comes to discussing topics that I'm not already well-versed in. (I’m an “INTP” - for anyone here who knows the Myers-Briggs personality tests.) Getting over my own fears is probably my biggest hurdle to cross.

Also probably doesn't help that I'm a career "generalist" (but one who isn't interested in going into any kind of a management role), in a word that pretty much wants specialists -- or at least that's the way it was (and even more so it still is) in Information Systems.

PS: Hey Dan!! - can you hook us up with a sample of the fruits of your golden throat?? I'm wondering if I've heard your voice before, and just never realized it was you.

Edited August 12, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[Noj]

I am currently laboring for the movie industry far from where my degree says I should be working. "Treading water" as Dan put it.

I have a bachelor's degree in fine arts for illustration from Art Center College of Design. I draw and paint very well but I didn't find a gig in my field--most jobs are free-lance, but I prefer steady income. I'm sure I could work in the animation field, but it isn't what you know it's who you know...

My portfolio is pretty solid--suited for magazine illustration--mostly acrylic on wood. However, I have been going in new directions, and have been producing paintings more along the lines of low-brow fine art. I am in the beginning stages of creating a children's book. I recently sold a portrait to a couple I know

who have now broken up--I wonder if I can get the painting back? I am also adept at water-color painting, and have sold a number of landscapes.

Eventually I will do some shameless self-promotion and post some of my artwork for y'all to check out...

[Dan Gould]

OK, Rooster, you asked! But since my spots have almost all run in Florida, with one recent spot in LA and a couple in Detroit, Milwaukee, I kind of doubt you've heard me.

For a Real Audio copy of my Demo, click

Here and I'm about halfway down the page.

For an MP3 copy of my Demo, click

here

then choose "Chapter 3" and I am at the top of the page.

I'm told this demo could get me work in New York City, but I'm not yet prepared to test that out.

[jazzbo]

I wanted to be an archaeologist. When I saw the amount of money necessary to do the necessary schooling, I necessarily balked. But I would have gone the distance except I chose the wrong undergraduate college: the University of Chicago. A great place for me to have gone for graduate work, a mistake for ME for undergraduate study. (BUT I did meet my wife there!)

So after two years I started working to make some money and find out what I wanted to do. . . spent a number of years doing a number of trades type things, I have a long legacy of cabinet-makers and ironsmiths and machine workers behind me, and then when I got to Texas I managed to get into a state job twenty one years ago and have been in stock clerking, sales and Human Resources, and now dispatching/office management for a state agency or two since.

And ever since George Bush became governor of Texas, it has been a declining hell to be a state employee in Texas. BUT I have about seven years to go to full retirement, so I am trying to hang in there. BUT I'm working now for a buddy in the good ole boy system, a buddy of the ED who is a buddy of the Governor who is a buddy of GW, and he's a clown and a pain and a bore and I will have to find something else somewhere when/if the state agency market expands ever again. . . I really like my work, BUT not who I am working for.

Music has always fascinated me, two grandparents were amateur musicians and my father loved music. . . . I learned to perform on drums and played in some local bands at the end of the 'eighties, and I love pianos and guitars though I'm not proficient on either. I've done a little bit of writing, in the last five years or so mostly jazz related when appearing in public, and fictional in unreleased form. And I've amassed a lot of recordings! That's an accomplishment!

Edited August 12, 2003 by jazzbo

[jazzbo]

Noj: please shamelessly selppromote! I know we'll be appreciative and/or gentle!

[Noj]

Lon--I'll post a couple of them when I get the chance. I've done some jazz portraits I'm sure everyone will like. B) I'll have to do that from my home computer.

[jazzbo]

Great. No hurry---just know that there are those of us interested!

[Noj]

Thanks for the interest! :rsmile:

[Rooster_Ties]

Me too, Noj. I'd love to see some of your work.

[Jim Alfredson]

Well I went to Michigan State with the notion of getting a degree in Electrical Engineering, even though I've been playing music since I can remember and it's all I think about. I thought that I would be pratical and get a degree with a solid job market.

My freshman year of college I got into the Glee Club and started singing my ass off, joining three or four more choirs after that. My long-time girlfriend broke up with me that year and sent my grades into the crapper. I started taking more music classes than anything.

All this time I was working at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory as a grunt laborer. I'm actually worried about the health effects of working there for five years. I eventually got promoted from a measly student employee working for $4.15 an hour to a full-time magnet specialist getting $15.00 an hour. It was great except that I worked with some pretty gnarly chemicals that turned my hands orange even though I was wearing gloves. I had to wear a full body suit with respirator for 8 hours a day.

Like I said, I've wondered about the effects of the chemicals and the radiation that was around that place (although we did wear radiation monitors and mine was always fine). My wife and I have been trying to have a baby for the last 6 or 7 months and so far no luck. Once we get health insurance (thanks to my wife in about two weeks!) I'm going to get my first full physical and see if I'm shooting blanks!

Anyway, the college thing eventually turned into playing in the jazz program and singing in the choirs. I never got a degree even though I was there for 5 years. Good thing I was spending my own money.

After that I moved to Ann Arbor and started working in the videography field making corporate videos and commercials and such. I did that for about two years and then moved back to Lansing, decided I was going to be a musician full-time, met my wife, and the rest is history!

[Rooster_Ties]

OK, Rooster, you asked!!!

Thanks!!!!

There are some words you love the sound of.  For instance, I have a friend who likes to say “Kuala Lumpur”.  He says it over and over again, and frankly – I can see why.  But for me, it’s “Begonia”...

[jazzbo]

You know, reading that about words that are fun to hear the sound of made me think of Al Hibbler singing the name "Azalea." It's fun to hear!

[vibes]

When I started college (Brigham Young University), I thought I wanted to be a biochemistry major and eventually go into medicine. I decided after a short time, however, that I should focus on something that I actually liked, so I switched to languages. I was working on a triple major in Mandarin, Spanish and Portuguese, and taking Korean on the side, when I decided to be a missionary for the Mormon church. I was sent to Hong Kong and learned Cantonese there. When I came back, I decided to just focus on Mandarin and get a minor in business.

I worked full-time in market research call center management my last two years of college, and hated almost every minute of it. When I was offered my own call center to manage right before graduation, I turned it down. I really wanted to go into consulting, but I had no luck there (I suspect the Chinese major didn't help). So, I applied for jobs doing just about everything else - retail management, life insurance sales, government stuff. I finally decided on working at Best Buy corporate in Minnesota, and moved here the day after I graduated. I got married two months after that. The night before my wedding, the CIA called me and told me I was cleared to work for them. Unfortunately, Best Buy had a policy about signing bonuses being returned if you left within one year of your start date, and it was too sizable for me to pay back. CIA clearances for new hires expire after six months, and although I started going through the process again, with a promotion and a wife who doesn't like moving around, I finally gave up on the CIA thing, almost two years after I was initially granted a clearance.

If I can ever start controlling my CD purchasing habits and save some money, I'd like to go back to school and get an MBA. That seems far away right now, unfortunately.

[jlhoots]

I'm a retired physician.

Practiced medicine for 30 years.

Do pretty much whatever I want to now.

Love jazz, movies, books, art in general.

[Noj]

Now that's what you call successful. *Tips hat to jlhoots.*

[Chuck Nessa]

I'm also finishing a one-hour Ellington program and planning a five-part series on the history of Indiana jazz.  Not enough time!

Yup, that'd be my priorities.

Edited August 13, 2003 by Chuck Nessa

[alankin]

Would-be Physicist, but changed directions before grad school.

Have done a few things along the way, such as: assistant editor for a science fiction magazine. DJ for non-commercial radio station. Painter (see avatar) and printmaker. Jazz web site editor/publisher. Computer programmer. Computer sysadmin.

Edited August 15, 2003 by alankin

[catesta]

I've tried all kinds of shit.

When in high school I worked in the family pharmacy, and a restaurant my dad had.

Since then, I've worked for a swimming pool construction company, a cotton farm, and a high risk/interest finance company doing repo's and collections.

I tried working for a mortgage company, but I couldn't take being in the office all the time.

So I moved on and sold cars for about a year or two. That was tough gig, but a shit load of fun at times.

I still rememebr all the lingo.

After failing at that, I went to work for a fertilizer/chemical application company. I made manager after about two years and started doing some things on my own. I tried to accrue as much knowledge as I could, and became certified in all types of industry related programs.

Certified Arborist, Turfgrass Professional, Pesticide Advisor/Applicator, Crop Advisor, yada yada yada...

When the opportunity became available, I jumped into the commercial landscape care business, and have been here ever since.

I hope to be out of it in the next 1-3 years and will hopefully open a restaurant.

[Brad]

I'm a corporate type. Some of you know what I do. That's not what I wanted to do but it has it moments at times when we do a transaction. What I really wanted to do was teach Latin American History but I realized early on I wasn't god's gift to the history profession so I changed careers and became a court reporter for awhile. That was about 25 years ago and it was fun for awhile. Went to graduate school after that and I've been with the same company for about 22 years. Came to jazz only 4 years ago and I really love all you guys. Wouldn't be the same if I didn't have this place. Plus, I'm learning to play alto sax. Been sticking with it for about 9 months. My teacher says I might be ready for the community band in six months or so. So that's my story.

[Guest GregM]

I've worked as everything from a cashier at a minimarket to a journalist to research associate in biochemistry, chemical ecology and marine biology labs. I've published hundreds of articles in about 15 journals altogether. Now I'm a senior projects mgr at a company specializing in HPLC instrumentation and for the first time in my career, after paying dues for a looong time, I'm a supervisor. I can see working where I am until I retire.

I've also written music, fiction and short screenplays. In '95 I became interested in A/V technology, mod'ed my PC into a nonlinear digital video editing worksation that WORKED (easy now, not as easy then) and produced some short films. At that time I moved back to California hoping a contact could help me break into movies or documentaries. Unfortutely my money ran out after two months and I took a job at Extron Electronics which was a good bridge between where I was before and where I am now. The only thing I have kept separate from making a living is my love of music. That's partially my way of saying "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and render unto G-d what is G-d's" if you know what I mean. Work has always become mundane at some point, and I never want that to happen to music.

[Dmitry]

I've published hundreds of articles in about 15 journals altogether.

God knows I wouldn't doubt the achievements of anyone on this board , but do you have links to your articles? It'd be interesting to open a new side of Greg .

[catesta]

I've had an "article" published in Penthouse before.

And I can prove it!

Edited August 16, 2003 by catesta

[connoisseur series500]

I think I'm a classic underachiever.

Graduated with a M.A. in English in 1984 and I had my bags packed for Asia. My parents wanted to know what I was up to, and I told them that I needed some experiences to write about! I wanted to be a writer, and figured I could tour the Far East and could get teaching jobs easily. Actually, there was another reason: I had a Thai girlfriend in college and she was 10 years older than me. I had to break away because we were getting too close!

Landed in Japan first and had some adventures too lengthy to relate here; stopped in Korea and Hong Kong for a bit and ended up in Thailand. My girlfriend had given me a few names of people I could stay with and I abused those privileges terribly.

Started off teaching English literature and writing at Chulalongkorn University and did that for three years. Then I quit the school and got into all kinds of adventures. Got married to a Thai woman. Did all kinds of things, made all kinds of money--was a millionaire for a few years!!--and lost a lot of money! It was all legal, folks, but I don't care to go into details in a public forum about everything.

One day, I was 35 years old and broke and I looked myself in the mirror: what the Hell am I doing here? I've got a young child, a wife, and I haven't even vested in Social Security, no 401ks. It's great in Lotus-land, but old age is a curse here and time slips.

Here's a poem (not entirely autobiographical, btw):

Searching for Sunday

The wind shakes the tree in an ancient way.

Day without agenda; and man the animal

Of purpose bedding it on Sunday.

Lizards shooting in timed spurts across the ceiling.

Seeking the sun through frosted panes.

For reasons beyond the glare.

Slack sails on a breezy Sunday.

Such quiet drove Fritz to drink.

One meets the light as haltingly, as hesitantly

As one enters a Chinaman's shop.

Motorcycles roar at the green light,

And I lie lost in the seven layers of my bed.

Searching for Sunday in the whore's brown flesh.

I know the exile's sorrow.

It was time to go. My farewell poem:

3/13/1995

Farewell to Krung Thep, City of Angels,

Thaksin's wall against the Pegu hordes.

Flooded like a rice paddy every year.

It's a 20-hour flight to a new life.

"Back to the world," they said in Nam.

Whizkid with all that cash in his thirties,

The wolf blew down my house of gold bricks.

All those painful careful decisions

I got a better return in the end,

On my secondhand appliances.

No Stalin-kiss on this corpse.

Exiled and axed like Trotsky in his Mexico City fortress.

We packed up everything and landed at Detroit Metropolitan airport. Here's another poem:

6/14/95

Fortune wound down into aching backs

And bored stewardesses.

We reeled from the 20-hour flight

Into the room for immigrants

To await our turn behind the troop

Of visiting Japanese baseball players,

St. Peter's approval courtesy the Detroit Tigers;

And the Marine escorting

His Filipina motel-mate.

Fingerprints and the search for drugs before

We were spewed into the Motor-City metro parking lot.

"I'm Polish," read the upside down license plate

On the parked Cadillac.

Landed at my parents house in Toledo and we were in culture shock. My wife couldn't take my mother any more and we moved into a motel after 10 days. Luckily we were able to get an apartment by the time the moving truck turned up with out stuff from Thailand.

I was unemployed for a year then figured I'd get into the financial sales and insurance industry. Been there ever since. I dislike sales, but I like seeing people. I've felt like quitting a hundred times, but I never do. Don't know what my next step will be but I'm getting older and lazier. Really digging chess right now. Focusing on raising my son. We'll see...

Edited August 16, 2003 by connoisseur series500

[Guest GregM]

Interesting poem, C-series.

What have you done, dentist boy, besides screw up peoples' teeth?