what do you do for a living

[bruce johnson]

I am a small animal veterinarian. I did all horse practice originally, and found that equine practitioners never had time for their own horses. Have also worked in a slaughterhouse, shoeing and trimming for fun and profit, and worked for horse trainers.

[Greybeard]

I was in the NAVY as an Electronics Tech for 10 years. Got out after Desert Storm, Built computers for a Short while. Then Went to work For SeaRay Boats as Marine Electrician. Now I'm a Quality Inspector For SeaRay. I also do Tattoos and Art on the side and now Leather too...

[Torquewrench]

Equipment mechanic for a fresh produce grower/shipper. Mechainc is a broad description in the produce industry. Been here almost 22 years. 6 months in Ca. and 6 months in Az. each year. Spare time leatherworker, 4-H leader.

[HarryB]

Hey! Crack dealers are my job security!

Edited January 14, 2009 by HarryB

[Windy]

Hey! Crack dealers are my job security!

You were suppose to close your eyes.

WINDY

[Drac]

dcknives

oh, it's not that I get that much sleep all the time, just that I feel lucky when I do get that much.

[jbird]

Well this is a very intersting thread let's keep it going.

Josh

[CitizenKate]

It's so fascinating to see what everyone does!

I'm just a nerd... ...an IT project manager for a very fast growing company (yes, even in these times - but only 25% this year, rather than the usual 50-60% annual growth we've been seeing - *whew* - finally get to take a little breather!). We do things like build networks, build database, file, email, and web servers, set up spam filtering, set up computers for the employees... and of course provide most of the support for all of it.

Kate

[tashabear]

I've been on Title 10 active duty on and off for the past four years; I'm an Army transportation officer. Just now I'm trying to build up the leatherwork commissions and will be applying to teach fiber arts at the local community college.

[Johanna]

Kate- you left off the most important part of your resume! Kate is the other Admin on LW!

I am a housewife and mother in Ohio that does websites for leatherworkers, local history buffs, and pretty much anyone else who has a check that will clear and a little patience. I do other computer work, too, and am the sole tech support for every Grandma in our church that wants to get email, as well as leatherworkers around the world. In my former life, before the kids came along, I was a retail manager for Books-a-Million, Tandy, JoAnn Fabrics, & 7-Eleven . Oh, yeah, and a home-based custom leather business paid the bills for a few years, too.

I liked being an entrepreneur when we had the leather shop. If we wanted something, we hustled some extra work. If we needed a break, we took it. Many of the activities we enjoyed (from bike runs to Pow Wows to reenactment events) were also business opportunities. Our friends often stopped by, and we drank coffee and smoked in the shop with the music turned up loud. Gettting paid to play was the best part about the leather shop! Sometimes I go bang out a belt or something because I'm in the mood, but the shop closed ten years ago. LW keeps me from missing it too much.

Johanna

[jbird]

Well this makes me want to expand on my resume I should start by tell my background some my grandfather came from Germany lived there tell he was 15 moved to new York lived there about ten years he was pencil and water color artist he was offered a job by walt Disney as a artist , but his famliy was moving to Utah so he went, be came a hall of fame electrician for 50 years, my father was in the paper at 8 tears old drawing in the capital building with 18 year olds

Has done oil pantings for years , never got around to geting them sold, my sister is master chef and cake maker, and I have been a Cowboy since I was born when I was 5 monthes old my hair fell out and grew back as full Mohawk no kiding and so I have dreamed of the cowboy life as long as I have lived at sixteen I graduated from highschool yes that's right ahead of the curve belive it or not I have dabbeled in poetry for years and I love football fits me good being a big guy, and know I love leather and designing stuff that about sums it up.

Josh

Edited January 14, 2009 by jbird

[Go2Tex]

First off, I have to say after reading some of the replies, there are some real funny guys out there. I'm still laughing at a couple of 'em. A real perverse, eh... diverse group.

OK, enough about ya'll..... I'm retired from Boeing. But before I left, about 10 before, I started planning my early departure. I sort of fell into the leather thang, rekindled my interest in horses and developed a real interest in saddles. Started messing with building them and realized it could be my ticket to an early retirement from the 9-5 job. Long story short. Everything fell into place........and here I is. Livin' the dream.

[Randyc]

I've been a police officer since 1976. I left full time police work for a 6 year period and taught high school. I've been assigned to criminal investigations for the past 3 years. I've also been a licensed private detective for the past 12 years. Now, I'm trying to build up my holster business. What a long strange trip it's been. Had alot of fun, but didn't plan out my retirement future very well. I will probably have to work until it's dirt nap time.

[TroyWest]

I'm a full time saddlemaker.

[rickybobby]

I went to school for auto body and paint repair. I was in that business for 10 years then worked for a major insurance co. estimating wrecked cars for them. I started doing leather work whem I was a kid, making belts for all the girls on the ranch where we had our horses. I continued doing leather for 30 years, belts, wallets, tooled stuff from tandys then I wanted to do saddles so I bought every book I could find and started making saddles. I have a friend that went to a saddle school and we worked together building saddles. I now live in Arizona and work in a saddle shop doing all the tooling, building some parts of saddles, repairs, holsters. I also do leather work at home and have started doing saddles.

Rick J.

[CitizenKate]

Long story short. Everything fell into place........and here I is. Livin' the dream.

Good for you, Tex! That is exactly what I hope to accomplish one day.

Kate

[hidepounder]

Since becoming a full time tooler, I'm not making a living! But considering the state of our economy, I'm not going back to General Contracting or Finish Carpentry!

Edited January 14, 2009 by hidepounder

[steve mason]

I am a full time saddle maker, just working to be inpendantly poor. I use to be a flyfishing guide part time, but I have made saddles and worked leather for a living since 1989

Steve

[Dually]

My current full time position is shoveling and plowing snow just to get to the barn and back. LOL My last employer unexpectedly culled me from the herd last year after 20 years, so now I'm just starting colts and helping problem horses. And leatherwork of coarse.

[DJ1935]

And I thought that you all were professional Leather workers! I almost feel that I fit in now. I left school and went to work temporarily for my Father as a Painter & Decorator (our family goes back to the 17th Century as house painters). In the '70s it was pretty unheard of for a girl to be working in the construction industry and I was pretty shy and reserved. That was 31 years ago and I am running the painting business. Decided last year that the body has had enough of lugging scaffolding about and sanding weatherboards so have scaled the painting down with the hope of doing more leather work - not as much money in it but a whole lot nicer lifestyle.

DJ

[elegance382003]

I started going to school for medical office and then wanted to become a physicians assistant. After 4 years of college I got tired of school. During my last year in school I helped my dad at the Tandy Leather Factory store that he manages and ended up loving it more than what I thought. So now I am a manager in training at another Tandy store and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I love my job which I hope will become my life long career.

[oldtimer]

I served 35 years in the Swedish Army, ( captain, infantry) , retired 6 years ago. Been doing leather work for many years as a hobby and started a saddlery business after retirement. Other interests are my horse, trail riding in the Swedish mountains , hunting moose and deer with my dog and fishing. / Knut

Edited January 14, 2009 by oldtimer

[MADMAX22]

Ive done more then a few jobs in variouse feilds over the years. However the most recent were working in aviation for a few years before joining the navy, been in the US navy for the past 9 yrs (mechanic) and will be getting out in a year and a half (by the way any of you law enforcement types hiring lol) at which time Ill be on the adventure once again.

Probably should retire from the navy but dont think I can handle another 11yrs of the worst bordom you could possibly imagine. Sometimes you gotta wonder why people do some stuff.

[Hilly]

I've been driving school bus since March 14, 1979.

During the summers, I work on a harvest crew for DelMonte. Either I drive a self propelled dump cart, loading freshly harvested green beans onto semi trailers 25,000 lbs. at a time, or I drive the big harvesting machines. So far it's my all time favorite job. I love the people I work with, and for.

[Wyvern]

I worked for Louisiana State University Ag Dept for 30 years. Took care of 400 head of F1 cattle. Retired moved to North Carolina and went to work part time for an exotic game ranch driving draft horses. I have been tooling leather since the mid 1970's. I made fillagree belts for cowboys to support my rodeo addiction. I have evolved a bit since then!