what do you do for a living

[WScott]

This is interesting to see such varied background of leather lovers.

I have been a dentist for over 17th years in my own small family practice.

Worked myself through school in a pulp and paper mill and as a hospital lab tech.

Leather and wood are my hobbies to unwind when I get time away from work and chores.

Also a dad to two great kids.

Edited June 17, 2013 by WScott

[kodiakthejuggler]

I've been doing multimedia design since I got out of college in 2000. PowerPoint presentations, Photoshop design/retouching, some animation via After Effects, some on-screen graphics for live video broadcasts via Chyron Lyric 7.0, and other odd support jobs throughout.

[cloverpatch]

35 years as a printer, pre-press department, aka stripping. Always top quality shops, though each one folded under me as the market dried up! Last shop specialized in wine labels mostly for California. It was all interesting. But I quit, too much BS.

[SkullCanyon]

I worked for AMTRAK on the east coast out of high school for ten years, rebuilt the mainline railroad from Boston to D.C.

Tried a little college and lucked into a gig with NBC Sports when i was 28. Been a freelance cameraman for about 27 years. Studio and lots of live work. Have shot live major league baseball, football, basketball and steeplechase races for most of it.

My passion has been leatherwork for 30 years though. I really like making custom fitted moccasins for people with troubled feet.

I bought 40 acres and a mule ( yeah really ) in 2003 out in Portal ,AZ. and that is where I call home. I never will retire.

Couldn't afford it anyway. I have two great daughters and seven cool grandkids.......phew

[Elsa]

I joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1981 and spent time in both the Reserves and (primarily) Active Duty. Retired in 2007 and received my 100% Service Connected VA Disability rating with "Concurrent Receipt" (I get my retirement and my disability). I'd be playing full time with leatherworking if life would just mellow out! Too many hobbies that eat (horses and Dairy Goats) - so working on cutting the numbers so I can spend time in my shop that is waiting to be completed. My son and I enjoy being part of our local Community Theater which is a year 'round thing as well. My goal is to have my shop set up and underway by this Fall.

[Murf]

I graduated college with a degree as a paramedic specialist, after the 3 years of college and some time in the job I had to get out. Through my teens and college years i managed several small pizza shops so thats where i went when i left healthcare. I moved back to my home town with my fiance and got a job working with my dad (fabricator), my uncle (Machinist) and my best friend (skill-less laborer, lol) in a pet food factory. I make great money but being that my grandfather retired from the same factory and so will my dad I am doing everything in my power to not carry on this tradition. My goal is to do custom fabrication for motorcycles and hotrods, I am currently awaiting a local custom car upholsterer to give me the green light to start learning his trade with him, along with my new found love of leather work, pinstriping and lifelong experience in metal fabrication I hope to build something that can be carried on by my family. My fiance and I are getting married next may/june and after that its full on business plan development.

[Glendon]

Very interesting thread here. I really should check out the off-topic boards more often. I’d love to trade favors with some of you all.

Anyway, I’m a social worker by training. For those of you interested, yes I am state licensed so I can use that professional title legally. I work in special education, both as a direct care therapist and project manager.

When your entire day conisists of talking that feels like it isn’t going anywhere or paperwork that feels like it isn’t going anywhere, it’s very nice to sit down and actually make something.

[Leather Guru]

I worked in Grocery stores for over 45 years and was a Meat cutter and Meat Dept Manager

for more years than i care to remember>

i was able to Retire Early and i have not looked back.

Now the Leather work...... keeps me (off the streets & out of the Bars)

Now U just drink at home ! . Can't even smoke in a bar anymore

[OdinUK]

Interesting thread!

I'm a microwave/RF (radio frequency) design engineer, designing antennas, components like filters, couplers and polarizers. It has nothing to do with microwave ovens! Antennas are for civil and defense applications. I work from a few hundred MHz to hundreds of GHz. I even have a couple of my antennas in orbit around the earth on satellites.

[dkbutcher]

I'm a forester (but have graduated to desk jockey status) working for the state of FL. Now I manage a state forest in central FL.

I started looking into leather when I got tired of the crap leather/workmanship that you get when you buy "leather goods". Now that I have just taken the plunge I'm finding that not only will I get quality items out of the deal (they may not look as "perfect" as the stuff you find at the store but they are still worlds better in quality) but I really enjoy doing it. I've never considered myself to be a very creative/artistic person but it seems to have brought out the little that I do have.

Dave