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I sure hope it doesn't! One of the things I really enjoy doing is watching people, especially people who are good at and passionate about their jobs - no matter what that job is. I've sat and chatted with CEOs, policemen, doctors, engineers, groundskeepers, nannies, custodians, boat captains and all manner of people in between, just because I could tell that they were very good at what they did and loved their job. Learning about why they loved their job and seeing how they poured themselves into doing it at the best of their abilities was and IS inspiring to me. There is no such thing as a job beneath any other. We all rely upon each other for various services, whether it is the kid who totes your groceries to your car at the store, the dad delivering pizzas to make ends meet, or the surgeon about to wheel you into the OR for a heart valve replacement. I love it when those people are inspired by the work they do, no matter what that work is.

Great replies so far! I hope more folks pile onto this and tell us about themselves. I think it's really neat to see not only the diversity of things that TGO members do and have done but also the really interesting paths their lives have taken. If nothing else, perhaps this thread will help anyone who is currently in a rut or just not sure what their life holds in store, to rest assured that not every GOOD thing in life came with a pre-defined plan attached to it. At least, not a human plan. Divine plans are often so far above our comprehension that they look like serendipitous accidents when they finally reveal themselves to us.

Seems like most if not all of these jobs have several things in common.....a can do attitude, attention to detail and a devotion of some sort whether it be family, duty or country. Just what I'd expect from a bunch of guys on a gun forum.

<insert tragic broken home/gutter trash/drugs and abuse raising with a dash of fostercare here> Left home at seventeen, never looked back. After a long series of bad decisions I pulled my act together and went to school for Computers and Electronics Engineering Technologies. Used that and a strong work ethic to buffalo my way into a job as a Dispatch and Logistics Manager role for about fifteen years. Now I am a plumber, and I have never been happier. Or making better money. I am married, with a child, two black labs and a cat. We have a nice home, in a nice neighborhood with nice things. We support one another and create a good home for our daughter. I have my cars and bikes and guns and guitars. Overall, I know it isn't a competition, but as a gamer (console and PC) I often times am overcome and sit back and think to myself, "I won."

I worked at the hospital in Paris Tn. for 30 years as a medical technologist (lab tech.). After 30 years I took my retirement and moved to Murfreesboro because my wife wanted to live there. Took a year off and went to work as a lab tech for 8 more years in Manchester. Decided to retire again. I think this time it might take. Spending my time now playing with my toys. Guns, bicycles, guitars and motorcycles. Rode my bicycle 6018.3 miles last year and am on track to beat that mileage before 2017 is gone. In my spare time I on occasion restore a vintage bicycle and made my first music cd this year of songs I wrote. Yeah, it looks like retirement might just take this time.

I am currently helping to take care of my father who was diagnosed with cancer. One day when I am able to I would like to make a career with my degree or maybe go back to college and get a better degree. Aside from working at a grocery store while I was in school I do various odd jobs for people like fixing their vehicles, carpentry stuff, anything I can make a few dollars off of basically.

Not a lot to tell about me, I am recovering from a old bout of misfortune & miscommunication < i.e. looking for work>. While the last few years I mostly serve my family & friends, in my former life I was a project manager in the defense nuclear industry ( and picked up a post-employment PMP certification). I have a real talent for mowing yards, running errands, and talking people out of stupid decisions (based on my own painful experience). My favorite quote is "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot - 1927 - 1956

I'm 6 years into my career in logistics. Back in November life threw me a curve ball and I got fired from my job of 5 years despite several promotions and raises. Looking back it was actually a blessing in disguise. I was extremely unhappy there but too scared of change to quit. I was managing a group of 50 people and nearly all were convicted felons. It was so bad I didn't feel safe even with my Ruger LCR on me. My job now is hard to explain. Out of 8000 employees at my new company only 1 other person has the same job title as me. I'm part operations manager, part customer service, and the job has very little stress. I have a great boss and it's nice to actually be appreciated by my employer again. I had to take a substantial pay cut but I'm hopeful that I will eventually change that. Life is funny sometimes. It's important to remember that although money can help, it's not healthy to hold a job that makes your life hell.

Musician, play steel guitar and harmonica (harp), hence my screen name. Been doing it 43 years now. Mostly recording, a few artist gigs over the years, Tammy Wynette, Dan Seals, Billy Walker... this was a career highlight... https://youtu.be/_aL2vrrHaNA

I wouldn't feel inadequate with the life-experiences you have had. There are foks who spend their entire adulthood trapped behind a desk and never experience anything else that the world has to offer. Chasing the hot rod car scene? I mean, seriously, that is a dream for a lot of office-dwellers! I have come to realize that any time a door closed unexpectedly on me, no matter how much I disliked it at the time, later on I realized that I was so glad that it had. God's always taken care of me just as it seems he has you. There's a lot to be thankful for right there.

Toolmaker by trade. I work in quality now mainly programming CMM’s for First Article inspection of aircraft parts. Ready to retire anytime. Started out in the Navy as a Machinist, got out and worked in some shops, did a few years as a Police Officer, went back to the shops, worked as an Applications Engineer for a Machine Tool Builder, wife wanted to move here, so I took a job as a Toolmaker, and then to where I am now.

I am a Physician Assistant (PA) at a large Orthopedic clinic. I have been blessed to be there 40 years and work for a great bunch of surgeons. I have been there longer than anyone to include the docs. For the past 8 years I run our injury clinic Mon - Thurs 4 PM to 8 PM. Good gig, enjoyable work. May hang in up in a couple of yrs, but right now hours and type of work tolerable to enjoyable. Spent 16 yrs in National Guard. Grew up shooting/hunting. Spent a lot of time and money shooting all type clay targets. About 6 years ago went to a Defensive Pistol class at Front Sight. People that really know how to shoot a pistol 'hurt' my feelings. Now have spent considerable amount of time going to classes with various instructors and getting to the point of half-way decent. Enjoy teaching/coaching pistol classes, HCP classes and still going to classes for me at least once a year. My biggest accomplishment is raising two great kids who have good jobs, respect others, Christian, and are responsible gun people.

i am an inspector for a TDOT engineering field office. Been there since right after high school. I also make holsters, sheaths, and other assorted leather items.

I've been a self employed real estate appraiser since 1989. The bulk of my work is residential. It's been so long since I had a boss I'm pretty much unemployable by now.

Joined the Navy right out of high school. Was just about finished with my 20 years when I got married, single Sailor for 18 years. Got married in 03, retired in 05. That first year after retirement was fun, range time, riding our motorcycles, concerts, traveling and by the end of 05 the wife was pregnant. I have been the stay at home dad, homemaker and school parent volunteer ever since. Our son goes off to middle school this year so little to no parent volunteering and I hope to shoot more, ride more and actually take better care of our yard.

I'll start... I am in Healthcare IT. I manage an operational support team that takes care of the final tier of support for approximately 10,000 Windows Servers and over 1,000 VMware hosts. We also do special projects and lifecycle work. Basically, if it comes to my team of 12 engineers, it has generally exhausted everyone else's abilities to fix it or get it done. My guys are the "special operations" of IT nerds and I have much respect and love for them. They work some ridiculously long hours and make miracles happen every single day to ensure that doctors, nurses and our patients have reliable infrastructure serving them. I used to be one of those engineers until the company decided that I could either do less damage or accomplish more as a member of management. Not sure which. Probably both.

No great story here. I worked corrections for about 4 years. Have been a police officer for 12 years.

I am adding the above to my resume...

No reason to feel inadequate. You seem to have tried and experienced a lot of different things and that's commendable in my book.

Not surprised and am actually kind of happy about it. National Reciprocity sounds good in theory but in fact 1) takes away the right of States, and 2) would lead to federal control of licensing and permitting. Does anyone seriously want that?

Happily retired. Former life as HR Director for three different Fortune 300 Companies. Two well known retailers and one electric utilities company. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Oklahoma native here. Worked at the neighborhood grocery store from the age of 13 until I was 18. Enlisted in the Navy the day after my 18th Birthday and spent almost 21 years playing sailor. After the Navy, I went to work for the Postal Service as an electronic technician and spent 26 years doing that. I finally realized I'd been working for 53 years and decided to call it quits in 2009. Retired and enjoying it.

Originally from Philly and joined the AF in 68. Two tours in Viet Nam and other stops in Germany, England, Turkey, New Mexico and Arizona (3 times). Retired CMSGT (26 years) from the AF. Then worked for about 20 years as an interior trim carpenter doing everything from crown to custom staircases. Had a heart attack in 08 and received a quad bypass and said the hell with working after that. The missus went back into the AF after 9/11 so we traveled from Montgomery to Tucson until she retired as a SMGT. Came back to Tennessee and mess around with guns and knives and and try to keep up the daily chores around the house.

In the past, I was a residential electrician. Grew up doing that. When the housing market crashed in 08-09, we lost our General Contractor and had to shut down due to nobody else had work either. Went into factory work, Was at Nissan in Smyrna for a while (quality inspection). Evidently it was quite difficult to find someone who could drive a manual transmission (I test drove the finished cars). Now I work at Bridgestone in Lavergne, building tires (22.5" and 24.5")

I am a CFO for a small tech firm.

Grew up in NW Ohio, went to school in NW Indiana, got recruited out of school to work in research at Xerox in Western NY. Spent 37 years there most were fun but not all. Xerox has been in a death spiral for about 20 years now. I took good advice when I was young and lived below my means, invested my money and was ready to jump ship from about the time I turned 55. Turned down the first 3 offers to retire early then jumped on the 4th at 57 with a year severance and bridged medical. My only big mistake was I hung around NY for almost 10 years in retirement before moving to TN. Fought the good fight with the state gun organization trying to make NY part of the US again, including a couple of marches on the Albany and lots of money, but decided I would rather enjoy life instead and just moved to the US instead. Been loving life here in NE TN for 2 years now. Went back to NY for a wedding and visit some friends and was reminded why I left over and over. Did get to shoot a round of sport clays with a friend. Use to shoot clays with this guy a couple of times a month and neither of us had shot sport clays since I left. My over and under 12g Biden special was the only gun I thought was safe to transport back to NY. When asked why TN I tell them - Less: Snow, Taxes, Government - More: BBQ, Bluegrass, Sunshine.

Thank you, I appreciate that. I didn't mean to be so bleak in that. Guess I'm a bit down today. I've had contact with an old friend recently that has just blown me away with her story of recovery and redemption. I won't go into details, but after 3 marriages, 3 kids, one with physical disabilities, and losing both parents and a brother within 3 months; this woman went back to college, got her degree, graduated with her son, has had several great jobs and is now a success in her first love...singing and recording of Gospel and Christian music. She only plays 4 instruments, by her own words, not well. But well enough to record and play for herself and others. Also built her own recording studio and her home. Literally by herself. A true renaissance woman!

You are not alone in that feeling, buddy. I'm a college dropout. Bad habits, bad grades, and other things gave me the boot from school. Worked several kinds of jobs. Managing mini-markets(Will never do that again!), ware house work as stock puller, shipping and receiving for a small company. I worked for a cemetery operation for 4 years. I did sales and coordination of funerals. Did some line supervision and qc work for 9 years with a company making glass beads for reflective paint applications...road striping, signs, business cards, etc. Also during some of this did travels with craft shows and festivals. Found the Street Rod events and followed them for a while. Operated a seasonal craft and gift shop for 8 years. Some of this stuff ran concurrently, as some of these ran a season and went into another phase. When the economy slowed in the mid 90's, and the discretionary income slacked off, i.e. people got tighter with the dough, I interviewed with an auto parts company and did route delivery for a while. Was offered a sales job with them and did that for the next 10 years. Then my health issues jumped up and bit me in the tail feathers. After almost 3 years of treatments that I wouldn't wish on any of you guys, I was officially placed on SSD where I've been for the last 7 years. So now I'm in the ranks of the less than happily retired, read that as not enough money to be really comfortable. But as my wife is still working, we are ok. Not where I'd like to be, but that's where we've gotten to. I'm officially a house-husband until my wife retires and I get a break from it. I also attempt to help out my In-laws when they will let me. So I actually feel really, really inadequate as gregintenn says. Haven't done the things many here have, and don't have anywhere near the education and work experience. So I get a bit mopey now and then, sometimes maybe a wee bit jealous of some here. And as I've said before, I've had to slow down and stay on the porch as I can't run with the big dogs here, in spite of my efforts to do so. Not complaining, I'm very blessed to still be on this side of the dirt. We have done some of the things we've wanted to do; and hope to do more before the curtain falls.

Yeah, but most of us still can't make knives as pretty as yours. Lol

Consultative, common-sense, discover / establish a need, by asking questions sales. Have applied to tile, hot dogs, money, and now work for a software provider. After 3 years in software sales and service (I do get to handle some front line help desk stuff) I hope to retire from my current organization.

I am a Senior Analyst for the nations largest healthcare company with my primary focus being the financial impact analysis of contract proposals from medical device companies based in the US.

Regional Director for a medical equipment service company with about 50 local engineers that report to managers who report to me. Graduated with a MBA and no clue what to do. Luckily found this company which has been a rocket ship in the last six years. Prior to going back to school, I worked for a company that built cars for celebs and ultra rich. All of our builds were over $100K without the cost of car. I was a project manager and was one of few who took cars home before delivery. We had to test before we sent back to Saudi Arabia and other countries. We did Restomods, exotics, and drag cars. The shop now builds cars for top speed too. I believe they hold the record for rear wheel drive top speed in a viper.

Born in Kentucky; lived in Macon Georgia 35 years or so...after a divorce moved back to Kentucky, met a Tennessee gal and got married again and now reside in Tennessee. Spent 20+ years in production management, currently working in the independent adjusting industry (since 2005)- mainly marketing work. Grew up shooting but really caught the bug in the 90's. Held a C&R for a while, piled up a large collection and really enjoy the little group of firearms that I have left.

I'm retired now, but I spent 42 years working as a mechanic. Started out in the trucking industry, ended up spending the last 25 years working for the city I live in. There I was the truck and equipment guy. I worked on everything bigger than a pick-up and just about any piece of equipment the city owned. In my time I've worked on everything from weed eaters to bulldozers, shovels to backhoes, Fire trucks, garbage trucks, chain saws, lawn mowers and even the occasional desk chair. I'm a dinosaur, a general mechanic who'll work on anything put in front of me. But my kind are becoming extinct. In these days of high tech, computer controls and electronic everything, you have to specialize in certain areas as one man just can't learn it all anymore. Hell, just the average garbage truck these days has electronics controlling pneumatics which are running hydraulics. Backhoes have computers in 'em now! Gettin' to be too much for my old head. So I pulled the plug 3 years ago. Let the younger generation who grew up with this stuff deal with it. These days the hardest thing I want to work on is lunch.

I grew up in Chattanooga and went to UTC and then TTU to become a mechanical engineer. I spent 7 years doing steering system product design in the auto industry. While I had been looking for another job for a while, my boss called me while I was on vacation to tell me my job was moving to Detroit. That was the final push for me to find something else. I found an unexpectedly brief job designing industrial products (8 months) and then found my current job fixing broken jet engine parts, which I've been doing for 10 years.

I grew up in Sevierville and went to college close to home (not UT). Graduated about 2 decades ago with a business degree but had already sunk deep into IT stuff ( we just called it computers). I have worked a lot of different jobs over the years due to layoffs and business closings. I have been a mortgage loan processor, sold Kirby vaccums, worked retail in Pigeon Forge, done landscape work, trained cashiers, installed school lunchroom cash register systems, installed Gas & Go kiosk systems, and generally whatever it took to pay the bills. I now do IT for a construction company where I am the whole IT department. I support around 75 users in the office and field. I handle the servers, PCs, printers, cellphones, tablets, wireless air cards, accounting systems, and ordering all the supplies for the IT equipment. The company ensures they get their money's worth from me every day. I grew up hunting, but got away from guns while I was trying to work and go to college. Then my jobs kept me busy enough that there was not as lot if "hobby time" with all the travel I did. Plus money was a issue as I got married and started to try get a house and such. I got back into it a few years ago and have been playing at it. I enjoy shooting, but have had to learn/relearn a lot.

Born and raised in the 'burgs of Chicago. Worked at a Lotus dealership out of high school before joining the service. Four years in the Army as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne. Went to school on the G.I. bill, before landing a job as an electronic technician. 8 years later I was made supervisor of the department and held that position for 25 years. They put me in charge of a couple of other departments in the last couple of years, trying to get more for their money. Summer of '16, I had open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve. While I was out on medical, the replaced me with someone making 60% of my pay. Company was having issues, so they told several of us "senior" employees, it was time to retire. (No, it was not an option). So, at 60 years old, we packed up our life, and moved to Knoxville. I am still pissed at the company I gave my life to, but we are so glad to be here in Tennessee.

... & stumbled across another gen. 2 olive drab/black Ruger SR9 in really nice condition. These had blackened stainless steel slides & were only made for a couple years in limited numbers. A couple days ago I installed a 3.5 lb. Ghost trigger reset bar & now the trigger is really sweet! Now I just need to get rid of the 10 rnd. communist magazines that came with it & pick up some 17 rounders.

I work in corrections. I supervise some bad mofos. I've worked all the maximum security units where the baddest of the bad are housed. Right now, my post is Death Row. I call it the country club for killers for a reason. We have levels, A, B and C. A levels are able to walk around me free as a bird, no cuffs, shackles, nothing. We qualify with and carry weapons only outside on patrol, medical runs, transport to court, etc. But inside, we have nothing. Not a baton, mace, I mean nothing. If it goes down, all you have is a red panic button on your radio that sets off a body alarm in central control, and your hands, fists and feet. Well, I do wear a shank vest (looks like a bullet proof vest) and a face shield. Face shields worn on units 1 and 3. If you piss them off, they'll try to spit on you or sling ####/piss on you. knock on wood, I've not pissed an inmate off enough to get "#### out" as they call it. Shanks are found often. They have them, we don't. lol LEO's catch them, we CO's have to live with them. I just wanted to try something different. I actually like it. But I'll probably move in to some other branch of law enforcement before it's over.

Well, I have had diverse work experiences, but just haven't really felt fulfilled with them. I do think there is something else coming my way. I suspect that it will show before I leave here.

Wait til you hear what all McGyver has done! He should write a book.

Worked my way up through the ranks in the automobile industry. Purchased the Ford Dealership I had worked at for 10 years. Sold it 10 years later and semi retired. Started a photography company as a hobby. Built it into a thriving youth league sports and school photography business over the next 5 years. We were taking over 60,000 kids pictures a year. Sold that business and opened my own insurance, financial planning, business coaching agency. Been doing that the last 6 years.

Hmmm. 8 years active army most with 101st 19 years lLEO (16 SWAT) Got into the NG after an 8 year break in service. (Almost 20 years total service now) Shoot competitively for military and teach LR shooting and Sniper for a couple of companies. Have really been blessed getting paid to work in areas that go along with what I do for enjoyment. 6 years until I retire from police. Plan on staying in military until forced out or stop having fun.

Born in CA, worked as a jobsite foreman for 13yrs, I was going through a divorce and my ex-brother in-law convinced me TN was the place to be, so I move to TN and he hires me for his manufacturing business, I move into his house and during the first month of my new life make over his wife's best friend sets me up on a blind date, I make the call and we spend hours just talking, ask her out, do the dinner/movie combo after the movie she invites me back to her place and introduces me to her 3yr old daughter, 1 month later I move in, 8 months later we marry, 11 months later my son is born and in 6wks my son moves out and becomes a FT college student. Dam time flies I'm defiantly not ready to be a empty nester.. Back to the job, I loved my construction job and all my friends I left behind in Ca!! I've been doing my current job for 20yrs, my buddy sold his business 4yrs ago to a corporation and it hasn't been the same since!! Wait it just sucks.... We all make sacrifices for our family..

Sounds like you just found a good job and stuck with it....and/or all of us just talk too much.

So far, this thread makes me feel a touch inadequate.

Right now not much. Old guy, retired from the ARMY in 1992. Have done industrial maintenance since. Just retired 1 July 2017 and had shoulder surgery 20 June 2017 so I am being a lay about now. Love shooting/reloading, fishing (light line).

Years ago, I gave up on regular mowers and went to a small tractor with a 60" finishing mower. All the chaff is behind me instead of blowing up in my face like with the typical belly mower lawn tractor. This summer, I upgraded to a big tractor with a 72" finishing mower.

You'd also think a republican majority wouldn't up a tax when we are sitting on almost two billion dollars, but we have republicans, not conservatives. That's become a big difference.

Knight's Armament Company (KAC) SR-15 x NT4