occupations

[weegeo]

;D Thought i`d throw this post in to see how it goes.
We all know a great deal about each other musically but what about our other life.

I`ll start the ball rolling lol i`m a retired satellite installer, although prior to that i was a tv relay engineer for quite a few years and really enjoyed it. I got into that through my first marriage her dad owned the company and brought me into it lol should`ve listened to my mother lol

I am by profession a time served silversmith and would still do the odd repair and that would be my third love after family and music.

so there you go a brief resume` of weegeo hope to hear more from all you midi nuts lol


weegeo-------------in shock that Tubbs bought a drink lol

[Tubbs]

After getting my degree in English Literature i went into the family Interior/Design.. Painting/Decorating business...i know, why did i bother doing the degree? I,m not really sure either!!

Business has slowed down a lot due to the recent slump but am hanging in there.


Tubbs.....willing to paint, paper, and choose soft furnishings for weegeo's sitting room in exchange for him repairing the family silver. ;D

[Emerald Midi]

Other than music I have never had a “proper” job.

I left school at age 15 without much in the way of education (I could barely read and write) and went to work with my dad as a general labourer on the building sites of London, this was back in 1973. But as the work was too hard for me at that age I soon gave this up. I then got an easier job in Woolworths, in Camden High Street, North London; I was helping make sure deliveries were accounted for and stored properly - a lot of responsibility for one so young but what I lacked in academic achievements I made up for with sheer enthusiasm ;D

At age 18 I learned how to play the guitar and within three months I was playing the London pub with a band. And this is what I have been doing ever since.

[levi2]

i am a textile printer in factory which has been established for 170 years the factory was bought by the John lewis partnership 40 yrs ago and did a underhand thing and sold us off 18 months ago to asset strippers there has been 2 redundancies in the last 5 yrs while under the john lewis and all got a nice redundancy package the ones who were left including myself to try and keep it working have been badly let down by john lewis for selling to asset strippers . 62 were made redundant last week they were told to leave the premises in 15 minutes by administrators couldnt even say goodbye to friends. there are 60 of us left if there is no buyer by 1st may there will be a controlled shutdown and the factory will be completely shut. Heres 2 links to the whole story one is from the local newspaper and the other is from the national mail on sunday
www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/business/sixty_jobs_lost_as_carlisle_s_stead_mcalpin_calls_in_administrators?referrerPath=2.880/home

www.mailonsunday.co.uk/money/article-1169260/Caring-John-Lewis-sparks-fury-factory-gates.html
we are holding a protest next friday when we will be going to london to there head office this also affects workers at the birtwhistle factory in lancashire. basically we were sold down the river truly stitched up by the sharing caring John Lewis Partnership. if anyone feels strongly about this or has friend relatives working for the JLP please let them know that the JLP are not caring and not partners as they said we were. They actually sold us while we were on our 2 weeks holiday closure no consultation or nothing sorry for griping on but at this moment i feel bitter and badly let down

[weegeo]

This has turned out to be a cracking post i want to thank all those so far that have shared their lives with us. Very many thanks for your interest, please post let us know how you live outside music


weegeo

[Emerald Midi]

Apr 12, 2009 23:25:26 GMT weegeo said:

This has turned out to be a cracking post .......

Don't you mean topic ;D

I forgot to mention earlier that away from music I am very much involved in Martial Arts, in fact, my involvement goes back 35 years! And though I teach I don't consider it a job per-say as more a labour of love.

[weegeo]

*make a mental note* don`t fall out with Pat lol lol lol


weegeo

[Emerald Midi]

Apr 13, 2009 7:06:35 GMT weegeo said:

*make a mental note* don`t fall out with Pat lol lol lol


weegeo

;D ;D

You can read more here: emeraldwarriorskarate.9f.com

[themd21]

Hi George
I've been playing in bands since I was 16. I don't know how to do anything else. I can barely hammer an nail into a wall.
My days are spent practicing and catching up on the latest music technology and my nights gigging, well most of them.
When I was younger, for a time I tried building cars for Ford and airplanes for Short Bros,but didn't take to them much.
So anyone who has a 1975 Ford or has access or flies a Skyvan or SD330 from the same period, don't place too much trust in them!!

Take Care
Jimmy G

[shyamwestwind]

Hi George, this is a lovely topic and it lets us into knowing our good friends a little more.
I completed my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Madras in 1968 and got a job in a Public Sector Fertiliser company as Sales Officer in their Distribution Department. Most of my time with the Company, I was in charge of looking after the shipments of imported fertilisers from many Ports here and arranging for theier transportation. I did a bit with actual selling, for about two years but found it strange selling fertilisers to farmers and trying to speak their tongue. I worked a bit in their Vigilance Dept.too. .
I was "stricken" with polio of the left leg, at the age of three, but I never ever felt handicapped, and I was treated by the company as a normal abled employee and was given jobs that even others wouldnt dare to do. I have to thank the Company for this as it made me feel I hadn't missed a thing.
I resigned from the job in 1984 because of a corrupt boss whom I couldnt work under.
I had my music to fall back on and I had enough contracts to play in Hotels and I earned more than I did in the company. My mother and my wife supported me all the way and I am what I am, because of their love and support.
I was always into music from the age of 16 and even while employed, had a Rock Band !
At 62, I am still singing and earning enough to pay my medical bills !!!!! lol lol lol

[freeway]

Well leaving school at 15 have worked more or less in the Service industry all my life started in Hotels in Ireland then worked all over Europe including The London Hilton for a couple of years ...met many famous people as well including Mohammed Ali (sent a pic recently) done a 5 year Hotel Management course which entailed working abroad Germany France and Switzerland and working in various departments kitchen /bar /restaurant/function room/reception etc loved it all at the start esp the travelling but just when I had about 6 months left to qualify as a hotel manager went and packed it all in had enough of it all wasnt for me after 5 years but dont regret one second of it all...it was a great life experience for me meeting new people and seeing new places .....came home in '86 and opened a small restaurant that lasted about ten years then decided to go into the music full time joined a band and were flat out busy with weddings and functions etc (those were the days) stayed with the band for 2 years and decided for financial reasons mainly to go it alone and have never looked back since ......now I just gig at weekends mainly and the occasional function or party I also write my own songs and its one of my great passions and since I got my PSR S 700 hope to concentrate on some more original material.............so thats about it from me ....great thread btw weegeo......regards Barry

[cptkay0s]

A top thread weegeo - here's my bit....

I'm only a relative youngin' - 39. I've had a few different jobs - (in fact statistically - the average worker these days apparently has 5.6 careers in their working life - NOTE - they're no longer called jobs - now called careers (LOL)).
I completed year 12 (final year of secondary schooling in Australia), and commenced work the very next day at a hardware store (I stopped being involved in music at this point for 3 or 4 years). From there I moved into transport - working for a large national carrier - LINFOX - as initially a data entry clerk and then moved across to the management strand (whilst there I joined a band as a keyboarder and we used to support Paul Kelly (google him - he's quite big in OZ). That lasted for 18months or so and then I had another music hiatus for about 5 years (didn't play instruments, but performed in musical theatre). I left and started a metal fascia and guttering company with a very good friend of mine. Australia fell into a "recession that we had to have" and there wasn't enough work to feed the pair of us so I moved back to Brisbane, managed warehouses for a year or so and then decided to go to university to become a teacher.
Graduated as a Secondary Teacher majoring in Business Management and Business Communications and commenced teaching - I LOVE IT!!!. We (my wife and I), accepted a transfer to country Queensland in December 1999 - was going to stay for 3 years - we're still here and have no real intention of going back to the big smoke!!!!. I am now a Head of Department - specialising in Behaviour Management (probably cause I'm six foot standing up or laying down (lol), the students tend to listen cause when I stand near them the sun gets blocked out.

I got back into guitar playing about 5 years ago - I haven't gigged in over 12 months and am staring to get a little itchy again - nobody out here is really prepared to pay more than $200 for a gig and when there's 3 of you and the baby sitter takes $100, it doesn't leave you much

Thanks again weegeo for starting this thread - it's really interesting to see where people are and what they're doing.

[sweeney]

Here we go! I was a third generation Barber by trade (Hence Sweeney.....Sweeney Todd.)
In the late 50s early 60s there was no work for lads leaving school where I come from if you had no education... My father gave me one month to get some other trade or else follow him into the hairdressing game. I tried every where to try to get a trade even asked a family friend if he would let me serve my time as a shoemaker. I didn't want to work with my father. I would have taken any trade but it was not to happen. My mothers sister married a Showman. He, along with his family toured Ireland during the 50s with a variety show. They were called The Dusky's Road Show. Some of the younger generation of that family still carried the name Dusky into Show Business. Sandy Kelly was Sandy Dusky. Four from that family represented Ireland in 1982 Eurovision. That was the year A Little Peace won it. I got my first taste performing in the mid 50s when as a ten year old I would have went with the show and helped out during school holidays. I knew then that was what I would always want to do but my father had other ideas. I would always have loved to play music professionly but I was not talented enough. (No teachers in those day's) I joined my first band in 1962 playing bass (The Clippertones) That was at the start of The Irish Showband Era: I played with various bands touring Ireland until the 70s when the club Scene started. I joined a four piece group and took up a residency in a Belfast Night Club. The club was attacked a few times during the Troubles so we left and did the Club Circut Right up to the 90s. Work started to dry up for a four piece band so myself and the Lead Guitar player went out as a Two Piece. Mervyn that was his name (His nickname was Badger) quit after about six years and retired. I am carrying on still as One Man Act...........I would love to shake the hand of the man that invented MIDI. Only for him I would be retired also.......So there you go........Thats me!

[oliver101]

Hi all

I am a time served electrician and spent 20 years on the tools before getting fed up with the travelling and so now am office based, and fit the music/entertaining around this work. I dont consider the music as work it is just getting paid for something I enjoy.
I used to be a full time musician but now a Wife an ex-wife and 4 lovely children mean having to worky nosey grindstone.
If any of you need any advice re electrics in a domestic/commercial area please ask and I will try to help/advise.

Best wishes
Oliver101

[shyamwestwind]

This thread is so so good - thankyou George !! I'm amazed at the talents and capacities of our good friends in our forum. I know there'll be very interesting posts from many and its getting more and more interesting.