Very off topic-Your job

All of this makes my job sound very mundane, but I'll tell you anyway.  I work for a small firm who produce CD's/DVD's to client's orders.  No music or movies unfortunately, mostly software/education.  I handle the short runs on CD-R's (the big jobs get subbied out) and prepare artwork for screen-printing the discs or for making labels for the short runs.  At the moment I even cover for the 'real' graphic artist .  Plus of course I drive the forklift......

Jack of all trades (Master of none?)

Ex-rocket scientist. Was Chief of Structural Design for a solid rocket motor supplier for nine years and then acted as Chief Engineer for a variety of rocket motor applications ranging from satellites launched from the Shuttle to cruise missiles launched by attack submarines from deep water. Before aerospace I was doing structural and vessel motions analyses for the offshore (as in the ocean) petroleum industry and maritime shipping industry.

Of course, those industries have pretty much gone offshore (as in Asia and Europe) so now I'm looking for other gainfull employment (plant closed and contracts sold off - 'merge, purge and outsource', the New American Way) and trying to establish myself as a marine artist (not so gainfull). My modeling activities are now subordinate to my painting, using computer generated 'skeletons' in Excel to lay out basic perspective views of sailing ships and then plastic models from kits to develop form and shading (yes Dr. Tilley, those vacu-formed sails are usefull for something). I've been sailing on square riggers and old schooners whenever the opportunities present themselves for the past 10 years to get rigging details and get down the basics of seamanship under sail. I'm organizing the library in a local maritime museum and developing a training program for its docents which provides opportunities to meet some extremely knowledgable people.

Then there's the FSM forum which has been a wonderful source of info and inspiration.

Geoff Hunt doesn't have anything to worry about yet... but who knows.

     

   

I'm a freelance copywriter. I also write for my local newspaper. At this point it's something of a part-time gig, and I also homeschool my 3 kids.

Hello all!

I am a molecular biologist (I play with DNA). Currently (in fact the last 5 years) I'm out of the lab and in an office, providing phone support for products sold by the company I work for (it makes molecular biology kits for researchers to use - shortcuts to homebrew procedures).

I miss working in the lab, so modeling affords an opportunity to use my hands creatively. I also play the piano (35 years, since I was 5, do the math:))

Jose Gonzales

I have the pleasure of processing student deferment and loan cancellation forms all day.  The company I work for is a billing service that colleges outsource their billing for Perkins loans and institutional loans to us. 

It never ceases to amaze me how a student or graduate cannot follow simple directions on completing a simple form.  The scariest are usually school teachers, to be more specific special ed teachers.

Not too exciting, but it pays my bills (I hope, my own student loans enter repayment next month) and give me a little to spend each of on my modeling addiction, er....hobby.  

Glamdring - I feel your pain.  In my case it's letter-of-recommendation forms.  In the past three days I've had to send three of them back to the students/former students in question because those individuals didn't bother to read them - and discover that they, the people requesting the recommendations, were supposed to sign the forms.

I'm also sending monthly checks to the North Carolina equivalent of your firm.  My wife and I told my stepdaughter that if she'd keep her nose to the grindstone and graduate in four years we'd pay back her student loans for her.  We'll just about get them paid off by the time I retire, in about seven years.

I discovered that the same photography setup I use for ship models also worked for her graduation portrait.  There - back on topic.

I'm an IT project manager with a large financial institution; I've been in IT for over 25 years.  My current team builds middleware and internet application software.  Current application development tools allows for some "creativity", instead of the old green screens from my mainframe days.  I know; software development is not supposed to be creative, it's supposed to be a discipline..

Building models was something my dad and uncle did; they was my influence. My dad built plastic models, free flight gas planes, and control ine models.  I still remember an old plastic Trimotor he had on top of the TV cabinet.  My first model was a red race car that my parents got me when I had my tonsils removed.  I still remember building that model with my father at the kitchen table, now more than 44 years ago...

As long as I can remember I've been creative - I've sketched, painted, sculpted...  Back in the 80s, I decided to try 3 dimensional art, so I started carving birds- raptors, ducks, songbirds...realistic carvings, not the decorative stuff seen in craft stores.  What's really cool about that is that some of the same tools and techniques are applied in model building... 

I build aircraft, armor, and ships, with the occasional car or creature thrown in.  I love submarines, and I have been lucky enough as a civilian to hitch an all day ride on a fleet ballistic missile submarine (Remember the Maine!!), as well as visit a few 688s and the SSN-21 in port.  Finding time to build models has been tough lately, with job and family duties, but I keep adding to my collection, so that I won't be bored when I eventually retire and have all that free time on my hands...

I am a photo editor, photo researcher, digital imaging guru and sometimes I shoot a photo or two, for the communications/public relations department of one sector of a very large defense contractor.

I started as a photojournalist in TV and newspapers before moving to the corporate world. I recently began model building again after about a 20 year break during which time, I obtained my pilot's certificate, among other things.

My interest in naval history and naval aviation history stretches back many years originating from an interest in C.S. Forrester novels while in college. I moved from 18th-19th century sailing ship models then, to models of aircraft carriers now.

Its a lot of fun again.

I'm a rapid prototyping technician for a product design outfit here in the UK (www.kinneirdufort.com)  so I spend most of the day making prototype devices, medical, packaging, film-set, using stereolithography, CNC and vacuum casting. You'd think I had enough of this stuff with my day job, wouldn't you! But I love to design my own projects, mostly using Rhino CAD, and when I get the time, making my own project components. Funnel and turrets for a Hunt class escort destroyer sure make a change from endless mobile phone keypads...

Before I worked for KD I ran my own model aircraft accessory business (PP Models, some might remember the name) and I was an architectural modelmaker before that. I've been obsessed with modelmaking since I was 4 years old, encouraged by my father. Now I get the chance to teach him about computers! What do they say about old dogs nd new tricks? It ain't true!

Tim P

I'm a manager of Customer Support at a software company.   Before that, I was active duty US Coast Guard- a graduate of the USCG Academy.  At the Academy,  I sailed on Eagle as often as I could - I had about  16 weeks of time all told.  After graduation, I served as a desk watch officer on a Reliance class cutter, and then as CIC officer on a Bear class ship.  After about 5 years of sea duty, I then moved into IT.   

I built all sorts of models as a kid, and moved into flying models as a teen.  I then got into scale RC boats, which I still do.  FOr a while I wrote articles for hobby magazines-- I had several aircraft designs published in the late 1980s, and actually wrote a monthly column on RC scale bosts for about 3 years.

 About 8 years ago,  I got back into plastic modeling after building a couple of 1/72 scale aircraft for a coworker.  Now, I'm bak to building air, armor, ships, primarily.  I still like projects that involve the combination of my hobbies-- such as converting a plastic model to RC operation, or building a RC ship model that wil be fitted out with plastic models., such as a 1/144 scale carrier or a 1/72 scale LST.

-Bill

I have just completed my PhD (doctorate) in physics and now I am looking for a post-doc position in science. I am employed at the university in Austria/Europe. When I am not at model building I prefer to take rides with my road bike. I am a very trained bicycle rider and easily go 150km or 180km (100miles and more). I am 31 years old and when I am building models I often have "Beethoven" or "Bruckner" music in my background. I do not think ship model builders are old (I often hear such comments). Regards, Katzennahrung

I am a research scientist in the US.  I have developed a vaccine for lung cancer and we are currently testing it.  Have completed 29 patients, looks good but far from a cure at the moment.  I build WWII planes and armor and dabble in ships.  I am currently working on a 1:700 Hornet and the big Trumpeter version, one for my desk and one for home.  I have always been facinated with WWII and really am enjoying waterline ships.My eyesight is not as good as it used to be so I sort of have to go with larger scales, unfortunately, hard to display the larger models.

Dear Friends,
I am so impressed with the profiles of the people that have posted their jobs. I feel quite honored to be in the virtual company of so many accomplished people.

As for me, I am a Professor of Marketing at the business school of the City University of New York. Been making various types of models over the years. Now I do card models (various types) and plastic and wooden ship models.

Best
Barry

I am a Pepsi Cola distributor. I also do some freelance photography work. Needless to say, work gets in the way of modeling. I have been contemplating a short LOA. I have some burnout symptoms and I don't want to get any worse. I work to live, NOT live to work!

 

Hi everyone,

I am a naval architect and Mechanical Engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, working on solving the engineering aspects of Navy security programs.  I just left the Coast Guard after ten years of active duty to pursure the research and technical work, so far, so good.

Bill (rcboater), I graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1995.  Go Bears!

CGBob, my dad was a DC, then Warrant MAT, taught at DC school on Governor's Island from 74(?) - 80.  Same name as me, George Borlase, did you know him?  He did almost 30 years, then retired in 1999 and is still a civilian with the Coast Guard.  He is also very active with the CWO Association.

Very interesting thread, quite a diverse background!

George
gborlase@comcast.net

Man, I am almost ashamed to post here among so many accomplished individuals.

I am 42 years old a (currently) unemployed carpenter/framer and theater set builder. I have also done some acting (anyone in Ireland can see me on an old Miller commercial I was in a couple years back. I was working under the 59 Caddy in the background) I have done eight years of seasonal work at Knott's Berry Farm building the Halloween Haunt, and have also worked as a kitchen cabinet installer, pizza delivery driver (5 years) and before that, a clerk at a not-so-local hobby shop.  Compared to most of these great careers I've seen posted here, I feel like such a  failure!

Still, I enjoy building my models, I have over 980 built, one third are modern ships, one third are aircraft, and another third are armor. This past year of 2005 I have completed 65 models from January to now.

I stand humbled here among this great crowd of people who share my love for this hobby and whom I call friends.

Fuggedaboutit! I've seen your modeling work, and obviously you have a great love for the hobby. As long as you put the effort into your paying jobs that you put into your models, you are a success! Having a fancy title and the alphabet after your name doesn't make you a better person. The ship you built for Lt. Ginny's ship does, and you can proudly take your place among the best!

Currently I am a 24 year old Assistant manager at a pizza resturant.  It is just a temp thing untill I get my A-Z truck lisence and go driving in a few years to build up some cash so I can start my own online business.  My dad is semi-retired and is delivering for me, and we plan on doing team for a year or so.  Only kink in that plan is that he has like... $115 000 comming to him from a work related injury back in the 80's, and now he wants to buy the pizza store!  I would run it, he would deliver... but I dont really want to do that for much longer, but he has agreed to give me 50% of the yearly profits, which means $30 000 a year for me, plus my wages.  Tempting, but I hate that job!

 

 

BTW, where the heck is the post reply button in this new forum layout?

Hello again to all of you;

I have been reading this post almost daily and have been sharing its content with my wife (architect). Earlier this year I invited her and her girlfriend to accompany me to a competition (no names) but let's say it is a long running competition and many notables in our group attend.

Now the reason I shared the content of this particular post with my wife was to help her overcome her belief that all modellers are a group of simpletons. She and her girlfriend assumed by some of the early attendees at the competition and the manner in which they behaved (learing etc.) was a result of long term exposure to styrene and glue solvents.

She and her girlfriend now have a better appreciation of the intellect level of the members of our hobby. Thanks to you all for your posts. And most importantly thanks for helping to prove me right for once with my wife. All you married fellows now how important a victory that is!

Cheers;

Gregory

gburdon wrote:

She and her girlfriend now have a better appreciation of the intellect level of the members of our hobby. Thanks to you all for your posts. And most importantly thanks for helping to prove me right for once with my wife. All you married fellows now how important a victory that is! Cheers; Gregory

Not to mention short lived!

I am a Chief Petty Officer and Hospital Corpsman stationed in Pensacola, FL. I am 42 years old and in the proces of retiring from the U.S. Navy where I served 23 years as a flight medic (SAR), ships company, and combat medic with the USMC. I was wounded in Iraq in 2003 while performing Casualty Evacuations by helo in An Nasariyah, and since my son is in the Army and getting ready to do his second tour in the sand box I thought it would be a good sanity check for my wife if both of us were not on active duty at the same time. I currently work as the Navy Liaison Instructor at the Army Flight Medic School at Ft. Rucker, teaching tactical medicine.

In the next few weeks I will start my new career as a Critical Care Flight Medic in the civilian world. I have a mixed interest in boats, ships and helos (guess it is that Naval Aviation thing). Hope "Plastic Claus" is good to everyone......HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

  This is a really fascinating thread !  I did the same thing as some of you other's : pulled the wife in to see that not all modelers are bozo's like me !

Well, I started this post out of interest. I did not expect this outpouring. This is fantastic. ALl of you have very different backgrounds andyet all are into this boys hobby. At least that is the general sentiment with people not in the know. I would live to get my wife to read all of this but since English is a very second language, she wouldn't get it.

Without to much generalization ( a very dangerous thing to do), I would say that most of the modelers that have replied the tread is to be either in some sort of scientific related field. With others in History and military. All are patient and take this hobby seriously.

And because we do all love this hobby, I wish to you all, mu new buddies, a very Merry Christmas and holiday season.

For a gift, you all could drop on over to a site I know and order a 66" resin kit of the Nautilus. IF you all put you wallets together you could comeup with the $10,000 sales price bill.  Ho Ho Merry Christmas to me.

 

To all: seasons greetings and a good night

Robert

In consideration of Spelunko's last post, I do come from a military family.  Alot have been in the Canadian Navy, and a few with the RCAF.  I was a air cadet for 7 years, got my glider pilot lisence, survival training, leadership training... and got paid for it all too ;)  A 16 year old in love with fighter jets, spending 6 weeks on Canada's largest airforce base was a amazing and valuable experiance for me.  I made many friends around Canada, and the world, seen many many places in Canada... I can't think of anything else that has had such a large influnce on who I became.  In 2000 I graduated cadets and had been accepted into ROTC at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario.  The year before, I had started working with computers, website design, graphic design, and was gaining a love and tallent for it.  If I went into the Air Force, it would kill my interest in computers, not that I wouldn't beable to use them, but not make a living with them.  So, I bit the bullet, and decided to go with computers.  Now I am just in the process of gathering money to start a online business and increasing my skills and knowlege of online business.  If a big war ever breaks out, I will be first in line to sign up, you can count on that!  Untill then, I will build models of airplanes and ships, make websites, and plan my future fortunes ;) 

I have thought about making an online model shop!  I have to drive 40 mins to the nearest hobby shop, and a dedicated online model store would be a huge help to me, and I am sure that there are many others who are in the same spot.

I am retired now but was in law enforcement for thirty-three years.

Al Blevins

 Decided to retract. Sorry about that.

Bgrigg wrote:

Fuggedaboutit! I've seen your modeling work, and obviously you have a great love for the hobby. As long as you put the effort into your paying jobs that you put into your models, you are a success! Having a fancy title and the alphabet after your name doesn't make you a better person. The ship you built for Lt. Ginny's ship does, and you can proudly take your place among the best!

Thank you Bill. You honor me with your compliments.

Gregory, I agree. Congrats on your small victory.

FMF Doc, I got family in P'cola. Love to hear from people there!

This has been a great Thread to read! Too bad they can't 'sticky' it! I'm watching this one daily as well.

Here Here

Hey, MackP- Contact me- I am traveling to Houston for business and would love to visit someone with a similar interest. dwblackw@yahoo.com.