What is your day job?
#77
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 217
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From: South of the Mason-Dixon
Bikes: 2015 Scott Speedster XL Frame, 2014 Diamondback hybrid, and a 20" Schwinn Unicycle (does that count?)
I'm a national accounts business analyst for one of the largest medical supply distributors in the world, so I built Excel spreadsheets and crunch numbers all day. Been here 11 years.
#78
crazy jealous on the fishinng guide thing
I assume freshwater? inspired to get my 2015 license today for some flyfishing on Saturday morning
Haven't really fished for 3 years, bikes and kids have taken precedence recently....
I assume freshwater? inspired to get my 2015 license today for some flyfishing on Saturday morning
Haven't really fished for 3 years, bikes and kids have taken precedence recently....
#79
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: Willamette Valley
Bikes: Giant Defy Comp, M60 gravel grinder
i guide salmon and steelhead in alaska about three weeks a year. It's more of a side job right now but at some point I would like to do it full time.
#80
Flagger. You know, the poor bugger standing there at a road construction site with a STOP sign (or flag in some US states) in their hand. I might be getting a different job though and go back to working on a ferry.
#81
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
Bikes: 1986 Schwinn Tempo
Land-use planner for a Recreation and Park District. Developers build homes and I negotiate park requirements and design. It's a pretty mellow gig. My education is in geography.
#82
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Escondido, CA
Bikes: 2015 Motobecane Fantom Cross, 2012 Giant Escape 2, 1982 Trek 710
Tech Support for a small software company. I've got a BA in Literature and Writing, but, somehow, I still wound up working as a tech. Commuting by bike is the only thing that makes this gig tolerable.
#83
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: South of the Mason-Dixon
Bikes: 2015 Scott Speedster XL Frame, 2014 Diamondback hybrid, and a 20" Schwinn Unicycle (does that count?)
**Flagger. You know, the poor bugger standing there at a road construction site with a STOP sign (or flag in some US states) in their hand. I might be getting a different job though and go back to working on a ferry.
Last edited by spoiledrotten; 01-08-15 at 11:53 AM. Reason: Quoted the wrong post
#84
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,014
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From: Nanaimo, BC
Bikes: 1997 Kona Hahana Race Light, 2010 Surly LHT(deceased), 1999 Rocky Mountain Turbo
Keep your head up! If you do your job well, you save many lives from being changed for the worse. I've seen flaggers that shouldn't have been given anything more than a dull shovel to work with, and then others that were so good at what they do, they should have been heading up the project.
[MENTION=273082]Fargo Wolf[/MENTION] I've had many great chats with flaggers and they are usually nice to me on my bike and previously on my motorcycle. It really is a necessary but thankless job.
How many of us would have changed jobs is it wasn't for the commute on either end making it just tolerable enough.
#85
meh

Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,742
Likes: 1,129
From: Hopkins, MN
Bikes: 23 Cutthroat, 21 CoMotion Java; 21 Bianchi Infinito; 15 Surly Pugsley; 11 Globe Daily; 09 Kona Dew Drop; 96 Mondonico
I'm a ***** .... AKA advertising sales. I work with a small group of people supporting an on-line trade publication. Great job, love the small company.
edit - OK, not able to use use "that" word either. derp. I was using a five letter word that rhymes with sore and starts with 'wh'.
edit - OK, not able to use use "that" word either. derp. I was using a five letter word that rhymes with sore and starts with 'wh'.
#87
Senior Member

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 22,676
Likes: 2,642
From: CID
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
I'm a ***** .... AKA advertising sales. I work with a small group of people supporting an on-line trade publication. Great job, love the small company.
edit - OK, not able to use use "that" word either. derp. I was using a five letter word that rhymes with sore and starts with 'wh'.
edit - OK, not able to use use "that" word either. derp. I was using a five letter word that rhymes with sore and starts with 'wh'.
#88
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,850
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster, PA, USA
Bikes: 2012 Trek Allant, 2016 Bianchi Volpe Disc
Software developer for a local bank, but soon to be software developer for local restaurant supply company. Trombone player on the weekends, used to play lead guitar in a metal band.
#89
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 385
Likes: 8
From: Endicott, NY
Bikes: Electra Loft 7i, Fuji Crosstown 2.5, Gravity Liberty FB, Schwinn Voyageur
I was a machinist/CNC set up person for 15 years. Now I'm a QC inspector in the sheet metal/stamping department. I had zero experience in sheet metal fabrication and welding, so I've spent the last 10 months or so learning on the fly. Must not be doing too bad, I haven't been written up(yet!).
#91
Keep your head up! If you do your job well, you save many lives from being changed for the worse. I've seen flaggers that shouldn't have been given anything more than a dull shovel to work with, and then others that were so good at what they do, they should have been heading up the project.
It's dealing with the stupid idiots behind the wheel. Impatient drivers, jack offs who think they know how to do my job better, Chinese drivers (DON'T get me started on them...) and, unfortunately, though thankfully rare, ignorant cyclists.Wrong quoted text?
@Fargo Wolf I've had many great chats with flaggers and they are usually nice to me on my bike and previously on my motorcycle. It really is a necessary but thankless job.
How many of us would have changed jobs is it wasn't for the commute on either end making it just tolerable enough.
@Fargo Wolf I've had many great chats with flaggers and they are usually nice to me on my bike and previously on my motorcycle. It really is a necessary but thankless job.
How many of us would have changed jobs is it wasn't for the commute on either end making it just tolerable enough.
#93
I started my career by applying for a job as a technical writer at a small hardware/software company. After having me take a technical aptitude test they offered me a job as a programmer. Twenty-five years later I'm developing compilers. Life is strange.
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My Bikes
#94
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 64
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From: Escondido, CA
Bikes: 2015 Motobecane Fantom Cross, 2012 Giant Escape 2, 1982 Trek 710
My daughter (currently in high school) is thinking about getting a degree in computer science with a minor in creative writing. She wants to be a writer, but she also has an affinity for food and shelter. I also wanted to be a writer when I was younger, but I got a BS in math and physics for similar reasons.
I started my career by applying for a job as a technical writer at a small hardware/software company. After having me take a technical aptitude test they offered me a job as a programmer. Twenty-five years later I'm developing compilers. Life is strange.
I started my career by applying for a job as a technical writer at a small hardware/software company. After having me take a technical aptitude test they offered me a job as a programmer. Twenty-five years later I'm developing compilers. Life is strange.
In hindsight, it was probably not the most well-reasoned decision I made.
If I had it to do again, I would have stuck with CS. You don't need a degree in order to write creatively. I did love literary criticism classes, though. I miss writing about writing for appreciative professors too.
#95
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 638
Likes: 22
From: Hawaii
Bikes: 2012 Switch Performance BlackSkin LE Urban, 2013 Leader 725, 1975 Fuji America, 1990 Giant Cadex 980c, 1986 Peugeot PH10LE, 1995 Trek 2120 Carbon ZX
Project Manager and Coordinator in Electrical Engineering and construction. Basically a professional cat herder.
Prepping for PMP certification.
Prepping for PMP certification.
#96
I was an elementary school teacher for 6 years. (mostly 5th grade)
I left education when we moved to a larger cities with more opportunities for me to explore other interests, and because public education was destroying my morale and health.
I was planning on going into IT support, got A+ certified, but I ended up getting a job at the same company as my wife.
So now I'm a Geoscience Tech at an oil & gas service company. I work with seismic data, while at the same time work with marketing, sales, attend world-wide conferences and workshops, and work on special projects directly from the big boss man. It's pretty awesome, and I was just hired as a full-time regular employee from a previous contractor status. I have my own office and a salary almost twice what I was making as a teacher. Plus the plaza our building is in has 2 gyms with lockers and showers, and dedicated reserved bike commuter lockers. I got one!
I left education when we moved to a larger cities with more opportunities for me to explore other interests, and because public education was destroying my morale and health.
I was planning on going into IT support, got A+ certified, but I ended up getting a job at the same company as my wife.
So now I'm a Geoscience Tech at an oil & gas service company. I work with seismic data, while at the same time work with marketing, sales, attend world-wide conferences and workshops, and work on special projects directly from the big boss man. It's pretty awesome, and I was just hired as a full-time regular employee from a previous contractor status. I have my own office and a salary almost twice what I was making as a teacher. Plus the plaza our building is in has 2 gyms with lockers and showers, and dedicated reserved bike commuter lockers. I got one!
#99
Full Member

Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 325
Likes: 59
From: Spokane Area
Bikes: 2021 Salsa Warbird, (Specially Love my) 2021 Salsa Cutthroat, 2012 Surly LHT, 2015 Surly Cross-Check, 2008 Giant OCR A1, 2005 Leader 735R, 2005 Gary Fisher Montare, 1991 Nishiki Pueblo,
I was an elementary school teacher for 6 years. (mostly 5th grade)
I left education when we moved to a larger cities with more opportunities for me to explore other interests, and because public education was destroying my morale and health.
I was planning on going into IT support, got A+ certified, but I ended up getting a job at the same company as my wife.
So now I'm a Geoscience Tech at an oil & gas service company. I work with seismic data, while at the same time work with marketing, sales, attend world-wide conferences and workshops, and work on special projects directly from the big boss man. It's pretty awesome, and I was just hired as a full-time regular employee from a previous contractor status. I have my own office and a salary almost twice what I was making as a teacher. Plus the plaza our building is in has 2 gyms with lockers and showers, and dedicated reserved bike commuter lockers. I got one!
I left education when we moved to a larger cities with more opportunities for me to explore other interests, and because public education was destroying my morale and health.
I was planning on going into IT support, got A+ certified, but I ended up getting a job at the same company as my wife.
So now I'm a Geoscience Tech at an oil & gas service company. I work with seismic data, while at the same time work with marketing, sales, attend world-wide conferences and workshops, and work on special projects directly from the big boss man. It's pretty awesome, and I was just hired as a full-time regular employee from a previous contractor status. I have my own office and a salary almost twice what I was making as a teacher. Plus the plaza our building is in has 2 gyms with lockers and showers, and dedicated reserved bike commuter lockers. I got one!
Last edited by Eds0123; 01-09-15 at 06:36 PM.
#100
Full Member

Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 325
Likes: 59
From: Spokane Area
Bikes: 2021 Salsa Warbird, (Specially Love my) 2021 Salsa Cutthroat, 2012 Surly LHT, 2015 Surly Cross-Check, 2008 Giant OCR A1, 2005 Leader 735R, 2005 Gary Fisher Montare, 1991 Nishiki Pueblo,
Not to be high jacking this thread, but using and running Linux is so much in line with spirit of bicycle commuting, self reliance, community cooperation, in earlier days you relied on your own capabilities to set up your own and run your own software the way you wanted etc, how did you get started being linux sysadmin Tom?




