What do you do for a living?

[CherylNYC]

I'm a scenic artist/sculptor. That means that I create scenery for the movies, tv and theatre that you watch. My specialty is in sculpture, so I can be called upon to make anything from an excellent copy of a classical sculpture, or an amalgam of several, to a convincing rock cliff for a stunt which involves pizza loving turtles and their careening vehicle. Faithful reproduction of the historic Copacabana palm trees? I'm your gal. Soft surfaces for stunt people to land on which look exactly like asphalt? Yup. I can do that. The work is hard and our days are long, but usually interesting.

I'm a professional sculptor. I still make my own art sometimes, but I need to set aside chunks of time off to do it. After ten intense hours of producing scenery my creative moment is usually over for the day. I really like what I do, and I'm good at it, but I'm much happier now that I've come to realize something really important about myself and my profession. I have an art career in order to finance my motorcycle adventures. Artists usually finance their art career with some other form of employ, but I'm doing it the other way around. It's weird, but I'm a lot happier now that I understand this important thing about myself.

[Andrea]

I am a paper pusher for the State of California. Years ago, before knowing what I wanted to do with my life and having tried a number of office jobs, I was working temp at a mortgage company and found I loved the part numbers have to work and the part detective work of processing mortgages.

After 20 plus years in the private world of mortgages, I went to work for the state underwriting mortgages for lower income borrowers. I have since moved agencies and now work with grant funds to provide housing for lower income borrowers.

In a few months, I will retire from the state and just might sign up to do some temp work at mortgage companies again. Or not!

[candy_coated_bitch]

I'm disabled so I don't have a "regular" job, but I'm an artist and currently working on a project funded by a grant I recently got! I feel this is a turning point in my career as an artist.

[ProfPacker]

I have been in human services for 39 years (did I just say that, omg) and social work for 30 years. I have worked in many settings in social work. I am currently full time faculty and one of the founders of an accredited Masters in Social Work program in the NYC university system. I love what I do, would like to retire but, alas, not this year. If I have to stay working this is as good as it gets: three days teaching and other days home or other work and summers off. Good retirement job for the time being. I am fortunate.

[WheatToast]

Originally Posted by CherylNYC

I'm a scenic artist/sculptor. That means that I create scenery for the movies, tv and theatre that you watch. My specialty is in sculpture, so I can be called upon to make anything from an excellent copy of a classical sculpture, or an amalgam of several, to a convincing rock cliff for a stunt which involves pizza loving turtles and their careening vehicle. Faithful reproduction of the historic Copacabana palm trees? I'm your gal. Soft surfaces for stunt people to land on which look exactly like asphalt? Yup. I can do that. The work is hard and our days are long, but usually interesting.

I'm a professional sculptor. I still make my own art sometimes, but I need to set aside chunks of time off to do it. After ten intense hours of producing scenery my creative moment is usually over for the day. I really like what I do, and I'm good at it, but I'm much happier now that I've come to realize something really important about myself and my profession. I have an art career in order to finance my motorcycle adventures. Artists usually finance their art career with some other form of employ, but I'm doing it the other way around. It's weird, but I'm a lot happier now that I understand this important thing about myself.

What an interesting job! Have you experimented with polymer clays for smaller jobs? You can use dryer lint mixed with Fimo to create craggy little rocks or cliffs.
I'd love to see pics of some of your creations.

[JDeere]

Ive mainly had manufacturing jobs with a few office/admin jobs in between.

Right now I'm awaiting to see if i get hired to fix computers.

[Mel C.]

My undergraduate degree is in Microbiology and I am certified as a Public Health Microbiologist, but I am not a Microbiologist.

I have a K-12 teaching credential, but I am not a teacher

My graduate degree is in Forensic Science, but I do not work in a crime lab.

I am a Quality Assurance Director for a medical device company. I ensure that our company manufactures devices that meet regulatory requirements for the US and other countries that we do business in. It's a lot of paperwork, but I enjoy what I'm doing. My education post High School is not directly relevant to the work I do today, but it showed employers that I am teachable. In my experience, it's useful to take what you learned and apply it to whatever job you have. I've worked in Research, Academia, Government, and so on. If someone were to follow my career path, they might have exited at various stops along the way.

[Lyte]

As I pondered this questions I got a little... whoa, I've worn quite a few hats.

My education is Criminal Justice and Psychology so... I started in enforcement then …. Counselor, Traffic/Shipping, Inventory Control, Logistics, Retail Distribution and the last 15 plus has been in Customer Service / Sales / Call Center Management.

I don't think I'm done yet... there are a few more hats I'd like to try.

[theoddz]

Well, let's see.

I am a former Marine (from waaaaay back in the late 70's/early 80's). I got out for medical reasons and they medically retired me for these health issues. I then became a Registered Respiratory Therapist and worked for 20 years in the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. I was also a Union Steward for my local of the AFGE.

In 2014, my health issues, combined with having to have had both of my knees completely replaced in 2007 and 2008, I was forced to take early retirement from my federal job. Lucky for me and the wife, I have an ample income from the military (full benefits/pension) my Federal Employment pension and Social Security Disability, all of which I am able to collect.

So right now......I'm officially retired and lovin' life!!! I've been wonderfully blessed and I don't take one grain of it for granted, either!!

~Theo~

[CherylNYC]

Originally Posted by WheatToast

What an interesting job! Have you experimented with polymer clays for smaller jobs? You can use dryer lint mixed with Fimo to create craggy little rocks or cliffs.
I'd love to see pics of some of your creations.

Yes, I've used Fimo and Sculpey for some of our projects. I haven't tried the dryer lint trick. Thanks for the tip. Are you making cliffs for model trains?

If you use Fimo and its ilk I hope you have a dedicated toaster oven for baking your projects. That stuff is super toxic and it's terrible to cook it in the oven you use for your food. I sometimes cook my projects with a heat gun and work outside when I'm using those polymer clays. One of the drawbacks to my job is that so many of the materials we use regularly are shockingly toxic.

[nycfem]

Originally Posted by CherylNYC

One of the drawbacks to my job is that so many of the materials we use regularly are shockingly toxic.

Cheryl, has that affected you at all or no (since I know you are careful)? Just curious.

[JDeere]

I can't forget my time on a pig farm.

[clay]

Manufacturing for 5 years, out of HS.

Then I went to work as a CNA, worked weekends as a PBX operator for 2 years of Nursing School. I graduated nursing in 1976, worked 21 years as an ER Charge Nurse, 12 years as a Volunteer EMT, & A volunteer Firefighter.

I did a short stint with some "undercover work"...

I was medically retired in 1998!

My LTR of 10 years...we owned & I operated a Paint Your Own Pottery studio for 6 years.

I dabbled as a Open Cook in a pizza place, BBQ joint, and a couple other places.

My years in medical were the most rewarding as were my years in Rescue & Fire.

Now I just sit beneath the palm trees, do arts & crafts, about to become a Hospice volunteer, and am a proud parent of the cutest little red dachshund, named Hope. She is 10 & blind, BUT don't tell her she is...

[Martina]

People have done some interesting things. I am not working now. I am waiting to have my second knee replacement in two years. Oh well. I really can't work if I can't walk. Not in my opinion.

I am a high school Special Ed teacher. I usually teach Math as well. In California, I am credentialed in special ed and in autism. I am highly qualified in English and a few other things, but in CA, you can't teach General Ed unless you have a Gen Ed credential. That's weird because our Special Ed programs contain all the coursework gen ed programs do plus about a year more.

In Florida, I am credentialed in ESE (special Ed), autism, English, and Middle School math. So I could teach general ed English or math here as well as Special Ed. Different states, different laws.

The new federal law makes being highly qualified obsolete everywhere, I gather. I love how they force you to take classes and exams and then later, they don't matter. No refunds either.

I miss teaching, but I don't miss the bullshit from administration. I am so happy to see teachers walking out in the states where they have been treated the worst.

Anyway, I'll go back next year, in California. I need a few more years contributing to my pension before I retire. I am going to try to find an interesting job in an alternative setting located someplace sorta rural that is not the Central Valley. Those are my criteria. Should be doable.

[RockOn]

Software developer here ... love coding but the past couple years this boys club at work has become extremely toxic for me ... it is the people, their lies and getting away with unreasonable lies that has me bummed out.

I am certain I would not be able to tolerate the taste of ass in my mouth but watching others suck-up, lie to look good can be entertaining.

I tell the truth. I am mouthy. You can imagine where this places me. I accept my consequences and will not change.

Once I took off all the blinders and dismissed my denial, all the joy left but I can stand it four more years until retirement.

All good here.

[easygoingfemme]

I manage a women's housing program for my city primarily serving to house women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness due to domestic violence, addiction, mental health, or prison release. I'm also my agency go-to for walk-in emergencies and conduct all intakes for our housing programs. The hopeful expansion I'm working on right now includes a massive grant for rapid rehousing for individuals homeless due to domestic violence and acquiring a unit to house at least 8 individuals with children who are homeless due to domestic violence. Right now I only have one case manager in the program and we divide and conquer. I will need at least two more if I get the expansions.

[CherylNYC]

Originally Posted by nycfem

Cheryl, has that affected you at all or no (since I know you are careful)? Just curious.

Well, I'm ummm... not always that careful. I've had a dangerous exposure to urethane casting resin once many years ago, and then a near miss with a similar product since then. I'm fine now, but I'm not allowed to use that product, or anything like it again. I don't think I've had any ill effects from the massive amount of styrofoam I carve, but I've been kind of forgetful lately, and... what was the question?

[A. Spectre]

We have some very interesting and talented people here.

My resume includes playing semi professional tennis and golf, both post University. Taught when my past due date came up. (that rascally wrist injury!) Spent some years working side by side (as a civilian) with the elite "Red Horse" military team traveling around the country building bridges, digging tunnels and other fun stuff.

I have attempted to get my private pilots license no less than 3 times. Now that I am older, thinking about another attempt soon.

Upon my retirement, my plan is to volunteer to assist homeless women and homeless critters in Florida with my gorgeous bride sipping adult beverages around the pool in the evenings. Bliss.

[MaddieRobbie]

I sell high end wines to high end buyers...most of the time. I also host wine tastings, tend bar at the odd wedding/event, and occasionally put on a cocktail dress to populate various industry events like conventions and car shows.

It's a living and every now and again I get to travel to interesting places.

[WheatToast]

Originally Posted by CherylNYC

Yes, I've used Fimo and Sculpey for some of our projects. I haven't tried the dryer lint trick. Thanks for the tip. Are you making cliffs for model trains?

If you use Fimo and its ilk I hope you have a dedicated toaster oven for baking your projects. That stuff is super toxic and it's terrible to cook it in the oven you use for your food. I sometimes cook my projects with a heat gun and work outside when I'm using those polymer clays. One of the drawbacks to my job is that so many of the materials we use regularly are shockingly toxic.

++
No, I don't make little cliffs, but I did laugh at the idea, so thanks!
I collect gem stones, and I'd love to put some giant specimens in the long planters in front of my house, but I fear someone might make off with them. So I use Fimo, Sculpy, Kato, Primo and Pardo to replicate mostly opaque rocks, like turquoise, malachite, amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, tiger eye, fool's gold, hematite, copper, and snowflake obsidian.
Pardo makes nice translucent, mica and other clays that help with replicating quartz or filling veins with shiny stuff.
The rocks I use are either smooth, oval pond rocks, around 2-3 pounds each, or I use large, craggy rocks. First I base paint the craggy rock gold, silver or copper, then cover with clay, letting the metallics peak out. Then I seal them with clear acrylic so the garden soil and water don't mess them up.
On really hot days, I just bake my clay on the dashboard of my car, and park it in the sun. I swear, I could bake a turkey on that dashboard in the summer. Maybe a chicken in early fall.
Thank you for the tips on toxicity; I'll keep them in mind.
I don't use my oven much, but it's self cleaning and I blast it several times a year. So far so good.