What do you do in real life?

[chin_k]

Willywalderbeast's dinghy thread reminds me that some of you guys do some interesting things beside drive the Chinook.

I am pretty private individual, so I tends not to give out too much info, but here this is what I can say.

I am software programmer by trade. Trained as a chemist, but not making money with it. When not working, I am mostly trying to make my wife happy by working around the house. The Chinook is like a sanctuary for me and one of my sons when we want quiet time, even when it just park in the driveway.

I have many hobbies, but they were put on hold until all the kids are out of the door, which will be a few more years away. Currently, I think I spend most of my time working on the Chinook and the house.

[pdemarest]

In real life I'm retired. Spent 35 years working for the county in a variety of jobs, including training other staff. Worked part-time for UC Davis as an instructor for other county departments throughout California. Since retiring my main focus has been my grandchildren and I babysat them from the time they were born until my wife retired and took over the job two years ago. Aside from babysitting I spend a lot of time researching for things to do to my Chinook and travel planning. We also have a boat that we keep up at a lake near Sonora, CA and spend 5-6 long weekends a year camping at the lake and boating. However, the more time we spend traveling the less time we have for the boat so it may be up for sale soon. The remainder of my time is taken up by Rufus, our all-black German Shepard, who is now down to 110 lbs. after being put on a diet. I'm hoping to follow his example soon.

[SMan]

I retired 6 years ago. I spent most of my working career as a carpenter. I had a few detours over the years including getting my Bachelors Degree in Business. I also spent over a decade at a large aerospace company with my last position with them (in 1998) at their corporate HQ's as a Facilities Project Manager. (My wife spent 34 years as a Quality Assurance Inspector at the same aerospace company) After taking 6 months to travel in our RV I returned to work managing projects for a Fire Protection Company for a few years. My later years I went back to carpentry renovating foreclosed homes and apartments. My last real job took 2 years rescuing a body shop/towing business, owned by my Aunt, that had been neglected and embezzled from. All in all a varied and interesting working life.

Prior to retirement I took classes on building and repairing guitars (my main hobby) and have to date built 4. Seven months ago we downsized and moved into a much smaller one level home and have been very busy with updating it. (I hope to add an additional shop/garage soon) All this said we are finally to the point where we feel we can start taking some extended trips in our Chinook again.

[Willywalderbeast]

I retired 6 years ago. I spent most of my working career as a carpenter. I had a few detours over the years including getting my Bachelors Degree in Business. I also spent over a decade at a large aerospace company with my last position with them (in 1998) at their corporate HQ's as a Facilities Project Manager. (My wife spent 34 years as a Quality Assurance Inspector at the same aerospace company) After taking 6 months to travel in our RV I returned to work managing projects for a Fire Protection Company for a few years. My later years I went back to carpentry renovating foreclosed homes and apartments. My last real job took 2 years rescuing a body shop/towing business, owned by my Aunt, that had been neglected and embezzled from. All in all a varied and interesting working life.

Prior to retirement I took classes on building and repairing guitars (my main hobby) and have to date built 4. Seven months ago we downsized and moved into a much smaller one level home and have been very busy with updating it. (I hope to add an additional shop/garage soon) All this said we are finally to the point where we feel we can start taking some extended trips in our Chinook again.

SMan, what aerospace company if you don't mind me asking?

I work for Sikorsky Aircraft which is now owned by Lockheed Martin. We make military helicopters; Blackhawks, Seahawks, 53K heavy lift, etc. I'm an electrical installer which means I run all the wire harnesses, electrical components, and run some diagnostics. Took the job when I was 20yrs old because they paid 100% of college tuition and the pay was too good to pass up. But I ended up staying 11yrs now even after I finished my masters degree on their dime. Honestly I hate the job haha, but the money is too good and has kept me there.

On the side and what I'm more passionate about, I own some multifamily investment properties that I have bought and rehabbed. I'm hoping to get to the point in the near future where i can live off the income and travel full time in the RV! I'm currently also trying to buy or build a storage unit business for the simple fact that its one of the better absentee owner business out there. And because I own too many cars and never have enough space to store them haha. Im pretty much trying to do anything I can to be able to "semi-retire" soon and just travel the globe!

Looking back I wish I went to school for IT or something of that nature that would allow me to work remotely.

[chin_k]

I used to work in a restaurant in Connecticut around 80's and 90's and many of our customers works for Sikorsky. Many of them are very proud of their work, and I still have a few helicopter posters that they gave me as gifts.

I think it will be kind of funny if Willywalderbeast and I knew each other for 30 years already.

[Chinookers]

Now retired, I held a number of accounting and information systems positions within three different industries (oilfield services, environmental testing, and consumer products), culminating in an international role as Vice President of a power tools company. After the international gig, which spanned Europe the Middle East & Africa, my wife and I headed back to CA where we hung out at our beach condo for a year or two before deciding to buy a business (high end custom frames and display cabinets) which we ran for about ten years. We sold that five years ago, since which time we've been on the road 6 or 7 months out of every year, although this year it will likely be less. Current interests include cooking, spending time with my dog, Joanie, doing a little pistol shooting, and studying Buddhism, Modern Psychology, & the Science of Well Being.

[SMan]

SMan, what aerospace company if you don't mind me asking?

Boeing in the Seattle area.

[Kirah]

I'm a user experience designer and developer for a mid-size software company. Other jobs have included technical writing (software manuals), 3D modeling (from scan point data collected from industrial plants and oil platforms), user research, and tech support.

My main hobbies are photography, building and fooling around with computers, and keeping tropical aquariums, but I also dabble in fiber arts (dyeing, spinning, weaving, sewing), gardening, and paper crafts (book-binding, origami). I'm currently learning to build furniture with hand tools and grill a decent steak. And, of course, traveling whenever I can sneak off with the camper, and planning trips whenever I can't sneak off.

[Willywalderbeast]

I used to work in a restaurant in Connecticut around 80's and 90's and many of our customers works for Sikorsky. Many of them are very proud of their work, and I still have a few helicopter posters that they gave me as gifts.

I think it will be kind of funny if Willywalderbeast and I knew each other for 30 years already.

Small world! I doubt we've known each other for 30 years since I'm only 30 years old haha

Boeing in the Seattle area.

Oh nice. My buddy is thinking of relocating up there as his wife has had many job offers from Boeing.

[chin_k]

Small world! I doubt we've known each other for 30 years since I'm only 30 years old haha

Majority of the Chinook owners that I encountered tends to be much older than 30 yrs old. My guess is the average is around 50 yrs old, and that's because I don't want people to get offended . I think you are the youngest among us.