This is my "other" job (when I'd rather be @ home Quilting!!)

[nineva]

Shana, i LOVE jumping out of planes. Have done it 3 times so far and plan on doing more this summer. DH says he won\'t go with me, so my DS and I do it. I also have my Harley, which is coming home in July. Or maybe it\'s going to SanDiego. DS is hinting! But I gotta ride first. Then to make money to do all this, I am a real estate broker, you know the one that is supposed to be in charge of all the agents. Except our office is a two person office and we are both brokers. I work with my ex, (which tends to remind me of why he is an ex) and I only sell raw land all over the northern counties of Idaho and Eastern Washington. I get to be outside nearly everyday and even snowshoe or cross country ski in the winter to show property. My Lola is now set up at our office so I can quilt and still work with land clients at the same time! Maybe now that I am home again I\'ll take off all this "city" weight and get back to normal. I love my life and would not change a thing other than to have honey moving to Idaho sooner than June.

Nancy

:D:D:D:D:D:D

[jmcclannan]

Barb - I was on in the 70s when Chuck Woolery was the host. ( I guess that tells you how ooooold I am:P) I won carpeting for my house, crystal, and a few other things. Wasn\'t it fun??

[teachmusic]

Hello all -

I am about to retire from one of the coolest jobs possible: I teach music in elementary schools! I actually get paid to go to work and sing song with kids all day! However, I\'ve been doing this for 27 years and I\'m very tired. I\'m buying a LA machine from another manufacturer and going into the business.

I really enjoy reading this forum - I\'ve learned alot and will keep reading!:cool:

[Gretchen]

I am mostly a lurker on this site but many of you know me from MQR. I will try to be more active here in the future. I love reading about your other lives. Isn\'t it interesting that so many of us are teachers an nurses? I am neither, but I do administrative work for a car club. We publish a magazine for Volvo owners and for the past 18yrs I have also run the national events. It has allowed us to visit some wonderful places over the years but now I want to stay home and quilt! Here is a picture of me last year at a big show in Carlisle, PA. I am third from the left, DH is in the orange hat.

[Kathleen]

My "job" is being a full time college student (education major~UNI \'10) and mom to four great kids, twins in college and youngest daughter going in the fall, then a 15 year old son still at home. Widowed in \'05, quilting became a sort of therapy for me and helps me handle my grieving still to this day. I am also a new Rep for APQS and very excited for my future with such an awesome company! I have my own quilting business that I run out of my home and it\'s my desire to take it to the next level and just see what God has in store for me... cause I know it\'s going to be an amazing journey!

Unfortunately I don\'t get to wear a cool hat like Shana or scuba/sky dive... I think it would be amazing to deliver babies!!

I am a master at home demolition oops I mean remodeling... I can tear it out... just can\'t put it back!! LOL

Mary Beth... I think you might have discalcula... LOL

[Farmwife Darlene]

I\'ve worked in a family practice medical office for 20 years now doing administrative stuff. Taking care of filing insurances, helping with patients any way that I can, etc. It has been rewarding but is getting tiring due to the constant complainers and those who "demand it right now." Now in a position where I have to deal with staff issues and patient complaints which is draining. It does help to pay the bills and for my quilting habit!

I do enjoy helping my DH on the farm and working with my flowers at home. I\'m active at church and spend a week as a counselor at church camp each summer. In fact instead of working at church camp this year I\'m going to the Ukraine for 2 weeks to do a bible camp there for 1 week and then humanitarian aide the 2nd week! I\'m so excited. I\'ll be working with 150 orphans the 1st week and more the 2nd week!!!

Plus I love quilting!!! It\'s so relaxing!!!! :D

[Sherri]

Wow! This is a fun thread....I love reading the stories of your "other lives"!

I\'ve also worked in several different fields - and pretty much had a blast doing it.

I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska - moved there when I was four years old - went through school, got married at 19 and moved to Fairbanks where I worked at a Cessna Pilot Center as an aircraft dispatcher. Loved that job! That\'s when I got my pilot\'s license....it was so cheap to fly, I couldn\'t pass up the chance.

After a few years I moved back to Anchorage and went to work for SOHIO Alaska Petroleum, which at the time, did a LOT of work with the Alaska Pipeline. I was based in Anchorage, but also filled in on the North Slope as needed for a couple years.

Later, I worked as a circulation manager for a weekly newspaper in Littleton, CO. Then we moved to Overland Park, KS where I worked as the warranty department manager for a manufacturer of an electronic leak detection system - that at the time was using new and "not tested enough" technology.....kept the warranty department VERY busy! Too busy, in fact. Very stressful.

It was along about then that I decided to try the work-from-home gig. I managed a home-based, virtual office for a sales rep.....very laid-back, low stress. Quite a change! The daily commute sure was short!

The best part is that it freed me up to do more quilting......

Before I knew it, I quit the home office and started quilting full time. I have taken a couple of temporary, part-time positions - mostly to get me out of the house for a little while, cuz, let\'s face it.....machine quilting can be fairly isolating. (Or am I the only one who feels that way?) But those jobs only lasted a few months each - and now I\'m back in the basement quilting my brains out....trying to get all these graduation and wedding quilts done! Don\'t ya just love this time of year? Almost as busy as Christmas!

Anyway - I love this forum.....I mostly lurk....but it sure helps me to not feel so all alone when I read the boards every day.

Take care everyone! MQS is right around the corner! And right down the street from me......hope to see some of you there!

[QuiltSnob]

What do I do when not quilting? I am in charge of procurement for a large Alaskan company, Chugach Alaska Corp. It seems strange I know but I love it and it enables me to buy the fabric I want to work on. Our company is moving to a new building next month and I have bought the new furniture for this as well as hiring the movers and leasing the new printers for this project. Many more things that goes along with a move of this size. I love the whole idea of saving money and always getting the best value for you dollar. We all work at very different jobs but we all love our quilts!

[DB]

Kathleen, Like you I lost my husband in 2005. I have 3 boys at home, now 13,15,and 17. I frequently used and still use quilting as an escape, kind of like a therapy, so I know what you are talking about. I sometimes look at my quilts and think "Oh, when I was working on this one this was happening in my life." It\'s a great hobby, as well as this chat site, when you need a pick me up. Good luck on your new position at APQS and on getting your college degree I\'m sure it will open many doors for you. Dianne

[janeta]

Well, I am currently a stay at home mom to a senior in high school. He really doesn\'t need me to stay home, but what the heck! It gives me time to play. I have worked in fast food, grocery stores, managed an arts and crafts shop, sanded dulcimers (applachian musical instruments) and helped sell them, and taught high school for 15 years (biology, ecology, anatomy and physiology and earth science). I have travelled quite a bit as my dad was in the army for twenty years and after getting married we lived in KY, IN, AL, TN and now OH! I have been enjoying going on quilting retreats, being involved in a quilt guild and spending time with friends, so hopefully I can remain a stay at home mom as I am now very spoiled. In two weeks I am going to a guilt retreat with my quilt guild "Common Threads", we are going to Zinck\'s Inn in Berlin, Ohio. If you have never been there, it is Amish country with great shopping, including Millers Fabric Shop, and great food; not to mention the beautiful countryside, people and comraderie that takes place during our retreat. I also have a millie that I have just begun quilting for others. I did four quilts in one month from three members of my guild. I am pretty excited about that. I don\'t care to be too overwhelmed with customer quilts as I want time to do my own, but I would definitely love to fund my habit "fabric junkie"! Hope this isn\'t too long or boring, but I have enjoyed reading what everyone else does in their non-quilting time. Thanks for starting this thread Shana! Janet

[ffq-lar]

Waitress.

Restaurant manager.

Restaurant owner (what was I thinking!)

Meat wrapper.

(Union steward)

Checker/scan integrity manager.

Bookkeeper.

During all this I was a knitter/ crocheter/ beader/ jewelry maker/ sculpy clay player/ lace maker/ antiquer/ quilter/ and now Milli owner/ business woman.

Married to my best friend and have one son.

No grandkids in sight--anybody want to share theirs?

Oh, and I have a great group of friends that I have never seen!!

[barbm]

Linda,

If someone\'ll share their grandkids with you, would they share with me, too? My boys are in their middle 20s, no wives/babies in sight. I scared \'em good a few years back, when I got back into quilt-piecing - I told them I didn\'t want to do just charity quilts, so "How about I do wedding quilts for youse guys?" [insert "deer in the headlights" look here!]

[narink]

Lucky for me, this year I was allowed to move from full time to part-time teaching. I teach Advanced Placement Composition to 11th graders at a local high school that is only two years old. Next year we will graduate our first senior class. Today I just found out, that due to state budget cuts (I live in California) I will have approximately 45-50 students per class. And I thought that 35-39 this year was a lot! I still love teaching, though, and am not old enough to retire yet. Give it a few more years--and hopefully not all of those years with those class sizes.

Nancy in Bakersfield

[Merryjo2003]

I retired about 6 months ago. I was a Deputy Sheriff for the last 14 years. Quilted on my days off for the last 3 years. I was medically retired due to an on-the-job injury. Now I can quilt full time. That is, when my "honey do" list isn\'t overwhelming! Keeps me busy and out of trouble!

[LeeAnn]

I am interested to see how many nurses quilt! I, too, am an RN working in a clinic 2-3 days per week. Been there 20 years.

Not a grandma yet, but impatiently waiting!!! My friends shares hers with me!

Julie, I was also on a game show "Family Fued" in 1980 with Richard Dawson (does that tell you how old I am?!) We didn\'t win and got some "nice parting gifts" but they did fly us to CA for a couple days and gave us money to eat on but being the good Dutch people we are we ate much cheaper and then had more money to spend on sight seeing!

Quilting is also therapy for me. If I am having "one of those days" DH tells me to go quilt for awhile. Gotta love that man!

I am still just quilting for myself as I am a newbie. Right now that is all I want to do. We will see if that feeling lasts.

Thanks, Shana for starting this post. It lets me get to know everybody better.

[victoriasews]

Right now I am quilting close to full time. I quit working at a quilt shop longarming so I\'d have more time. lol! I\'m much busier with the business at home. Before that, I worked in a nursery planting, ordering, selling, helping people choose plants for landscaping, and hauling the latest new plants home. (Had to make sure I knew what I was recommending. lol) I homeschooled for 10 years and before that, I worked at Purdue in accounting.

It\'s hard to believe my degree was Recreation and Spanish, huh? My husband says I got my degree in "play" and I do that very well.

[qualityquilter]

You people are terrific! How do you ever manage to get everything done - AND produce such great quilting! To a pretty new long-armer you are quite an inspiration!

[Judi]

Nice to get to know some of you better! Welcome to the newbies that posted here as well - keep talking with us - we like that!!;)

I did help deliver my sister first 2 babies at home. Just us, thought about being a Midwife..... never did.

Now I quilt fulltime, just need to make more time to do my own quilts once in awhile......

[jmyhogan]

What a Great thread.

In the Army I was a Dental Tech stationed in Heidelberg, Germany for 3 1/2 yrs,

Then I was a Respiratory Therapy Tech for 25 years.

In between some of those years I was a lab worker in Surgical Research at Loma Linda University.

After experiencing "burn out" for the Respiratory thing I went to work for a Grocery Chain (Fred Meyer) and was a grocery checker for 8 years. I was the person on the late shift that had to cash all of the paroll and similar checks. I got to the point that I knew when someone got into my line if they were going to try to pass a bogus check. Had to find ways of keeping them waiting while I got the check examiner on the line to notify security. This was a daily occurance.

I am so grateful to be retired and be making and quilting. I am grateful for this site where I have met so many great people and learned so much about many things.

[Marlette]

Shana you look positively dashing! You actually did say you were second on the right the first time or did I miss something?

Ramona, my youngest son writes software for top secret stuff for the military, my brother did tech writing for the military..wrote the manual for operating the Bradley personnel carrier and how to assmble and take down the engine on a deuce and a half transport truck.

As for me..was a surgical tech and L&D tech , cancer research assistant all at U of Cinncinati. Interior designer for Ethan Allen and then my own studio, custom clothier, quilter/art quilter. I ski (won slalom in Germany in 1970), sail, cook great dinners according to the priests of my parish and everyone who\'s eaten my cooking and best of all, wife of 43 yrs, mom of 4 sons and grandma to 4 (2 + 2). I like to try new things....can\'t ya tell?!

[Marlette]

Janet, Your sound like me..moving all over the place. We\'ve been in our house 27 yrs and I think I\'ve finally stopped moving the furniture around. When we moved in I told my husband,"Do you know this is the 33rd place I\'ve lived in my 34 yrs?"

Nope, my pop was not in the military..he was a general dealership manage for GM and then was a top salesman for Dodge-Chrysler all over the OH,KY,and IN area.

DH and I lived in 11 places including 2 in Germany while in the USA. Got to clarify the ski trophy..I won in the military ski club in Kossen, Austria. It was really neat tho as I beat 22 other skiers and I\'d only started skiing the year before.

[GramieSnooks]

Jim told me about this great thread. So great to know so much more about you. Interesting that so many are in health services and education. As Jim mentioned he was a respiratory therepist for 25 years and I just retired after 22 years of working in Special Ed. Rewarding work but exhausting too. I went to work when our youngest child,number seven, was in the third grade. It was great to be home when the kids didn\'t have school.

Linda and Barb, we have grandbabies to share. Our 21st, a girl, is due to arrive in late July; and we just got back from a trip to Utah to see our oldest granddaughter graduate from BYU. Grandbabies are what makes all the effort of parenting worthwhile! Life is good.

[Calicoquilter]

Aren\'t quilters an interesting bunch? I work 3rd shift at a Police Department transcribing the police reports which the officers dictate into their MP3 players and then upload to the computer. I have been a Records Clerk, Evidence Technician, Police Dispatcher and Library Technician. I have worked for four police departments and two libraries in three different states (we have moved a lot, also).

Colleen

[matildanme]

Scuba Julie, I love that photo, ever so cool!

The coolest thing I can do is rollerskate lol.

Thus far I have been a retail clerk, office clerk, nanny, speech therapy assistant, cleaner, physio assistant, and these days apart from quilting I demonstrate craft products (mainly Clover) at craft shows. Most of these jobs have been part time as I\'m a lucky full time mum to 2 lovely children. I must say that I\'m very content with my lot.

Happy Mothers day to all for tomorrow! (if you aint one...you got one, so this is for her:)

Cheers

[Melora]

Ok,

I am also a stay at home mom with one child left in the nest who really doesnt\'t need me. I seem t be obsolete in that dept.

I worked with at risk handicapped infant and toddlers for 10 years then moved up to the aging. My last paid job was a psychiatric social worker. I decided living in poverty was better for my family then that heavy of a job. I taught sewing to middle schoolers, in a public school (as a volunteer) for ten years and recently took that shingle down. I am thinking of going back to work but I want a no management low paying job just to get me out of my basement (which is my quilting studio).

My mid life crisis is a scooter (vespa) I live in a city and have been riding for three years now When I am not quilting I am out riding. I made my husband (also my best friend) get a scooter he now loves it. We live in Oregon so we are fair weather riders and the weather is getting fair.

This is a great thread

Melora