back when computers filled an entire room and a disk looked like a movie theater reel!

Uh....what disk? When I started it was all on punch cards, some big tape reels, and print output. I remember when disk storage came in with the IBM 360/model 25 (model 20 had no hard disk).

monica that's what I was talking about those big tape reels...I suppose it wasn't considered a "disk"...excuse ME!

I was an electron microscopist when that was still a relatively young field. I worked first in a VA hospital pathology lab, then later in a semiconductor research facility.

Later I ran upholstery business, and then a needlework finishing business.

I taught senior high school English for 33 years.

I've done many things but I've been in Social Services for about 20 years.

Banking..and I am very glad I am retired!

I planned to be a singer (Had a beautifulvoice now just a squeek)Did some time in the AF ended up over 30 years in banking and finance (loaning $$ to corporations) loved the work and miss it but not the office politics

Remember that I am almost 89 years old! Have done many things, starting as an elementary teacher in a country school when I was not quite 17. I graduated from High School at age 15.

During WW2 I quit teaching, took a Radio Engineering course which led me to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. After the war I Worked as a Training Director in a rather high class department store until my first child was due.

When kids were old enough I worked as a secretary at Sears, then as a Research Librarian at a publishing company until it was bought out. Then worked as proofreader/ copy editor until my husband retired and for a short while after.

Seniorgal

I always had office positions. The final stage of my
life I'm working at a Science Center at the Welcome Desk.
Looking forward to SSI next year.

I currently own an entertainment company (10.5 years) servicing all kinds of corporate, community, and private events. I'm also a paid professional Calligrapher. Before that, I worked in corporate America on the administrative side of marketing doing graphic design, building marketing strategies, statistical analysis reporting, etc.

I worked for nearly 30 years in the federal government. Started as a secretary, switched to administrative work; worked my way up to become an Administrative Officer, then an Executive Officer, then a Personnel Officer. Took early retirement at age 46. I absolutely loved my job, but I love the freedom of retirement more!

What a diversified group of KT'ers we have here :o)
Most interesting reading and a great thread!

I worked in Hotels, Restaurants & Country clubs as a waitress most of my adult life. I had lots of other odd & temporary jobs mixed in between. Ranging from dog groomer to courthouse clerk. You name it I tried it.

I was in the restaurant business for 30 years. Did everything from hostessing, waitressing, bussing, cooking, dishwashing and managing. I kept at as my part time jobs for years, but finally last year I got tired of working two jobs 7 days a week. I have been in the the automotive business now for 13 years now. Started out with Daimlerchrysler and now with Toyota.

Very interesting jobs all of you have. I worked as a Psychiatric Technician in a state hospital for the developmentally disabled for 13 years, went back to college for my RN degree and worked as a RN for the next 16 years retiring 5 years ago. After moving to Mo. worked in a hospital as staff RN for a year then went to a health dept. in the neighboring county as a Community Health Nurse. When my county finally passed a tax to set up a health dept. I was hired as Adm. and started getting things in order for a county health dept. My first day I had a desk and antique exam table, that was donated by a local physician, and nothing else, not even a chair and I had to borrow one.
I retired 5 years ago from nursing, but still work at my thrift shop that I run 4 days a week.

I was a legal assistant for 26 years and now I do legal transcription from home. I LOVE working from home.

I am an RN and worked in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit full time for 32 years. Technically I am still on staff but I was sidelined by cancer 11 years ago and the side effects from treatments have prevented me from going back to work. I tried, because I loved my job and planned to work until I retired but it just was too much for me to handle. Chemo brain (fog), fatigue and a severe case of lymphedema prevented my return. Now it may be just as well since the cancer looks like it is back.

Before marriage worked briefly at the phone company
(directory assistance), dept. store, and at a bank (Mastercharge dept).
Didn't work out side the home for awhile after marriage & kids, did
child care, later Walmart (jewelry dept) for a year.
For the past 20 (?) years DH and I have been landlords of
rental properties we've bought (and sold).

I'm sorry to hear that Heather.

I've worked since I was 11 years old, babysitting, worked in fast food and a casino restaurant as a teenager, worked at a factory after high school and joined the Air Force at 21. I was a maintenance scheduler for A-10 engines and later F-16s. Got out after 7 years (big mistake- I could've been long since retired now if I had stayed in), married and was a SAHM for years. Went to work doing clerical work at a few jobs before I had my son and then when he was a toddler but then decided to stay home full time. Until I realized we were never going to make it and went back to work to be a RN. I love my patients but wish I had picked a different occupation. We work so hard and are so under appreciated by management. We get new people and they leave, we lost another brand new person last week. Two more are leaving now.

University professor of literature, writer, and editor. Love my job--very rewarding and always interesting! Besides teaching and research, I have frequent consulting requests (for example, writing/editing for publishing firms) on the side.

I started out doing Direct marketing out of college. From there, I moved to Search marketing, and now I'm an analyst for an online company that manages these ads you all hate for our clients. :)

I query data, manipulate it then tell a story with it, essentially. I love what I do.

I want to eventually do analysis for a gaming company out in California.

I was a federal government employee for 31 years, worked for Social Security, mostly public contact. Loved my job (a mix of customer service and computers). Retired in 2005 due to bad health, now retired and love the fact time is all my own. But I didn't get away from the alarm clock. I get up three days a wqeek at 4 am to get to the hospital for kidney dialysis, a definite bummer.

I've worked in retail the majority of my life, owned a flower shop for 25 years, worked at a Hallmark store and Bath and Body Works and I now work at a large garden center in the giftware dept and on the registers.

I started working for a family owned custom cabinet shop 24 years ago when I wanted a break from college. I started entry level manufacturing as summer help...one promotion led to another and I have held many different positions since. Currently I am a sales rep and travel a good bit of the country visting my accounts.
I absolutely love my employer, but my dream job at this stage of my life would be to work for a custom builder as a project manager. (that is if the economy improves enough for the building industy to rebound)
All-in-all, I have been very fortunate in my work life.

My degree is in languages, I am certified to teach German and French, however, I have worked in accounting for the last 24 years at a company that has resorts in Austria. I enjoy it, the company is fantastic to work for, and I still get to use my German at times.

I taught special education first in a private, residential school and then in a public school. Although I made a lot more money in the public sector, I really did not like the job. The expectations were unreasonable to say the least. I retired in 2003 and love it.

My first job was at an telephone answering service as an operator. It was a very fast paced job...long before recorded messages, answering machines and voice mail. I loved it.

Next I worked at Sears in the Home Fashions and Custom Decorating departments. That was back when a clerk actually helped the shopper meet their needs, then went to the register with them and checked them through. I loved the interaction with customers.

When the large Sears store became too much for me, I went to work at a Small Women's Boutique. The specialty there was personal fitting of bras, all undergarments, swim suits for the hard to fit woman and prosthesis, mastectomy bras and wigs for the cancer ravaged woman. Women in crisis are a strong and inspiring bunch. We also served several 'clients' of the transvestitte/transgender persuasion with dignity...short of personal fittings in the dressing rooms. It was a rewarding and fun job.

I have been retired since 1999.

Like Wanda and Jannie, I worked 31 years for the Federal Government. I was with U.S.Customs, now Customs & Border Protection. Till 1988, I was an Inspector, working with passengers and cargo, then I moved to Commercial Operations. There I dealt with business importers.

I retired in 2005, and haven't looked back!

Ellen

I worked for Braniff Intl where I met my husband. I temped at the Mary Kay Cosmetics HQ while pregnant with my oldest. Went back there when Braniff folded.

I've been a training secretary for a Japanese car company, at a hospital and temped a lot between. Became an exec admin asst for a telecommunications company til they started layoffs almost quarterly . Took their package and my granddaughter was born a month later.

We have custody and have been home with her since. Looking for something again to help pay off medical bills.

I was a kindergarten teacher for 22 years. Retired in '04 but have tutored and worked on a team of retired teachers to do testing for grant programs as needed. Absolutely LOVED teaching when it was permitted to have fun while learning. Now not so much!

Nurse since 1984. Started in neonatal ICU, went to Peds ICU, had DD and couldn't handle the job anymore. Drove home crying more than not I think due to hormones and sadness of the job. Went to adult ICU until I went to anesthesia school in 1992. Now am a certified registered nurse anesthetist, working in a small hospital in a week on/week off position. I love it as it is always different and challenging and we provide a much needed service in the rural communities. (DH is also a CRNA but at a different hospital).

Strated out as a beautician. Got my license at age 16 so that my senior year I could got to school half day and work half day. Worked for others and then had my own shop for a few years. Then started working part-time in a funeral home as a night sitter in th 70's. In 1987 the secretary unexpectedly died and I was asked to work till they could find a full time secretary. The director never looked for one and I still hold that position as well as licensed to sell pre-need policies. Guess I'll be like the lady I replaced and work till forever because I don't plan to willfully retire. I will be 62 in a couple of months.

I've been an RN since 1968. Worked Peds, Med-Surg and Psych. Went back to school to get a Masters and then taught Nursing school for 18 years. Then became a school nurse for the last 10 years and just retired this July! I'm looking forward to having all kinds of time to do all the things I always wanted to do! In between all the working I had two wonderful children and now 2 Grandchildren also!
Joann

I was a High School Business teacher for 33 years.

Taught a variety of business subjects: Keyboarding, Business Math, Business Law, PowerPoint, plus others.

This September will be five years retired...loving it!

~Carol~

I've been a SAHM for the last 14 years. I've only volunteered in the kid's school and library, as well as all their sports programs.

I was a Paramedic prior to that, and loved it, but seemed to lose my edge after my second son was born. He made me too emotional I guess. I found myself not wanting to run calls anymore for fear of them involving children. After a few years I was over that and felt I could go back, but DH and I both felt it was important for me to be home. I'm glad I did, although I think they wish I wasn't at home as much now.

I did a whole mish-mash of jobs before that.

I was originally a dental hygienist but knew I hated that after about a year. I chose that because I liked science and health and had to pay for college myself. I knew I could get done in less than four years and make a decent living while I decided what I really wanted to do. I finished my Bachelors degree in Public Health and stumbled into healthcare IT by chance in the 80s when computers weren't so common. I started doing training and technical support and over the years have worked my way up close to the top. I have a great job with a great company and though I work long and hard I love it. No plans to retire as long as I enjoy what I do and am able to do the job well.

Have worked two different jobs as a secretary, A/R, A/P type stuff (insurance, etc.) Taught school 28 years, 11 years in third grade and 17 years in Gifted and Talented education. Did data entry work for a local hospital in the inpatient rehab department after retiring from teaching. Haven't done anything the last six years. Pay stinks but the benefits are wonderful!

I have been a SAHM for the past 27 years and during those years became a "professional" volunteer at various organizations. Prior to being a SAHM I grew up and worked in our family owned restaurant which opened in the late 50's, passed through 3 generations and we finally closed in 2001. After high school I became a dental assistant, but gave that up and went back to the family business full time. Currently I am a SAHM to a lab puppy :)

My husband and I have been in the car buisness for 25 years. We sell used cars, and carry most of the contracts ourselves. At one time we had 3 diffrent locations, but are now down to just one. My job is working on accounts recievable, billing, and at times even repossion.
We are looking forward to retirement, probibly with in the next 5 years. Just hoping property values will increase so we may do so comfortably.

My career began in the 7th grade when my little town opened a community library and I was hired to work 9 hours a week after school as a page and do clerical work for 70 cents an hour. Babysitting only paid 50 cents.

When I was 16 I started working 25 hours a week in the supermarket and managed to pay my way through college and graduate school.

After receiving my MLS (Master of Library Science) I went back to my first love - the library- and worked for the Free Library of Philadelphia for 8 years until we started a family.

I was a stay home Mom and when the kids started school I volunteered at their school library and then branched out into other volunteer jobs in the schools and whatever sports my kids were playing (soccer, lacrosse, football, ice hockey, track, golf).

Now I'm looking forward to DH retiring- hopefully within the year and to the day when I become a Grandmom.

I'm an elementary school teacher, currently in Pre-K.

My last job was working in the hospital. First as a Blood Gas Tech and then I worked in the Sleep Lab. Then retired.

I started working in the horticulture industry at age 15 when my older brother opened his own greenhouse business. After getting a degree in horticulture I started working retail, then switched to grounds maintenance. For the last 15 years I've had my own landscape maintenance business.

Ron

I'm about two weeks shy of my 62nd birthday and I've been working since I was 18, so I've had a bit of variety. I've been a medical office manager for 5 OB/GYNs, a phlebotomist in a hospital, a paralegal (which is how I met my husband, an attorney), and a real estate appraiser.

Currently I am an Active Directory administrator (with Domain Administrator rights). We have nearly 4,000 users on our network. I'm responsible for all user accounts (creation, modification, disabling, deleting), e-mail distribution groups, network security groups, etc. Never a dull moment!

mostly sahm, but did a few years w/phone co. first as info operator, then their plant office (in fact my water broke at the office, lol)

worked for a daycare, and then for a while at school dist as a roving aid...that was fun. you never knew from one day to the next which school or type of classroom...

I had a 36 year career as an RN. Everything from staff RN, head nurse, infection control, manager, clinical instructor for student RN's, to manager of Utilization Review. I was working in the Case Management department when I retired 8 yrs ago.

While it was all rewarding & fulfilling it was also very stressful too much of the time. So now I just play & enjoy retirement to the fullest. Life could hardly be better!

I started out as a legal secretary but art was my love soo I went to hair dressing school so I could pursue my art while having a career. I worked hard and then purchased a building in which to house my salon. I had a plan to work six days till I paid off 1/3 of my mortgage on the business, then the next plan to work five days until I paid off another third, then 3 days till the day I retired. Needless to say I paid off a 30 year mortgage in 10 years as I was dying to work part time and do art. I went on to have a successful career in sculpture, painting, carving and pottery. I don't regret one minute of all of it, it was more than wonderful.

Cosmetologist, retired but still have a active license.

I started in 1969 as a piano technician for 80 cents an hour...I still use it to this day as far as the furniture refinishing...
After a run at Lucky Steer Steak House, a Credit Reporting Agency and five years in a bank I left to become a Flight Attendant and have done that for 34 years this November!

I spent 12 years at the telephone company. I worked directory assistance,and then long distance, I also helped with keeping the directory up -to-date and with keeping track of the hours everyone worked.

I stayed home for a couple of years and when DD started school. I was bored and started working at the University of Georgia part time. Eventually, had part-time hours and full time work so I went to full time. I worked for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education. We provided cont. Ed. seminars for attorneys. I was an Event Planner officially but didn't plan the events. (go figure). I got the programs after they were over. I was the person that everyone went to when they needed something done yesterday.

I retired May 1, 2010 but did go back to work in Feb. & March to help out during their busy time. It was nice. I was just part-time again and just had to go do my job and go home. No responsibility! The money was nice too.

Linda