In Y2K, I worked for a corporation that manufactured consoles for medical labs to do blood panels and urinalyses with. My job was basically quality assurance (configuring software, testing functionality, and then cleaning up and sending the unit out for shipment).
Today, I work for the USPS, in a mail processing and distribution facility. Whichever processing/sorting system I’m assigned to each day, I mostly sit around and wait for the operators to let me know that there’s a problem; then I go and fix it, so they can get back to processing the mail. Sometimes, I can tell something needs fixing without being called, just by changes in the sounds coming from the machine.
I was in the Debate club back in high school, buty I did not know that about Ripon. All I knew about that community is it claims (credibly) to be the birthplace of the Republican Party, and of course, the home of Rippin’ Good Cookies (sadly no more).
Sadly, the headquarters of the National Forensic League (now the National Speech and Debate Association) moved a couple of years ago to West Des Moines, Iowa.
Definition of forensic (Entry 1 of 2)
1 : belonging to, used in, or suitable to courts of judicature or to public discussion and debate
a lawyer’s forensic skills
2 : ARGUMENTATIVE, RHETORICAL
forensic eloquence
In 2000 I was a mechanic in the army. Since then I’ve done delivery and installation of fitness equipment, worked making custom fitted marine textiles mainly boat covers and tops, with a smattering of other small cut n sew jobs for flavor, took a stab at turning civilian wrenches (not at all like being a military mechanic and I hated it) janitored for a few months just to keep thr income flowing(ladies, wtf is with the floor drips in front of the toilets?) Stayed at home to Dad while the Mrs went to Iraq for about a year and now I’m a mover. So, the jobs have changed but the basic nature, working with hands/labor hasn’t. Makes me happy.
Ha, no! The mom-and-pop will always be a mom-and-pop because the owner is an extreme micro-manager. There is a limit to how big one can grow a company while maintaining absolute control over every aspect of the business. That limit is very low. It took me way too long to figure that out.
2000: working in drug regulation (licence application and maintenance) in a largish Pharma company. Everything we did, everything submitted to government authorities was on paper.
2017: retired after 13 years of self-employment as a consultant in drug regulation, both true freelancing (servicing client companies) and also associated with a consultancy group. By 2017 this was the group that took over the group that took over the group that took over the group I started out with. Everything submitted to government authorities was e-published by specialist e-publishing departments (which, incidentally, made true independence as a consultant next to impossible. A good time to retire).
In 2000 I worked exclusively in an office. In 2017 I worked exclusively from home; I had an office address for the work with the consultancy group, in a building I had never seen and could not have found on a map.
actually, I should correct this- while I still work in the same area of automotive, in Y2k I was working at a Tier 1 supplier. today I actually work at a car company.
Y2K: just started a new job with a small civil law firm after years doing criminal defense. Personal life in shambles, financial life not much better.
Now: second in command at the firm, which has grown five-fold since I joined (not that I get all the credit). Personal life great, financial life great.
In 2000 I had just left the military and was doing construction work. That would last for about 3 years and then I started working for the gubmint, and I am still. I started as a civilian in law enforcement and now I’m a regulatory investigator at the DOT.
In the year 2000 I was a high school student in 10th grade wondering how I’d make a living in the next little while. I loved music and wanted to work in the music field.
I later studied music at McGill, starting in 2003, and graduated in 2007.
These days I’m a professional composer and music arranger. I’m fortunate to work in my field, and to be able to have work that I can fit around my numerous health difficulties.
I was a college student back then. Since then, I had a ten year teaching career that I decided to forsake for a career in IT. I am still working in a school district and serving education, just in a different capacity.
**2000 **-- I was a technical writer (waves at Spoons) for a mid-sized government contractor. I’d graduated from college in 1993, but spent 5 years temping and doing contract work. In 1998 I got a job as a technical writer.
**2019 **-- I’m a proposal manager for a large government contractor. I have a master’s degree now. My salary has increased by 216%.