# What do you do for a living? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 29, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850 "2005-03-29T23:46:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/61 "2005-04-06T02:45:20Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Look for the union label…blah blah blah blah… Nah. Unions are Pikers compared to us. Only the Feds have a bigger Racket. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/62 "2005-04-06T02:55:16Z")
Emperor. With a part time job of megalomania. ---
**Author:** ![bittersweet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bittersweet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bittersweet)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/63 "2005-04-06T03:09:22Z")
Currently, I’m responsible for helping generate junk mail, but hopefully won’t be for much longer. (Loosely translated, I’m an account manager for a direct mail company, and am looking to get the hell outta there.) What I _really_ want to do is kinda like what **LifeOnWry** does. That would be so awesome, and basically a dream come true for me. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/64 "2005-04-06T03:35:12Z")
Just look at my profile! My job title is (really, no lie) Technical BerufsBrauer Don’tcha love the marriage of English and German in that title? What does it mean? I make beer. ---
**Author:** ![Available\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@Available\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Available_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/65 "2005-04-06T03:55:03Z")
For a living, I’m a Key Operator, which means if your copier or laser printer is on the blink, I’m the first guy the help desk sends to fix it. I work for a subsidiary of Ricoh, as a contractor on site at a large pharmaceutical company that you probably know. For a hobby, I collect Hot Wheels. By the way, this is my first post. Hey y’all! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/66 "2005-04-06T04:10:25Z")
I design fancy shmancy computer-ish stuff that controls manufacturing plants. One teeny tiny mistake and I could kill thousands, maybe even millions (think Bhopal). On the other hand, if I do everything absolutely perfectly for the next 25 years, the folks around the office might take me out for a nice lunch when I retire. It’s the rewards that make it all worth it. Isn’t engineering great? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/67 "2005-04-06T04:45:37Z")
I don’t do nuthin. Once in a while I manage to get in a round of golf. Weekends piss me off because people from the working class are cluttering up my golf course. ---
**Author:** ![Kymodoce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8797f3/32.png) [@Kymodoce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kymodoce)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/68 "2005-04-06T14:54:20Z")
I do a number of things, but the most interesting sounding (perhaps… and yes, the pun is intended, for those who get it) is: **Hydrographic Surveyor.** ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/69 "2005-04-06T15:17:22Z")
Postpartum Registered Nurse, with a little Labor and Delivery thrown in. I assess newly delivered babies and moms, circulate in the OR for C/sections and help them recover from their recent adventures. I just got another raise and feel well-compensated for how much fun I’m having. For every needy, entitled, neurotic nutjob, there are two or three sweet, amazed and so-in-love-with-baby families that I want to go to work to share their joy. I’ll just over-medicate the whiners. ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/70 "2005-04-06T15:43:11Z")
Public Relations Coordinator for a travel and leisure oriented advertising, marketing and public relations firm. This means I support a team of account executives and a veep who service eleven different clients. My team specializes in grand openings. Most exciting accomplishment…six segments with Al Roker on the Today show when we opened Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show here in Orlando. (And, no, I didn’t get to meet Dolly. None of us peasants were allowed near.) It’s interesting work and I like my team mates. Can’t ask for much more. ---
**Author:** ![noname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@noname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noname)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/71 "2005-04-06T15:55:10Z")
Currently managing a fine balance between being unemployed and hitting the jackpot. I quit at the begining of the year, and have since started a magazine, but havent seen money from it till now. But theres always hope!! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/72 "2005-04-06T16:23:03Z")
> [@Cyn](#): > > I’ll just over-medicate the whiners. If you could work this into the real world of big bidness, you could make a mint. You are my new personal hero. ---
**Author:** ![noname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@noname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noname)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/73 "2005-04-06T17:48:22Z")
Currently managing a fine balance between being unemployed and being my own boss. I quit at the begining of the year, and have since started a magazine, but havent seen money from it till now. So while I am my own boss, its not as lucrative. At least not yet 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/74 "2005-04-06T17:54:46Z")
I am the Semi-Omnipotent Lord of IT. SOLIT. OK, so they refused to let me put that on my business cards. I’m a computer engineer, systems administrator, quasi-professor, deparment chair, consultant, and potentially will be an author if I ever get this freaking networking book finished. I really want to be a professional pillow tester. Sleep all day. ---
**Author:** ![j00licious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eada6e/32.png) [@j00licious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j00licious)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/75 "2005-04-06T18:53:57Z")
What actually contributes to my household income is my receptionist job. The rest of the time I free-lance for a local magazine and newspaper, and make feeble attempts to write fiction. …though I wouldn’t mind being a pirate. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/76 "2005-04-06T19:08:21Z")
[I fix nuclear reactors.](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/Henoder/NETL.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/77 "2005-04-06T21:41:21Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > [I fix nuclear reactors.](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/Henoder/NETL.jpg) way too cool! You should start an “ask the guy who fixes nuclear reactors” thread. I’ll start the questions: How long does it take you to: -suit up -scrub down/decontaminate & get out of your “suit” -What’s the most urgent task you’re ever had to do? most dangerous? most difficult? -how does your communication system work? who can you talk to? -is your umbillical just for power & comm, or also air? -how long do you go “in” for? -how big a worry is hydrogen buildup / spark/ignition avoidance? -how do your dosimeters work under your suit / how do you track your exposure? How close are you to your limit? -how much training did you have to do? -How hot is it where you work? does your suit have cooling? What about sweat? How do you keep your mask from fogging up? -Ever had the need to use the bathroom while suited up? Enquiring techies want to know! ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/78 "2005-04-06T23:31:28Z")
Technically, I’m a typsetter, but because I was on sick leave during the last training, I’m still working at my old position of EDGAR operator. Basically, I take financial reports that companies send to their stockholders and transform them into a form usable by the United States Securities and Excange Commision. This form is called EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering And Retreval). That and I post on the SDMB. Anything for money. ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/79 "2005-04-07T00:03:06Z")
Medical Technologist, medical research tech using affinity chromatography, HPLC, immunochemistry, and now training in PCR/hybridization. Possibly a future MS Biochemistry student, too. On the side, amateur radio operator, crew-in-training for the Red Cross ECRV, practitioner of slaughtering the French language (ask **Kiminy** ). Vlad/Igor ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850/80 "2005-04-07T14:14:02Z")
> [@trupa](#): > > How long does it take you to: > -suit up About 20 minutes. The biggest time consumer is taping all the dosimeters on. There are more of them actually inside the drysuit. > [@](#): > > -scrub down/decontaminate & get out of your “suit” About thirty minutes. We don’t actually have to scrub down. Water itself is not radioactive. But we have to be scanned carefully to make sure we didn’t pick up any metal debris that might be radioactive. > [@](#): > > -how does your communication system work? who can you talk to? It’s a standard four-wire diver’s comm setup. I can talk to the other diver and my tender on the surface. > [@](#): > > -is your umbillical just for power & comm, or also air? The umbilical supplies air, comm, power for the light and video from the camera. > [@](#): > > -how long do you go “in” for? Two, two and half hours at a time. Twice a day. I usually doesn’t do to try to hurry things along. > [@](#): > > -how big a worry is hydrogen buildup / spark/ignition avoidance? Hydrogen is not a factor. > [@](#): > > -how do your dosimeters work under your suit / how do you track your exposure? How close are you to your limit? We wear the visual type that has been waterproofed in a plastic bag on the outside of the drysuit. We also wear the little flat type that has to be processed offsite to determine the exposure on the inside. We also carry electronic dosimeters for spot readings. The fuel from the reactor has long since been removed. The only active stuff in the vessel is the stainless steel which we try to shield with lead pillows and water is a great attenuator. I can get more exposure laying out in the sun. > [@](#): > > -how much training did you have to do? I’ve been a diver for 20 years. I got 4 hours of rad training. > [@](#): > > -How hot is it where you work? The water temp is usually about 72f. > [@](#): > > does your suit have cooling? No. > [@](#): > > What about sweat? There is not much I can do about it. I do sweat. I don’t envy my tender when they are helping me out of my suit. > [@](#): > > How do you keep your mask from fogging up? Commercial defog solution. > [@](#): > > -Ever had the need to use the bathroom while suited up? My suit actually has a ‘relief’ zipper conveniently located. I only reduces the hassle a little bit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/296850.md?page=5)