After school I had no direction and so fell into newspaper delivery for awhile; I met a lot of interesting people, but it wasn’t very lucrative.
A career change and I went to work lay’n track for the Milwaukee railroad. I made better money, but, that was real work; so there I learned what I didn’t want to do.
I then got a job as a printing press operator, less strenuous, but that was inky-dirty. As a printer, nor matter how hard I scrubbed, I could never get all the ink off my hands and so I left finger prints on everything I touched: walls, doors, even my then girlfriend; that job just wasn’t my answer.
Switching careers, l landed a jewelry apprenticeship and in searching I bounced between half a dozen manufacturing, repair and special order companies. Eventuality though I apprenticed with a Bavarian master jeweler and became a certified journeyman jeweler; that was an education.
Started my own small special-order jewelry company, but that eventually became frustrating because, no matter how hard I worked, I made a living, but no real money. So, while keeping my own company, I went back to school for awhile and then began a side business managing anther jewelry company; that was an eye opener.
Then fortune landed me a position as a Reginal Manager with a multi-national retailer, this job was much more lucrative but survival meant countless hours at work and it was all consuming. After 25 years in the retail jungle with this company I “semi-retired” two years ago; that was a relief.
This company still sub-contracts work to me from time to time and this kills any nostalgia I might begin to feel about leaving; and that is enlightening.
Remember the girl with the inky finger prints? We’ve been married 46 years now and in that time she has been an award winning designer, founded and run her own national company and she also earned a PhD. at the same time. She is now a speaker and author and I have accompanied her overseas and around the world; this has been rewarding.
Now I manage and edit her website and she shares my now small, 30 year old jewelry company and, at last, it is just her and I now (mostly); and this is just so very fine.
A career change and I went to work lay’n track for the Milwaukee railroad. I made better money, but, that was real work; so there I learned what I didn’t want to do.
I then got a job as a printing press operator, less strenuous, but that was inky-dirty. As a printer, nor matter how hard I scrubbed, I could never get all the ink off my hands and so I left finger prints on everything I touched: walls, doors, even my then girlfriend; that job just wasn’t my answer.
Switching careers, l landed a jewelry apprenticeship and in searching I bounced between half a dozen manufacturing, repair and special order companies. Eventuality though I apprenticed with a Bavarian master jeweler and became a certified journeyman jeweler; that was an education.
Started my own small special-order jewelry company, but that eventually became frustrating because, no matter how hard I worked, I made a living, but no real money. So, while keeping my own company, I went back to school for awhile and then began a side business managing anther jewelry company; that was an eye opener.
Then fortune landed me a position as a Reginal Manager with a multi-national retailer, this job was much more lucrative but survival meant countless hours at work and it was all consuming. After 25 years in the retail jungle with this company I “semi-retired” two years ago; that was a relief.
This company still sub-contracts work to me from time to time and this kills any nostalgia I might begin to feel about leaving; and that is enlightening.
Remember the girl with the inky finger prints? We’ve been married 46 years now and in that time she has been an award winning designer, founded and run her own national company and she also earned a PhD. at the same time. She is now a speaker and author and I have accompanied her overseas and around the world; this has been rewarding.
Now I manage and edit her website and she shares my now small, 30 year old jewelry company and, at last, it is just her and I now (mostly); and this is just so very fine.
