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peregrinus

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
1,205
3,787
Pacific Northwest
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.
 

supperthyme

Can't Leave
Nov 2, 2019
345
1,215
They are - mine smokes like a dream. The only downside is the bowl is enormous so I don’t like to smoke it in the winter.
I've considered one, but you said it: the cavernous bowl is the deal breaker.

Not sure what you two are on about. Personally, I've found their chamber size to be quite average and I keep mine in weekly rotation.
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
Not sure what you two are on about. Personally, I've found their chamber size to be quite average and I keep mine in weekly rotation.
I tend to favour bowls smaller than 40mm in depth. Anything above is too large. This eccentricity is the result of not being able to smoke at home, ergo I must keep my smokes short, specially when it's -30 °C or colder. I also don't like leaving half-smoked bowls to resume later or the day after (though I have done that occasionally). If I owned my home, I wouldn't mind Oom Paul-sized bowls.
 

supperthyme

Can't Leave
Nov 2, 2019
345
1,215
I tend to favour bowls smaller than 40mm in depth. Anything above is too large. This eccentricity is the result of not being able to smoke at home, ergo I must keep my smokes short, specially when it's -30 °C or colder. I also don't like leaving half-smoked bowls to resume later or the day after (though I have done that occasionally). If I owned my home, I wouldn't mind Oom Paul-sized bowls.

Ah, ok, that's entirely fair. ? I dislike day old relights as well. Do you live in a climate where it regularly reaches -30 Celsius? Are you in the Arctic circle or something?
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
Ah, ok, that's entirely fair. ? I dislike day old relights as well. Do you live in a climate where it regularly reaches -30 Celsius? Are you in the Arctic circle or something?
The Land of the Living Skies!

Here, I reckon I never got to say welcome to the forums to you:
Queen_City_Welcome.jpg


Not really close to the arctic circle, still ~16° more to go.
 

supperthyme

Can't Leave
Nov 2, 2019
345
1,215
The Land of the Living Skies!

Here, I reckon I never got to say welcome to the forums to you:
Queen_City_Welcome.jpg


Not really close to the arctic circle, still ~16° more to go.

Thank you! So Saskatchewan? I've never been that far into Canada. We've had a brutal winter or two in Colorado, but I'm sure it's nothing like what you're accustomed to.
 

peregrinus

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
1,205
3,787
Pacific Northwest
Thanks for sharing Ray ...
You are kind to say this.
Also, your avatar, as a teenager Jacques Cousteau was a hero of mine. After reading Cousteau’s, “The Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure” I was immediately ready to sign on as crew on the “Calypso”.
I remember watching first the film and then the Rod Serling narrated version of Cousteau’s television series, “The Silent World” and being completely transported.
Great choice.
 

jttnk

Lifer
Dec 22, 2017
1,654
10,267
Phoenix, AZ
I recall with solid emotion the Cousteau specials when I was a kid Born 1970. So late 70’s watching tv was impressionable time. That, and of course Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom... “as Jack wrestles the water buffalo we’ll watch safely from the helicopter above...”
 

Spinkle

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 16, 2019
892
5,950
42
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Not sure what you two are on about. Personally, I've found their chamber size to be quite average and I keep mine in weekly rotation.
I recently got an estate Dunhill group 5 and my Neerup bowl puts that thing to shame in the size department. It’s great for Virginia flakes but if I fill it up a bowl can take more than two hours.
Like olkofiri said, it’s just too much for the winter time. Here in TO is generally not as bad as Sask. but the last few days for example it’s been -14c here. The winter is more suited for a bowl in a Ropp if you want to keep from freezing to death!
 
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hauntedmyst

Lifer
Feb 1, 2010
4,006
20,750
Chicago
Growing up I always loved cows. I dreamed of becoming a bovine animal husbandry specialist. Then I went to college and discovered it didn't involved setting up a cow and a bull on a blind date in a barn with candle lights and playing Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" like I thought it did. Turns out you have to give the bull a happy and then stick your arms in cows with a baster and stuff! Ewwwww gross!

So I was lost. After that I answered an ad in the back of the Washington TImes. There was a clandestine agency looking for people to do "wet work." I thought it was irresponsible of the government to be involved in wet t-shirt contests but I told myself it was the Clinton administration and I needed the money. Well, wet work also wasn't what I thought it was and I get queasy at the site of blood. They let me go on the first day after I threw up on the instructors shoes when I pulled my shot and took out the janitor.

So I ended up working in technology. I worked for Microsoft for the better part of a decade and then HP for nearly 20 years. Now I work for a company that makes flat panels displays and projectors and I run their government contracts business. Oh sure, my careers dreams are shattered and I am a shell of a man but I have a 46" desktop monitor at home...so yeah.
 

kurtbob

Lifer
Jul 9, 2019
2,131
12,748
57
SE Georgia
At pushing 55 yrs old, you might say a jack of all trades and a master of none. From F-16 mech, welder/fabricator, heavy truck mech to unmanned aircraft systems for the Army. Now, low stress fleet mech for a major soft drink/snack food company. No more trips to the sand box for this kid;)