Welcome To Topix Too Forum

I am retired now. In my life I have had maybe 15-20 different jobs in a wide variety of trades. My last 3 jobs spanning 20 years were all related... working with the State Medicaid program and Social Services. I loved it because I was helping people, which made it more of a meaningful mission in life rather than work. Prior to that I worked 17 years for a power company in which 12 years I was a meter reader and then promoted to night dispatcher for 5 years. Prior to that I worked 7 years in the timber industry working as a log skaler and timber cruiser out in the woods buying timber for a large saw mill. My most favorite job I ever had was back in early 70's when I was hitchiking through Florida. I made a stop in the Keys to take work for 4 months working on a garbage truck. I rode on the back bumper and travelled through all the Keys everyday picking up garbage... this enabled me to enjoy all the great views of the ocean from Key West to the mainland every day! They actually paid me to have a great time taking in the sights!

I'd expect nothing less from a man as adventurous and caring as you, Cowface. Lot's of others in here as well, very interesting lives.




I use to mow the neighborhood lawns between 9-13 years of age at $70/week. Not to shabby for a kid in the late 80's. Was able to buy my first car at 13 after saving up $1500.


13-16 I worked in the local paint store owned by a family friend.


Late teens- Retail for my first out of school job for a year, Super Kmart. (Dear, Lord..why?)


Early 20's- Local Sawmill for 3 years (grading shed, running the trim saw) We had a guy that committed suicide by front-end loader while I was there. From what I remember, he tied a garden hose to the controls, laid down under the bucket and pulled.


20's -Truck Driver


Mid 20's -Military service. MOS:19K - Crewmen on the M1A2 SEP Abrams tank. 


Early 30's- Auto repossession (good times).  Besides the 2 times my life was threatened by someone brandishing a firearm, this line of work was surprisingly fun. It had a cloak and dagger-esque fun to it.

 The one memory that sticks out is, and it's not really that eventful but for some reason after a decade has past it's the one I remember the most. Christmas eve (i know, what a horrible time to snag someone's car) I did a door knock to confront the owner about the late payment. This wasn't usual operating procedure, but I was asked by the company to inquire.  Well, a woman opened the door dressed in what was probably holiday best, 2 very young kids sitting around a table of food, decorations and Christmas tree in the corner and the smell of the holiday filling the air. 

Long story short, she immediately began to cry. Now, usually this doesn't effect me as I've seen and heard it all before at this point. But something struck me that I should just tell the lady I wasn't taking her car and that I'd be back in a week to give her time to make the payment. Now, I've done this a few times before over the years but this was the only time I never went back to get her car and  always told the company I worked for "I couldn't find it". 

No clue to this day as to why. I just didn't. Divine intervention, empathy? maybe both. Hopefully, one would like to think, it change her life in her time of need.  Like I said, it's somewhat uneventful but it's something  that "haunts" my memories still. Weird, I know.


City evictions now and then- 100$ for 5 min of work or 2 hours, for throwing people's stuff out onto the curb. This was a "side hustle". Few times a week to once a month, it just depended when they called you. Always had a sheriff escort, Bob, I forget his last name now. Nicest older gentleman you'd of ever met. Sadly I think he passed away some years back.


Mid 30's-  Started my own business selling scrubs (scrub truck) to nursing homes/hospitals.  I started by teaching myself how to sew (Yes, on a sewing machine), selling scrubs I had made by word of mouth to the nursing home a family member worked in. This helped supplement income for expenses while I started (business license, truck, insurance, stock) until I finally had enough to just buy everything at wholesale. I ended up selling this business after a few years. Money was good, but I missed working with my hands. Thus leading me to what I do now.



I'm an owner/operator of a small construction crew of varying size (5-15) doing local contractor work. I do remodeling, roofing, drywall, paint, concrete, landscaping, electrical, brick laying, tree trimming - the works.  No plumbing, not anymore. Not after I was working in some old 1950's house about 7 years ago with a backed up sewer line in the basement that happened to "explode", sending "stuff"  flying out in all direction and all over everybody in close proximity.   How did it "explode" one may ponder? ...let's just blame it on the "new guy" wielding a hammer and leave it at that.

 I do have a couple of the local slumlords on account, you'd be surprised at the amount of houses these people own in town/county. It's nuts. This alone keeps me busy most of the summer. Section 8, drug addict renters made me- Sadly. They punch holes in the walls, busted windows from being raided, steal the old original copper pipe to resell for drugs. It's a mess when they leave.


When I'm not on the job site and in my spare time. I do "word of mouth" car mechanical repairs on the cheap (heavily discounted) out of my garage at home for friends and family.



Jack of all trades, master of none.