Obviously since I've been laid up, I've kinda gotten in the habit of being on the forum even more than usual, cuz ... Hey... I'm sitting down a lot.

Since I've been spending more time here than usual, I've noticed lately there's not a whole lot of new conversation getting started up... So I'm starting a random conversation for the sake of getting something going and for the sake of all of us getting to know each other a little better.

Now we've all seen and/or participated in the threads on:
Haiku http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=25569#pid24...
Pilot pictures http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=17726#pid16...
What's in a name? http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=21815#pid21...
Jokes http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=7542#pid539...

So let's start something new:...
What's your day job and how does it relate to, or effect your kiting?

I myself am the Facility Manager at a big church in the Metro Atlanta area. I find that the skills I have learned that I use for work (primarily welding and a lot of hands-on tool use as well as problem solving) make it really easy for me to figure out how to work on and modify my buggies.

How 'bout you?

I am a retried Comm. Pilot and retried army.

Cool thread.

By trade I'm a licensed commercial/industrial electrician for 19 years and counting. My backbone is A/C electrical. My last 9 years have been industrial D/C applications- motive power.

Currently, I'm the service manager at our company. We are the state reps for the second largest battery manufacturer in the world.

I'm an IT guy that specializes in virtualization..

My job enables me to purchase kites... :D

Sales Training Manger in the biomed field and sole income provider for a family of four. Love my job and the people I work with but it REALLY limits my kiting - especially given that we have an annual sales meeting in May and a training event in October both of which generally always occur during the WWBB.

Industrial Radiographer (Non Destructive Testing).

I work lots of evenings these days, that still leaves some time to kite during the day. But back in the day, our crew had a wind clause for most windy days when we had 3 crews running and if one was free on that windy day they would gladly take the work. Ahh, the good old days.

Quote: Originally posted by riffclown

My job enables me to purchase kites... :D

And I'm thankful for that :D

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Quote: Originally posted by riffclown   My job enables me to purchase kites... :D And I'm thankful for that :D

Oh ya... this too.

I'm a Computer Scientist / Applied Mathematician and mostly work freelance jobs, with a few steady clients building applications or doing various things with huge data sets. At the moment freelance is a plus/minus when it's slow it means more kite time, and the flip is also true. It enables me to buy kite gear and get out more often than many.

I recently got reemployed as a CAD Designer and now work for an Intl. Chemical company. The extra cash coming in will make all things easier to not have to consider the money of it quite so sternly. A 40 hour week will dig into my ability to take advantage of those midweek sessions, but if I know a good day is coming, I can work ahead and slip away a tad early for those primo afternoon winds. First week on the job and I have a new kite ordered. Life is good.

It didn't occur to me that I might be unintentionally leaving some folks out... I used to work nights too... What's your "night job" if you're not a day-job kinda guy?

I am a land surveyor and spend most of my days measuring the distance my kite has flown off.

commercial and residential roofing estimator

I'm the guy you will most likely talk to if you call Hamilton Marine in Portland ME
We sell boating and sailing equipment our suppliers also supply the kite industry, RONSTAN, Harken, Samson, Yale,
New England Rope etc. Kites or sails use the same stuff, it's the size that's different.
I've been there so long that they are happy when I'm off kiting...

can you get a good discount on sail ripstop and line?????? TEDWESLEY

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

It didn't occur to me that I might be unintentionally leaving some folks out... I used to work nights too... What's your "night job" if you're not a day-job kinda guy?

I'm impressed with everyone here. You all have proper high skilled jobs.
My working life started promisingly enough as a simple computer operator in 1988 with ambitions to become a programer. I soon realised however that office bound work wasn't for me. I spent all my days staring out of the window wishing I had an outdoor job such as a tree surgeon or forest ranger.

In 1990 I had enough and in an act of desperation I left to work in my parents commercial cleaning business. The hours were unsociable but my days were free to enjoy the great outdoors.

In 1997 I started my own cleaning business and that's what I've been doing ever since. Contracts include amongst others, a 24/7 airport parking site and a haunted 13th century church. Walking across the graveyard at 1am is fun. :o

I work evenings from 5pm until late, sometimes until 3am, 7 days a week. Its hard work but the hours are mercifully short on Mondays and weekends. I employ just three part-time workers to help me on the heavier days. Good people are hard to find and so they are very well paid. In fact they make more than I do on those jobs!! Employment law entitles them to 4 weeks holidays per year and sick pay despite being only part-time.

Being your own boss is everything you ever imagined and better. Company perks include 3 holidays in the last 18 years, one of which included a weekend at Ivanpah. Sick days aren't an option, and by sick I mean having a slipped disk in my back and pneumonia...twice.

Living the dream.

I have been a truck driver most of the time over the last 22 years, driving locally for one company here in the east coast for 14 years. I started out inside the plant processing materials for steel mills, then was offered the driving job where the real money was made. I had my CDL already so it was a no brainer. I was there till July 2013 when they closed down. I started doing handy man jobs soon after and that paid the bills till winter came and then it got real slow. I am now driving again for a roofing and building supply company driving a boom crane truck delivering materials to customers here in the tri state area.

I used to work till noon or so everyday so I had plenty of time to ride during the day when the kids were in school. Now I work during the day till 330 at least so till spring comes I am still stuck riding on the weekends. But that's ok, I really enjoy my job and the thinking I have to put into it to ensure that I don't flip my rig, or crash a crane through someone's home.

I also am still partner with East Coast Kite Sports, a business we started to help other kiters in our area get into the sport and be able to get folks what they need. We do family days at one of our local spots with a aero space education center that works with kids and we also go to a couple local schools for kite day and do demos and play videos for the kids. They love it! I have kiting in my blood now and will buggy and board till I can't anymore. Nothing beats the sound of kite lines humming while burning down the beach!

Redsky, the 13th century church sounds cool. What is it used for now?

I retired about a year ago. I was a consultant in computer models, planning and economic analysis in the electric utility industry. I started a consulting firm with 2 other partners about 30 years ago, and then went out on my own in the year 2000. Self employed until I retired.

https://vimeo.com/117721169

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

Redsky, the 13th century church sounds cool. What is it used for now?

It is still a popular church today.

You shouldn't have got me started. History is my favourite subject and I can go on for hours. :D
Theres been a Christian church on the site since the 10th century but was rebuilt in the 13th century to how it looks today.

However, if you were to hop into a time machine and go back in time you would discover a pagan site of worship here 6000 years ago. Back in 1995 they excavated underneath the church to create a vast open space with movable sliding walls, providing functions rooms, kitchens, a tea room, a creche and a gift shop. The main church upstairs was sympathetically modernised too. There are even TV displays on each of the pillars and a state of the art sound system.

I grew up around here so if you ever decide to visit the UK, let me know and I will show you places tourists rarely get to see. Everyone seems to fly into London then fly out again.

As kids we would get on our BMX bikes and explore all the Medieval castles around here. [ Bodiam ], [ Hever ], [ Penshurst ] and [ Tonbridge ] are all within a few miles of where I grew up, so I can act as your guide. I'll even take you up the church [ tower ]!! :D

Tom

Inventory control working 11-8am generally allows for afternoon kiting in the Hudson Valley (check recent thread) doing the best I can with generally too small kites and too Janky wind but loving the learning curve. The snow issue may well change for the better very soon...Cheezy I hope you see this and check the HV thread for locations I've posted! We could be really rocking soon brother!

Quote: Originally posted by jrhook

Inventory control working 11-8am generally allows for afternoon kiting in the Hudson Valley (check recent thread) doing the best I can with generally too small kites and too Janky wind but loving the learning curve. The snow issue may well change for the better very soon...Cheezy I hope you see this and check the HV thread for locations I've posted! We could be really rocking soon brother!

I heard on the radio that you guys in the NE might get a dusting of snow very soon.

I would really like to visit the UK one day RedSky. Do just what you said. Visit all those lesser traveled paths....

I was an ironworker from 2004 until 2009. We did steel erection and miscellaneous steel construction. Everything from ground-up building to installing handrail or stairs. I worked on the Goliath rollercoaster in Six Flags over Georgia, and the retrofitting of the roof of the GA state capitol roof from copper to stone pavers. We had to install many steel beams inside the roof to support the new weight, and on top to support the new air handler units.

In 2009 my company went under and shut its doors. So my backup plan was become an IT guy. That is what I still do today. I work as a level 2 technology support specialist at Careerbuilder.com. I am one of the people that keeps all the computers running for our people that run the website.

My welding experience would apply to buggy building, but my tools are currently in GA, while I am in Atlanta. I don't have the space to work in Chicago, so I have been feeding my addiction by chatting Van's ear off about welding while he was banging my buggy together. My IT career contributes nothing but money and paid vacation time to my kiting JIBE can't come soon enough.

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

I would really like to visit the UK one day RedSky. Do just what you said. Visit all those lesser traveled paths....

I'm sure you will love it here. Spend a day or so in London, but then hire a car, grab a tour guide and stay in village B&B's (bed and breakfast). Village pubs offer great food and drink. Visit the castles and National Trust sites around the country. Some of the castles even provide 5 star accommodation....and don't forget to swing by my house and we will load up the buggies and hit the beach.

Let's keep it join guys... whatcha do gang?

commercial Satellite Imagery analysis and product troubleshooting. We take all of the pictures you see on Google Earth and the news. In '01 there were three US companies in the industry, through mergers I have now worked for all three . Finished a 20 of Active & Reserve with the Navy a few years ago [Submarines & Intel] which got me into remote sensing.

im in produce transportation..we load trailers of all types of produce from across the country destined to the east coast markets and chain stores...apples/ cabbage doesn't matter it's all gotta get to the stores