Marilyn, I find it interesting to note how many of all the people who have participated in this "occupation" discussion have taken a hobby and turned it into a money making business. You have made your desire and ability to write into a profitable past time. Linda, who likes chickens, has turned that hobby into a self supporting operation. It ism also amazing the number of people who are/were teachers. I find it very interesting that there are so many on the A* list who have written books.. I too have written a couple articles for magazines, and even received pay for them. Simply amazing. :-) As for turning a hobby into a profitable process.... For as long as either of my boys can recall, I have always had a boat (or two). He who owns a boat is usually a popular fellow, with all those who don't have a boat but want to go fishing. All the non-boat owners ply you with promises of buying the beer or the gas if you'll just take them fishing.. There was a time, that just about every weekend in the summer, I was hauling some one fishing in one of my boats. A very good friend, who was a Master Chief in the USCG, and in charge of the Small Boat Safety operation for the State of Alaska, kept threatening to "haul my butt in" for running an illegal (unlicensed) charter operation. In 1980 I sat the USCG exams and to the amazement of everyone, I passed and became a Licensed operator of uninspected passenger vessels.. That is I could operate a vessel up to 100 tons and carry no more than 6 passengers at a time. So instead of taking a few good ole boys fishing for gas, that they never seemed to have the money to pay for, I began accepting green Yankee Dollars for a days fishing. The first few years, I did not advertise, but word got around that I'd take people fishing on weekends and holidays. We kept our boat in a slip in the harbor at Seward, Alaska, 125 road miles from Anchorage, where we lived and had a real job at the time. In 1985 I upgraded my CG license to 100 Ton Master, bought an even bigger boat and moved the operation from Seward to Homer, Alaska (THE Halibut Fishing Capital of the World).. I was still employed by the State of Alaska full time, and running a Fishing charter service on weekends and holidays. Occasionally I had to hire a skipper to run my boat and haul clients mid-week. In 1990, I retired from the State of Alaska, acquired a larger boat and began full time Coast Wise operations out of Homer. We fished hard 7 days a week May through August.. September through April we worked at acquiring clients to fill up the boats the other 4 months. in the mid 90's with a friend whose boat was even bigger, we acquired Transporter licenses and began Transporting deer hunters to Kodiak October through December. By the year 2000 I had a couple body parts that were worn out or not functioning very well any more, and in a moment of weakness, I sold my charter boats and business and retired for the 4th and final time. But, I still have two River Boats, a Jon boat, a Skiff and a canoe. My Masters ticket is good for 4 more years, and I occasionally Hire out to run someone's boat, if the job or offer is to my liking, but my only client of late has been my 12 yr old grandson. :-) Sincerely, John D A little SoWest of North Marilyn Otterson wrote: > It's fun to read all the interesting occupations and various life >experiences of other Armstrong researchers. I wish I had something exciting >to add...I never had a real "career" as such and have had a lot of part-time >jobs while raising our family, taking care of husband, kids, home, keeping a >big garden, etc. > I was fired from my first job, working in a coffee shop and bakery in a >summer community in Maine. It was a tough, hurry-up job behind the counter, >with low pay and tiny tips, but I was happy to have my first (other than >baby-sitting) job. Unfortunately, after 3 of my days on the job, an >experienced worker returned to the area and needed the job so I lost it to >her. I hadn't done anything wrong and was a good worker and really took >losing that job hard! I still remember how unhappily surprised I was >because I thought I was doing well (I probably was) and at 15 years old I >took it hard. That gave me my last summer of leisure, reading books, having >fun with pals and going to the beach. > The next summer, and every summer through college, I worked in an >insurance company in Boston, doing menial jobs like filing and sorting. I >rode to the city on the train and tried to think of ways to keep from going >nuts from boredom on such a dumb job where the days seemed interminable. >During the high school year I worked part-time after school for holiday >seasons: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, and Mother's Day >in a candy shop. That was probably a kid's dream job...we were allowed to >eat as many fancy chocolates and nuts as we wanted, the theory being that >workers would soon get sick of the stuff. Since I only worked part-time >during holidays I never got sick of it! > I had aspirations to go to medical school but had a younger brother and >my dad said that there was not enough money for me to plan on graduate >school with him coming along. I knew I was smart enough to go to medical >school but not smart enough to go to medical school and work at the same >time, so off I went to the state U. and took teacher training along with my >major. > After college and marriage I had a short stint teaching in a high >school. A difficult pregnancy ended that brief career. When my two older >kids were in school and I had just one baby at home I got a job as an Avon >lady in the small town where we lived. This was a pretty good job as I met >all the neighbors and friends and somehow fell into giving make-up and skin >care lectures and demonstrations for local women's clubs. With all the kids >in school I made money editing and typing research papers for local college >students, had a party-plan business, worked off and on, part-time for the >U.S. Census bureau as an enumerator and supervisor on their various surveys, >and did substitute teaching. > Somewhere along the way I took some art courses and started painting. I >found that people would actually buy my paintings, so I made money that way, >and also got into crafts...batik, stained glass, pottery, etc., and sell my >items through a craft co-op. I began writing local news for the town paper >and that led to writing human-interest stories about local residents. >Somehow, about 12 years ago, I fell into restaurant reviewing and for the >last 12-15 years have been writing freelance articles for papers and >magazines, concentrating most recently on reviewing eateries. I also have >written short stories and a novel with little success, although I have won a >couple of small poetry contests with very small prizes. > I guess I'd have to say my "career" has been as a stay at home wife and >mother but besides having a big garden and freezing tons of vegetables I had >a bunch of different jobs and found various ways to make money to add to the >family coffers. We saved money by doing our own painting, redecorating and >repairing around the house ourselves, so I suppose that was money >saved-money earned, too! > I think my career is like that of many women of my generation. We >raised our families, took care of our husband, our home, our gardens, >volunteered, got involved in town and community activities, and tried to >contribute monetarily through part-time paid work while still being >"stay-at-home" wives. I don't feel deprived because I never had a "real >career" although I think I could have been successful if my life had led >that way. > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > >

John D., You have had more adventures in your life than...well, almost anybody I can think of. Your tale of how you got into the boating and fishing business is really interesting. I always wondered how you got into it in such a big way. Now I know. It must be a dangerous job at times, though, from what the news stories we read from time to time say. You must have been very careful and a good student of weather, currents, etc. Now which career was that one? You have sure had a lot of different experiences and now you are an author, too. (That's safer!) Thanks for sharing your stories with us. Cousin Marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Armstrong" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2006 1:36 PM Subject: Re: [ARMSTRONG] occupations > Marilyn, > I find it interesting to note how many of all the people who have > participated in this "occupation" discussion have taken a hobby and > turned it into a money making business. You have made your desire and > ability to write into a profitable past time. Linda, who likes > chickens, has turned that hobby into a self supporting operation. It > ism also amazing the number of people who are/were teachers. I find > it very interesting that there are so many on the A* list who have > written books.. I too have written a couple articles for magazines, > and even received pay for them. Simply amazing. :-) > > > As for turning a hobby into a profitable process.... For as long > as either of my boys can recall, I have always had a boat (or two). > He who owns a boat is usually a popular fellow, with all those who > don't have a boat but want to go fishing. All the non-boat owners ply > you with promises of buying the beer or the gas if you'll just take > them fishing.. There was a time, that just about every weekend in > the summer, I was hauling some one fishing in one of my boats. A very > good friend, who was a Master Chief in the USCG, and in charge of the > Small Boat Safety operation for the State of Alaska, kept threatening > to "haul my butt in" for running an illegal (unlicensed) charter > operation. In 1980 I sat the USCG exams and to the amazement of > everyone, I passed and became a Licensed operator of uninspected > passenger vessels.. That is I could operate a vessel up to 100 tons and > carry no more than 6 passengers at a time. So instead of taking a few > good ole boys fishing for gas, that they never seemed to have the money > to pay for, I began accepting green Yankee Dollars for a days > fishing. The first few years, I did not advertise, but word got > around that I'd take people fishing on weekends and holidays. We kept > our boat in a slip in the harbor at Seward, Alaska, 125 road miles from > Anchorage, where we lived and had a real job at the time. In 1985 I > upgraded my CG license to 100 Ton Master, bought an even bigger boat > and moved the operation from Seward to Homer, Alaska (THE Halibut > Fishing Capital of the World).. I was still employed by the State of > Alaska full time, and running a Fishing charter service on weekends and > holidays. Occasionally I had to hire a skipper to run my boat and haul > clients mid-week. In 1990, I retired from the State of Alaska, > acquired a larger boat and began full time Coast Wise operations out of > Homer. We fished hard 7 days a week May through August.. September > through April we worked at acquiring clients to fill up the boats the > other 4 months. in the mid 90's with a friend whose boat was even > bigger, we acquired Transporter licenses and began Transporting deer > hunters to Kodiak October through December. By the year 2000 I had a > couple body parts that were worn out or not functioning very well any > more, and in a moment of weakness, I sold my charter boats and > business and retired for the 4th and final time. But, I still have > two River Boats, a Jon boat, a Skiff and a canoe. My Masters > ticket is good for 4 more years, and I occasionally Hire out to run > someone's boat, if the job or offer is to my liking, but my only > client of late has been my 12 yr old grandson. :-) > > Sincerely, > John D > A little SoWest of North > > > Marilyn Otterson wrote: > >> It's fun to read all the interesting occupations and various life >>experiences of other Armstrong researchers. I wish I had something >>exciting >>to add...I never had a real "career" as such and have had a lot of >>part-time >>jobs while raising our family, taking care of husband, kids, home, keeping >>a >>big garden, etc. >> I was fired from my first job, working in a coffee shop and bakery in >> a >>summer community in Maine. It was a tough, hurry-up job behind the >>counter, >>with low pay and tiny tips, but I was happy to have my first (other than >>baby-sitting) job. Unfortunately, after 3 of my days on the job, an >>experienced worker returned to the area and needed the job so I lost it to >>her. I hadn't done anything wrong and was a good worker and really took >>losing that job hard! I still remember how unhappily surprised I was >>because I thought I was doing well (I probably was) and at 15 years old I >>took it hard. That gave me my last summer of leisure, reading books, >>having >>fun with pals and going to the beach. >> The next summer, and every summer through college, I worked in an >>insurance company in Boston, doing menial jobs like filing and sorting. I >>rode to the city on the train and tried to think of ways to keep from >>going >>nuts from boredom on such a dumb job where the days seemed interminable. >>During the high school year I worked part-time after school for holiday >>seasons: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, and Mother's >>Day >>in a candy shop. That was probably a kid's dream job...we were allowed to >>eat as many fancy chocolates and nuts as we wanted, the theory being that >>workers would soon get sick of the stuff. Since I only worked part-time >>during holidays I never got sick of it! >> I had aspirations to go to medical school but had a younger brother >> and >>my dad said that there was not enough money for me to plan on graduate >>school with him coming along. I knew I was smart enough to go to medical >>school but not smart enough to go to medical school and work at the same >>time, so off I went to the state U. and took teacher training along with >>my >>major. >> After college and marriage I had a short stint teaching in a high >>school. A difficult pregnancy ended that brief career. When my two older >>kids were in school and I had just one baby at home I got a job as an Avon >>lady in the small town where we lived. This was a pretty good job as I >>met >>all the neighbors and friends and somehow fell into giving make-up and >>skin >>care lectures and demonstrations for local women's clubs. With all the >>kids >>in school I made money editing and typing research papers for local >>college >>students, had a party-plan business, worked off and on, part-time for the >>U.S. Census bureau as an enumerator and supervisor on their various >>surveys, >>and did substitute teaching. >> Somewhere along the way I took some art courses and started painting. >> I >>found that people would actually buy my paintings, so I made money that >>way, >>and also got into crafts...batik, stained glass, pottery, etc., and sell >>my >>items through a craft co-op. I began writing local news for the town >>paper >>and that led to writing human-interest stories about local residents. >>Somehow, about 12 years ago, I fell into restaurant reviewing and for the >>last 12-15 years have been writing freelance articles for papers and >>magazines, concentrating most recently on reviewing eateries. I also have >>written short stories and a novel with little success, although I have won >>a >>couple of small poetry contests with very small prizes. >> I guess I'd have to say my "career" has been as a stay at home wife >> and >>mother but besides having a big garden and freezing tons of vegetables I >>had >>a bunch of different jobs and found various ways to make money to add to >>the >>family coffers. We saved money by doing our own painting, redecorating >>and >>repairing around the house ourselves, so I suppose that was money >>saved-money earned, too! >> I think my career is like that of many women of my generation. We >>raised our families, took care of our husband, our home, our gardens, >>volunteered, got involved in town and community activities, and tried to >>contribute monetarily through part-time paid work while still being >>"stay-at-home" wives. I don't feel deprived because I never had a "real >>career" although I think I could have been successful if my life had led >>that way. >> >> >>------------------------------- >>To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>[email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >>quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> >> >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message