What you do for a living?

My training was in more traditional graphic design (digital and print). I was doing toothbrush, floss and mouthwash packaging for J&J about 5 years ago before being part of some lay-offs. I used the extra time to come up with my own projects, one of which caused me to stumble into the world of UX design. One thing led to another and I now lead a small team at a digital agency designing native and web-based apps of all types.

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I’m a knifemaker. Keeps me very busy. Looking forward to the opportunities the Glowforge will bring in making packaging and other interesting stuff.

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I work as a landscape architect. My firm does mostly private sector development work in the Boston area. We have worked on some public projects like the High Line in NYC and some high end residential. We basically do everything from when you exit a building.

In the past I have run a print lab for a beer distribution company, been a projectionist at a museums theater, and developed web programming for data visualization.

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I am long retired (85 years old) but am active making handcrafted pens. Http://www.pensbylarry.com
In my pre-retirement I was an aerospace engineer, real estate broker, magazine editor, etc.
looking forward to the Glowforge to play with and possibly enhance my pens

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First life was as a Petroleum Engineer - Worked the offshore Gulf of Mexico region for a few years, and learned to play really kick-ass poker. (Very innocent face with large blue eyes and an extremely good grasp of statistical probability. Poor suckers didn’t stand a chance.):innocent:

Met the right guy, got married, and we built a house and a business together. After a few years, we had gotten the business stable enough that he could fire me, so he did. (Yes, my husband actually fired me!) . We’re two alphas…one of us had to go. :sunglasses:

So now I guess I’m a kept woman. It gives me lots of time for artistic endeavors. (And managing our personal finances and investments, doing some of the marketing for the company, artwork, accounting, computer repair for the 48 employees because they will continue to go for those free screensavers no matter how many times I ask them not to; other IT chores; some specialty programming; cooking; cleaning; and reminding him to pack his pants when he’s taking out clients on fishing jaunts.)

(And of all of those, the hardest is getting him to remember his freaking pants.):sweat_smile:

Anyway - to fill my time after I got the boot, I taught myself a bunch of design software, played with digital cutters for a bit, got into 3D printing last year, and now…lasers. So lots of recent crafty stuff, of the non-professional variety. :slight_smile:

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I normally would assume you have read the topics, but just in case, wanted to link to the QOTD by @Tony that asked this question.

I’m pastor of a medium size church in Missouri. Taught high school for 14 years. Was principal of a small high school.

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I’ve been retired for 7 years. Enjoying every minute! When I was employed I was a process development scientist for Major agricultural and pharmaceutical companies. The last six years were so stressful that I honestly wasn’t sure I would survive; glad I did! The part of the job I enjoyed the most was simulation modeling (predicting outcomes of complex reaction mixtures based on known kinetics, physical properties, etc.). Now I do Sudoku to keep my brain from turning to mush. I’ve always enjoyed making things, and in process development you have to be a bit of a Rube Goldberg anyway. Guess that’s why a laser appeals to me–I can make the tool I need to do the job!

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Retired public school guidance counselor. No experience in using design and creativity-based software? Any advice is truly appreciated.

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I am a Mechanical Engineer. In my career, I’ve worked on a range of different things; Submarines, Ion Implanters, Sonar/Ultrasound Transducers, Micro-Electronics, MEMS. I’ve worked at big companies and small. Currently, I’m at Draper Labs in Cambridge, Mass.

Shameless Plug: We are having a technology showcase this week. Come check out some cool technology if you are in the Cambridge area!
A few of the projects: Treating Patient-Specific Cancer, Guiding Insect Navigation, Integrating Wearable Tech…other cool stuff!

http://www.draper.com/EP-16

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Must be by now an antiquated term, don’t you think?

Oh yes…happy Cake Day :tada:

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Happy cake day. I was figuring you would have to post pretty soon or get dropped from regular. Thanks for sticking it out.

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I remembered this, too…but the thread was already in full swing. :relaxed:

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“Let’s go campin’! Threw the stuff in the van while she got dinner etc. together.
Sitting around the the campfire as the sun set, I said “getting kinda cool, think I’ll change out of these shorts.”
Sitting there in jeans, She said I didn’t bring your jeans…”
I looked at her and said: (Schwarzenegger voice)" take dem offf."

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Chuckle! Another one! :smile:

Happy cake day @rpegg!

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Web Technologist for an NSF-funded national science facility.

No formal mechanical / engineering background, but my dad could repair pretty much anything he came across (career Army & grew up in the Depression era) — a small fraction of which I absorbed while growing up. :wink:

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I want to come make a blade with you! What a great company!

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After a stint in the Navy and a few other things I’ve been playing avionics technician for the last 30 years.
I’m a group leader now and the last few years I’ve had a small team working periodic maintenance on AH-64 helicopters

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Production designer for xpressdocs.com. It pays the bills and keeps the family fed. I would love to be an engineer but its a little cost prohibitive at the moment. Studying web development via TheOdinProject.

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I’m a transportation engineer specializing in Intelligent Transportation Systems and traffic signal design.

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I’m a video editor in the reality TV world. Yup - I share the blame for a lot of what’s on TV. :wink:

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