What do you do for work?

[iceman]

Hey guys..

Just a little getting to know each other time.. :)

What do you do for work? Where do you work? Enjoy it?

I work in St.Leonards near North Sydney for Ericsson, working on the Hutchison 3G project. I'm a Technical Team Leader for a group of developers, working on customer care systems and mobile number portability (MNP).

I like it, it's not too bad. Been there for about 2.5 years.

Ideally i'd love to get paid while doing astronomy related stuff, but I got into astronomy after all my study and schooling had long finished. One day I wouldn't mind studying astronomy and trying to get a job at the AAO or CSIRO or something, but the problem is, astronomy is all maths and physics, 2 of my worst subjects in university :(

[rumples riot]

Well, I went to Uni when I was 28 after being in the Army and working in the building industry. I studied law at Uni and then practiced law, then got sick of that ( too much stress and no money) and went back to the building industry as a ceiling fixer. Two years ago I started a company with my business partner and started contracting directly to the builders. This year we employed up to 27 guys.

I currently work from home doing all the paperwork and quoting.

I like this better than working for someone else mainly because there is more money involved. Money just provides the capital for all my hobbies. So I get to enjoy my hobbies and work from home. I have given up worrying about what other people think about what I do. Its more important to me to make the most of the rest of your life, and what you do to make money should not matter.

Anyway that's me.

Paul

[astromark]

:rolleyes: You show sings of wisdom Paul. I think you've cract the tiger. Iceman, your job sounds interesting and may I add, an old man once told me never make your hobbies your job. You would grow to hate it. and I have seen it happen, A fellow astronomer set up a photograph bisness, his hobby., and now dispisess it. :confused: so dont go rushing into an astronomy job, it might note work out.... what do I do?... as little as possible. I'm nearing the end of my working life and am looking forward to the extra time I will have. I have been a tradsman printer. I spent most of my working life producing record covers. I worked my way up through the firm to become the production manager., and I still enjoy it. My interest in astronomy started while I was back at school, and has never stopped. I am on the bourd of the Ward Observatory. We visate schools to assist the teachers with astronomy classes localy. This works well for both them and us...;)

[Saturn%5]

Hi All, I was in the Royal Australian Navy,For far too long,And im a shift worker if there is work to be done i shift:p And now run a small home web design buiness.and thats about it for me.

[mch62]

Hi , my Wife run a general store and I help with that at times , Other wise I trade a few shares on the Stock Market , but my main work is as an Auxillary Fire Fighter for the QLD Fire and Rescue Service .
Mark Hodson

[seeker372011]

I work for the Roads and Traffic Authority.

Before that I worked for Advantra -before that company went to the great recycle bin in the sky.

[Starkler]

Technical officer in a small telecoms company providing two-way radio network services and data services via wireless and microwave.
Sometimes my impromptu travels take me to lovely dark skies in the country and I wish I had an ultra portable setup I could keep with me in the car. At the moment that consists of a pair of 7x50 binoculars.

I'll echo what Mark said about making your hobbies your job. I used to tinker with radio and electronics stuff as a kid and found that I lost interest in doing that for pleasure.

To work as an astronomer would make it well, work !
I just like to look at "cool stuff" and enjoy it :)

Geoff

[Mutant]

lol iceyman. Damn developers.

I work for a wireless technology company in perth as a software engineer*.

I too have considered going back to school, but at this stage, I need to make some financial headway first : p Although I have the freedom of luxury of being single and without dependants.

I work with an engineer who used to be with Erricson over there : p Maybe you were his boss or something. OH NO its an attack of small world syndrome.

<hr>

* Although that is the title on my contract, I consider myself more of a "code monkey"

[gbeal]

I fly a chopper, privately owned, and used almost exclusively by the family that own it. Absolutely awesome folk to know and work for. Work is a poor way to describe it, it is more of a lifestyle. They live rural, and we live on the farm as well, so you know what this means for the viewing.
I too reckon keep the hobbies and employment separate.
Gary

[Mick]

I'd like to be a Boundary Rider but I'm really a Tractor Mechanic who has been covered in grease for 25 years. :)

[[1ponders]]

After 5 years of building and 10 years in the landscape/nursery industry, I felt my back is not going to take this for another 15 years so I decided to teach what I had learnt.

I now work 4 days a week teaching/tutoring (underpaid teacher) horticulture at TAFE on the Sunshine Coast. Well someones got to do it. Worth it? Money wise? Who cares I love it. Best job in the world. Start at 8:00 finsish by 4:00, plenty of time to head bush after work for some star scanning.

Who would want to work 9:00 - 5:00, 5 days a week again. Not me. Though it does make those important purchases (CCD, guideing scope etc) a more challenging goal. :D

Cheers and clear skies
Paul

[wavelandscott]

Howdy!

I've been reading for a while and decided to join in...

I am an ex-pat from the US...I've been here with my family for over 3.5 years...we love it here!

I am the Managing Director of Sumitomo Chemical Australia...we register and sell Plant Protection/Enhancement Products and Household and Environmental Pesticides...

I'm new to "real" telescope ownership...having gotten a "sleazy" Department Store scope for Christmas many years ago from Santa...it did not end well and nearly ruined my interest...it never really worked and was broken within a few days...

In High School I worked in my school's planetarium so I used to be a whiz at N. Hemisphere constellations...the sky still looks wrong to me but it is cool seeing the Southern Cross and all of the "southern" constellations...I've got a bit to learn again.

I got back into astronomy because of my oldest son (I've got 2 boys age 3.5 and 7)...his primary school has started an Astronomy Club and he wanted to go. We had a grand time looking through other people's scopes and well the next thing I knew all 3 "boys" were down on York Street...besides Donuts, we left the CBD with a Bintel scope...

The Boys have had a grand time "pushing" it around and looking at the stars...I can't wait to take it somewhere that is a bit darker than our front yard...

I look forward to learning from you all!

[iceman]

Hey waveland, thanks for taking the time to join up!

I'm glad the dept store refractor didn't ruin your astronomy interest.. It's sad to think how many budding astronomers were turned away from the hobby during Mars opposition last year, after emptying the stores out of all of the cheap scopes.

I did buy a cheap 60mm refractor myself, a 2nd-hand one off ebay, as an experiment. I knew it was going to be bad, and just wanted to see how bad.. It was as bad as I expected, especially the 4mm eyepiece that comes with it. I mean what a waste of space that was. You could look at the sun through it and barely get a sniff of light coming through :)

I was sort of surprised that I was able to see Saturn's rings through it though.. after seeing that for the first time (this was before getting my 10"), it made the $40 purchase worthwhile :)

Glad to see you join up and post! Thanks heaps and hope to see you posting some more!

[iceman]

PS: There's a new smilie now just for wavelandscott! :P

:welcome:

[damienpaul]

G'day all, I have the funnest 2 jobs of all:

I am a secondary (high) school teacher of Maths, Science, IT and Physics :wink2:

and a meteorologist (in training)

So, detention for all!!!!:P

[Daring Dave]

Greetings All

I push buttons on a Keyboard for a living... :cool:

A lowly computer op....But I like it ..shocking shift work but good $$$..

I hope to move on to something else next year....MCSE or the like.... perhaps....... OR I might buy a truck!..

Cheers

[ving]

just goes to show that amateur astronomers come from all walks of life :)

I'm a librarian, and have been working in a public library for the past 15 yrs (yes I do love my job). I am currently in charge of the reference service. The pay isnt great but the job is very rewarding. Prior to this I did some insurance broking but it wasnt my scene.

I started with a el-cheapo 60mm telescope and fortunately it seemed to be of ok quality. I now own an 8" GSO dob and will be getting some quality binos soon (prolly just 7x50s).

WHERE DID THE WARM WEATHER GO???:cold:

[craxguy]

Hi all,

Im an international student and now that i finish my course i just helping out my housemate's cleaning service business on a daily basis.
Do i dare to ask the age of the people here? Im 24, just wondering how many under 25 will i find.....

Cheers

[Daring Dave]

I used to be under 25...back in 1994.....:cheers:

[iceman]

I'm almost 30, I think most of the guys are older than you (and me), but there are some younger guys registered who I managed to bring over from my gaming forum background.. they don't contribute much at the moment though..