tinwhistler's day jobs

WhistlingGypsy · Post by **WhistlingGypsy** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 1:04 pm

Great thread - thanks for reviving it as I hadn't seen it 'til now - vacationing don't you know!

I am a Quality Systems Auditor for Hi-Tech company in Ottawa, Canada. Came here from Ireland (Galway) 18 years ago while working for Digital Equip. Corp (21 yrs) and never went back.

I enjoy running (have run one Marathon), reading and Irish Trad Music (particularly the whistle). Hate TV - chewing gum for the brain!

My claim to fame is that I was in the same class and school band as Frankie Gavin!!

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 1:28 pm

An Irish musician dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter receives him at the Heaven's Gate and shows him around a bit. Everywhere great Irish musicians are sitting in sessions and playing beautiful music. The musician can't believe his eyes when he sees Seamus Ennis, John Doherty, Michael Coleman, and all his great heros sitting around together playing. As Peter leads him further on, he hears the sound of one solitary fiddle. At first he is not sure, but then there is no doubt. He turns to St. Peter: "I didn't know Frankie Gavin had died! That must be him that I hear: He is playing all by himself when everyone is playing a session. And I would recognize that playing anywhere!"

"No," says St. Peter, "that's God. He thinks he's Frankie Gavin."

WhistlingGypsy · Post by **WhistlingGypsy** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 1:43 pm

That's good - especially when you know Frankie!

Wandering_Whistler · Post by **Wandering_Whistler** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 1:55 pm

Well, when i'm working (which I currently am not..unfortunately), I'm a visual basic programmer with 3 patents under my belt (5,727,154 5,987,505 and 6,256,665). On the side, I'm in a celtic band, and teach a kung fu class, and am a part-time son photographer (grin)..but like many hobbies, the only substantial income these bring me is in the way of personal satisfaction.
Greg

DazedinLA · Post by **DazedinLA** » Mon May 13, 2002 8:39 am

What a cool post! I'm gonna put this in the Matrix just so we can keep track of it and revive it from time to time as fresh Chiffboarders join the fold.

Oh, BTW, I run a company that makes contact lenses.

gemm84 · Post by **gemm84** » Mon May 13, 2002 10:27 am

I'm a high school student, but I'm also a lifeguard and a weight-room supervisor. Whistling in the lifeguard stand is frowned on. I've never tried it, but I know it is. When I work in the weight room my ears are being blasted out by the guys' heavy metal stuff and I can't hear afterward. I can't play the whistle in there.

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Mon May 13, 2002 10:34 am

What a colourful bunch.

I'm a supposedly faceless bureaucrat in the European Commission. Main instrument is the uilleann pipes, though the whistle playing seems to attract more compliments.

I lived happily for many years with not more than two or three whistles in D (OK, there was also one in each of the other soprano keys, but that doesn't really count). Hadn't even heard of the word Chiff. Now I find that the beautifully clear tone of my Cillian O'Brian Official Tweak lacks colour, and have begun hanging around instrument shops where sooner or later I'm going to lapse into WhOA. You guys have a lot to answer for.

Whistleworks · Post by **Whistleworks** » Mon May 13, 2002 10:58 am

I would tell you what I do, but then the Federal government would find out, trace the e-mail, and that would be that. Suffice to say that my occupations involves very specific technology and a "double O" license.

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Mon May 13, 2002 11:06 am

I used to be an international jewel thief, but to have adventure and meet beautiful women I became a water treatment plant operator. (hey, it could happen)

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Mon May 13, 2002 11:34 am

For those of you who haven't replied on this thread yet...please do.
~Mimi

Okay. I "work" by impersonating a graphic artist at a community college. I design covers and interiors of college publications, brochures,theatrical posters and everything else from tshirts to tabletents. Lots of digital photography put to multi-use. Its the most interesting DAYJOB I have had in all my years of being a musician. Two boys, 9 and 12, and Im Lil League coach, PTA Secretary and school events coordinator. I was housedad when they were littler (noticed others on Board) which worked nicely for house repairs and music jobs (mostly weekends). Other past jobs: winery worker, lumber mill, cobbler, music store manager, college librarian, woodworking store receiving manager, newspaper reporter. In all those years, I was also in classical guitar quartet, fluteguitar duo (22 years), historical folk music group (4 years) and played solo classical guitar in concerts and gigs. Note to cowtime and others: I come from beef ranching family and my Dad is NCBA chapter pres. and heavily involved in Western land takeover issues. Mom's side was old Spanish Californians rancheros back to 1776 here. No cows for me but sympathies lie with that life, just not enough people around to play music for $$$ in cow-areas.

From reading this thread, we are diverse, talented bunch it seems, all drawn to pennywhistle. Wonder why...

_________________
"I hate 'working,' it takes away from my valuable whistling time." -LB

[ This Message was edited by: The Weekenders on 2002-05-13 16:49 ]

StarrM · Post by **StarrM** » Mon May 13, 2002 12:02 pm

Well, I have been an art director for years, however I left the print field about 8 years ago, and now specialize in web design. The company I work for provides motivation programs for large corporations. I also have an on-the-side job writing for a "massively multi-player online roleplay" game. (Honest, that's an actual term used for the games. ;>) And lastly, I raise and show Abyssinian cats, and love to garden. In between all that, I play recorder and am learning the whistle. Oh!...and I love to camp in the summer in a wonderful yurt.

Starr

thurlowe · Post by **thurlowe** » Mon May 13, 2002 12:22 pm

Hey proud blowers,

I've been reading the posts for an hour. You're all so cool! My job is in public radio. I grew up in northern British Columbia (Dawson Creek) and my childhood entertainment was the CBC. Then I moved back to the States at age 17, graduated high school, and started working in public radio in college: WMUK, Kalamazoo, MI. I've been a full-time announcer/producer for 10 years now. I'm on the air every morning from 9am - 12pm(Eastern) M - F, playing classical music. If you want to tune in, go to http://www.wmuk.org.

A few years ago, a friend asked me to take the place of a player in his Irish band, but I thought I couldn't go from classical to Irish, and I said no. Six months later he asked again, and I said yes-- the best thing I ever did.
Lately, the best thing I've done is come to this website!

Be chatting with you,

Cara (the closet Canadian in Michigan)

vaporlock · Post by **vaporlock** » Mon May 13, 2002 12:25 pm

Wow, what a great thread!!

Seeing as we have entered the 21st century, I will attempt to let you all in on my day job without blushing. Okay, I'm Mr. Mom. When our beautiful new daughter arrived two years ago, I quit my job as a web developer to stay home and change diapers. I attempted to do contract web design from home, but everybody wanted to pay me in goats and chickens instead of real money, so I gave it up. Now I just sit at home taking care of our daughter and whistleing when she lets me. On the weekends I can be found at the bottom of some lake, river or ocean trying to collect as much nitrogen in my bloodstream as possible.

It's a great life and not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for the chance to stay home with our daughter...oh yeah, and whistle when she lets me!

Nice to meet you all,
Eric

[ This Message was edited by: vaporlock on 2002-05-13 14:27 ]

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Mon May 13, 2002 12:31 pm

This has been quite a thread! I've enjoyed reading about everybody.

Here's mine:

Was once a music major on flute, but changed in midstream and got a degree in electronics while pursuing my "other hobby," computers. Worked several jobs in a local hospital, started out as a monitor tech working nights, moved to computer operator in the ITS department, from there moved to software tech, then to hardware tech. Now work at a medical clinic as sysadmin, network / hardware technician, and webmaster.

It's ironic that of all that the most important job I ever had was the one that paid the least. A monitor tech is a person who works in a hospital for just over minimum wage. They watch the heart monitors on the intensive care patients 24 hours a day. They are the guys who let you sleep comfortably with the reasonable assurance you just might live to wake up again.

Best wishes to everybody,

--James
http://www.flutesite.com

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Mon May 13, 2002 12:38 pm

I'm a medical transcriptionist for a group of allergy/asthma specialists. But the most important thing I do is be the mom of my beautiful 20-year-old daughter. And now I'm a whistler!
Susan
(However, trying to sell my house and looking for a new day job in southern Utah - red rock country - where I grew up.)

[ This Message was edited by: susnfx on 2002-05-13 14:42 ]