Mail Bag: Professions (for real this time)

by: farmpunk

 

From the Back40K mailbag:

Dear Back 40k,

Fan and Avid Reader Nicholas here. I was wondering, if it's not too personal, What each of you at the the back 40k does for a living. I question a blog paying the bills (and hobby supplies), so I wonder if it does, or if the blog is another aspect of the hobby to you lot.

Thanks for all the content, and I understand if this is a question you would rather leave unanswered.

Sincerly,

Nicholas

We answer for real this time. It's not Talk like a Pirate Day today. That is Sept. 19th.

I wish our blog made enough money to support even one of our families. It might be nice if the Back40K supported even one our hobby addiction. Early on, I decided I didn't want ads on the blog. This is free content. Being non-revenue creating helps prevent some problems, like: how to distribute the booty. Also, I don't think asking people to pay for our opinions is really fair.

Blogging is part of the hobby for me, and I believe a lot of the other guys. I started off reading Bell of Lost Souls, and one day thought: 'Heck, I can write articles as well as those guys in Texas can. Having a blog can not be that hard.'

and so it started. On Dec. 18th 2008. I was bored with free time at work.

I enjoy blogging better than being a name on the Librarium Online forums. I enjoy having other guys with the same hobby write articles as well. I will admit it's a bit strange to show up somewhere, and have people blurt out with uncontrolled excitement: "OHMYGOSH! That's you?!?! Wow. I love your site and articles! This is so cool. I can't wait to tell the guys."

You see, to me, I'm still just that dorky guy who plays a miniatures game with dollies. I write about it online. People read what the Guys and I write. We can sometimes fight like brothers amongst ourselves.

farmpunk:

I'm a Flow Cytometrist. I sort cells for the Indiana Cancer Center, which is a part of the Indiana University Medical School. What does that mean? I work with Lasers, cells (goo), Saline solution, high voltage, and lots of data. ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

How did I go from Crop Breeding (BS degree) to Cytometry? I was a Tech Service Engineer for I-Cyt, in Champaign, Il. I helped design, test, and build machines like the Reflection cell sorter.

That's what I do. Besides blog.

SandWyrm:

SandWyrm is a Real-Time 3D Graphics Consultant. He's also done work on some movies you might have seen: Antz, and Shrek.

Spaguatyrine replied:

Area Supervisor for the best Roastbeef fast food chain in the world.   My high energy and engaging personality serve me well on the table top and the business world. I like long walks on the beach, blonde hair, and ....  Sorry wrong request.  :)

TheGraveMind:

TheGraveMind is a part time college student, with a part time restaurant management job, and a full time hobby

Chambers replied:

Okay so in my real life I am not a pirate, sad I know but once must face the truth no matter how cold and ugly it might be.  My current profession is that of an Oxygen Thief, a role that I excel at if I do say so myself. 

Yep my job is to steal your oxygen, neat gig all in all.  My wife prefers the term student, but I believe in calling a duck a duck and a rose a rose. When my wife secured her current positions we had to move so I took the opportunity to go back and get the degree that would allow me to advance past helper monkey and on to boss monkey. 
In a past life I was an assistant project manager for the fine coal recovery division of a coal company.  In essence what that mouthful means is that I floated mud, built things to float mud, or I told other people that whether their mud was worth floating.  Long story short I had made a career out of floating mud, and sometimes rocks, before giving up the glamorous life of a surface miner and becoming a professional thief. 

Anonymous Foodie replied:

When I'm not busy being a bamf on the table, I do it in the kitchen.

I work two jobs currently - one in a closed-facility cafe for a bunch of people who answer phones and take lots of coffee breaks, and another as an event chef for a catering company in Indianapolis.

I also pose as a (very) amateur food writer at times.  Meaning yes, I had this handle long before I wrote for this blog.

Yes, my cookies will make you cry.  Take note, ladies... oh, wait.

Archfiend of Desdemon:
is a Head Stock Clerk for Kroger (Grocery Chain).

Uberdark:
He teaches art to special needs children up in Kokomo.

Weinas:
I think he's a waste management engineer.


well, that's all the usual suspects. I'm sure they'll chime in with a bit more detail. But I hope that answers your question!