Shhhhhhh, don't say it very loud but I am a Health & Safety Officer for a manufacturing company. Yes, its all down to me, I want to spoil everybodys fun.....
Am a Chartered Accountant, qualified over twenty years ago.
Have recently returned to practice after many years in the commercial world.... only work when I need to because the money's less important than living!
In my spare time I do loads of stuff out doors - fell walking, cycling, sailing as well as motorcycling ~ not enough hours in the day to fit it all in to be honest!
I'm an Army helicopter pilot. Fourteen years of flying Hueys and Blackhawks. Eleven of which have been MEDEVAC from NY to Egypt to Bosnia and Kosovo and other places. Leaving in the fall for a sandbox on your news somewhere. Haven't ridden in 20 yrs till I bought a '01 F650GS 2yrs ago and now an '08 F800ST.
Terrific thread, and an amazingly diverse and talented group of people!
My turn: I’m a South African guy, who has been living in the UK for the last 9 years or so. I work as a Disaster Recovery Manager and Database Administrator for a software development company supplying the leading portfolio management product in the alternative investment market (mainly Hedge Funds).
I’ve been doing this for close to 6 years after retraining in Oracle Database Development when I finally realised that I was unsuited to the sales role I was in at the time.
Basically what I do now is implement Disaster Recovery solutions for a large number of our clients, manage and maintain their DR servers, provide regular testing, and of course 24 hour emergency assistance if their production environment blows up. In the past 18 months, my team has grown from just me, to a team of 5 spread out over London, New York and Hong Kong, and our revenue has increased at least tenfold in that time. If only I was on commission…
In my spare time I am an avid scuba diver, having dived all over the place, and including an expedition to dive under the ice in the Russian Arctic (mindblowing!), I’m a keen amateur photographer, having had some of my work published on websites and in magazines, and of course I like to hit the road at any opportunity.
I recently got engaged (in Cape Town), and my gorgeous fiancée and I bought our first house two months ago, which we share with a grumpy, evil old cat called Pickle and an insane kitten called Scampi. The missus had vowed to never ride pillion again after a show-off ex boyfriend scared the daylights out of her, but I finally coaxed her onto the back of my old SV650S, and she quite enjoyed it, even though she always complained at how uncomfortable it was. She was one of the driving forces in getting the F800S, as she joined me for the first part of the test ride, and claimed that the pillion was like 'sitting on a sofa'.
S’Good!
Formerly on a Lahar Grey F800S, then after 47,000 happy miles it was traded in for a new Midnight Black F800ST, which was more or less converted back to an S. And now I'm on a brand new R1200RS, which is rather awesome! I'll still stick around if you'll have me, though, as my wife is now on the F800...
Electrical/Automation Engineer. Steel Works (everything from Network Admin to 300kW drives), Pharmaceutical, Boilers, Airport Conveyors.
Married 2 childrens plus 2 halves (one with her Mum, and one inside my wife)
Runner, cyclist, any outdoor activity.
Shared VT250F, TZR250 (siezed twice), ZZR250, VFR750 (new for 13 years), now F800S.
I'm sure you're going to find a talented group of people on this forum - it takes some sort of talent to have the readies to justify a bike like a BMW when a Hyosung 650 goes nearly as well and is 45% of the price ! It may not last as long, or stay in style, but it is so much cheaper !
It will be a great day when Schools get all of the money they need and the Air Force has to hold a chook raffle to raise funds for a new bomber !
After nearly 30 years as a scientist I went for a complete change and at 49 years of age joined the Police as the oldest recruit Northants have ever had. I have now been in for 4 years and I am currently a Custody Sergeant, studying for my Inspector exams. I might have the odd, fleeting regret about my rather cushy old career, in the middle of a night shift when administering "Reasonable Home Office Approved Force" to some ne'er-do-well, but then I talk to my ex-colleagues and see that they are largely bored to tears with their lot.
Been off the scene for a while and just seen this. Can you guess what I do?
I like Star Trek Season 1. City on the Edge of Forever is the best ST episode ever. But don’t let that put you off me. I like a decent Rioja or Barolo when I can get my hands on some. I have spent a lot of time working abroad, but now work for myself.
I decided to learn to ride last September and passed my test early October. I like complex stuff and I am a pain in the ass. I have three kids and my wife wants another. The Clam Chowder in Maine is the best in the world and Sean Connery best as James Bond.
I like women with figures in proportion to their body and think plastic tits are right scary. A Track Day at Brands Hatch is the best thing I have done this year.
My work is fun and satisfying but not scary and not much danger. Oh I hate flying and I am worried about global warming but more about house prices. My kids argue constantly about stuff that really doesn’t matter.
My film top 10 10) Poltergeist 9) The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (fantastic soundtrack)/French Connection 8) The Searchers 7) Dances With Wolves 6) The Italian Job 5) The African Queen 4) The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (fantastic soundtrack) 3) Star Wars (which changed my life when it came out. I was ten years old) 2) When Harry Met Sally 1) The Lord of the Rings (all of them)
My TV Top 10 10) Studio 60 9) University Challenge 8) Black Adder/Coupling 7) Anything with David Attenborough/BBC Bristol 6) Cracker 5) Prison Break S1 &2 4) 24 (all of them) 3) Battle of the Planets/Monkey 2) LOST S4 1) Top Gear
Have you guessed?
I know I know I am a sad person. I don’t really help people do. My work doesn’t take me to Darfur or Afghanistan. I used to be a IT project manager for a worldwide IT consultancy, then I worked in the Power Industry creating global networks. Then I setup shop on my own and did IT consultancy. But now I write dynamic website for businesses. And I am finally at peace. What was the question again?
My current (paying) career is a travelling salesman. Have covered territories no-one else wanted, like Iceland (in winter), Lebanon (in the early nineties) and Kyrghizstan (no-one knew where it was).
Past careers have included:
Bus conductor (trainee bus driver too, but failed, actually it was the brakes)
In-house stock distribution at a brewery (can't remember much about that one)
Refuse recepticle tallyer (counted dustbins)
Singer (fame didn't last, actually it never arrived)
Canvasser (got people to go for TB x-rays and got wear a white coat like a doctor)
Insurance salesman ('nough said)
Apprentice airframe fitter (didn't last long and gave me an unholy fear of flying, if they could employ me goodness knows how planes stay in the sky)
Advertising (parties were excellent)
Don't understand the inference. He flys a helicopter ambulance for the US Army, which means he's unarmed and gets to fly into areas where sometimes that red cross is looked at as a target. That's a sacrifice no matter where you're from, or which country you fly one for...
On topic - I'm a network architect at a software company and hope to have an F800GS soon (I ride a 2001 F650GSA now).
Without a. getting contentious and political and b. putting words into Bats mouth (I am sure that he can speak for himself ) I think that his inference is that he lives in a city which has been on the receiving end of the US (and UK) airforce in the not too distant past. I'm off back to read my Guardian.
Won't get into the figures - how much civilians were killed when "ambulance helicopters" (Blackhawk???!!!) were flying over here...
Mentioning red cross as a target, mind you that our maternity hospitals were bombed causing the death of 21 babies. Real ones.
I prey to God that you (or anyone else) never experience that kind of sacrifice.
Just choose your words, that's all
Kind of ironic that Radovan Karadzic is in the news recently too.
The politics and unfortunate outcome for many civilians of many ethnic backgrounds in that region is too sad and historically tragic.
Depending on your affiliation - there was plenty of misery and blame to go around in the late 90's.
I was in Albania at the time.
*sorry for the blip - back to the subject*
ABS, OBC, TPM, HHG, Hyperpro kit, Remus powercone, Vario levers, BMW side and top cases, Evo mirror extenders, center stand, Throttlemeister b&s hvy, final drive slider, K&N filter, rear flap gone
Kind of ironic that Radovan Karadzic is in the news recently too.
The politics and unfortunate outcome for many civilians of many ethnic backgrounds in that region is too sad and historically tragic.
Depending on your affiliation - there was plenty of misery and blame to go around in the late 90's.
I was in Albania at the time.
*sorry for the blip - back to the subject*
#1 - sorry for hijacking the thread
#2 - Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic are accused of war crimes and should be prosecuted, but at a fair trial. People in Serbia have no trust in War Tribunal in Hague as they released Naser Oric (Muslim who lead the attack - slaughter against Serbs on the night of big Orthodox holiday >>equals to Christmas<< in Srebrenica when several thousand were killed, butchered and burnt alive - that was the trigger for the terrible things that happened later in Srebrenica).
I think you get the picture, and I really do hope people understand that when there is a war, there have to be TWO sides fighting and on BOTH sides there are crazy people and bad people. Not only on one.
#3 - in the end, summing the whole situation, the only sides that profit out of it are the criminal structures AND the "peace keepers" who previously destroyed (bombed etc.) certain structures and are now buying it for peanuts...plus the weapons they sold to both sides...plus the humanitarian aid (with expired date of usage) in order to get a VAT reduction...I could get on and on, but I won't
Chief Economist, Spectrum Information Technologies and Telecommunications, Gov't of Canada
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." Stephen Hawking F8GT Dark Graphite Metallic (F8ST for 6 years prior to 2014)
Interesting thread to read through. As for me, I'm a flight dispatcher for an FAR135 air cargo company; our pilots fly old planes with basic equipment through crappy weather at odd hours; primarily bank and lab work. The dispatchers, on the other hand, help (or convince) the pilots to do their job, be it providing weather information when they have no access to it, arranging for the pilot and his work to be picked up by another pilot should his aircraft break down somewhere, or solve the issue of a pilot calling in sick or drunk an hour before he's supposed to be airborne.
At the moment, I'm working on getting certified, as I'd like to transfer to the flight line at my company within three years. I'm also a former BMW service technician (cars) and do some of that on the side, and am a violinist for whomever is willing to pay my fee.
Check out Brians' thread he started for me in the travel section. I was on a 4600 mile ride through the Rocky Mountain states. Attended three different BMW gatherings and seeing the sights in between. Generally having a good old time. The S performed splendidly by the way.... The "Howdy" hat is mine.
Originally Posted by batamali
Peace to you too Phillip...
Where have you been???
BMW F800S…….
There is no words to adequately describe the batshit crazies....
After spending 20 years pushing bits of paper around in finance I went for a complete career change and I now run a large country estate in the Surrey countryside. Best move I ever made but I do miss the money!!
Shhhhhhh, don't say it very loud but I am a Health & Safety Officer for a manufacturing company. Yes, its all down to me, I want to spoil everybodys fun.....
Hey nomisd,
Does that mean you had to type up a Risk Assessment and a Method Statement when you got your F800?
LINGERING LIKE A BAD SMELL WHILST SAT ON MY XL700VA - TRANS ALP
One of the comedians, I forget who, said that's why adults are always asking kids what they want to be when they grow up - they're looking for fresh ideas...
Anyway, cool thread, so please welcome this newbie to this forum and the F800ST.
Out of high school in the bicentennial year I joined the US Navy after six months working in a veterinary clinic. Trained in Navy Electronics schools for a year and a half, became a Cryptologic Tech mostly working on ancient teletypes.
Got out after 6+ years, found out there wasn't a lot of civilian work in the field and stumbled into Building Controls work (HVAC controls - Siemens, Johnson Controls, Trane). Did that for another 20+ years, programming, graphics, troubleshooting, application engineering, installation. Too much climbing on ladders in new (un-air conditioned) buildings.
Also during that time, got certified as a Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor, and taught for 12 years.
Got remarried (first time during Navy years didn't take) to a very smart, very educated woman with a good job working for one of the National Labs, which allowed me to go back to school after sporadically taking classes for 20+ years. I'm in my Senior year at the University of New Mexico, majoring in English in the Professional Writing program and minoring in Political Science. I use the F800ST (50th birthday present from my wife) to commute to school - much easier to park on campus, and gets much better fuel mileage than a GMC diesel.
My wife and I have three kids, a 9yo girl and 5yo twins (one of each). I had to give up teaching the MSF classes when the twins were born. I contemplate getting re-certified, but the curriculum is not the same nowadays, and the work isn't as lucrative.
When I graduate, I'd love to go for my Master's Degree but my wife says we need the money, so it'll be back to the salt mines for awhile. I hope to find work writing in some sort of public policy realm, or preferably in the motorcycle journalism field (dream on), but I have recently gained some training in web design and I see some possibilities there.
More than a few years back, I did some amateur desert racing and mini-roadracing, but lost the will to twist the throttle when family responsibilities accumulated. I found the sport of motorcycle trials, and gradually moved up through the lower skill levels. Now I have the great joy of getting the whole family involved in the sport. I have a Montesa 315R, my wife rides a Scorpa, my daughter is about to outgrow her Sherco 50, and the twins are learning on OSET electric mini-trials motorcycles.
I look forward to finishing school so the whole family can spend a lot more time together - school days have been tough on the kids especially. Posting here is a break from finals for me.
I'm very impressed with this group, and I look forward to corresponding with you all.
I work in one of the large coal mines in the U.S. here in Wyoming. I have worked here for 27 years doing all the jobs in the open pit. That is running all the large trucks, Shovels and all the support equipment in the mine. I have been a step-up foreman for ten years and also working as the dispatcher. I did worked in the drilling and blasting department for the mine something like seven years. I just moved over to the salary side. My job title as of 11/10/07 is now pit coordinator! We all here in the area mines, work long hours. Most here work a 12 hour rotating shift day/night. I do 13 to 14 hours a shift for my job. For the long hours, most do get seven days off that is built into the work Schedule. I worked in a cooper mine in Arizona as an equipment operator for three years out of high school. Then in 1981 was laded off due to falling market prices. So, does that sound familiar right now? I then made a temporary move up here to Gillette, WY. My wife loves it here and works for the school district. She will not move back, so this is our home now. We have had and raised all three kids here in Wyoming. Yes, I also think that this F800 rider group is a good one!
Ride Safe, ( 2014 F700GS ) Richard K7TNT-DN74 IBA #59670, MOA #114372, GS Giant Bighorns & Be the Adventure Billings 2015
I've been all over Wyoming. I would actually enjoy living there. Boston, San Francisco, now Seoul...all such cramped cities. I think my heart would explode with that kind of wide open space at my doorstep.
2015 Ducati 1299S Panigale - red
2014 Ducati Multistrada Granturismo - matte grey
2011 Ducati 796 Monster ABS - red
2007 BMW F800S - sunset yellow...Bumblebee! (sold)
What a great thread! I've work in the the theatre world for my whole life starting in 8th grade. I've worked on all kinds of shows from R&R tours to some of the more infamous nights spots of the late 70's & 80's in NYC. For the last 9 years in the electric department at the Met Opera house in NYC. Where my main job is maintaining the lighting equipment (they break it I fix it). Three years ago we started adding moving lights to our inventory. So off to Vari-Lite repair school I went and now I have some really great fun toys to keep working. Most days for me it's not even like going to work, I love my job and what I do. I live about 50 miles north east of NYC and try to ride to work as much as I can. That will stay the job of my 92 K75 and leave the touring and fun riding to my ST. I also have a 1975 R90/6 that I used to commute/tour on for a long time. Still love to ride the /6, it's like putting on a well broken in favorite pair of old jeans.
I've been all over Wyoming. I would actually enjoy living there. Boston, San Francisco, now Seoul...all such cramped cities. I think my heart would explode with that kind of wide open space at my doorstep.
Don’t get me wrong, I like these wide open spaces here. Not much traffic most of the year. We have some very good roads to ride from here. Did I also say the wide open is nice! But tonight, it is a little cool outside. It is -17 below zero at this time and dropping to -21 tonight. I’m a Wyoming Cowboy fan also, Go POKES!
Ride Safe, ( 2014 F700GS ) Richard K7TNT-DN74 IBA #59670, MOA #114372, GS Giant Bighorns & Be the Adventure Billings 2015
I've been trying to think how I can make my job look dead exciting, sexy or risky, but there's not much "wow" factor in being an accountant! Possibly slightly less dull than being an actuary, but it does pay the bills!
I qualified in 1986 (which makes me feel kinda dated!) and have been acting as a finance director in various corporate roles ever since .... well, except for a break in 2006 when I went a little crazy and took a year out to do a Masters in Forensic Accounting ~ great decision which allowed me the time and space to decide what I really wanted out of life ..... and trust me, it wasn't shunting round the country every couple of years to accomodate my employer's latest acquisition / merger / de-merger / rationalisation / re-structure / problem subsidiary!!!!!
So I quit the corporate roundabout and am now back in a rural practice - huge drop in income, but on sunny days I get to ride my bike to work - does life get any better I ask myself?
I've been trying to think how I can make my job look dead exciting, sexy or risky, but there's not much "wow" factor in being an accountant! Possibly slightly less dull than being an actuary, but it does pay the bills!
I qualified in 1986 (which makes me feel kinda dated!) and have been acting as a finance director in various corporate roles ever since .... well, except for a break in 2006 when I went a little crazy and took a year out to do a Masters in Forensic Accounting ~ great decision which allowed me the time and space to decide what I really wanted out of life ..... and trust me, it wasn't shunting round the country every couple of years to accomodate my employer's latest acquisition / merger / de-merger / rationalisation / re-structure / problem subsidiary!!!!!
So I quit the corporate roundabout and am now back in a rural practice - huge drop in income, but on sunny days I get to ride my bike to work - does life get any better I ask myself?
This must be about the only job that compares to riding a motorcycle as you need to have your wits about you at all times.
When people ask me what it is like to ride a motorcycle who have never even been a pillion on one that it is the closest thing to flying without leaving the ground (well your back wheel anyway).
I have flown and had a little go in single engined planes in the past and a realised then that a pilot needs the calmness of a Saint and the attention to detail like a brain surgeon.
LINGERING LIKE A BAD SMELL WHILST SAT ON MY XL700VA - TRANS ALP
Formerly on a Lahar Grey F800S, then after 47,000 happy miles it was traded in for a new Midnight Black F800ST, which was more or less converted back to an S. And now I'm on a brand new R1200RS, which is rather awesome! I'll still stick around if you'll have me, though, as my wife is now on the F800...
I've been trying to think how I can make my job look dead exciting, sexy or risky, but there's not much "wow" factor in being an accountant! ...
Oh, I don't know. I think you did a pretty good job of pitching it!
So I quit the corporate roundabout and am now back in a rural practice - huge drop in income, but on sunny days I get to ride my bike to work - does life get any better I ask myself?
I wasn't always that way. I worked in the aerospace industry for 37 years, fortunately at a time when it was a lot of fun and they still offered fully-paid retirement plans. To the dismay of 2 former spouses and later a few girl friends, I refused to leave and find a 'better job' outside aerospace. After I had a decade invested I realized that, even if I could find something more interesting, there was no way I'd find a better retirement plan (assuming they didn't kill me off before I could collect!) and I was still enjoying it.
I had a lot of fun: messing with gyros & guidance systems for one company, blowing up rocket motors for another (that wasn't really what the contract said to do... just a side benefit), and near the end of 29 years at the last company I was doing proposals which was certainly the most exhausting and at the same time rewarding work I did. But 14 hr. days for 7 days a week took its toll, so when my company merged with another aerospace company, I asked what was going to happen to the retirment plan. "Well, it's not going to get any better!" I left the announcement-meeting and went straight to my bosses office and told him I wanted to retire. I was 57 and took a huge drop in income. Without a doubt the best thing I could have done for myself at that time.
Took 2 years to get my head straight and another 5 years to straighten out medical problems, but at this point I'm happy to say I'm blowing the actuarial tables all to hell!
It's not really true that I do nothing. A few years after I retired I finally met someone who was crazy enough to go cruising with me. We bought a boat, eventually got married and played along the east coast for a few years. After we moved to Santa Fe I tried weaving for awhile, but that's a killer for my back. So now I build guitars (acoustic), ride my bike thru some of the most inspiring country I can imagine, and I drive my wife nuts... a great retirement job and I'm really good at it! Plus I have an amateur radio station (NM5B).
My turn. Not that exciting.
I am a VP of development in a software company that creates software for hedge funds, CTAs and other other-peoples-money-losers. Want to know where your 401K money went over the last few months? Ask me - I'll tell you. For those in IT phrase "null device" should mean something
I also run a small software consulting company of my own.
I am a father of two and I find that job the most fascinating, exciting, fun, even scary, some times frustrating, but the most admired by me over anything else.
I am a father of two and I find that job the most fascinating, exciting, fun, even scary, some times frustrating, but the most admired by me over anything else.
Ain't this the truth!
"I am a father of two and I find that job the most fascinating, exciting, fun, even scary, some times frustrating, but the most admired by me over anything else."
I have two daughters, and the older one was just accepted to law schoolwith a an academic scholarship) and the other one just received an A grade in HS Physics. That says nothing about how sweet these girls are, and how much I have learned from teaching them over the years. They are life's rewards.
Now if I didn't like my work as well (being a patent attorney), then I'd be far less in a position to father them the way I do/have. Life, it's what we have. All we can do is try to enjoy it, while we have it.
Originally Posted by Stormin Normin
Failure to do the life saver check can kill you.
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conlin_cr thanked for this post
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) I think that his inference is that he lives in a city which has been on the receiving end of the US (and UK) airforce in the not too distant past. I'm off back to read my Guardian.
Constant war sucks. Good for Big Business profits but, bad for Life....Peace to you.
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." Stephen Hawking
) Richard K7TNT-DN74 IBA #59670, MOA #114372, GS Giant Bighorns & Be the Adventure Billings 2015
- ex Blue ST rider
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