I've had a lot of professions, jobs, businesses and side hustles in my life. Being DINKs (double income - no kids) allowed my wife and I to live a semi slacker life.
Store detective for the Bon Marche department store chain in the PNW while attending college. Police officer for 2 1/2 years, returned to the Bon as a security manager. Left Bon and managed a west coast private investigation firm for a year.
Obtained a license and sold real estate for 6 months until the interest rate jumped to 18% and killed sales.
Returned to the Bon as the corporate Loss Prevention Manager. I had negotiated for my original hire date, retirement and profit sharing when rehired so retired after 5 years.
Opened a video rental store in the early 80's and added stores as that industry exploded. My wife was a human resources executive at the Bon, retired two years after me and joined me to run the stores. Built a store for one of our video locations.
Started selling nautical software and marine electronics at the Des Moines, WA store.
Saw Blockbuster and Hollywood Video devouring small ma and pop video stores like ours around the country so decided to sell when the selling was still good in 1992. We were fortunate that instead of leasing, we had purchased the land and buildings where our stores were located and retired.
I had started a part time mobile DJ business in 1974 entertaining at weddings, corporate and private parties so I could buy all the latest, greatest audio equipment and records without my wife complaining. Did this concurrently while at other jobs. Started doing more gigs in the 90's.
Got bored and started a retail consulting business coaching banks and other businesses to improve their sales and customer service. Added mystery shopping to assess improvement. Conducted corporate espionage for the mattress industry.
My wife went to work for another consulting company part time to set up their Human Resources dept.
Operated a firework stand in the parking lot of one of our stores or Safeways for 15 years.
Attended a Maritime Academy in Seattle for 6 months. Obtained a 25 ton CG Masters license, eventually upgraded to 100 ton.
Worked for a marine transport company as a 1099, ferrying people to ships coming into Puget Sound ports. Worked there 2 days/week for 2 months until they required me to be on call and carry a pager.
Worked for Elliot Bay Yacht Center in Seattle as a checkout skipper and instructor two days/week. EBYC was an yacht time share company with around 180 boats and also ran an yacht school, captain for hire, charters and consulting. Worked there part time until they went out of business
Started a boat handling instruction business that developed into a captain for hire and eventually as a boat buyers consultant. Became a Nobeltec dealer and an IBM Computer Reseller, selling older people their first computer so they could use Nobeltec. Trained the clients on operating a computer and Nobeltec and added on the water Nobeltec training.
Became a dealer for Vacu-Flush, Lehman Parts, Webasto, Ronco plastic tanks, generators, Coastal Explorer, marine electronics etc selling to DIY boaters. Offered design and installation assistance. Conducted seminars.
Was an on call, back up skipper on a 90' fast pointy Italian boat with three engines for about 3 years! Hated that boat!
Bought leased and sold commercial RE for self. Tore down former video store building and converted it into an airport parking lot and leased it to an operator.
Started buying and selling new and used marine equipment on eBay and CL.
Retired the mystery shopping business around 2002, retail consulting businesses was retired around 2008, turned in my license and retired from the boat captain business around 2015, retired from the Mobile DJ business (my favorite job of all time!) in 2017 after 43 part time years! My wife retired in 2001.
Yikes! I'm finally slowing down.
I am still a dealer for numerous marine manufacturers and still buy and sell new and used marine equipment on eBay, Craig's List and the occasional marine swap meet.
As for boating, learned to sail on a neighbors C-Lark when I was about 12. Built an El Torro in Junior High shop class and a Trumbley 14' sloop at the Ft Lewis boatbuilding shop. Assisted a boat builder on a wood boat. Got away from boats at 16 when I got my license. Auto crossed and eventually road raced until the oil embargoes killed motorsports in the 70's.
Restored a wood Star and Lightning daysailors. Got into Hobies, Lasers and other small fast sailboats. Got into salmon fishing in the late 70's and had a 17' outboard. Bought a 34' 1981 Mainship in 1985 from Connecticut sight unseen, flew there, cruised around Long Island for a week, dismantled the boat and had it trucked to Washington State.
Bought the current boat; a Bluewater 40 Pilothouse Trawler in 2000 from Port Townsend, WA when we weren't shopping for a boat.
Whew! That's all folks.