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Hobbyists: what is your day (or night) job?

I am always in awe of what I call REAL scientists. Cool job!
While it may sound cool for some (I am sure there are lots of people who don't like Mathematics :laugh:), I am not always convinced that it's really useful. My field of research is rather abstract and theoretical, so real-life applications might occur at some point but maybe there will never be any ...
While working as a teacher, I at least had the feeling that I was actively contributing in some way to society. Now the feeling is more vague - I just hope my research will never be used for any kinds of weapons ...

But of course I shouldn't complain. Nobody forced me to do this and there are lots of nice things and freedoms in such a job.
 
While it may sound cool for some (I am sure there are lots of people who don't like Mathematics :laugh:), I am not always convinced that it's really useful. My field of research is rather abstract and theoretical, so real-life applications might occur at some point but maybe there will never be any ...
While working as a teacher, I at least had the feeling that I was actively contributing in some way to society. Now the feeling is more vague - I just hope my research will never be used for any kinds of weapons ...

But of course I shouldn't complain. Nobody forced me to do this and there are lots of nice things and freedoms in such a job.
Gotcha haha. But your science is way more scientific than my particular academic field, which is part of the economy and business faculty. And we all know economics ain’t science. At least I’m assuming y’all do not really believe that Apple’s stock price is the actual net discounted value of their projected cash flows... ;)
 
Gotcha haha. But your science is way more scientific than my particular academic field, which is part of the economy and business faculty. And we all know economics ain’t science. At least I’m assuming y’all do not really believe that Apple’s stock price is the actual net discounted value of their projected cash flows... ;)
Don't underestimate the scientific value of what you are doing! Otherwise there wouldn't be many companies paying top salaries for experts in these things ...
 
Don't underestimate the scientific value of what you are doing! Otherwise there wouldn't be many companies paying top salaries for experts in these things ...
Market value and value for humanity are not the same thing. Hitmen get paid good money too! ;)
Also, never stop an economist from introspection. Wish more of them would be critical of the field’s shortcomings.
 
I am retired USN, two decades in History at Ohio State, now teaching History parttime at a local community college. I have done history noises for the last few decades. I do NOT make money, nor, do I want to compete with musicians. Rather, I wanted something for myself and my peers that I alone control and enjoy. I decided that pleasing myself was more important. I have a lot of respect for those who struggle to hone your craft, and, fight the powers, so to speak.
 
Japanese-English translator and supervisory analyst (equity research/fixed income/economics/quants/whatever else they throw at me)

Twenty two years in Japan next month and I still love it here.

I’d love to do library music as a side gig, since music is my passion, but that’s more of a pipe dream I guess.
If you get a chance, look up my name and Akiyama Saneyuki (1868-1918) :cool:
 
Wow great ! Which place ?
I’m totally fond of Japan (to the point I learned the language).
I’m in Tokyo now, but lived up in Utsunomiya for my first eight years.
It’s really cool that you learned Japanese. That’s not easy if you are living outside the country (not easy living in the country either, lol). I still learn new things pretty much daily even though I have been translating professionally since 2002. Definitely a lifelong project!
 
I’m in Tokyo now, but lived up in Utsunomiya for my first eight years.
It’s really cool that you learned Japanese. That’s not easy if you are living outside the country (not easy living in the country either, lol). I still learn new things pretty much daily even though I have been translating professionally since 2002. Definitely a lifelong project!
Exactly my feeling. Japan is discovery everyday. You think you know places / people / language / culture / etiquette, and yet there’s always something new on your daily way.
I don’t practice japanese anymore so I forgot a lot. Once in a while I there and I meet friends and also use a bit of japanese with my father-in-law though not our mother language.
I love Tokyo a lot, using my shoes in a lot of places. It’s an incredible city.
 
Full time software developer. My dad got me into programming and my mom taught me piano. I studied computer science when I got to college, but I also got a music composition minor. I actually like it this way quite a bit (music being a hobby that is). I don't think I could make it doing music professionally and I get to write the things I want to write instead of what I'm told to write. Plus, I love my current programming job. I work for a bit of a unicorn start up company in that it has all the perks of a start up, but none of the common downsides.
 
I’m in Tokyo now, but lived up in Utsunomiya for my first eight years.
It’s really cool that you learned Japanese. That’s not easy if you are living outside the country (not easy living in the country either, lol). I still learn new things pretty much daily even though I have been translating professionally since 2002. Definitely a lifelong project!
Yes, very very true! And, to boot, I was working often with furigana sources with the NIDS. Oy vay!! :confused:
 
Pensioner !!!
Retired IT professional. (Very useful skills for music production.) Worked assignemnts in over 65 large corporations and rubbed shoulders with lots of nerds and good few musicians!
And I have seen a good few IT mess ups in my time. As we used to say "To err is human but to really mess up you need a big computer"!
Great to have lots of time and to be able to please myself.
 
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Pensioner !!!
Retired IT professional. (Very useful skills for music production.) Worked assignemnts in over 65 large corporations and rubbed shoulders with lots of nerds and good few musicians!
And I have seen a good few IT mess ups in my time. As we used to say "To err is human but to really mess up you need a big computer"!
Great to have lots of time and to be able to please myself.
And now for something completely different....(cue the Monty Python fanfare) Me and my girlfriend run an online business from our home. We sell jewlery and mobile cases mostly through larger marketplace platforms. We decided around 2012 that we'd had enough of the busy city life and that we wanted to quite literally escape to the country. Which we did the following year! :thumbsup: So now we run our business from our early 19th century house located on a small hill overlooking meadows and pastures. A very different life indeed.

To get a little more money (the business goes quite well, but if we were to live off only that income things would be a bit too spartan) I also work with children and adults who has autism/aspberger/adhd/learning disabilities at schools and assisted living homes. This is something I had never done before we left the city, and judging by the response from the children it seems I'm a natural at this kind of job. It's also very rewarding when you see that you're actually reaching a person and that they appreciate what you're trying to do for them.:)

As a side note, for an online retailer, a pandemic where people are forced to stay indoors isn't exactly bad for business; we've had record sales this christmas!
 
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