I've actually had a job of one sort or another since I was 15 years old - deli, butcher shop, candy store, super market, then after graduating high school at the age of 17, I started going to college part time and teaching accordion ... when I was about 21 and dating my wife to be, I joined the US Army Reserves and learned all I needed to know about driving an armored tank and firing all the weapons on-board and a few side-arms as well... I achieved the rank of Sergeant within three years ... after finishing active duty, my future father-in-law felt I should be doing something more substantial and through a friend of his got me into IBM school - pre computers - After about a month of classes, I got a job as an 'IBM Machine Operator Trainee' ...
Six months after that the company got its first IBM main frame computer system, and I was the second machine operator in the company to be transferred to the computer department ... I worked in the Data Processing field for many years, and saw first hand the rapid growth of computer technology ... I worked 40 years for the company I retired from, in several different technical and managerial capacities, finally retiring as a Regional Director ...
For 26 years, starting from my senior year in high school, I played in a band with the same guys in the NY/NJ area ... then the company I worked for relocated its Home Office to Rhode Island, and I went with it ... Didn't play any gigs for about 7 years and finally went out and started 'marketing myself' and started playing in restaurants and Country Clubs ... and now, here I am, communicating with musicians from all over the world ...
What a GREAT ride ...