You people are worried about gray hair. At least you still have hair! The way I got my nickname was I looked just like my bald headed grandfather. Now I look even more like my bald headed grandfather.
Chip (off the old block)
You people are worried about gray hair. At least you still have hair! The way I got my nickname was I looked just like my bald headed grandfather. Now I look even more like my bald headed grandfather.
Chip (off the old block)
You've made quite a spectacle of yourself since then.Originally Posted by Uncle Fester
Fell down the rabbit hole with school in 1975 (OSF Class of 77) as a 17 year old.
I must say in all truthfulness it's been a grind.
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
37 years now, fresh out of Nam and the service I needed a job. First job was in Columbus, Ohio, and 2nd week as a dispensing optician I'm forced to wait on Woody Hayes during his volatile period. A Monday morning, his glasses all askew, and I stil remember thinking to myself if I can get these adjusted without breaking them, I should do fine the rest of my optical career. Because of ill health have cut down to mornings only, but I can't think of another job I could do in my physical condition. It's been fun.
I will be in the business 20 years coming up this December. I was delivering pizza part-time and living on 3 credit cards which I rolled the balances around on every month when I found an ad for a trainee at JC Penny. Cut my hair off, bought 3 dress shirts and ties < on the last credit card with any available funds> and I've been in it ever since, excluding a 6 month stint selling mattresses in mid '96.
My first dispensing job was in '67, but I had lab experience before that. It's a kind of a family thing; my father joined AO right after the war, and my brother and I were raised on the optical business. Dispensing is great fun! As in any business, there is donkey work to be endured, but sitting down with a customer to plan the perfect solution(s) is satisfying.
35 years and loving it!
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
Started in 1985 while in college. Worked my way through school with some really wonderful mentors and friends. Graduated and went into social work. I always kept in touch and did some fill-in but really came back to optical while expecting first baby so that I could work nights and weekends. Sometimes I feel like the psychology degree is just as valuable as the ABO.
What was the question...?
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
the reason i asked the question is because it seems that everyone i meet that fell into optics are in it for life and those who wanted to do it and went to school for it dont really last (im not saying everyone, just most of the people ive met). I for one have been in it for 10 years now, when i moved back up from florida i needed a job and stayed with friends. My ne friend worked at broadway optical in cleveland ohio and they needed someone in the lab to do finish, so the optician there (who was also the GM of an EM store) trained me and in 2 days i was edging away, next thing you know over the next week i leanred dispensing and insurance billing. She was impressed at how fast i learned and offered me a full time job in the lab at her store (broadway was only 2 days a week so it worked out well). I now have a carreer where i look forward to mondays and getting in the lab each week. I love what i do, I couldnt even begin to explain the happiness i feel when i walk into the lab in the morning and start playing with our machines!! just like a kid has toys those machines are MY toys....i love playtime!!!
ohh and if it wasnt for optiboard i wouldnt be as far as i am now!...thank you to all of you "old timers" that have helped me learn so much over the years! your a great group of professionals and i am honered to have had contact with all that contribute to this board.
equal opportunity offender!!
Just did the math and realized I've been doing this for half my life!
I was kidding. You know, old-timers, wandering aimlessly.
That's pretty cool.I couldnt even begin to explain the happiness i feel when i walk into the lab in the morning
I'll second that! The older you get, the faster you learn.ohh and if it wasnt for optiboard i wouldnt be as far as i am now!
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
As for wholesale labs, it was a great biz in 73 when I started. For lab employees it kept getting worse and worse over the years. What I started, we had full health insurance for famliy. Bonuses were generous. Now entry level lab people can't afford daycare or even to maintain an automobile for transportation to the job. I can no longer afford to make glasses for a living. Most the lab owners I think of are struggling to hang on. The ones that got tired of the struggle and sold out are fairly happy. There are no new lab start up I know of. Just to difficult to buy required equipment. Not that many sources.
Who says I have hair? I'm a perfect reason why pilots SHOULD wear polarized lenses. When they fly over me on a sunny day, they need the polarized lenses to cut down the reflected glare!
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
At least your butt isn't so big they can see it from the air.Who says I have hair? I'm a perfect reason why pilots SHOULD wear polarized lenses. When they fly over me on a sunny day, they need the polarized lenses to cut down the reflected glare!
You don't know that!At least your butt isn't so big they can see it from the air.
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
39 years and counting... The R word just isn't used in our household. My husband is also and optician and he's got 42 years in the business. We are both still smiling and working every day. We have and continue to mentor it's still fun.
Step aside, Sonny....you too, Honey! Give me a minute while I park my walker in the closet...................hang up my shawl...............disconnect my oxygen hose and tank....................and please, don't get between me and my IV pole. It kinda hurts when the needle gets pulled out, ya know!
Now...............where am I?
Now...............where am I?..............................
Seniors Optical Ward
Reversing Age Technology Center
Chinking Center NFLD
East China
46 years and counting, by accident yes, was the bell captain at the old original garden city hotel in LINY, before it was bought and tore down. knowing that we would have no jobs, i picked up the paper, and there was an ad that said, " DO YOU WANT A JOB WITH A FUTURE, IF SO CALL 5555555555, so i did
lady answers the phone and says Bausch and Lomb opthalmic, i said whats an opthalmic, she explained how they made eyeglasses there, and if i wanted to come in and apply, 40 hrs mon thru fri, 75.00 per week, polishing cylinder lenses until you worked your way up, which i did
Funny thing i believe this is the same year JRS joined B@L, the year was 1965
30 and counting... and to answer bhess25 just "fell into it"..my 4th career(and last)..still love it and have no plans of retiring
Fell into it about 42 years ago. Started with AO in Sioux City, Iowa, worked for Walman's, Siouxland and Duling optical, all in the Sioux City area. Learned how to make lenses and frames and how to dispense them from some of the OLD masters, 30, 40 and even 50 years in the trade. Somewhere along the way I learned refracting and pre-testing and contact fitting. I'm also a RN with a lot of experience all the way from reception to the OR.
Any of you old timer have a stock of old frames from the 20's to the 90's ? Help a newb out ... Please email me at Telsallab@link.net ....
I'm at 23 years and fell into it when a friend of my mom needed someone and I needed a job.......I'm the old timer and it sometimes frightens me what passes for an "optician"today.....that being said I'm off to work for the last week and half of my job.......
Christina
You're losing your job??????????
You have asked about this in several threads now.
I have hundreds of frames from that time period. I would LOVE to sell them off and make some money on them.
Buuuuuuuuut.........................the last thing that I am going to do is email someone who is a newbie, who has not contributed to this community in any way, from a different country, who seems like they are only here to "take" from us and not give back.
You may be the nicest, most honest person that ever breathed air, with best intentions, but I can not help you.
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