August 11 1975 Was my first day surveying; I remember it well
How many remember their first day, 48 years ago
I remember my first day from 61 years ago (I tripped down a hill carrying the bag of supplies!)
Early March 1983 just passed my 40-year mark. Passed my licensing exam in October 1992, I just passed my 30-year anniversary for that.
The best day of my career came on Valentines Day of 1993 when I received my passing results by snail mail on Valentines Day 1993. I'll never forget the feeling of accomplishment.
First week of April 1975. Don't know the date. Licensed in June of 1990. Still at it and mostly enjoy it!!
First week of April 1975. Don't know the date. Licensed in June of 1990. Still at it and mostly enjoy it!!
November 7, 1978 was first day on a topo job. First boundary was maybe a month later.
My father's 55th birthday.
Rookies ,all y'all. Except for Dave Lindell.
April 1971. Never knew the first thing about surveying until a week before I hit the field as a union FNG. I just knew that I had to be out there.
Licensed in 1984. Just bought new GPS setup for a one man shop this week.
Gonna go until they tell me that I can't. Bound to happen.
JA, PLS, SoCal
November 14, 1989. The first work day after the Remembrance Day holiday (Canada), the same year as the Loma Prieta earthquake.
‘68 in college and working with 5-man survey crew driving blue tops. Traveled, played, then construction. Oil exploration and nuclear waste for a few years and consistently since 1981 - thank you Herman Crichton, Ed Bradfield and Austin Outhouse. Licensed in 1986. Still surveying but trying to slow down lots of good memories and stories working from 100’ below sea level to 12,000 ft hills and from the left to right coast. Working w some with no classroom education to phd’s and learned from all. Happy anniversary
Pops was a surveyor and I can remember "helping" him in the field on the weekends when I was nine or ten. My first "real" paying employer was the outfit for which Pops worked after I had quit school at 17 in Sept. '68. I don't remember the exact date, but I remember riding to work with him that morning almost 55 years ago.
The fact that I had quit school only legitimized every fear my poor father had that I was an incorrigible phuk-up and my future as a functional human was lost to the winds of fate. A sentiment I seemed to share with everyone....because how could all these adults be wrong??? Needless to say the conversation in the truck was somber at best.
As a tyke I was interested in astronomy. I loved being allowed to get the K&E out of Pop's truck and viewing the heavens in the evening. Pops would not let me handle the instrument until I had learned to set up the gun, over a point, leveled and zeroed. This was a ten year old kid. I can't remember a time that I didn't know there were 360 degrees in a circle, 60 minutes in a degree and (yes) 60 seconds in a minute.
Sooo not wanting to leave you all on a sour note let's fast-forward six months from that "first" day...
I became a trusted instrument man to several old crusty PCs. My level loops closed impeccably. 18 months or so later I had a crew all my own.
Years later my father accused me of excelling in the business just to show him he was wrong about me. Although I really didn't have any conscious thoughts along those lines I had to admit he may have been on to something. 😉
First introduction to surveying was the summer of 87 as a budding geomorphologist on an NSF glaciology expedition. Someone pointed out that I was big enough to carry all of my gear plus a T-2 and thus a surveyor was born. When I returned to school I started taking surveying classes as I finished up my degree. I sat for the LSIT in the spring of 89 and that November after graduation I took a position with a regional engineering firm as an office/field tech. First actual field job was right out of the shut on my first day running levels in a tie & jacket on my first day of work. I started to keep a change of clothes in the office the next morning.
Summer of 1982, age 12. Mom finally convinced Dad to let me tag along and “help.” I don’t remember the exact date, but I do remember Dad showing me how to use a plumb bob out in front of our house on Herriott Street that day.
If you love what you do; you'll never work a day in your life
