I am currently employed as a technology consultant performing contract work for my employer. That is what I have been doing that since 1998 when I retired from 20 years serving in the US Army. In the Army I was first a combat medic/practical nurse, then a recruiter, and finally a computer programmer analyst.
My first astronomy experience I can barely remember was in the back yard of my fathers friend in the San Fernando valley, California. It must have been like 1960. I can still see in my minds eye the tiny but distinct shape of Saturn. The telescope as best I can remember was a Newtonian reflector and my dad said his friend had built it himself using a stove pipe. I also rememeber having to climb up a ladder as my father steadied me to gaze into the eyepiece. I am guessing it had to be a long focal ratio since I don't remember it having a big aperature but it was long.
Between then and now I haven't directed much effort to personal astronomy but have always greatly enjoyed many trips to planetarium shows many of which were in the Griffith Park observatory in Los Angeles, CA. Additionally I've had the pleasure of visiting both Mounts Palomar and Wilson. I sure wish I had access to any one or all of these today.
Now having judiciously saved many pennies I recently took the plunge and purchased a telescope. So I am now spending hours peering into the heavens and reading books about stars, planets, nebulas, galaxies, and many wonderful things out there.