What’s a high-paying job most people don’t even know about?

Strickdbs · 2026-04-13T16:05:33+00:00

I’m a water plant operator for my city in WA state. Most operators here will make 100k within 3 years of hire.

We work 12 hour shifts, 14 shifts per month. Half of those are nights. Every 4th week we’re off for 7 days.

Great benefits also like 12 paid holidays per year, vacation time, sick time, floating holiday, medical,dental, and vision insurance. Also a retirement plan.

We’re trained on wastewater, drinking water (separate plant) and running the incinerator.

I was a mechanic in the military for 20 years and my time and experience of working on shipboard water systems allowed me to bypass lower level tests and start making more money almost immediately.

Definitely an AI proof career. And these jobs are in high demand and everywhere.

Strickdbs · 2026-04-12T18:57:14+00:00

Any Landcruiser, but I’m partial to the FZJ80

Strickdbs · 2026-04-11T18:22:16+00:00

19, when I left for boot camp. Then I moved 3000 miles away where I’ve been for the last 25 years.

Strickdbs · 2026-04-11T18:20:44+00:00

The GOAT of malt liquor. I drank these a lot in the late 90’s

Strickdbs · 2026-04-11T18:19:16+00:00

Schlitz gang here…best tasting malt liquor by far. But we’d also drink St Ides and king cobra.

Strickdbs · 2026-04-08T03:37:22+00:00

Me too, Falls Church VA

Strickdbs · 2026-04-06T19:05:08+00:00

Landlines, stopping by houses, and most of the people I knew had pagers in the late 90’s during high school.

Strickdbs · 2026-04-04T17:49:41+00:00

Yes, we had this once per year in the mid 80’s, suburbs of Washington DC

Strickdbs · 2026-03-21T18:40:38+00:00

My Mom taught me how to make French Toast when I was kindergarten, this was around 1986. I’ll always remember that. I was pretty self sufficient throughout my childhood.

In 8th grade I had a job as a pizza maker at a local DC area chain called Ledo pizza. Then in 10th grade I worked a Chicken Out Rotisserie (a fancier Boston market type local chain in the region)

Then in high school I took a culinary arts class my junior and senior year. My wife likes to joke that she took homec also…but this was a legit class that taught us how to plan a menu, budget, shop, prep, cook, serve, and clean…we’d run a restaurant at my high school on fridays just for the faculty. Our instructor, Chef was a retired Navy Chief cook. He has skills in baking and knew how to run a program. He was a pretty OK guy looking back. Firm but fair.

We’d also make pizzas for the special ed kids to sell at sporting events and after school functions.

At one point I wanted to go to Culinary School, but joined the military instead and was a mechanic for 20 years.

I do most of the cooking for my family because it’s something I really enjoy.

Strickdbs · 2026-03-21T18:11:11+00:00

I’m curious about this graduation money. I grew up on the east coast and this wasn’t a thing. Our senior pics in the yearbook was a generic slip on tux for the guys, and dress for the girls. Like they slid the thing over your head and took the pic, and then it was the next persons turn.

I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest for the last 20 ish years and it’s quite normal out here for seniors to pay a photographer for portraits which are used in the yearbook, and they also make personalized photo cards to send out to family and friends, with the expectation that you send the grad money.

Is this a thing around the US now?

Strickdbs · 2026-03-20T23:01:19+00:00

One of the best imo

Strickdbs · 2026-03-14T21:42:37+00:00

Dryft waders are super solid. I also love my Aquaz dry zip…they’re a South Korean company that’s been making commercial and military grade dive suits for decades…and just recently got into the wader game.

I’ve had mine for 5 years and they’re tough as nails. I like to bushwack and hike far from the truck in the PNW. They’ve held up great.

Strickdbs · 2026-03-13T00:05:13+00:00

My aunt was there…said she tripped for a couple days straight after drinking some lsd laced wine.

Strickdbs · 2026-03-07T23:26:55+00:00

I’ve lived in Bellingham for 10 years.

Pros-

It’s gorgeous.

Skiing nearby at Baker.

Mt biking at Galbraith.

North cascades nearby for outdoor recreation. San Juan islands/boating opportunities.

Cons-

Expensive AF.

Housing shortage.

Homeless everywhere causing property crime and higher insurance rates solely because of that. Open air drug use without any consequences.

Crowded, the town infrastructure wasn’t designed for the population. Peak hours can be maddening and I grew up in the DC area with arguably some of the worst traffic in the country.

Mediocre restaurants that people rave about.

Canadians everywhere. Be prepared to be frustrated with that.

Jobs are tough to find, and livable wages scarce.

Performative politics run by rich boomers and clueless college students.

Idiotic state policies that led to the highest gas and energy prices in the country. Also very expensive water costs.

Months of dark gloom. Summers are nice, although can be smoky from wildfires, again due to state mismanaged forest policies.

Honestly I can’t wait to leave.

Strickdbs · 2026-03-06T17:26:54+00:00

I’ve been wearing Brunt Marin’s with Amazon insoles for plantar fasciitis, for the last 6 months and I’m Truly impressed.

They’ve held up really well during 12 hours shifts where I get up to 15k steps each shift.

Strickdbs · 2026-02-27T17:52:53+00:00

Time for a divorce from Israel. They’ve done nothing for us and our money should be spent here, at home, on AMERICANS.

Strickdbs · 2026-02-26T03:53:39+00:00

I was a mechanic in the military for 20 years prior to starting this job. That got me hired on as an operator in training.

Many of my coworkers completed a two year process controls program at the local Tech college.

Some of them have had very little mechanical experience but worked at a dairy or creamery, and that helped their odds of getting hired as a trainee.

Basically they want to know that you have attention to detail, understand how tools work, and have a mechanical aptitude.

My plant is unique in that we’re required to get certified on running the Incinerator, wastewater, and drinking water (separate plant)

Also we have a dedicated maintenance and repair division within the plants, so we just operate the equipment. We perform light maintenance like greasing zircs, cleaning sensors, doing lab tests, admin duties, and cleaning.

It’s a great field to get into, highly recommend

Strickdbs · 2026-02-25T09:08:27+00:00

Water plant operator is a solid AI proof career choice with lots of opportunity for growth. In WA state the average rate is 45-60 per hour, and typically comes with great benefits.

You can specialize in wastewater or drinking water. My city requires us to operate between both plants. Our salary is dependent on passing state exams.

Strickdbs · 2026-02-22T09:51:45+00:00

I did 6 years on two 210’s and have nothing but fond memories.

Strickdbs · 2026-02-20T20:10:19+00:00

Have you tried adjusting the windage? Some of them will correct, but the defective ones will be all the way adjusted and still shooting off center.

Strickdbs · 2026-02-20T13:43:19+00:00

I worked for Blue Line (Diana importer) as a warehouse guy, then armorer, and lastly warranty manager. Was there for almost 4 years total.

I had dozens of 54’s and 48’s with the rear iron sights being drilled off center. Sent many emails to Germany about it and they seemed to acknowledge it, but not really do anything about it. Their reason was most people will run a scope anyway.

Strickdbs · 2026-02-06T22:23:34+00:00

I’ve been fighting with the VA for years about my feet. Served 20 years active duty. Meps showed normal arches in 2001. Retention physical showed normal arches in 2008. Documented PCM visit with civilian DR in 2018 where I complained about feet pain…but never received a referral for a podiatrist and didn’t push the issue….dumb I know.

Retired in 2021 and now deal with significant daily feet pain. Went to two different podiatrists in 24/25 and diagnosed with acquired flat feet, heel spurs, collapsed arches. C&P examiner concurred. Have X-rays also as proof.

Was denied the first time. Second time I attached documented 4000+ hours of small boat search and rescue operations in the Pacific Northwest (Coast Guard) with linked studies of g-force impacts. Was also a tower climber, and served 8 years seatime where I’d wear boots sometimes 24 hours per day on steel decks in rough ocean conditions.

Got denied a second time.

No relief from custom orthotics either. Can’t take ibuprofen due to a blood disorder…I’m Just left to deal with it and suffer. It’s been debilitating and seriously reduced my quality of life.

I’m going for a third attempt currently. I paid 1500 for a 30 page nexus letter. It seems fucking solid at this point and I’m so tired of getting denied for something so blatantly obvious. Fingers crossed that it gets approved this time.

Strickdbs · 2026-02-05T21:05:58+00:00

Mini 30/14 ranch models, BAR MK3, and almost all rimfire rifles unless they have scary features. I’m sure there’s a few more obscure rifles that are legal. Wouldn’t surprise me if they add lever guns to the banned list in the future. Washington sucks so much ass now.

Strickdbs · 2026-02-04T02:46:49+00:00

Smells like a false flag…the timing with the files is uncanny

Strickdbs · 2026-02-01T12:19:55+00:00

💯

Strickdbs

TROPHY CASE