What do/did you do for a living?

Neuroscientist.  Have studied visual, auditory and infrared systems at the cellular, subcellular, and genetic/molecular levels.  Most recent concentration on neuroimaging (mostly functional magnetic resonance imaging - fMRI) the developing human brain and the effects of extrinsic influences on structural and functional development.  First slaked my interest in audiophilia with Dynaco/AR system.  Magnepan devotee beginning in the late '70's,  Turntable lover, in part because it panders to the satisfaction I get out of tinkering/tailoring the sound to my tastes.  Frequently concertgoer (mostly classical/jazz).  Or I was up until this pandemic hit.

Picked strawberries for 25 cents a basket at thirteen,  picked tobacco (good money) at age fifteen After High school worked at a steel mill for six years, went out west and worked at a sawmill on Vancouver Island for two years and still have all my fingers and hearing! Went back to collage and got a degree in mechanical engineering.  Was never out of work up to my retirement at age 52
My wife and I flipped ten homes over the years
when most didn't know what flipping homes was
Always liked good music. Early 80's got a used Marantz 2265B and Teac cassett player Cerwin Vega speakers. Did the Yamaha/Paradgim thing
But in the mid nineties l decided to step it up a bit and not really knowing what i was doing,  I bough a VAC PA 80 80 amp and ARC LS15 pre amp that I still use to this day. My current speakers are Magnepans and my source is the Oppo BD 105 with the Exogal Comet DAC and Audiolab 6000n
streamer. Not top tier, but sure puts a smile on my face. And besides I have a Porsche 944 track car( money pit) so I can't spend crazy money on my stereo rig without a divorce involved !

"Not top tier, but sure puts a smile on my face."  Sounds your system is doing EXACTLY what it's supposed to do.

After four years as a Machinist Helper, another four years of apprenticeship and years of vocational training, I worked my way up through the ranks of the Mechanical/Electrical Field Tech. Division of one the two giant international electrical corps. After they closed their US operations in the late 80s, the wife and I decided to turn our part time photo work into a full time business. We opened a fully equipped studio and became very involved with in studio shoots and all manner of remote location, custom shoots. After a few years, the wife continued operating the photo business and I became involved in designing and building custom adaptions for medical equipment and for several years, was also involved with doing compliance work for the ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act).
Over the past twenty-five years I have owned/operated my own canvas and upholstery businesses and have managed operations for others. I am now happily retired, but still have a small shop set up and do canvas/upholstery and mechanical work, mostly for friends and family.

Since the late 70s, I have had a love for audio and have shared that hobby with classic muscle cars, motorcycles and boating.

Happy listening ....Jim

(terrific thread)

I'm a freelance medical writer/home-office based (3rd career & the best).

35 yrs ago I had a wonderful ~$15K 2-channel system in living room of 1st house. Moved to this 2nd house 30 yrs ago, where there's no good place for audio--and all that 2-channel gear is still in the closet.

Now it's all desktop audio + headphones in home office (total ~$10K).

It all happened because I love music so much...