I've started self-employed in 1972 when I operated my photography business while I worked fulltime in the Photo Lab for Waterways Experiment Station. I worked at WES for five years, then started working fulltime in my photo business. After about two years I had to work part-time during janitorial work. By 1980 I was rehired at WES to do the same work, which was processing black and white 8 x 10 film, continous tone negatives and prints. In addition I processed b&w prints, large mosaics and color slides. At other times I served as a Photographer's Assistant. In the meantime I also shot portraits, publicity and weddings on the weekend. I quit working at this government installation in September 1985. At this time my wife and I did janitorial work as sub-contractors. We also cleaned windows and homes as side jobs. Eventually we moved to Charlotte, N.C. and stayed there for nine years. While there I was introduced to house painting in which I did the remaining years there. When we returned to Vicksburg in August 1997 I retstarted the painting business and did it up until the recession started over a year ago. Presently I drive a school bus, work as a magazine merchandiser,sell Avon, write web content and poetry.