Its not very common, especially for guys. Usually, girls are the ones that have gigs like that. I was lucky that I knew a lot of people in the industry, and got a great gig. I usually made $500-$600 on weekdays, and $1000-$1400 on weekends. There was a point in time where I could work 8 days a month, and have MORE than enough money to live comfortably. But, I had to be responsible and drop that job, to move up in the world. I now make in a week, what I made in 2 days bartending. The best part of bartending, it was tax free.

 

I was a warhead designer for ten years.

It's hard to beat getting paid to go out to the test range and blow things up.

In the first test I attended the warhead had a 1-lb. tantalum plate on one side that formed into a penetrator and flew downrange to hit the target; it was propelled by 3 - 4 pounds of Octol. The target was about one ton of steel armor plate. When the warhead was detonated and that 1-lb. penetrator hit that 2,000-lb. target it punched a hole through it and knocked it about six feet! That, gentlemen, is kinetic energy.

I once designed a warhead that made a pattern of holes in the target that looked like one of these:
If I can find the photograph I'll scan it in and post it.

 

Back in College I worked at a Japanese Restuarant as a sushi chef. I learned how to prepare the food I love to eat, got to eat all the sushi I wanted for "free", and chilled all day at work, drank for free after we closed and played poker most of the weekends.

That was the most laid back job I've ever had and miss it every day of my cubicle working life...

 

Most people who had a "good" experience in the food industry miss it a LOT as they get older, and the jobs get more.....boring. Ive worked at lots of different jobs in my life, and was in love with the restaurant industry. The problems, the people, the girls, the food, the money (sometimes), blah blah blah....couldnt leave. Is it the most prestigious job in the world? Hell no, but it sure is one of the most rewarding/fun.

 

cubicle working life aint that bad. well in the silicon valley its not bad at all. my company provides free drinks, fast internet connection, a gym, basketball at lunch, free beer, free dinner if u work past 7, and has very little stress. and its not like u are working the whole 8 hours you are here anyways. too bad we can't all work for google tho.

 

dont forget the NSFW threads

 

Best pay is current job.

Most fun is a toss up between working as a personal trainer at 24 hour fitness OR in the military working w/ SPEC OP Operators; the training and field work was phenomenal