Chincoteague Island’s Saltwater Cowboys
These happy buckaroos are all members of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, on Virginia’s Atlantic Coast—where they work full time. But once each summer they participate in the famed Chincoteague Pony Swim, which is when these gorgeous wild horses are encouraged to swim from their natural habitat on Assateague Island to nearby Chincoteague Island. The horses are then very gently rounded up and auctioned off to happy horse lovers across the country (and around the world) where they will live happily after.
Walt Disney Imagineer
If you’ve ever been to Walt Disney World Resorts, you’ll know that when you enter one of their parks, you’re not just hopping on a ride, you’re transported to a magical land. That’s no accident and Joe Rohde, who’s title is portfolio creative executive, is one of the key people who makes that happen. In his job, he hikes up temples in Cambodia to get every detail right for the Animal Kingdom and works closely with James Cameron to create the immersive Pandora—The World of Avatar. How did he land a dream job? He was discovered when teaching art history and theater design at a high school in San Fernando Valley and worked his way up the ranks.
BBQ Restaurant Tour Guide
This is a dream job for carnivores! Karl and Bethanie Schemel adopted barbecue mecca Kansas City as their home a few years ago where they developed and now own and operate KC Barbecue Tours. On their tours, lucky locals and visitors hop on a private 30-passenger motor coach and sample the fare at some of KC’s most famous BBQ places and some that are off the beaten path. (Kansas City has more than 100 establishments that serve this truly American staple.) When Karl, originally from Chicago, returned to his hometown to visit family a few years ago, he was taken on a Chicago pizza tour. When he got back to Kansas City, he and Bethanie agreed that visitors might like to go on a BBQ tour of Kansas City. Today, business is booming as KC Barbecue Tours enters its sixth year of operation.
Bee whisperer
Bees are necessary. Without them, life as we know it would change so dramatically that our entire food chain could collapse…not to mention the loss of all that delicious honey they produce. Let’s say a bunch of bees have decided to take up residency around your home in or near Santa Barbara, California. What to do? Here’s when someone like bee whisperer Nick Wigle can come in handy. As the owner of Super Bee Rescue and Removal, Wigle is talented at getting bees of all types to voluntarily move from one place to another without harming one single bee. Even though he has great respect for all bees, he does make his living at this, so expect him, or any bee whisperer to charge for their services.
Sea urchin diver
Some say sea urchins are an acquired taste; others are absolutely addicted the taste of these spiny delicacies from the ocean, and, there are those who wouldn’t touch them with a proverbial 10-foot pole. Fortunately for sea urchin lovers, there is Stephanie Mutz, who makes her living by diving for these tasty creatures off the coast of glorious Santa Barbara, California, where she is the only known female sea urchin diver.
Aerial violinist
The city of Branson, Missouri, is nestled in the picturesque Ozark Mountains that stretch along the Missouri-Arkansas border. It’s also one of the live entertainment capitals of the entire world, where on any given day or evening there are literally hundreds of shows and attractions from which to choose. Which brings us to Janice Martin, who makes her living as the world’s only acrobatic aerial violinist. She’s an alum of America’s Got Talent, where in 2009, she wowed millions of viewers with her aerial violin and vocal performance. Martin is presently in her fifth season as a headlining act in Branson.
Cemetery special events manager
If you’re looking for something that offers a little more peace and quiet than your present job, you might want to consider a career that centers around a cemetery. (Lots of peace and quiet there.) For example, down in the lovely and historic city of Savannah, Georgia, the city’s Department of Cemeteries employs a number of people who help maintain and coordinate activities—including special events, in Savannah’s cemeteries, even weddings. You might think getting married in a cemetery is unheard of—not at Bonaventure Cemetery. This beautiful place of eternal rest got a publicity boost in 1994 when John Berendt’s runaway bestseller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was published. (It remained on the New York Times bestseller list for 216 weeks!) Fans of the book will recall his wonderful descriptions of Bonaventure Cemetery and how this serene place has figured in the social fabric Savannah. Couples are welcome to be married in the cemetery, but since there is a no-alcohol rule on the grounds, you may want to scout around for other options to liven up your reception that will allow champagne toasts, dancing, and dining. All weddings must be approved by the City of Savannah Department of Cemeteries. Tip: If you’d like to be married in the cemetery on Halloween—book early.
Bottle dippers
Nothing is more ‘Made in America’ than Kentucky Bourbon. As you cruise down the aisle at your local spirits purveyor, one distinctive bottle will probably catch your eye—Maker’s Mark with its brightly colored red wax seal coursing from its cap and down along the sides of its neck. Well, these bottles don’t just dip themselves… every bottle of Maker’s Mark Bourbon that leaves the historic campus is hand-dipped in its iconic red wax. There are several men and women who operate the dipping lines and each of them has a signature style of dipping. According to Bill Samuels, Sr., son of the founders and Chairman Emeritus, he was once able to decipher who dipped each bottle based on the unique wax tendrils. The detail and design of Maker’s Mark, specifically the dripping red wax, has helped Maker’s Mark stand out against competition, then and now. And while some distilleries are able to bottle large quantities of liquid per minute, the hand-dipped nature of each bottle allows the dippers to currently do no more than 125 bottles each minute. Bottoms up!
Animal hospitality specialist
Kiera Mejia has loved animals all her life and is excited to be able to turn this lifelong passion into a career at The ARK, the world’s first privately owned animal reception terminal and quarantine located on 14.4 acres at JFK International Airport. She is looking forward to furthering her studies in veterinary science and what the future of animal travel transforms into with The ARK at JFK—where horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles, mice, goats, and many other animals are welcomed every day with very special TLC.
Snowmaker
People who work at ski resorts get to do all sorts of things to make a living in order to practice their wintery passion—teach people how to ski and snowboard, check lift tickets, and rent out equipment to name a few. But sometimes, even in an idyllic ski capital such as Snowmass in the Colorado Rockies, Mother Nature can use a little help keeping up with the constant need of powdery white snow. Here’s where Frank White comes in. White, has been in the snowmaking business for over 20 years and is passionate about his trade. Since coming to Snowmass, Colorado, in 2008, he has found ways to increase efficiencies and production in snowmaking. Now he’s a member of the Colorado Ski Country Slope Grooming and Snowmaking advisory board.
