A Mid-Career Bounce Once an orthotic specialist installing halos and screws to heal spine injuries, Joe Crase spends his days now in his East County bounce-house birthday party central.

Slipping a Workbench Staple into the 21st Century It would be difficult to find a more paradoxical relationship between product and CEO: WD-40 is known for its simplicity, its lack of fuss, its utility as a cleaner, a lubricant, a rust-fighter. Garry O. Ridge, though, speaks fluent corporate touchy-feely.

Friendship and Crane-Operating in the Shadow of a Towering Scandal For some politicians, the Sunroad building in Kearny Mesa is the most infamous construction site in San Diego. For two workers from a local crane company, it's just another day on the job.

Guardian of the Condo Tower's Secrets Stephen Foster knows all that goes on at the Pinnacle condo tower, and he keeps it all to himself.

A Dream Disguised as a Job Amid tulle and glitter and Hulk masks, Andrea Straw plays dress-up as a costume designer in Poway.

Answering the Geico Phone in Poway In an era of far-flung call centers, Sheila Moskaly and more than a thousand others like her answer Geico's phones from here in San Diego County. But the local cost of living has forced her to do something the company hasn't -- seek home in a less expensive region.

In This Hemisphere, He Delivers Pizza: Gustavo Biccolo is a banker in his home of Sao Paulo, Brazil. While studying English in San Diego, he's a pizza deliveryman.

Now Serving Chicken Wings, Gizzards and a Way Out: For a handful of young men in southeast San Diego, working at the Chicken Shack on Wheels points them in a different direction from where they were once bound.

After a Rocky Start, an Apprentice Finds His Way: Five months into a drywall apprenticeship downtown, Jose Powell starts to think in the future tense.

His Life's Work -- The Dead: With cemeteries filling up and more people choosing cremation, business isn't what it used to be for funeral director Elmer Geissler.

At the Beach, Finding Treasure in the Trash: Tanya Hatch has patrolled the sands of Pacific Beach for 30 years, collecting empty cans from beachgoers to pay for her groceries and gas.

Drawing the Last Moments of Freedom: When television stations need a sketch of what's going on in a courtroom, they call Greg High.

Living by Bread, and Writing, Alone: Emmanuel Burgin spends his days in a Point Loma cafe, but writing consumes his attention. His life has given him ingredients for a thousand stories.

At the Wheel -- Bus Driver Plays It Cool: If the kids see you crack a smile, Darrin Harian says, 'they think they got you.'

The Urban Lumberjack: From his condo decor to the ballet lessons, it's easy to see that John Sevier's life is in the trees.

Aud's Job -- Parking Enforcer: Janice Aud is a parking enforcement officer, also known commonly as a meter maid, also called commonly by a list of other, unprintable, names.

'Good Morning, This Is Lateisha': In the mechanized phenomenon that is the all-night fast food drive-thru, Lateisha Parker works and dreams behind the sliding window.

In Soil, Man Toils in Life, Death: In a county marked by perpetual sunshine, Alan House, an owner of a Christmas tree farm in Alpine, is winter's caretaker.

A New School of Fish: The face of the storied tuna industry in San Diego today less resembles a weathered fisherman with a knit cap than it does a savvy international businessperson or the corporate taste tester.

Building a Career, (Lego) Brick by Brick: Eric Hunter is a builder, but not a typical one. Instead of working with steel, wood and glass, Hunter builds with bricks -- Lego bricks.

Painting India's Star: For 30 years, Chuck Thomas has worked as a painter on the Star of India and the San Diego Maritime Museum's other ships on Harbor Drive.