I was a PC/Mac/Laser Printer Tech professionally for 5 years.... I'm A+ and Net+ certified, and was MCP until my certs ran out..
After about 4 years of professional PC tech, I took a job as a telephone broadband repair tech for a local cable company. I excelled at my job, and was looking to be promoted to supervisor... but I took a job (and a huge payraise) within my company as a division marketing coordinator and haven't looked back. I still own 5 computers (3 PC's, an IBM laptop and an iBook).
I try as hard as I can too keep up with the industry, and still use linux for IP masquerading, server/file storage, but don't use it as my main workstation as I once did.
I've found it quite challenging to keep up with things when you don't directly work in the industry, especially with networking and such.
The most common question I received was also "How can i make my computer faster."
The most odd situation I ever ran in to was this:
A gentleman dropped off a computer saying that he turned it on after work one day and it blew white smoke from the rear of the computer... I'm thinking "OK, easy fix, probably a bad power supply".. I was right, but for all the wrong reasons. I opened up the computer and was hit by a tear-jerking wave of terrible odor that reeked of stale urine.
1. I called the guy with the following series of questions and answers:
How do you have your computer set up at home? "On the floor, on it's side (desktop PC), with the bottom facing left"
The above question implies that the power supply was closest to the floor.
2. Do you have any pets? "Yes, I have a dog."
Together, we discovered the dog urinated on the case and it had basically dribbled down in to the power supply, causing it to be shorted.
Ah, the memories.