What's it like to work as a stone mason?

I've been an industrial designer for the past 10 years, a profession I chose because I love to shape objects. This also nudged me ever closer to car design. But I realized a while ago that my job as a designer and design lecturer is taking me away from the very thing that made me choose these professions, namely and simply shaping beautiful objects of permanence.
So I began to think, "what if I re-trained as a stone mason?"
I've seen artists work happily with sandstone, and could see myself doing self employed work with that medium.
Are there any stonemasons out there?
How do you like your profession?
Can you recommend it?

I worked one summer while I was in college with a stone mason fixing stones onto a home. Most of what I did was the heavy lifting and carrying. We worked with rough limestone. The critical part of the job was the placement of the stones and the mixing of the mortar. Neither one, I learn to do. It seem more art than science.

Tom seem to really like what he was doing and I think I can see why. It a job were you can see what have accomplished and you can imagine what you where doing would last.

I recommend it for the exercise and the fact that you get to work outdoors.