If You Could do Anything in Life

Wetdog

what would be, what would you do?

This was inspired by a UW Oshkosh nursing instructor. She was amazing, her students loved her and you could tell that she loved every minute of it and them. It's been awhile since I taught and was reminded of how much I loved it. For me there is nothing more special than teaching except for maybe learning, because you can't really teach if you don't continue to learn.

Shawn C.

I think about this sometimes. I've always considered myself a bit of an under-achiever. It's ok, not everyone gets to be an astronaut and I do ok for myself. However, I didn't realize until a bit later in life that I could have been an excellent student. So if I could go back but with the level of maturity and foresight that I have now (still not a whole lot!) I think I would work towards something like paleoanthropology or other scientific discipline. Something where the learning is continual and the field is continually evolving would be really interesting to me.

Buffco

Two chicks at the same time, man.

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sherb

Philosophy professor.

I would NOT choose to work in the fly fishing industry. That's a good way to turn something you love into something you hate.

Buffco

You know this kind of question still haunts me and causes unnecessary hangups. I. Don't. Know.

A job is a job. What I WANT to do is sleep late, play some Xbox, fish a little, think about hunting but don't go because I'm sleeping... I have no driving passion for any one thing, and it has caused me much mental anguish and time. Just whatever pays the bills and has some left over.

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Wetdog

sherb wrote: »

Philosophy professor.

I would NOT choose to work in the fly fishing industry. That's a good way to turn something you love into something you hate.

I understand that. Is that Philosophy proff thing for real?

My number two would be teaching religious studies....esp eastern. My number one is Chinese internal martial arts. The problem comes when it is a hobby,even a passionate one. I've known a few people who have gone into the fishing industry (and other similar hobbies)and never fished (or whatever) again.

Wetdog

Buffco wrote: »

You know this kind of question still haunts me and causes unnecessary hangups. I. Don't. Know.

A job is a job. What I WANT to do is sleep late, play some Xbox, fish a little, think about hunting but don't go because I'm sleeping... I have no driving passion for any one thing, and it has caused me much mental anguish and time. Just whatever pays the bills and has some left over.

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Nothing wrong with that, you've just never have been hit upside head hard enough by something to bring a passion. Most never find that driving passion, sometimes it's due to circumstances, for others like you said "paying the bills," sometimes it's societies expectations.

One thing I would argue is a job doesn't have to be job, BUT they usually are little more than that. I'd love to sleep late everyday like you, go fishing (I don't hunt anymore) when I felt like it. If I get five to six hours a night I am nearly in heaven. I hope you find something it adds a lot to the "flavor." Maybe a brew master?;)

sherb

Yeah, definitely. I probably would have gone that route, that or history or political science, but the Boomers had all the academic jobs locked up and the job market for tenure track positions was and is non-existent. and because there's such a glut of PhD's, the salaries are low. I couldn't do it now, not with a mortgage and two kids. But, I try to keep up on my reading. The last thing I read was the Birth of Tragedy, a serious deep-dive.

NZ Indicator

A few friends of mine are in sales in the industry I work in. They work very little, make a **** ton of money on residuals, set their own work schedule (if you want to call it work) and hunt, fish, vacation or (insert favorite hobby here) at will.

I kinda wish I would have went that route to so I had more free time to do the things I want to do. Not what someone else wants me to do.

With that said...I make the most of time on evenings, weekends and my vacation time which is why I spend very little time in front of the TV, newspaper or books. Never have time. Haven't looked at the TV since April. Haven't been home before 9pm most nights the past 2 months.

Because if you're not busy living, you might as well get busy dying...


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swizz

Age: 55
Difficult question, I have always had an 'excess' of passions and pretty happy with my career path.
Career: I love working on log homes... the architecture, work locations, environments, and overall challenge. I only wish I had self-employed earlier in life.
Passions: Skiing/snowboarding (passions for most of my life, joints can't take it anymore), flyfishing and fishing in general... lifelong passion, Mining - I really, really wish I had started this endeavor earlier in life, Knifemaking - absolutely in love with making knives and also wish I had started at an earlier age. I'll find a few more passions before it's over.

Buffco

That said, I just completed my entrance exam for the RN program. I have a shot at getting in this fall, but if not I'll definitely be in next year.

NP of Psychiatry is the goal I've set for myself. Maybe I'll die before then. That would be cool.

breamfisher

With the talents and abilities I have? I'd still do what I do, just not have to worry about the administrative stuff.

If I could play guitar better? Yeah, I'd do that. I love music. I'm just not good enough to survive at it, much less make a living at it....

Wetdog

sherb wrote: »

Yeah, definitely. I probably would have gone that route, that or history or political science, but the Boomers had all the academic jobs locked up and the job market for tenure track positions was and is non-existent. and because there's such a glut of PhD's, the salaries are low. I couldn't do it now, not with a mortgage and two kids. But, I try to keep up on my reading. The last thing I read was the Birth of Tragedy, a serious deep-dive.

I thought I had remembered that you have brought that up before, I just couldn't remember.

Twenty thumbs up.

CO Native

Building custom cars. I watch what Chip Foose does and I get a woody. Granted, I have 1/100th of his talent, but it would be so much fun have the time and money to try.

swizz

CO Native wrote: »

Building custom cars.

ooooooo... that's a good one. I'm not a fan of Chip's work but more in the category of Desert Rat Rods and Diesel Bros. Same deal though, that would not have been a bad career choice for either of us. I can do this on the side as a 'passion'... a friend has a full garage with car lift and all the goodies. But, money.... high performance parts are expensive.

MikeA

swizz wrote: »

Age: 55
Difficult question, I have always had an 'excess' of passions and pretty happy with my career path.
Career: I love working on log homes... the architecture, work locations, environments, and overall challenge. I only wish I had self-employed earlier in life.
Passions: Skiing/snowboarding (passions for most of my life, joints can't take it anymore), flyfishing and fishing in general... lifelong passion, Mining - I really, really wish I had started this endeavor earlier in life, Knifemaking - absolutely in love with making knives and also wish I had started at an earlier age. I'll find a few more passions before it's over.

Question. if there is a slight bulge in a stacked log wall between the 2nd floor and the peak. Should I be worried about it? Owner said it's settling that caused it.

MikeA

Pilot of some sort. Always loved flying.

CO Native

I just used him as an example. Even though I don't like all of his stuff, it's done right and is very classy. It's a fun hobby, but I'd love to make a living out of it. My last project was a lowered S10 blazer that I plopped a 350 in. I must have put 30 hours into rolling the rear pan the way I wanted it. Chip could do it in 15 minutes.

swizz

MikeA wrote: »

Question. if there is a slight bulge in a stacked log wall between the 2nd floor and the peak. Should I be worried about it? Owner said it's settling that caused it.

Post a pic.

Wetdog

Buffco wrote: »

That said, I just completed my entrance exam for the RN program. I have a shot at getting in this fall, but if not I'll definitely be in next year.

NP of Psychiatry is the goal I've set for myself. Maybe I'll die before then. That would be cool.

This thread had a lot to do with you. In the hospital I figured you would've loved the Nursing instructor. And you seemed to talk a bit differently when talking about nursing. And your situation being like what sherb and Swizz describe...the wish I had done something earlier, maybe someone would get the idea that "screw it I am going give it a try." And screw cultural expectations completely. The psychology of cultural expectations is very dangerous which seeks little more than you thinking what they want you to. Find the way through them, around them, and you can "afford it," just knock them out of your way. But responsibility and timing narrows our opportunities. Strike while the iron is hot.

To my way of thinking a successful life is one where you have a reason to smile at the end of most days. Not smiles for profit, not smiles for things, but for taken responsibility, to come close to your values, to see a smile on a family members face or a strangers face equally. If you get rid of expectations that you lay on others and only have them for yourself, you learn, Much of we call unhappiness just disappears after lots of success and failure.

MikeA

swizz wrote: »

Post a pic.

I'll have to go get one. THis is the cabin. We're under contract on it now but I'm waiting on them to provide an engineering report on the issue, The back where the bulge is, is block basement and stacked log the rest of the way up. It matches the front. In the front they used some vertical logs though.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/150-Dakota-Ln-Smithville-TN/90212948_zpid/

swizz

CO Native wrote: »

I just used him as an example. Even though I don't like all of his stuff, it's done right and is very classy.

His designs and drawings are very impressive for the most part, however... Joe Rogan is a bit of a car fanatic and had nothing but problems and poor handling from a 1st gen Camaro resto-mod from Chip. His stuff looks good, but....

MikeA

This is the inside of that wall.

Wetdog

Shawn C. wrote: »

I think about this sometimes. I've always considered myself a bit of an under-achiever. It's ok, not everyone gets to be an astronaut and I do ok for myself. However, I didn't realize until a bit later in life that I could have been an excellent student. So if I could go back but with the level of maturity and foresight that I have now (still not a whole lot!) I think I would work towards something like paleoanthropology or other scientific discipline. Something where the learning is continual and the field is continually evolving would be really interesting to me.

I like it.

Anthropological psychology fascinates me. It's a fledgling discipline with lots of problems but something that should have considered decades ago. Freud, Jung and their lapdogs actually set us back nearly a hundred years.

Wetdog

I can only applaud swizz. Just think if thirty years ago we started making knives. Back then there was only one blacksmith within a hundred miles of here And I had the idea....Today there are more knifemakers than yoga studios, potters and dance classes.

CO Native

swizz wrote: »

His designs and drawings are very impressive for the most part, however... Joe Rogan is a bit of a car fanatic and had nothing but problems and poor handling from a 1st gen Camaro resto-mod from Chip. His stuff looks good, but....

That's interesting, with all of the high end parts he uses, I figured a blind monkey could make it handle good ;-)

swizz

Wetdog,
I don't think it was ever a great plan for a career path unless you're someone like Jay Fisher but a **** fun addictive hobby and personally rewarding. Never too late in life to take up knifemaking.

Buffco

Wetdog wrote: »

This thread had a lot to do with you. In the hospital I figured you would've loved the Nursing instructor. And you seemed to talk a bit differently when talking about nursing. And your situation being like what sherb and Swizz describe...the wish I had done something earlier, maybe someone would get the idea that "screw it I am going give it a try." And screw cultural expectations completely. The psychology of cultural expectations is very dangerous which seeks little more than you thinking what they want you to. Find the way through them, around them, and you can "afford it," just knock them out of your way. But responsibility and timing narrows our opportunities. Strike while the iron is hot.

To my way of thinking a successful life is one where you have a reason to smile at the end of most days. Not smiles for profit, not smiles for things, but for taken responsibility, to come close to your values, to see a smile on a family members face or a strangers face equally. If you get rid of expectations that you lay on others and only have them for yourself, you learn, Much of we call unhappiness just disappears after lots of success and failure.

Thank you for posting this. You know what my problem is, all jokes aside? Nature and nurture. Trying to live up to a successful father and grandfather, predisposed to anxiety (from mom). So I feel like I'm just out to sea and have faltered these first 15 years of being on my own. I know I'll be great in the field. I scored off the charts on the nursing test, especially the critical thinking and prioritization of care module.

I volunteered at the nursing home for over a year and loved it. Nothing more satisfying than talking with those old folks, making them smile, listening to their problems with empathy, not just sympathy. My dad has no empathy. So it's just taken me a long time to realize I'm not like him, and that's ok. I can be better in a different way.

Thanks, Mike, for these words. You've encouraged me. Consider this one of those "whops upside the head".

Wetdog

**** IT Buffy I have one of those smiles on my face along with a few tears. You have found something that most never do. A hundred thumbs up. I did nothing here, you took the reins awhile back. Compassion and empathy do not fail. They only fail when forgotten. Sympathy is a dividing emotion. here is me there is you. Avoid it, empathy is understanding. When you understand another the differences no longer matter. You've helped me get closer to that.

Thank you sir.

Wetdog

swizz wrote: »

Wetdog,
I don't think it was ever a great plan for a career path unless you're someone like Jay Fisher but a **** fun addictive hobby and personally rewarding. Never too late in life to take up knifemaking.

Not a great plan??? Hell I could be at Jason Knights level by now.:)

swizz

Jason Knight is a vampire, everybody knows that. He's been doing this for thousands of years.