[BenF]

I am also 'special'. And the kids I teach are, too 

Just wondering if this is a particular area that attracts climbers, just 'cos I know loads of teachers who climb, and a lot of them are in Special Needs too.

Indeed, come to think of it, I know a fair few SEN teachers who climb.  Or should that be the other way around?

[Carnage]

No teaching or rope fiddling here. Just your average corporate desk-jockey. 

[Bubba]

After about 20 years in IT, I'm currently a postie and wondering what the hell to do with the rest of my life that doesn't involve sitting at a desk in a soulless office 9 to 5.

[superfurrymonkey]

I`m a political correspondent and part time comedian.

[Control freak]

After about 20 years in IT, I'm currently a postie and wondering what the hell to do with the rest of my life that doesn't involve sitting at a desk in a soulless office 9 to 5.

I keep thinking about getting out of IT but unfortunately I cant think of anything else I could do which would pay the mortgage. Postie sounds great - if only...

[Jim]

Master baker 1st class. beat that

[Houdini]

I'm teaching rope access. Now I feel like I'm living some kind of ultimate cliche...

You know it!

[SA Chris]

I`m a political correspondent and part time comedian.

Don't give up the day job 

[webbo]

i'm a community psychiatric nurse working in west hull.it used to be a rewarding job when it was about patient care.that was before the nhs became driven by the need to be competitive financially.however with abit of luck i might be able to retire in about 5 years and get a job at b&q or sainsburys.

[BenF]

After about 20 years in IT, I'm currently a postie and wondering what the hell to do with the rest of my life that doesn't involve sitting at a desk in a soulless office 9 to 5.

After originally training as a teacher I decided to do a shitty office job for a bit whilst I concentrated on climbing and clubbing.  This led on to roughly 6 years of shitty office work, interspersed with periods of travelling then returning to shitty office work.  I finally sacked off the office work and moved to NZ to climb and work in a climbing shop.  When I returned to the UK I finally got my arse into gear and did some supply teaching which quickly led to a contract and now a permanent teaching job at a wonderful special school.  After so long hating my job in an office and basically getting no satisfaction from work, it has been amazing to get such a fulfilling role within teaching.  However it was a hard step for me to take the plunge back into teaching but I'm so glad that I did it and it has proven to me that there was a way of getting satisfaction through work.  Something that for years I just couldn't comprehend or accept that I could achieve.

However, my time working in a shop in NZ was equally good as it gave me time and freedom, which allowed me make a sensible decision and move into teaching.  So Bubba, I'd say that your current role as a postie is similar and I'm sure that you'll either decide that being a postie is what you want to do longer term or you'll decide upon a satisfying career elsewhere.  Either way, time "treading water" as a postie is probably a great opportunity to collect your thoughts.  Good luck.

[SA Chris]

After about 20 years in IT, I'm currently a postie and wondering what the hell to do with the rest of my life that doesn't involve sitting at a desk in a soulless office 9 to 5.

Go do a winter season as a liftie. Gives you plenty of time to think, and score amazing powder inbetween.

[dobbin]

Talking stunt horse. Jim- Beaten.

[BenF]

After about 20 years in IT, I'm currently a postie and wondering what the hell to do with the rest of my life that doesn't involve sitting at a desk in a soulless office 9 to 5.

Go do a winter season as a liftie. Gives you plenty of time to think, and score amazing powder inbetween.

Right on.  But make sure you can administer UKB from wherever you're working!

[Bubba]

So Bubba, I'd say that your current role as a postie is similar and I'm sure that you'll either decide that being a postie is what you want to do longer term or you'll decide upon a satisfying career elsewhere.  Either way, time "treading water" as a postie is probably a great opportunity to collect your thoughts.  Good luck.

Thanks fella - "treading water" is a good description of what I'm doing at the moment. The pay is pretty shit but it's such low stress it's just what I needed for a while.

[Bubba]

Go do a winter season as a liftie. Gives you plenty of time to think, and score amazing powder inbetween.

Right on.  But make sure you can administer UKB from wherever you're working!

Me and Ms Bubba are definitely thinking more along these lines nowdays - NortonSharley (who doesn't post here much any more) and Ms Sharley are MTB guiding in the Alps and working for their snowboard instructorship and they seem to be having a great time despite the lack of cash.

[Bubba]

I keep thinking about getting out of IT but unfortunately I cant think of anything else I could do which would pay the mortgage. Postie sounds great - if only...

It's those "golden handcuffs" you're wearing. We're so far hanging on to the house but the mortgage is a bit of a weight to say the least.

[andy_e]

Being a postie sounds almost idylic- Good excercise, free time in the afternoons, there must be more to it than the perception of a civilian?

[Rice Boy]

Environmental Engineer / wannabe Farmer.

What consultancy work are the environmental consultants up to?

[Bubba]

Being a postie sounds almost idylic- Good excercise, free time in the afternoons, there must be more to it than the perception of a civilian?

Well, I'm actually a driver for the PO - this involves nipping round post boxes and companies picking up the mail, driving mail out from the mail centre to the local delivery offices, and quite a lot of chucking bags/wheeling things about in the warehouse. Sometimes it's quite boring but it's low stress and easy.

I think you're talking about a delivery postperson. That might seem idyllic but apparantly is actually not so cool (I applied to be one of these but the driver came up first). For one, you have the weather to contend with day in day out. Not so bad now but in the depths of winter it's pretty miserable. Then you have a variety of dogs to fend off. And then you have the ever increasing amount of junk mail to lug about. It's got so bad you now see some posties still delivering late afternoon and they started at around 4am. Errm, that's the last problem - starting at 4 or 5 am every day. Not for me thanks. My shifts are mainly 2pm til 10pm or something which is fine.

[Bubba]

Are there any product designers on here? Is it something you have to spend years getting into/ie is there any point when you're middle-aged?

[andy popp]

Surprised this one hasn't come up yet - there's plenty of us out there - I'm an academic. And no we dont get six weeks summer holidays. Still, like Ben, I've found a job that I like and motivates me.

[Pantontino]

I suppose I should be smug as I have essentially got my perfect job (making guidebooks). I do like the freedom and satisfaction of being self employed, but I can't deny that I'm not gripped about the financial exposure.

[Yossarian]

Are there any product designers on here? Is it something you have to spend years getting into/ie is there any point when you're middle-aged?

there's an interesting chap called ora ito.  he didn't want to spend years inching his way up the design ladder, so he wrote a couple of articles for some hip french magazines, and in them included a load of pictures of cool things he's designed for apple, louis vuitton, etc, etc.  except that he hadn't.  he'd just made them up.

everyone went mad and flocked into the shops trying to buy these supercool things.  and then they realised they couldn't.

on the back of that he started getting commissions from here there and everywhere.  cunning bastard.

http://www.ora-ito.com/

[r-man]

I suppose I should be smug as I have essentially got my perfect job (making guidebooks). I do like the freedom and satisfaction of being self employed, but I can't deny that I'm not gripped about the financial exposure.

Yep, similiar here. At the moment I'm writing stories for computer games, as well as any other writing related work I can find. The money's not exactly flooding in (I'm still waiting for the first trickle) but hey, it's great fun, the hours are flexible and life is enjoyable. Whether or not I'll still be doing it in a year's time depends on the money picking up. Fingers crossed.

As for the rest of my friends - there are teachers everywhere, but a reasonable smattering of normal jobs, including a fair amount of IT people. There definitely seem to be a lot of climber-teachers in Sheffield. Which is good, it means I have people to go climbing with when everyone else is at work...

[jfw]

on the back of that he started getting commissions from here there and everywhere.  cunning bastard.

http://www.ora-ito.com/

class!