This has got me interested from the other post about unemployment.
What job is it you do?
What jobs will you do?
Here on the railway we find it hard to employ young people into engineering they don't want to get mucky the apprentices want to keep clean not like 20 years back when they got plenty.
Now the "young" fitters/ electricians are 30, in the future it's good for the older end with work but if no young blood comes in then it's curtains, im told it's the same in a lot of mechanical jobs?
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1. Nothing.
2. Anything (apart from work in the local chippy, where they have a job advertised in the window)
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Free food every day for you plus a wage take the job.
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1 retired.
2 anything really with no stress, and not in an office. Thinking of going for my Class 1 hgv,
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1. Retired but have a little part-time career ' troubleshooting ' for a national Car Share Club.
Out and about, not at night though, around the city on an ' as needed ' basis. £15 a
call out plus exes.
2. Don't need a job now. Had a spell as a volunteer Park Ranger for the National Trust.
Wouldn't mind volunteer at the Science Museum..the railway bit. But got too much to do
at home now enjoying myself !
Don't want hard labout or stress.
Ted
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>>Thinking of going for
>> my Class 1 hgv,
>>
I quite fancy driving though perhaps something a little smaller, a McLaren or a Ferrari perhaps ;-)
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1. nothing, retired (early)
2. not interested thanks. I do some volunteer conservation work but this work lark is not what it's cracked up to be, not today anyway.
JH
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This is another one for the My Drive section.
As well as all the other things that one might like to disclose; hair colour, height, sex, age, favourite food, etc. etc. ;-)
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>> This is another one for the My Drive section.
...or even put it in your car4play profile. I don't understand why so many are hidden; you can put as much or as little as you want in there.
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Bye eck there's a load of retired folk on here!
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Not always by choice! :-)
JH
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>> Bye eck there's a load of retired folk on here!
Well it is during the day. I'm sure the wage slaves will be along later.
I got made redundant about ten years ago and decided to take a six month break. Still haven't got a real job yet.
Last edited by: crocks on Tue 18 May 10 at 16:43
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>> ...or even put it in your car4play profile.
No that's going to be your drive but with a whole load more stuff.
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Nothing at the moment. Used to be in computing support/development.
Something else, preferably creative. Automotive or photography or property related. Could be ok with something like web design and development. Don't want stress or bumhole bosses again! With the state of my cars a career change into bodywork and engine repair might be sensible in the short term :-)
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Most people will know I run a small business in mainly domestic IT support but also work for small businesses.
I used to work at DSG part time selling tat like Ipods and before that had a job as an XHTML/CSS coder.
In the future I want to also get involved in night life putting on bands etc but the market is not right at the moment.
As I get older I hope to get a job working in the railway industry in some form, but have also thought about joining the police as computer technician but with the job market the way it is I am just sticking to my business. The worst thing I can do now is give up my business and get a full time job only to loose it in 6 months time when the tories make us all unemployed.
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1. i got two part time jobs one for the nhs and one for the local council social services, am a clerk for the nhs and a domestic for the council.
2. would like to work in a clerical it background like work in the csa
getting a job is to be in the right place and time, also luck plays in it too
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>> I used to work at DSG part time selling tat like Ipods and before that had a job as an
>> XHTML/CSS coder.
iPod are not tat ;-)
>> In the future I want to also get involved in night life putting on bands etc but the market is >> not right at the moment.
Do so when you are well off. I know someone who must have lost a lot of money doing similar at uni (he initially made lots). And another who tried it as a film producer.... must have lost a lot too.
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Yep its the sort of thing we will do when we hit 40 probably :). When our wifes won't let us go clubbing any more so we just set up our own.
I know Ipods are not tat, but it wasn't the Ipods we had to sell, it was the warranties which went with them, or how about a USB charger for £24.99!. I left more less three years to do the day and things have changed since then.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Tue 18 May 10 at 18:06
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I'm retired, but I was an automotive development engineer for 41 years.
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rattle hows the car the little fiat?
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>> What job is it you do?
Currently studying plumbing at Tech College, but up until last summer I was a driver of 7.5t lorries, vans and previously mini cabs.
>> What jobs will you do?
Trying to arrange a work placement with a plumbing installation co at the moment but facing conflict between benefits entitlement and the offer of two days' work a week (I'm at college the other three). Tbh I'd do anything if it paid £300+ a week and I could combine it with being a single parent.
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Currently in Procurement (Aerospace) been there for last 11 years
Staying out at the moment - my employer has been pretty good to us through these difficult times and its as secure as it can be a the moment. Sort of trapped really as I cant say I enjoy it (or hate it) but it's well paid, final salary pension, 35 hour week with flexi time, 20 minutes from home and working with a product that is at least interesting.
Would love to do something in the way of property development in the future but who knows!
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1. Police Officer working the m/ways.
2. I wish I'd stayed in the Navy. Mum was very proud that her little lad was an Officer and a Gentleman. She wasn't so pleased when I left for the love of a good woman! I do remind 'er indoors that I'd likely be an Admiral if I'd stayed in!
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Writing software for femtocells eg. the Vodaphone Sure Signal. I enjoy it - no management responsibilities, good employer, nice location (although not local), and pretty well paid considering SWMBO is currently training to be a hospital ODP who will have people's lives in her hands and work in a stressful environment but will be paid less than half what I get.
Not sure about job security - competition is starting to get its act together in the femtocell market, so there's been a fair bit of belt tightening and timescales for new products are tight. Fingers crossed.
It's only my third job (at 45) - all have been roughly the same ie. embedded software. Moved to current job about 4 years ago when previous employer 'restructured' and I didn't fancy any of the jobs that were left. However it turned out well as I got a better job and a decent lump sum; I've been very lucky so far.
No plans to change.
Last edited by: Focus on Tue 18 May 10 at 18:05
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1. Car valeting, first for a main dealer where I learnt the trade, then the past 8 or so years on my own having moved to midlands. I never set out to do this for a living, but it suits my situation even if it doesnt bring in much money these days.
House is paid for so with the wife working full time, Im sort of part time house husband, part time car valeter. Without the pressure of a morgage over my head, the pressure to work hard really isnt there so I take it easy, so long as our trains run on time that is ( ie fill dishwasher, make sure misses has clean work shirt etc etc ). I actually rather love my life and how it is, even if money is tight, it doesnt faze me.
2. Id be quite happy mowing lawns, something that requires no brain power and can be forgotten at the end of the day. I believe in the work life balance having the balance in favour of life.
I also hate working with people because its very rare to manage to be employed with people who arent considerably more stupid than I am, which just irritates. This is why I work alone.
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Stu, that sounds brilliant. The stress that some people and organisations can generate is unbelievable. I'm not going back to that. It does beg the question of why people generate stress for other people and I guess there are a lot of different answers.
JH
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(1) Not worked since 92.
(2) I wanna be a boss, I wanna be a big boss,
I wanna boss the world around, I wanna be the biggest boss that ever bossed the world around.
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Still driving trucks, i packed in the car transporters 5 weeks ago after roughly 20 years, been truck driving 35 years now but the last 20 have been the hardest...though the best paid.
I now do day runs of 8 to 10 hours, usually finished early afternoon ... strange really i feel like i'm semi retired cos the job i do now is ridiculously easy, i used to get as filthy as a miner on the cars which is harder work than anyone who hasn't done it would realise plus in the last 2 years we spent a lot more time away from home...hateful company last 2 years too following management changes.
In the last month my aches and pains have gone my eyes no longer resemble holes in the snow and the luggage under them has vanished...got a life again.
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>>In the last month my aches and pains have gone my eyes no longer resemble holes in the snow and the luggage under them has vanished...got a life again.<<
That's good - cos we're a long time dead, I hear.
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>> That's good - cos we're a long time dead, I hear.
Exactly so D, as i said on the other thread swmbo sat me down and told me she didn't want to be the richest widow in the town, bearing in mind i had virtually permanent headaches (gone) on that job too i think she may have saved me (fingers crossed) from a real problem...breakdown or worse.
We sometimes need to be told before we see.
EDIT...i have mates in similar run down physical condition...worn out and their wives won't hear of them packing the game up....because of the money, sad really.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Tue 18 May 10 at 21:10
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>>We sometimes need to be told before we see.<<
There are none so blind as those who WILL NOT see :)
I know and have known loasa ppl gord - mi££ionaires that are as miserable as sin (money & misery!)
and others that were 'larger than life, alas now dead.
I luv's me proverbs, words of wisdom etc., there's lots in the bible actually, although I'm not religious (as such)
If, there is to be any peace - it can only come through being, not having.
;)
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it can only come through being, not having.
Opium for the masses ?
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>> (1) Not worked since 92.
>>
>> (2) I wanna be a boss, I wanna be a big boss,
>> I wanna boss the world around, I wanna be the biggest boss that ever bossed
>> the world around.
>>
That sounds like a BIG Dog, Dog.
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Stress is a horrible thing, I cant be doing with it. Im 30 and I guess you could call me semi-retired. When me and the misses have a baby Im penciled in to be a stay at home father - my wife says she wants quality time rather than quantity which enables her to persue her career long term with the company she works for.
My work still brings in ok money but it is very flexible because I determine when I work to a great extent, so it can be built around my misses days off and when my parents are free to babysit.
I think the biggest shift for me was allowing my wife to become our primary breadwinner as its a mans instinct to provide I guess, but since ive provided a paid for house, it has meant that as a couple we are very fortunate to have only household bills to pay along with the cars. She is a dedicated worker, even when she doesnt feel like it she goes anyway and I can totally rely on her to bring home the bacon if you will.
In exchange for that, I make sure that at home she doesnt lift a finger hardly. I love looking after the house and all our finances, its a full time job really, but theres no real pressure from her. I should really subscribe to Good Housekeeping...
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Stress is an odd thing - worked in a highly charged and stressful work environment - I miss it, just
a little, but I do miss it.
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>> Stress is an odd thing - worked in a highly charged and stressful work environment
>> - I miss it, just
>> a little, but I do miss it.
I dont miss the stress one little bit. I dont miss the sleepless nights one little bit. There are various types of stress you can well do without. Dont mix up stress with unpredictability excitment and interest. That I do miss.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 18 May 10 at 20:00
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You're probably right Zero. I don't miss all the side effects either.
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Nothing worng with being a househusband. The wife does a socially valuable job, so I see no reason not to stay at home and cook, and clean, and do other househusbandy stuff. I have paid for the house, and I pay the utility bills from my pension..
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Same here - stove to clean tomorrow.
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what do you do out of season?
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It's a year round job now the industry has gone global.
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>> It's a year round job now the industry has gone global.
the spanish will decimate stocks. There wil be quotas soon.
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In and around transport and distribution most of my life. Currently driving HGV for a major animal feeds supplier; I cover mid, south and west Wales, delivering to farms, shops and agricultural merchants. Best job I've ever had, driving around some of the finest scenery in the UK and getting fairly well paid for it, but it can be physically demanding.
In previous lives, I've managed parcels depots and warehouses, worked as a recruitment consultant, been a motor mechanic (my original trade when I left the Army) and also had a spell in a precast concrete factory, making drainage channels.
Lorry driving was always the default fall-back job; I'm in a similar position to gordonbennet in that I no longer do nights away, don't miss them. The great thing about lorry driving is that no two days are the same; I'd never work in a factory again.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Tue 18 May 10 at 20:34
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Currently operations manager in a Quango, so probably soon redundant.
Joined the Civil Service straight from school and done various operational and managerial jobs over 32 years. Best 10 were doing casework with the mentally incpacitated; been downhill since that work was privatised.
There were some good early departure packages on offer in last few years but I've got (a) a mortgage which while not big has a few years to go and (b) kids aged 17 & 15 who'll need supporting through uni.
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Well I have always worked with my hands so to speak. Had a stint looking after a fleet of clapped out vehicles in Algeria and Mauritania when I worked on a gas liquifaction plant and an oil refinery.
I had no qualifications, just naturally good at these sort of things and blagged my way into it along with my mate. We used to fix the managers private cars for some extra money, because there was no one else to do it.
Then with same mate got into doing up houses for renting and for sale and eventually between us we built our own houses. We wish we had kept all the houses because in the last property boom, we looked at some of the property we had sold, fetch double and treble.
Nowadays, I install fitted kitchens, rip out the old clapped out ones, alter the plumbing and gas pipes (I am Gas Safe registered) and put in the nice shiney new ones. I must have fitted hundreds in my time and met lots of different people, mostly pleasant and a few right Bastrds. Never had one of those frustrated housewives though.
My wife often comments that because I can fix things and build things, we never have to pay anyone else, so we don't have to earn money to give it to someone else.
So far, I have always been busy and one thing is for sure, my job can never be taken by someone overseas and I can't be replaced by a computer or a machine.
Trouble is, as I get older, the joints are starting to ache, the eyesight is getting worse and I wonder what I will do when my body finally gives up.
I know one thing though, I could never have worked in an office, I think I would go crazy.
It must be like going to prison day after day after day, no thanks.
I do envy their pensions though.
I also dabble in the stock market and have done for about 20 years or so, but to make big money, you have to invest big money so when I manage to find a winner, the gains are not so great. I did make about £8000 in a day once but then watched the share price steadily fall back. I was convinced the price would go back up but it kept going down but I held on when I should have sold. I did manage to get out later on though with a nice profit.
Latest punt is with Lloyds shares, I am in for £800 for every penny rise so hopefully a nice profit in the coming months/years.
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Been retired 10 years.
My role in computing stopped existing ( for the second time). Option was to do a fill in job awaiting an internal post and fight the younger applicants or take a good offer to F.O.
Both my offspring were slaving at Uni which left me with funding both of them for a couple of years. Ideally I would have like to have stayed those two extra years.
Retire early and live longer ( if you have the funds /pension).
Been poll clerk, Door knocker for the National Census invigilator at school exams .
All other activities are non paying roles.
Now preparing for a lesser support role for daughter who is starting three further years for her DPhil so a fourth graduation to look forward to. She is dedicated to the NHS so I am happy to give ger what help I can.
I am well pleased to be out of the commercial rat race. It sounds like hell out there for many and very worrying for all it the next few years.
I am one of the lucky ones.
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>> Writing software for femtocells eg. the Vodaphone Sure Signal. >>
>> No plans to change.
>>
I bet they love your spellin' !
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So it seems the majority of us have done all sorts of jobs but mostly have come to the conclusion that early retirement or semi- retirement is the best thing since malt whisky.
I always worked in jobs that were shift orientated. Starting as a Bobby in Central Manchester, transferring to the Road Patrol. When the division was disbanded, I gave it a couple more years and left, after getting a job as an RAC Patrol. That led me into a lifetime of road rescue and recovery, either employed or self employed, but always on shift or call.
It's no fun having to get out of bed 15 minutes after you've got in it and having to get dressed, get the truck out and take some poor sod home a hundred miles or so. Then get home and be on call again. My last position was with the Civil Service Motoring Club, still in the rescue game but now with a good sickness and pension plan. Good job too !
A major coronary gave me the chance to jack it all in on half-pay. Swmbo was working in a jewellers and we worked out our finances. It's worked out fine, she's retired now but we don't get under each other's feet.
We go out a lot, caravanning, meals out, weekends away with friends. Her hobby is cooking and I can potter with the old car and the bikes. She won't come out on the pillion but doesn't mind me going on runs and bike holidays. She'll come to old car shows if there's a picnic involved !
I'm good at DIY, apart from bricklaying and plastering....but I've got SILs for that !
Not really into the garden, as some of my posts indicate, but I have no objection to sitting in it with a beer or two.
A couple of hefty inheritances have made life pretty damn good. No stress here !
Really, just paying the bills and winding down into disgraceful old age !...Nice.
Ted
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>> >> Writing software for femtocells eg. the Vodaphone Sure Signal.
>>
>> I bet they love your spellin' !
That's why I'm in engineering; they don't let us talk to customers :-)
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It looks from the above responses that I am one of the few left in an industry which generates net income for UK plc from abroad. I am not at liberty to say exactly what I do, except that it is a leading edge high tech precision engineering business employing mainly Engineers, PhD chemists and physicists. We are looking at moving production to China if and when permission is granted by HMG and the Americans. The product is highly sensitive and is a good earner of foreign dollars but requires lengthy approvals processes before export licences are granted to countries which are not on a blacklist.
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It's either something to save the world or something to kill people !
:-)
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thats'll be sumink new clear then.
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Training manager for a largish firm of chartered accountants, so boring on at least two counts (trainer and FCA). Aged 61 but can't afford to retire yet - hope to do so before I get to 65 but I enjoy what I do now - recruiting, lecturing, counselling.
Happy to have reached 'brigadier' level rather than 'general' - there's much more to life than work, as many of you above have found out!
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Work for a charity running their Retail division - charity shops, bought in goods, ebay etc.
Very rewarding, very interesting, very humbling.
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Wow plenty of posts and thank you to all of them.
At work we have 3x guys 2x at 58 & 60 had quite enough of working overtime did that back 20/30 years ago when they had to provide for there famailies & did it for 20+ years now at there age can't be bothered covering the shifts (fair play to them) besides more cash for me.!!
But there is 1x guy at 60 can't get enough of the overtime the younger end call him a grabbing father less person!
He will work anything going all shifts don't get me wrong we do too he's no mortgage, loans etc, but still grabs the money i can't print what the young lads say.!! lol....
Hope when im 60 overtime is ended and done with by the age of 55 life is for living i say not grabbing.
Would you work the overtime at 60?
My state pension date according to the goverment website is 67!! heck thats a long way off...
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>> Would you work the overtime at 60?
We were expected to do unpaid overtime.
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Kicked out of school at 16 (but had started a year early). Parents split up when i was 10 which messed me up for a few years, never could really stick my dad but life went on a bit of a roller coaster of trouble for some reason when they split. Mostly manifested as trouble at school. Deviousness.
The straw that broke the camels back was purposefully destroying the new (expensive) school network after getting bored having taken advantage of it for the best part of a year.
Blessed with a brain but cursed with disinterest when i was young (changed now). Sailed through school with excellent results despite never applying myself. Things started to look more and more ropey as i went further through school, still achieving top results but 50/50 whether i'd end up in jail after school. Thankfully got my highers before i got kicked out.
Landed in the top university round these parts. Got my act together, realised i had a talent in a niche area and immediately stopped putting it to bad use and i've never looked back.
Graduated, then went straight into contracting, blagged the first job and the rest was built up from the experience gained in that first job. I can honestly say i've worked hard in my jobs to get where i am. Hungry for skills, i rapidly climbed the skills ladder.
Now working in a very respectable permanant position with a rare-ish skillset and a proven track record for ability in my field -- a good few top drawer achievements and i'm only 25. Most folks in my particular niche are 40+ and i punch every bit the weight of the 40 year olds in my field even if i don't yet benefit from their life experience that makes them the better all-rounders.
Ultimately i was lucky to have my talent recognised and given the break i needed. It's all under the IT umbrella. Could have all ended significantly different.
Claim to fame is on starting work for a large IT vendor to the education industry (taken as a stop-gap contract without much fore-thought), going through some training on their main product. During one of their security presentations i was being told an anecdote of a wee weasel at a local school who managed to break into the company's premier product and wreaked absolute havoc. Many hundreds of man hours invested in forensic examination to prevent a (costly) recurrence.
Fame for the wrong reason but thankfully a very warm welcome when they confirmed it was indeed me.
> What would i do?
Anything technical enough to keep my interest. I've taken on a house so currently, dropping to significantly lower wages isn't a sensible option but i'd really prefer to be out of the office.
Last edited by: CraigP on Wed 19 May 10 at 01:04
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I think its all about getting the balance. I am a bit of an anarchist and money really dosn't interest me at all but I do want to be happy. I don't want to be living in a council flat in Colyhurst (think Shameless) by the time I am 30 and that motivates me. I will probably end up in a rented bedsit some where but it will at least it will not be in an area where the local pub acts as the local fencers.
I will never get rich doing this doing this though, so I really need to think about something else before I hit 30 and really like the idea of working for GMP in a fairly basic role but even 20k starting isn't too bad.
I am very much a night person though, I come alive when everybody else is asleep, I am currently playing about with distros for my new netbook. I should be asleep. I usualy work on customers machines at this time of night because there are no distractions.
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I've a Marketing degree and had been working in Sales for 5 years until redundancy last year. I used to joke that I was safe from redundancy because I sold things to law firms who 1) generally have money to buy, and 2) are just as busy in recessions as in boom times (liquidations, restructurings, etc.). How wrong I was :-)
Anyway, I turned 40, got divorced, and got redundancy pretty much all at the same time last year. All the ingredients for a mid-life crisis, eh? ;-) So here I am "on sabbatical" in NZ wondering what kind of work to look for next, and where. As others have alluded to above, when the house is mortgage free your attitude to work inevitably changes. Although I can relate to Pugugly's remark about starting to miss a little something about a busy workplace and the stimulation it can bring. And I haven't worn a suit or tie for a year and I've got a wardrobe full of 'em!
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I was made redundant last year after 20 odd years in the export freight trade. I set myself up as a self employed export consultant, but there just isn't enough work at the moment to live off, so I work part time in a call centre to make ends meet.
I can't say I miss anything about regular full time work - the company I worked for was bought out a couple of years before I left by an American group who immediately imposed their own way of doing things; those two years were pretty unpleasant to say the least and redundancy came almost as a relief.
I have to say I'm far happier now I'm out of a stressful job with frequent long days. Some months I don't earn quite as much as I used to, but we do have enough coming in to feed and house the family and I'm at home every day to enjoy it now.
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Seems to be a common theme running here, lots of us have worked too damned hard and are happy to take a lowering of 'lifestyle' or disposable income and seem glad to have got off the extreme treadmills we were on.
One welcome by product of my life change and no doubt others here too is just how little tax i'm now paying, and how little fuel (70%tax?) we use when we cut out every unnecessary journey.
(makes one wonder in a shrinking economy where we have to compete with slave labour markets just how as a country we'll pay off the fantastic debts successive govts have run up for us.....way off topic sorry)
I wonder if the youngsters of today will graft quite so extremely in order to reach their goals..hopefully they won't have to even if they were so minded, mind you with Working Time Directive etc they won't be allowed to anyway...i used to put in 80+ hour weeks when my kids were small doing several jobs.
This would be an interesting thread to browse in 40 years time, if such a discussion is allowed then by whatever faction own the country.
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>>>>proven track record for ability in my field -- a good few top drawer achievements and i'm only 25. Most folks in my particular niche are 40+ and i punch every bit the weight of the 40 year olds in my field...
That was exactly my career profile all those years back but by the time I hit 40 I just felt promotion would be more of the same with no greater satisfation so bailed to do my own thing. I am grateful to those first 22yrs of work though for providing a sound pension.
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Self-employed Graphic designer working from home with wife. Very busy at the moment but prices are being driven rock-bottom so have to work hard to keep on top. Mostly work for UK publishers and a couple of Polish companies. Also do some voice over work from time to time which is a nice earner.
When my wife is buying underwear in the local shopping mall, I sit on a bench and watch the young girl with the hotdog stand and try and figure out what she's earning. I'm guessing it's her own business or franchise, it's a large and busy mall so there is always a queue at her stall, her overheads must be low and I suspect she's earning considerably more money than most people in Poland, by quite a factor. I think she's got my perfect job. Right outside the knicker shop too.
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>>That sounds like a BIG Dog, Dog.<<
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv3km20JH0U
;)
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IT consultant, 33 years with same organisation as Zero worked for. Chose to stay in rather than leave before I'm ready to, third child still to put through university starting in Septamber.
Planning to go in 5 years at 60, hoping then not to take other employment except possibly in voluntary sector.
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Spent 40 years designing both UK and overseas roads. Most of you will have driven round one of my roundabouts or motorway junctions at some time... I'm not saying where they are, you will only shout at me. :-)
Took early retirement a couple of years ago and don't regret it at all. I now sleep right through most nights instead of worrying about problems at 3 in the morning.
Did think about applying for a part time job as a traffic census enumerator (I have run traffic census in the past) but haven't found the time.
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worrying about problems at 3 in the morning
In reality that is the biggest change for me - the impact on home life - I am very chilled these days - my wife's death brought a huge change in perspective to me. I still live by the credo I discovered that day - I know worry about nothing.
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...I know worry about nothing...
Not even pedantic smart alecs who point out the difference between 'know' and 'now'?
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knot even my spelling ! Sorry still have asleep !
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When I was self-employed I used to worry about things in the night. I'd worry about them 24/7 in fact because problems almost inevitably had a direct and negative effect on my income.
Now that I'm employed again I've trained myself to only worry about work stuff during working hours. Short of being sacked or made redundant any problems don't directly cost me money in the short term anyway. I have no immediate plans to be unwell either but at least it is now an option.
Very few jobs are entirely secure and many industries face huge problems. Worrying about things you can control at a time and location you can influence them is healthy. Worrying about things you can't control is pointless.
If your workplace is so bad as to be causing you sleepless nights your health is suffering. Nothing is worth that. Alternatives may be difficult to identify but they exist if you want them enough.
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I find my worry threshold has lowered considerably - the only worry at the moment is a neighbour wanting to move my CH oil tank because of an extension he's building - he can go whistle though, don't like him.
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One technique to combat sleepless nights I have found helpful is to keep a pad of paper and a pencil next to the bed.
If you wake up worrying about something just write yourself a note to remember to do something about it in the morning. It genuinely works.
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>> One technique to combat sleepless nights I have found helpful is to keep a pad
>> of paper and a pencil next to the bed.
>>
>> If you wake up worrying about something just write yourself a note to remember to
>> do something about it in the morning. It genuinely works.
>>
THIS MAN IS RIGHT. Trust me.
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One has one's moments........stares into distance and sighs smugly.........
:-)
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>If you wake up worrying about something
forget about it and go back to sleep. If it was important you would have fixed it yesterday,
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...he can go whistle though, don't like him...
Is this the guy at your old house with the caravan?
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Yep ! Blackberry was the best thing ever for the 3.00am wake -up - bang off a few e-mails, the added bonus was that you staff thought you were working hard in the early hours !
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When you think about it worrying is mostly a useless activity. If you're worrying about past events then you can't change them. If you're worrying about future ones they haven't happened yet and you don't know how things will turn out anyway.... so where's the point in worrying about anything that you can't take action upon right now?? And that action might be just having a good night's sleep knowing there is nothing you can do and chances are things turn out for the best anyway even if they don't seem like it.
Having been in a toxic workplace for a few years I know I'd not go back to one. Life is too short to deal with 8< snip!!
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 19 May 10 at 13:51
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>>>I now sleep right through most nights instead of worrying about problems at 3 in the morning.<<<
I used to solve problems at 03.00 - much better than worrying!
I suspect that if you are a 'worrier by nature' you will find a new set of problems to to worry about after the honeymoon period of early retirement.
The problems of health, will the underfunded pension fund go tits up............. all really out of your personal control.
PS now 14 years after early retirement and still enjoying what was referred to as my 'extended gap year'. A few periods of fun employment
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>>I suspect that if you are a 'worrier by nature' you will find a new set of problems to to worry about after the honeymoon period of early retirement.<<
Haha! I met a geezer once, well - I tuned his car in Hastings's and he was a lecturer at the london skool of printing,
he said to me "do you worry"?
Yes, I said (thinking we've got a right one ere)
Well he say's - I was talking to a psychiatrist on the train to london t'other day and he say's
"if you didn't have anything to worry about, you'd worry about not having anything to worry about :)
Funny ole life!
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>>Exactly right Dog<<
But, then I orften ponder - what is the difference betwixt worrying & thinking ...
The way I look at it is - if ya keep your mind occupied with the positive, they'll be no-room for the neg!
Simples see :)
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I'm a Chartered Chemical Engineer, working as Lead Process Engineer for a large design contracting firm on a Refinery alliance.
I'm likely to keep doing it, as it pays reasonably well...although I would prefer more of the engineering and less of the management, so a move more towards Technical Consulatancy is where I'd like to go. Golden Handcuffs of a reasonably generous Final Salary Pension are keeping me with the current firm!
If I have a choice I'd like to take photos of the Highlands, but I rather suspect, like all jobs, the reality would fail to live up to the expectation (early starts, hours standing around on wet midge infested moors etc etc!). Oh, and I'm not that good at taking pictures either!
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As well as Humph on the prowl for mature Haggis...
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I am 47 and director of a now small documentation company. I have been in business for 15 years and this is the toughest period I have experienced in the whole of my working life. Fortunately, I have remained in my house for the last 10 years whilst friends have moved on to much larger and more impressive dwellings. I have often been dissatisfied with my lot because I felt I could not afford to upgrade my house or buy the car I really wanted because they were just too much money and working 60 hours a week I was working nearly double the time of many of my friends.
Now the recession has hit these very friends have had to downsize, stop holidaying in exotic places and downgraded their prestige(ish) cars and one guy is fighting the bank from repossession of his home. A borrowed lifestyle really does not work in the long term.
I have not paid off my mortgage as it is currently being tracked at .49% above base but I do have funds available to pay it off once the interest rates start sky rocketing. I have no other debts, I am about to get married to my lovely fiancée. Financially, I am in exactly the same position as previous and I have decided to cut down my working week to just 3 (long) days a week. I have also decided to stay in the house which is now nicer than the ones my friends are downsizing to. I now feel quite blessed.
My ideal job today would be trolley collector for one of the local supermarkets but my daughter’s boyfriend told me that there was nearly 200 applicants for a vacancy for the very job at a local Sainsburys!
Funny old thing life.
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1. I retired from teaching Dec 1999 - 6 years prematurely, due to health issues, and was lucky to get a very good pension deal. At the moment I work as a part-time volunteer complementary therapist in a hospice.
2. I don't actually want to do any more work as such, but am fully occupied in maintaining three (until recently, four) houses and their gardens, doing some DIY and pursuing my passion as an amateur musical performer and composer.
One of the houses is let and provides extra income. This summer I start to draw my state pension. I have no mortgage or any other debts. I'm not rich and do not have expensive habits. I'm just thankful that I don't have to worry about money.
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...I am not rich...
Chris,
Maybe not, but with three houses you've got a canny bit in terms of assets.
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Note: I "maintain three houses". One of those is owned by SWMBO. The fourth was her mother's house, which I have helped refurbish.
Probably I shouldn't have mentioned it. Sorry for appearing self-satisfied; it's just that, having been through the poor phases in my life I am eternally grateful I don't have to go there again. I realise I am very, very fortunate.
Last edited by: ChrisPeugeot on Wed 19 May 10 at 17:02
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...Sorry for appearing self-satisfied...
Chris,
You didn't, so no need to apologise.
I don't think any of us on here are greedy or self-satisfied, but having sufficient money is absolutely critical to leading a happy life.
All the descriptions of contented lifestyles in this thread centre on being able to afford it.
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SWMBO and me were happiest when we were young, poor and at it like rabbits.
Now we're old, poor and not much else happens. ;>(
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>> SWMBO and me were happiest when we were young, poor and at it like rabbits.
You ate a lot of Salads?
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Rabbits run you know................... generally away. We have some too!!!!!
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I work as a bus driver for Stagecoach Merseyside. I've been bus driving for nearly thirteen years now and have worked for Arriva, Go-Ahead, Stagecoach Ribble and a couple of smaller local companies as well as three years on the coaches.
Previously, I've worked as a mobile DJ, an agency van driver, a taxi driver (both private hire and hackney) and was a junior partner in my dad's newsagent business.
I'd like to stay in the bus industry really as it's kind of got into my blood now. I don't think I'd go down the management route as, with Stagecoach at least, you are expected to move around the country and that's not what I, or Mrs B-to-be want. I quite fancy going into the training side but the thought of being responsible for ten tonnes of bus and a nervous newbie fills me with a certain amount of trepidation!
If I was to leave the bus industry, I'd train to be a primary school teacher. That was my original plan but whilst I was doing my A-levels my mum became seriously ill so, whilst I don't wish to blame that entirely, I was more than a little distracted and didn't do well enough to get on a teaching degree course. Trouble is, to train now I'd have to either quit work completely or go part-time, neither of which I can afford.
I've also always had a hankering to be a saggar-maker's bottom knocker...
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In shoe factories there genuinely are jobs for Shankers, Bonkers and Bottom Fillers.
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Wed 19 May 10 at 22:10
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Erk. Not sure I'd fancy being a Bottom Filler.
A Bonker, however... :-)
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Prefer to be a cordwangler
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My brother is a Master Cordwainer. Retired now but he teaches it in Japan sometimes in return for lots of wonga.
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Let's hope no one sneers at your cordwangle as it hangs upon the line...
Good old Rambling Syd Rumpo... :-)
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Much greater incidence of RSI with Bonkers than with Bottom Fillers mind.
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>>I've also always had a hankering to be a saggar-maker's bottom knocker.
Potteries connections?
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>>Potteries connections? No, I just like the job title. Trips off the tongue a treat.
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What about a Pesterer ?
Easy job, just hang around outside a swanky hotel and pester people for money.
A bit of luck could see you taken on the staff as a Corridor Creeper.
Ted
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Ah, memories !.......at it like a pair of lodging house cats !
No rabbits round here !
Ted
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Mention of cats and rabbits makes me think of our three cats, aged 17, 14 and 13, whose ripe old age is the result of totally unstressed lives. I read somewhere of a cat called St. Francis because of his philanthropic attitude to birds, rodents etc. Ours, Franciscans all, couldn't even catch a mouse, let alone a rabbit. They are like the Olympic flame - never go out, except reluctantly to relieve themselves in the garden.
They seem to have found, undeservedly, the answer to all the problems being worried about in this thread....
Last edited by: Avant on Wed 19 May 10 at 23:12
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My dog is stressed and worried.
Its worried that the next meal will never appear.
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>>>> don't think any of us on here are greedy or self-satisfied, but having sufficient money is absolutely critical to leading a happy life.
All the descriptions of contented lifestyles in this thread centre on being able to afford it.<<<<
No, no, no IIH, you must have known I couldn't let that one go unanswered, and I've resisted this thread so many times clicking on reply and then thinking better of it:)
All the descriptions are as you describe, because maybe a few of us have had some jobs they're not proud of doing, a past that could have been better and things they may prefer to forget.
I was a little uneasy when I first saw this thread and wondered if it was apt for an anonymous internet forum but by the number of replies, I was wrong to have doubts.:)
You all know that I've been a lorry driver for almost 30 years, but before that I was a sales rep for 9 years until the company was taken over and wanted to adopt the hard sell. I didn't like who they were trying to turn me into, and decided to get out.
Before that I was a van driver, forecout attendant, combined with spare mechanic when the workshop were busy!
I spent a very happy 2 years working on a small farm, milking 32 cows and looking after 280 acres of arable land, sheep and pigs.
I'ts always been a struggle to pay the bills, but they've always got paid. Holidays are something that have only come in the last 20 years and a day out was a bonus. Cars have always been bangers, but they taught me more about survival and DIY mechanics than any new car would have done.
Happiest times were spent potato picking in November at Lower Hambleton which is now under Empingham Reservoir ( Sorry, Rutland Water!), when it meant I was earning good money to buy my son christmas presents.
I held down a job as a home help for 2 years to combine school hours with work and hated every minute.
I've done shop work in the village I've lived in when there was nothing else and after potato picking had finished, I would go turkey plucking at the local turkey farm.
The happiness has always come from the sense of achievement at earning the money to pay the bills, not as simply 'having' the money if you see what I mean?
Financial security is fickle, one minute it's there and in a second, it's gone, you think you have it and then the unforeseen happens.
I've trained now to be able to have a part/full time career in retirement as a DCPC Trainer, and I enjoy it, but it is my insurance policy to be able to earn something in semi retirement, just in case!
Happiness isn't linked to money, it's linked to health and the ability to enjoy simple things.
I consider myself to be very lucky because I've enjoyed going to work everyday for the last 30 years I've been lorry driving, and Mondays used to see me heading out about 3am, to an open and empty road, with a huge smile on my face. Just me and the wildlife, alone in the cab for the week with no idea where that week would take me or what characters I would meet along the way.
Happiness isn't about money it's about having the ability to appreciate the simple things you have, and not yearn for those you'll never have.
Pat
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>> Happiness isn't about money it's about having the ability to appreciate the simple things >> you have, ..............
And being fit and well.
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Exactly, Pat. Happiness comes from being content with what you have. Most people have a lot more than they need but don't realise it.
But having enough for day to day living to a reasonable standard - bills paid, essentials bought, a few frills is a lot less than struggling for money. Wanting more when you are happy with you have isn't a problem. It's being dissatisfied with what you have and feeling aggrieved that you don't have x and being jealous and resentful of those that do.
But if you don't have good health then none of it matters.
Squirrels don't need money. Why can't we be more like squirrels?!
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>>Why can't we be more like squirrels?!
'Cos I wouldn't want to bury my nuts in the ground... :-)
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When I worked on the farm, I used to do a mean job with a stanley knife and piglets nuts................I don't think it's allowed now:)
Pat
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>> What job is it you do?
1. Swimming teacher
1a. Cycling instructor
1b. Handyman
1c. Gardener (not a plantsman, just a wielder of machinery)
>> What jobs will you do?
1. Anything that doesn't involve a ladder ...
Never conquered my fear of heights and it's getting much worse as I get older. Felt a bit wobbly on a bar stool last night but maybe that was the beer.
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>> What job is it you do?
Project Manager in IT. Dullsville. I qualified from University in languages, and soon found out that that gets you nowhere in terms of earning potential. It is seen as a female skill (so naturally priced way below male skills), and then also there's the fact that those from foreign parts will often work for half of what I want. So, IT it had to be. :-(
>> What jobs will you do?
I dream of driving a white van.
What I could never do is anything involving fish. I am in ichthyophobe. That almost cost me my Saturday job in Waitrose, when I refused to stack the chillers with prepacked fresh fish (you know the sort, whole rainbow trout in a clear plastic box). I darned near fainted and threw up when I saw the trolley being wheeled towards me in the warehouse. They put me on the deli counter, but I couldn't touch the roll mops.
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>>but I couldn't touch the roll mops.<<
I luv roll mops ever since being introduced to them by my Prussian girlfriend in the 90's
I'll have to get some over the weekend as I've not indulged of late + they're very good for you.
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>>but I couldn't touch the roll mops.<<
Often have those as a starter when we eat out.
Beautiful.
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I love rollmops, they're very popular where I live.
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Rollmops are a hangover cure in don't mention the w*r ~ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollmops
Last edited by: Dog on Thu 20 May 10 at 11:41
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>> I love rollmops, they're very popular where I live.
but thats poland.
Hateful disgusting things, even my dog wont eat them
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I bet you're dog licks its own bottom, what does that say about its sense of taste??????
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>> I bet you're dog licks its own bottom, what does that say about its sense
>> of taste??????
Talk your way out of that one, Zero.
:)
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It says its better tasting than rollmops.
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Somehow, I knew he'd pull that one off. Well done, Z. Dreadful things.
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I'd always let him have the last word.
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You wouldn't know that for certain unless you knew what your dog's bottom tasted like....ewwww!
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1. Pilot on the Airbus A320 for a well known low cost carrier.
2. Anything - though if for whatever reason I couldn't fly any more I'd become a medical physicist.
Before I landed (*pause for laughter*) the flying job I was driving vans for a living delivering parcels in order to survive through the recession.
The only way I got that job was to do some creative editing of my CV... after I'd fiddled the GCSE grades downwards and taken out A-levels, university, and flight training there was a 6 year gap. I was quite cagey about it in the interview and suspect they thought I'd been in prison or something... ;-)
Was worth it though on my last day when I told them I was off to London to fly the Airbus. I've heard of people's jaws dropping open through surprise but had never actually seen it happen until then.
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ichthyophobe
Wow, I never knew it was called that. I have suffered from that all my life.
I could never go fishing as a lad with my mates, because I could not go near a fish hanging on a hook and to physically touch one, well yuch.
The only thing I can do with fish is eat battered fish and chips but it must not have skin on.
Any other fish meal, well no thanks.
So, I know exactly how you feel.
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I think we are rare beasts indeed! Comforting to find another.
I too can eat fish flesh, so long as there is no skin, like you say. A fish presented whole at the table is likely to have me coming over all unnecessary.
In a motoring related tale, this prolem first became evident when, as a small child, I passed unexpectedly in front of a fishmonger's shop (MacFisheries in Windsor if memory serves), and was taken by surprise so much that I jumped 5 feet in to the air shot in to the road. A Range Rover was coming. But happily for me it wasn't going too fast and its driver was able to bring the thing to a controlled stop about 6 inches from me. I think that must have taken 5 years off my mother's life expectancy.
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MacFisheries! Now there's a name from the past. My Dad worked for a fishmonger when he was a lad and could skin & fillet fish like an expert. To this day I can't eat fish with skin or bones. And he was always most disparaging about Macfisheries. Usually by holding his nose and going "Pooh!" as we walked past. Highly entertaining to a youngster!
JH
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Like various others above, I don't do anything, having kicked the habit 21 years ago. The pay now is poor but job satisfaction is high. I did try working for a number of charities but couldn't stand the politics or the inefficiency.
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What work is it you do? - R.P.
