If you had to or had the opportunity to,what vocation(s) would you choose for your next career?

I would go into aquaculture or some type of high end digital manipulation.I'm already involved with the digital stuff to a degree but aquaculture is very interesting too.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), March 14, 2001

Answers

Capn--

Interesting. Those are two very different options. And both are very different from selling vino.

At my age I should know, but I don't. My career as a corporate engineer was neither fulfilling or remarkably successful. The aspect of my job that I most enjoyed was writing tech reports on work that I had done. Maybe that is a clue.

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), March 14, 2001.

There's nothing I've ever done that I want to do 8, 9, 10 hours each day. Basketball comes closest.

That said, if I could take my education over again I would study the english language in order to pursue writing of some sort. My ability to retain, or lack thereof, what I see and hear, makes doing so merely a pipe dream.

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), March 14, 2001.

Travel writer.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), March 14, 2001.

Rich,

How does your retention level impede your desired course?

Lars,

Yep,a lot different I suppose,at 1st the wine and spirits biz was just a means of getting me through school where I was targeting a career in broadcasting,but through a series of events I wound up doing the vino/ business thing and excelling at it,I guess I will not be the next Mr Murrow.

But couldn't you still pursue tech writing? Seems like good people are allways in demand.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), March 14, 2001.

Owner, operator, chief bottle washer, and bartender of my own fine spirits and dining establishment. (Of course that would mean I'd need the money to get it started.)

So...maybe a better answer would be...a Rockefeller, Getty, or maybe Bill Gates son.

:)

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), March 14, 2001.

cruise ship social director

-- (bettypaige01@hotmail.com), March 14, 2001.

Good question, Capn, and one I've thought about more lately. I always come back to the same place: money. I'd like to do feature writing and photography for AAA's "Home and Away" magazine, the "Buckeye Guide" (dial 1-800-BUCKEYE for a great, free travel guide!) and other Ohio travel publications. At one time, I thought about trying for an writer/photog/editor position. With a little review, I think that my grammar and mechanical skills are reasonable.

However, these positions pay about 1/4 of what I'm making now, or the assignments are farmed out to freelancers, who don't get any benefits. I don't hate my job that much or have such a burning desire to become a wordsmith to take that much of a cut in pay and retirement benefits.

So, you folks and my lady reap most of my non-technical writing efforts. When I get more time, I'll get my scanner fixed and post some of my digital pix. I'm no pro, but I've got some shots of Amish country that are good enough for an AAA article.

Capn, how did you get interested in aquaculture?

-- kb (kb8um8@yhoo.com), March 14, 2001.

Inspector General of the United States - provided I could study for it at night school.

-- Miserable SOB (misery@misery.com), March 14, 2001.

So many people on this thread flirt with the idea of writing. As a career writer, I know you can be among the best and make almost absolutely nothing. I have uncovered, broken, and written about some of the best issues and remained as poor as a cockroach on a sanitized ship. Now I am aiming for more work as a life coach, helping people avoid bullshit while picking the right vocation. PS Capnfun, Florida is the best place for aquaculture. I can pass along some info.

-- Oxsys (Makalani7788@aol.com), March 17, 2001.

Izzat really you? Oxy?

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), March 17, 2001.