What to do when I grow up?

Wayne

Wayne

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Once again, I'm inviting input for my future...

I vaguely remember having said this here before, but I'm trying to figure out what to do when I grow up...

Last bunch of years, I've been working professionally in places supporting Microsoft SharePoint. Problem is, I really dislike Microsoft in general and the work is becoming more frustrating (because of bureaucracy) than rewarding.

Indeed, computers themselves have a dimmed appeal to me as I get older. Where once I wrote web sites and played Diablo (or World of Warcrack) until 3am every day, I generally find my iPad to be my 90% source of connection to the world. Even the beautiful 27" iMac and 15tb Drobo on my desk serve as essentially a big media server for my Apple TV which frankly is used far too much for my health...

Speaking of which,

Last year, I lost 70 pounds (327 to 250) because I had a great job, lived in an area where eating healthy was cheap(er anyway), I rode my motorcycle most days and every Saturday found me walking Busch Gardens Williamsburg for 10-12 miles, sun up to sun down.

Now, I'm living in a crap, tiny apartment near D.C. where everything is 40 to 60% more expensive, seafood is outrageous, and riding anything with less than four wheels is deadly to one's health.

In the last six months, I've gained 25# back.

There are two theme parks within 40 miles equidistant from my apartment, but -- unlike Busch Gardens, both Six Flags America and King's Dominion are reputed to be far more crowded and tweener oriented (meaning overcrowded with rude kids)...

So.. In a nutshell, computers aren't fun any more, and I'm desperately trying to find something to get my fat arse off the couch... Something more than a Nintendo Wii. I'm much more of a "go and watch people" kinda guy than a "meetup" type where I'm interacting with other humans, so...

Anyone got any ideas?

Wayne
 
What was the last real trip you've been on? Traveling to see far off places can sometimes give you an idea.
 
Glaucus said:
What was the last real trip you've been on? Traveling to see far off places can sometimes give you an idea.
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Unfortunately with the "40 to 60% more expensive" part of living near D.C., being able to plan and afford real trips is almost impossible. Essentially, the only real trips I get to go on (aside from day trips here locally) are the 1500 mile round trip weekenders to go check on my house in Huntsville and see friends.
 
Well, it sounds to me like you're burned out with the technology career. I've always thought it would be cool to open a restaurant like all the other Greeks. But it's quite a different lifestyle change. Sounds to me like you need to change gears.
 
Wayne said:
Once again, I'm inviting input for my future...

I vaguely remember having said this here before, but I'm trying to figure out what to do when I grow up...
Click to expand...
Yeah at 44 and an IT Director I still don't know what I want to be. I'll admit I'm lazy and for some strange reason seems really easy. (Don't show my boss.)

Seems that in the IT industry if one has the aptitude then management is a common direction. While you may no longer directly support SharePoint you could manage the team that controls SharePoint. The knowledge of the application and the business flows impact should be a benefit when trying to make that shift.

Another common direction would be Business Analyst or Project Manager. With the development of SharePoint one is often involved in Business Processes. Even without formal education in those areas companies still are willing to hire and/or promote someone that can display the aptitude. Though some PMI or BA certifications could easily be rounded up within a year. Just showing you're working in that direction education wise may give you an in to that job.

Either way neither positions are a full switch out of technology. It's just a less deep dive into the technology. And believe me people WILL prove more challenging than technology. Sometimes I miss that the computer just does it or I can make it do it. People are a bit more finicky and need more reboots.

(Torturing Redrumloa is a good option :p )


Congrats on the weight loss. Good luck with your direction there.
 
Glaucus said:
Well, it sounds to me like you're burned out with the technology career. I've always thought it would be cool to open a restaurant like all the other Greeks. But it's quite a different lifestyle change. Sounds to me like you need to change gears.
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i have my eyes on a small cafe that is for sale, in my new home town... :D
 
Once again, I'm inviting input for my future...

I vaguely remember having said this here before, but I'm trying to figure out what to do when I grow up...​
Click to expand...
​
Yeah at 44 and an IT Director I still don't know what I want to be. I'll admit I'm lazy and for some strange reason seems really easy. (Don't show my boss.)
Click to expand...

Yeah... Hi, I'm Tom, and I'm a 38 year old Sr. Systems Administrator who doesn't know what he wants to do when he grows up, either. :D I sorta fell into my current role, and I'm a damn rockstar at making computers and components work together to do useful things... And I get a lot of variety, working in manufacturing. (QA systems, CAD systems, CAM/prototyping systems, industrial controls, etc.) But I don't think it's what I'll be doing in 10 years time.

I'd guess it probably says something about technology jobs, themselves, when, typically, the best of us are looking to change careers. :/ Can't really say I have any career advice for ya, though.

There are two theme parks within 40 miles equidistant from my apartment, but -- unlike Busch Gardens, both Six Flags America and King's Dominion are reputed to be far more crowded and tweener oriented (meaning overcrowded with rude kids)...

So.. In a nutshell, computers aren't fun any more, and I'm desperately trying to find something to get my fat arse off the couch... Something more than a Nintendo Wii. I'm much more of a "go and watch people" kinda guy than a "meetup" type where I'm interacting with other humans, so...

Anyone got any ideas?
Click to expand...

I think both of those theme parks are supposed to be excellent for roller-coasters... But ,well, for people watching and nice walking, I've always preferred museums or zoos over theme parks. Being that you're by DC, you've got a pretty strong selection. Personally, I'd love to be able to walk a different Smithsonian museum each Saturday.

Other than that, do you folks have a metropark system or something of the like? That's pretty nice, too. I've probably already gotten my $25 worth of use out of my annual metropark pass, and it's barely spring around here. They have family playground areas, canoeing, and, various walking trails you can take, depending on how adventurous you feel. Everything from scenic paved bike/rollerblade paths, to clearly marked dirt hiking paths, to small unmarked trails that wander all over, etc.
 
one of the things i do when i go somewhere new is i'll get one of those gazeteer topographical map books... they show you lots of places to go exploring... i went to the chamber of commerce in my new town and they had a lot of information about the different groups and clubs in the community... i like photography and being out in the country... they have a bird watching club... that has appeal to me... i'll get to see things like a native and it'll give me places to go w/out the group... trouble with people watching is that sometimes you need interaction...
 
Joesph Campbell used to say, "Follow your Bliss"........what do really enjoy?

I know you like your cars and bike......is there a career in any of that?
 
47 and writing code for a company that just pulled a boner and shut down their most profitable devision (that had me in it). Working on a retention bonus for a few months more to wrap things up and then wondering what I want to do myself. Unfortunately I have an expensive lifestyle, not because I want one, but because other people want one - otherwise I would have tried to retire already, or take a chance on doing something less lucrative - though I'm not sure exactly what. I don't really enjoy writing code anymore - or maybe I just don't like working on stupid code. There are so many things I'd rather be doing. Ah the bonds of family - the shackles.
 
Hmmm.. I did a complete career change about three years ago.
I'd just turned 38 and had a reasonably well paid but soulless job in IT and Telecoms sales. Luckily, just at the point I came to despise it, I was offered voluntary redundancy. This allowed me to take some time and go and do things I was interested in, namely a sound engineering course and a programming course.

Now I'm 41 and writing code for a pittance (less than half of what I used to earn) but much happier with what I do than I've probably ever been. I'm still in the novelty zone though. Once that wears off, I might have to go and do something else again.
 
ilwrath said:
I think both of those theme parks are supposed to be excellent for roller-coasters... But ,well, for people watching and nice walking, I've always preferred museums or zoos over theme parks. Being that you're by DC, you've got a pretty strong selection. Personally, I'd love to be able to walk a different Smithsonian museum each Saturday.
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Over the past 6 months, I've done a couple of the museums (Air and Space and the Udvar-Hazy Center) and they were... disappointing (?). In my head, I've always built them up to be these gigantic things that I could get lost for days in, but in both cases, they kept me occupied for about 2 hours. I spent more time and money getting to and from the museum than I did in the museum itself.

The Udvar-Hazy Center (about 5 miles from me) has hundreds of aircraft, including one of the space shuttles, and I *love* aircraft, but even then it was 100% "look at aircraft" / 0% interactive. This, not to mention the $15 parking fee just to get in, EVEN if you're just there for a movie in their theater. Again, two hours, in and out and once you've seen it... then what?

I *may* try out the aquarium and zoo this weekend, but I refuse to drive in downtown D.C., so that leaves me driving 15 miles in traffic to the nearest metro, paying to park, then paying $15 for a day pass, all of which I find relatively annoying.

ilwrath said:
Other than that, do you folks have a metropark system or something of the like? That's pretty nice, too. I've probably already gotten my $25 worth of use out of my annual metropark pass, and it's barely spring around here. They have family playground areas, canoeing, and, various walking trails you can take, depending on how adventurous you feel. Everything from scenic paved bike/rollerblade paths, to clearly marked dirt hiking paths, to small unmarked trails that wander all over, etc.
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The only thing I've found similar seems to be an 80-mile or so walking/bicycle trail which I might check out if I decide to actually buy a bicycle (or can find one to support my weight)...

Thanks for the ideas though.

Wayne
 
cecilia said:
Joesph Campbell used to say, "Follow your Bliss"........what do really enjoy?
Click to expand...

That is the $64,000 question really. In a nutshell.

cecilia said:
I know you like your cars and bike......is there a career in any of that?
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I truly wish there were, and I'm still searching for one, but outside of blogging (which wouldn't pay the bills), I'm not sure yet. :(
 
Thank you all very much for the feedback. It does sound like it's time for a gear change, but I don't know to what yet, or if I'll have the guts to take that jump when it gets here, but it really does help to know that I'm not alone in what I'm feeling.

Wayne
 
Over the past 6 months, I've done a couple of the museums (Air and Space and the Udvar-Hazy Center) and they were... disappointing (?). In my head, I've always built them up to be these gigantic things that I could get lost for days in, but in both cases, they kept me occupied for about 2 hours. I spent more time and money getting to and from the museum than I did in the museum itself.

The Udvar-Hazy Center (about 5 miles from me) has hundreds of aircraft, including one of the space shuttles, and I *love* aircraft, but even then it was 100% "look at aircraft" / 0% interactive. This, not to mention the $15 parking fee just to get in, EVEN if you're just there for a movie in their theater. Again, two hours, in and out and once you've seen it... then what?
Click to expand...

Wow... :( That's a bummer to hear. I'm a pretty big aircraft fan, as well. I was wanting to hit both of them on a trip my family is planning for early fall this year. Maybe I don't have to spend as much time at either of them as I was imagining.

The only thing I've found similar seems to be an 80-mile or so walking/bicycle trail which I might check out if I decide to actually buy a bicycle (or can find one to support my weight)...
Click to expand...

Yeah, the metroparks are really a cool thing around here. They're generally smaller areas, and smaller trails than that (more in the 10-20 mile range, though they have a lot of branches, so you can kind of link them to do whatever size you feel like). But each different park highlights a feature of the area (Erie highlights the Lake Erie coastline and fish, Huron and its neighbor (I forget the name) are about the Huron River wetlands, along with a golf course, big play areas, etc, Kensington highlights the small inland lake ecosystems, etc., and bunches more of them.) It's pretty easy to spend several hours wandering one, and then just pick a different one next time. There's probably a couple of the more northern ones I still haven't even gone to, yet, in all the years I've been here.
 
ilwrath said:
Wow... :( That's a bummer to hear. I'm a pretty big aircraft fan, as well. I was wanting to hit both of them on a trip my family is planning for early fall this year. Maybe I don't have to spend as much time at either of them as I was imagining.
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Please don't get me wrong. All told, I took about 200 pictures. Both were really cool places and if I weren't alone, I'm sure it would be far more enjoyable. I had just expected both experiences to last more than a couple of hours. Of the two, I'd recommend the Udvar-hazy center (basically at the end of the Dulles airport runway) for the space shuttle and more aircraft but again, it's a far less interactive experience than the NASM...

The Udvar-Hazy center is where they filmed those museum scenes for the latest Transformers movie and the only REAL complaint I have is the $15 parking fee...

If you do get out here, look me up...

Wayne



Scribbled furiously on my iPad using Tapatalk HD. I reserve the right to blame all mistakes, whether spelling, grammar, or logic on Siri..
 
http://rans.com/bicycles/

these are actually made in hays, ks... they also make ultra-light aircraft... and i've seen bigger guys on them... you know when i feel like my life has lost all direction and i can't seem to figure out what i want from life, i help somebody else... DC has a great tutoring and mentoring program... guy with your knowledge and life experiences would be of great benefit to some young man who is struggling... you might change/save a life in the process... they do things as a group too so you'll have plenty of opportunities to meet other adults as well... just a thought... :)
 
Wayne said:
.. really cool places and if I weren't alone, I'm sure it would be far more enjoyable...
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I can relate to this. I tend to be something a 'speed tourist' when alone, as approximately five minutes at the top of the Empire State building would confirm.
 
Robert said:
I can relate to this. I tend to be something a 'speed tourist' when alone, as approximately five minutes at the top of the Empire State building would confirm.
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geez it takes longer to get to the top than five minutes... lol
 
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