Another "Get Out" Thread . . .

hmmm. well I majored in physics until physics and calculus ran me out.

 

The only problem I have with Pharmacy is that you end up having to work in a Walgreen's or a CVS all day long, which is like being a glorified 7-11 clerk. You're just as susceptible to the lowlife who comes in with a Saturday night special, demanding the cash drawer.

Pete, a friend of mine went right from high school to the auto plant. He got his 30 years in and retired with full pension at 48, right around the time my chosen field started forcing people out with severance packages that were a lot worse than UAW workers got. What pension folks at my shop will get is a joke, grocery money at best.

 

joe - one of my boys from back in the day joined the navy in 1986, the final year it offered 20-year retirements. he spent five years in as a grunt, and then they asked him to become one of the 3 percent of the folks they allow to become enlisted officers.

spent nearly all of his years stationed in san diego and was making about 74k when he retired last year. he sold his condo and bought a nice house in olympia, wash., with what he made from turning his condo.

he receives 50 percent of his pay and a lifetime of medical/dental/vision. he's thinking about taking a year or so off, and then getting on at the port of seattle as an underwater welder, which pays pretty fucking good. he says he'll probably work there for 20 years and then pick up another retirement before he turns 63.

god bless journalism.

 

Nephew in college says he's settled on being an actuary. I don't suppose that job is going away anytime soon. Starting pay is about 50k, and it goes up from there.

 

I just decided, right here, right now, in the middle of typing a story: I'm going to be a teacher. An English teacher. A high school English teacher.

It was an English teacher who got me into journalism, which was fine when the industry wasn't what it is today. It was a teacher who coached me in basketball all through high school, and if it wasn't for hoops, I may not have gone to college in the first place.

It pays about the same. But I get the summers off. I work 9-5. It's sort of what I do now - reading, editing, story telling, etc.

Now. I have to contact the university.

 

I was actually going to suggest that. I've recently been thinking lightly about trying to find an English teaching job overseas just to see some other parts of the world and experience something new.

Some of the other suggestions on here are solid. Nursing, pharmacy, anything in the health care industry, law -- there always will be a need for those types of jobs. Bottom line is, whatever you choose, make sure it's something you know for sure will be around for a long time.

If all else fails, try pimping. ;D

 

Holy shit, that's what I am going back for in January.

 

And a suggestion about teaching. 1. It's good you're thinking English. English, math, science - basically anything other than PE, social science or history - is in demand. 2. It helps big time if you coach. Administrators can kill two birds with one stone by hiring a teacher in a difficult subject who can also coach. It sounds like you have basketball experience, and just being in an assistant in other sports helps, too. It's extra money and you can call in the box scores and not take 15 minutes. So you'd actually still be helping the journalism industry.

 

A communication degree is a waste of time... A journalism degree might actually carry more wight. There's a reason all of those athletes are communication and sociology majors.

If you're good with computers, that's the way to go. A close second would be doing anything in health care.

 

They can always hire some schlub in India to do any computer job you can imagine. Much harder to outsource the night shift at County General.

 

for some reason, every computer in my wife's office took a dump this week. an indian did not fix those computers.

 

I had a girlfriend who did that. She was making 60K in 1990. She was a math major and even she though the job was boring. I don't know if she's still doing that.