"career breaks" or as I'd prefer to call it- buggering off.

[Scattamah]

Persig is ace. Look for the quality in everything. :)

Greetz

S.

[Farawayvisions]

I didn't do it to go off on a bike, but I did it back in 2009. Quit good job, gave (very nice) car away and cleared off sailing for 13 months. Only had a few grand to do it and when I finally arrived in England I was jobless, homeless and penniless and happier than I'd been in years.

Since then I changed career, earn less than I did in 1999 and rent a very small house which we have to leave next year as the landlord is selling. I don't get bogged down with security anymore and my goodness is that liberating.

What I miss is not being able to visit my parents or my grown-up children every few days and the Irish version of English.

[Trail-rat]

aye ive read about some of your travel meraid .

Some stories.

[thenorthwind]

I was idly watching this thread but your mention of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance has got me hooked Trail-rat.

I re-read it (having first read it in my teens and probably not really understood a lot of it, both technical and theoretical) this time last year. It suddenly made a lot of sense and a lot of things clicked with me. For one it made me realise that I'm very much a classical thinker (pretty obvious, I'm an electrical engineer) whereas my other half is a romantic thinker. While I'm capable of romantic thinking and appreciate it, I need to work constantly on this.

I seem to be in a similar position to you. Did my engineering degree, then a PhD and now work in research but don't really see any purpose in my work and so don't enjoy it. Seriously considered retraining to do something different and more hands-on (tree surgeon being top of that list). I've managed to shoehorn more hands-on work into my role, but from the spring I'm going down to 4 days a week with the aim of concentrating on some side projects on the extra day to see whether I can make any of them into something more sustaining.

My new year's resolution for 2017 (though I don't know why it can't start now - that's a big question though isn't it?) is: "Do less. Do it better." Partly inspired by Pirsig's talk of quality.

None of this is any help to you probably, sorry! Good luck whatever you decide to do. I'll watch this thread with interest.

[littlegirlbunny]

Good thread

I am a bit in a similar position, but the thing I am lacking is motivation from myself to make a few changes that would free me up considerably. I need to do up the house to make it rentable. If I could rent my house, it would free me up to make other life choices with regard to cutting hours/changing jobs/taking a sabbatical

However, with work being as it is, and the chaos of my life outside of work, I just don't have the energy to make the time to sort the house. It will require one big almighty push to get started, and I have only enough to prop myself up against the dream right now. I just don't really know where to start; I have done bits and pieces but it needs so much major stuff doing which requires way more time and skills (or time to learn the skills) than I have available. I am planning to get some builders in for quotes/discussion which I am desperately hoping will be the catalyst I have been waiting for to set the whole thing off.

I have been cutting down on my internet time, but it's made me realise that social media is really the main way I make 'real life' plans with riding friends etc so to take myself away from it completely would mean being out of the loop, and I have finally started to find some good friendships in the area I live. I don't want to loose them as I am exceptionally able to burn bridges and cut ties if left to my own devices. I need for no-one, but that doesn't mean I don't really deeply value the few true friends I have.

Compromise, effort, work, money, exhaustion.....it's difficult to get the balance between following a dream, and missing out on real life quality and value by chasing something else.

But equally, it is more than time to move on from the industry in which I have worked for 13 years. I just want to tour for an extended time, touring is really one of the only times where I truely get lost in the 'here and now' rather than spending my whole time thinking about the past, or the future.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I am exceptionally able to burn bridges and cut ties if left to my own devices. I need for no-one, but that doesn't mean I don't really deeply value the few true friends I have.

Ooh, this strikes a chord. I'm exactly the same - my childhood made me very independent and extremely self-reliant. I find it difficult to ask for assistance or help and firmly believe that when John Donne wrote, "no man is a island" he was talking bollox. However, as I've gracefully got older, I've taken to viewing it as a good thing as it means that I don't have friends because I 'need' them but because I want them ... feels much more genuine. Sorry if that doesn't make any sense.

[ScotRoutes]

Interesting, deep and insightful perspectives.




I have no friends because I'm just antisocial.

[littlegirlbunny]

I am exceptionally able to burn bridges and cut ties if left to my own devices. I need for no-one, but that doesn't mean I don't really deeply value the few true friends I have.

Ooh, this strikes a chord. I'm exactly the same - my childhood made me very independent and extremely self-reliant. I find it difficult to ask for assistance or help and firmly believe that when John Donne wrote, "no man is a island" he was talking bollox. However, as I've gracefully got older, I've taken to viewing it as a good thing as it means that I don't have friends because I 'need' them but because I want them ... feels much more genuine. Sorry if that doesn't make any sense.

Absolutely makes sense!

My ability to let bonds break easily stems from the death of my Dad when I was nine. I mean, if you can loose the person whom you totally depend on like that, then what's the point in relying on anyone? A string of bad relationships and financial/homelife fallout from breakups has helped my ability to walk away without shedding too many tears. But equally, like you say, it is a reflection on the people I do spend time with, and with who I try to stay in contact with - it's because I genuinely really value them as people and I love having them in my life. Particularly the current Mr Rabbit - I'm fully independent, I need him not for money, help or fixing stuff (well, maybe fixing bikes lol), but he's just wonderful so the relationship works through love and not dependence/comfort

[Mariner]

For those who haven't seen/read it see The Case for Working with Your Hands: Or Why Office Work is Bad for Us and Fixing Things Feels Good.
If I remember he had a masters degree. Lasted six months in an office before going off to fix Harleys.

Trailrat
I swapped in and out of disciplines Avionics/Weapons/Nuclear/SPM/Pharma/O&G all under the umbrella of EC&I the controls side.
If you have ATEX and or can do PLC commissioning can think of were I would be heading.
Good money but uk/europe commuting. Crap digs and food but hey just count the money and home most weekends unless it was Scotland in which case head for the hills.

[thenorthwind]

The Case for Working with Your Hands: Or Why Office Work is Bad for Us and Fixing Things Feels Good

Been on my to-read list for some time. Must get a copy.

[Pirahna]

For those who haven't seen/read it see The Case for Working with Your Hands: Or Why Office Work is Bad for Us and Fixing Things Feels Good.
If I remember he had a masters degree. Lasted six months in an office before going off to fix Harleys.

I did a 4 year apprenticeship as a toolmaker but finished just as were moving to Thatchers dream of a service economy. I worked for a while in Australia where manual skills were/are more highly regarded than they are here but that came to an end with recession at the end of the 90's. I spent a few years as a London cycle courier whilst I put myself through college (again) and have spent the years since working in IT.

Next year I intend to break free (for a while). There are large scale redundancies looming and I'm doing everything I can to make sure I'm on the list. I'll need to go back to work at some point but it will be on my terms.

[Mariner]

and have spent the years since working in IT.

To paraphrase the book - you cant fix a toilet over the internet.

[NorwayCalling]

As you can guess from my profile - I work in O & G (geologist) and have for 25 years (from the age of 21) so here I am in work, one of the very few left in Norway with a job pondering myself about giving it all up too. My problem is "the real world" is a scary place where you have to work comparatively hard for much, much less money.

OK so I am on the best contract in the oil industry, 2-3, 2-4 so a month off every other rotation. But just like so many others, have missed my kids birthdays, Christmas, New years, Halloween parties, fireworks night etc and yes I do regret it. I am only just struggling to hold on to a job, when I do go I wont get a penny (no redundancy pay in Norway) but in the back of my mind is "every years pay doing this, is the equivalent of 4 years pay in the bike shop"... and I just cant get away from that. 2 extra years doing this (with all its negatives) is 8 years in the bike shop....so maybe another 5 years doing this and that is the same as working in the bike shop until retirement age.... and then I can give up and work the remainder in the bike shop and finally spend some time at home.

I know loads of people who have "failed" in the real world and came back to O&G and the comfort of a rotation and high wages. The real world is not for everyone.

However, as you know, O&G is in the worse place its been in my 25 years and the prospects of it picking up any time soon seem a long time away. Until then pay and conditions will go down and down, folk will be expected to bend over and take it and be "grateful for having a job"...

My advice (for what its worth)... run away, dont walk, run, run as fast as you can from this soul destroying industry and live like everyone else, the "normal" people. Run, do regret it, run whist you are still young enough to get job interview in something else , run, run away and don't look back.

Good luck to you and just do it... you may regret it but trust me, you could very well end up regretting staying more.

[MuddyPete]

An interesting thread that works on so many levels.

You don't have to do something radical for it to have a radical effect on your happiness.

May I suggest developing a mental list of what you like and dislike about your current job during the next few months (e.g. like - solving complex problems and dealing with a diverse range of people; dislike - working 18hr/day for 3 months in a flea-ridden hell-hole). Try to exclude the salary. Bit of a cliche perhaps; but it helps if you can analyse objectively the good & not-so-good in your situation, then look at every conversation as an opportunity.

I've spent 20 years meandering my way (from technician-level) up the corporate ladder via a series of diverse and interesting jobs. A couple of years ago I noticed the problems generally stayed the same; only the names of the companies, locations and people changed. So I did an MSc in Systems Engineering, which was the most mind-expanding thing I've ever done...
It taught me loads of new stuff and put the stuff I already knew into a wider context. It led me to a book called "Managing the Risks of Organisational Accidents" by Prof James Reason, which is a compelling read for anyone in a safety-related industry (Piper Alpha is covered in detail). You can read the book in a week, it's that good. (£30 from Waterstones).

These events inevitably led to a change of job: I'm now on the "regulatory" side of things and its amazing how satisfying it is to watch big organisations solve big problems across a complex industry, which benefits many ordinary people (just like us). The current job is certainly intellectually complex; but it's the enduring "type-2" fun, rather than simple "type-1" fun, which may get a bit repetitive.

Good luck, whatever you decide!

[spectraken]

Trail Rat,

If you have the opportunity, go and don't look back! Go with the wifey have a blast together.
I did the Mongol Rally in 2012 after the wife and i split. Best decision she ever made lol. Went through Iran, most of the 'Stans, a teeny tiny bit of Russia then Mongolia. Got a job out there for 8 months, lived in a ger, whilst building a windfarm. Never imagined any of this when I first toyed with the idea of quitting the job. You'll have no regrets and whatever you do, i'm sure it will be fun! Best of luck with your plans!

[Trail-rat]

Ah well .

It's looking more and more likely this might happen.

I've signed contracts on my new job , all internal paperwork done I'm officially signed over to my new job. I start December first.

Yesterday morning I got an email saying the contract I was going down to work on has been terminated - from our side.

So I'm in limbo. Which isn't fine. Still waiting for confirmation of exactly were we stand although I imagine it's on a very shoogly peg.

How ever . Evans cycles need staff and I never gave up using my hands :) -

[atk]

I've not read the whole thread but figured I'd come along with a bit of a boast post... handed in notice the other week, setting off for New Zealand mid February (stopping off in the US on the way over)!

[Trail-rat]

Top stuff. NZ is epic. We cycled NZ and some of aus post uni a few years ago now. NZ especially is an vaguely exciting country. Would be back in a heart beat if it wasn't for the land access being a bit crap(although I'm spoilt living up here)

[Trail-rat]

Well i got my schedule for the year through last week.

Finish up for 5 weeks

2 weeks after the wife. Giving us 5 weeks together and 4 weeks on tour.

Hopefully that will quell my boredom with work planning that while i ride out the lull in the o & g

And i stand a chance of staying fit for it as we have had a gym installed at work and the canteens serving veg and such like again. - it was nearly a mutany when we all walked out when werent getting fed.

[Zippy]

How's this going trail-rat?