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I'll hit you with the question first so you don't have to read the rest if you don't want too:

What would be/is your ideal job?

I know it will be different for everyone for a variety of reasons but thought I'd see what other people do or want to do to keep the electricy on, gas in the car and food in the fridge. Even you retired folks can chime in.

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Lotta folks here know I'm unemployed and not currently employable due to a mystery illness that has yet to get put in check.

However, I'm trying to stay positive and look towards my future and what that holds for me.

So far I've come up with:

1. Some kind of manufacturing that can be done in my garage and use CL and eBay to sell "whatever that is". (Start up costs being an issue)

2. Part time work somewhere with pretty flexible hours (may have a friend in the restaurant business that could help facilitate that but I'm having a hard time mentally going from $30/hr + overtime to minimum wage for a few hours a week) but it would be nice if I could find something better then minimum wage.

3. Selling toys - just about out of toys to sell and the ones I have will be kinda difficult for me to part with and that's what I've been doing so there is a finite amount of money I can make that way.


I bit the bullet and fought for disability for 4 years (lawyers and all) but without proof I'm sick (which there are no tests they have found to show positive of any "known illness") they see a 6'1" 250-275 guy asking for full disability and I'm fairly sure they had a good laugh about it at lunch time, even though I had multiple "employment specialists" (even ones the state brought in) say I was unemployable because of the conditions under which I could work regularly and the bubblegume economy making it a free for all for employers and take it or leave it by employees.

So needless to say until I have something to give me an open and shut case for disability, that's not an avenue I plan to persue again; talk about a beating on your self esteem for 4 years after sucking it up and filing in the first place...


So if you read this far then I would love to hear from y'all as to what you do and what you'd rather be doing; yea, yea, I'd like to be paid to shoot, fish and hunt day in and day out but unless you have a foot in the door on that I doubt those are possibilities worth persueing.

Thanks and have fun if you want - I have wanted to be a helicopter pilot for a few decades but never had the funds to get the training and unfortunately joined the Army as a combat engineer not the Air Force or Navy as a pilot.:confused:
 
I've done a lot of things. Most of the time for someone else. Worked laborous jobs, desk jobs, even as a gunsmith at a firearms manufacturer. I think my dream job is to work for myself, mostly because I can look out for myself for once, as with every job I have worked before the boss or owner was doing just that, looking out for himself.
 
What I do right now is a good job. I work in the construction industry, was an electrician in the field for over 10 years, working in commercial, industrial and healthcare settings. The last 10+ years I've been more of a desk jockey, but as I've gained more skills and experience, I'm in a job now that I hadn't anticipated, but really enjoy. I get to design systems, analyze customer needs, do a little programming/configuration, some troubleshooting, estimating, some project management and even customer training. It's nothing like what I expected to be doing, but most days, I do wake up looking forward to going to work. And THAT, for me is the biggest factor. What I do is important, but when you have a good company, a good boss (assuming you're not self-employed), good co-workers and get to do something you not only enjoy, but you're good at, well then that is about as good as it can get, I think.

Part of it, for me, is personal attitude. There are other folks that do a job very similar to mine and hate it. I have co-workers that dread coming to work each day. In reality, it's their personal attitude that makes their days so much worse - but they just don't see that. In most cases, you can choose to be happy, if you want ;)

Back to the discussion at hand, what to do? How are you with computers? I have several friends that essentially 'started over' in their careers by working with computers. They approached it from several angles - some did online schooling, some did more formal training, some got in at the ground level and got training in bits and pieces where they could. I know some folks that are 'contract' IT workers, who work from home, on their schedules, getting as much or as little work as they want. They are their own employers and the seem to really like the flexibility. There are so many different ways you can get work doing IT/computer stuff. And it's a job that can really move you up the ladder, if that's ever your goal. One friend got his degree online about 8 years ago, now he manages all the IT hardware for 7-8 different manufacturing plants around the country. He does have to travel, but can also do work at home - and he loves his job. He made this change and started his training in his late 30's. And you don't necessarily have to be a computer genius - you can learn the stuff you need to know if you're a good student and committed to the process.

Anyway, not sure if that's your thing, but looking to the future, careers in IT related fields will most likely provide quite a few opportunities.

BTW, I wanted to be a pilot too - commercial or airline transport. I got my private license at 19 and was looking to continue my training but funds quickly ran out and a medical issue put an end to my flying days.

"Dream" job today - give me a billion dollars and let me be in charge of giving it away. I'd love to be a professional philanthropist!
 
Can you safely drive with your illness? Uber or Lyft driver maybe?

BTW, if it would help with your disability claim I'm sure most members here would certify that there is definitely something wrong with you! :p:p
 
Been selling a lot of my stuff on craigslist getting ready for the move. I also like yard sales and thrift stores.
Toying with the Idea of becoming a Trader, buying and selling junk for profit.

Other than that? In house masseuse for the dancers at a strip joint.:s0139:
 
There is that gal in Portland that makes her living as a 'professional cuddler'. I understand she gets plenty of business. I'd try that job myself, but I know I'd get way too much business with ladies wanting to get close to this ;) o_O :eek: Of course, being that I'm near PDX, it may not just be the ladies...:confused: On second thought...
 
There is that gal in Portland that makes her living as a 'professional cuddler'. I understand she gets plenty of business. I'd try that job myself, but I know I'd get way too much business with ladies wanting to get close to this ;) o_O :eek: Of course, being that I'm near PDX, it may not just be the ladies...:confused: On second thought...
Just make sure your always the "big spoon" when cuddling:eek: Near PDX;)
 
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There is that gal in Portland that makes her living as a 'professional cuddler'. I understand she gets plenty of business. I'd try that job myself, but I know I'd get way too much business with ladies wanting to get close to this ;) o_O :eek: Of course, being that I'm near PDX, it may not just be the ladies...:confused: On second thought...

Yea, I'd be more worried about the people that want to cuddle with a plus sized hairy dude... And I can't pull off that harmless teddy bear look. I think people are seeing this ':D' & in reality I look more like this ':mad:'.:rolleyes:

I found myself in a volunteer position running a video editing contest again this year but I'm mostly logistics or management (I dable with editing) but I have a couple assistants this year that are 3rd year students and they can put together a project that would take me a month in an afternoon and still text the whole time while doing it - so my thoughts of turning the editing part into a job or other IT work (started college as a kid going for a programming degree but figured out real fast that I didn't want to write code 8 hours a day) is a little daunting considering how much catchup I'd have to do. I'm smart enough but not sure I can wait for a 4 year degree or learn it fast enough on my own to be a viable job option soon but something worth looking at over time.:rolleyes:
 
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Being Ill can prevent you from working.

You can't get a job and expect your Boss to give you four days off because your down!
And until you can get healthy enough to be reliable. It ain't gona happen!


So be an advocate for yourself. Don't be afraid to tell the Dr. he's not doing sh!t for you! And Please point me in the direction of somebody that can help ME!

Dr's are often too overwhelmed with too many patients to fix you. So they will just throw meds at you! They don't understand how sick you are. And what that means to you and your life?
You need to ''LOUDLY'' let them know! So give them both barrels! Complain about your quality of life! And express a strong desire for answers!

And if it takes all your money. Go to specialists and get answers.
Best investment you can make. ;)

Along the way remember to follow your gut! If you don't like a treatment Or an assumption.
Question the Dr! Argue it out until you understand and agree. Or until he concedes and advises another coerce of treatment based on ''what your telling him''.

Reassess.

It may be necessary to stop all meds and treatments. And sort things out.
Going back to base symptoms clears up the muddy water.

And don't underestimate how your mental health plays the biggest part in your physical health.
Face mental issues. Things like Addiction, PTSD, and Depression will ham string you.
Don't sweep these kind of things under the rug.

Get you body healthy through diet and lots of daily exercise! Not only will you be stronger for the fight.
But a healthier. More tuned body. Is easier to troubleshoot and diagnose problems in.

When your sick or broken and can't work? This is your job!

Thanks man - saving that in my 'motivation' folder. Gotta remind myself a lot.
 

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