Sitting quiet on a Saturday night I just read thru this thread. Looking back, what a long strange trip it's been.
I started university in the 60's because I was useless at just about everything else in life except for an interest in sports and sex. Luckily I landed a girlfriend right away and got laid a lot that first year. I eventually completed a B Ed. from SFU with an accent on English and Social Sciences. I was a decent scholar, and still remember a lot of the learning experiences.
I gave up teaching after 3 years because I didn't think I was a good influence on kids. I bounced around, lived on Long Beach, went commercial fishing, built a few homes, travelled, had a sales job, and eventually got into the investment world.
I'm happy working in this free ranging field. I'm my own boss, I'm a natural born optimist and helper, and enjoy the chase It is certainly a place that draws on all my past experiences. With the advent of Twitter finance, the flattening and democratization of data and ideas, I can know everything that everyone else knows. It's a lot of fun, because I like a challenge, and it is a good fit for my temperament. And I am not tethered to a PC terminal/telephone.
I really respect people who lucked into their careers by following their instincts or were in the right place at the right time, be it construction, commercial fishing, physiotherapy, heli ski guide, lawyer, dentist, realtor, engineer, and these days, people who work in the digital realm. Doesn't matter what, as long as in the end, are you making a decent living, finding happiness and fulfillment. Discovering this hobby is a major bonus which backfills and feeds my continuing thirst for adventure. Not to mention health benefits, an underrated aspect.
eace:
