Comments on: Gears

By: David

David — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:18:13 +0000

Umm, I’d f’n go for it.

Or at least, that’s what I’m trying to do, as I near my own 36th birthday, with the notion of going into filmmaking.

Then again, I may have more of some of the resources required than you seem to be describing, but… it still won’t be easy.

It’s gonna be f’n hard, but I’m gonna try to just do it.

We’ll see if I fail pitifully. ;-)

By: mom, again

mom, again — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:57:13 +0000

4. boy, I did not want that to sound so negative! do the school thing, do the career change thing. but pay attention to the JOB thing. currently, I’m taking a while out to take care of this lovely small boy I’ve acquired & retooling my work plans so I can do food related work which isn’t actually kitchen work. that I have the credentials to consider this is the point in the long run.

By: mom, again

mom, again — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:49:17 +0000

I’m new to reading here (a result of the swistle kerfuffle) & though this post is a few days old, I wanted to respond.

1. going back to school is a great plan! you won’t be the oldest. no way. The oldest guy in our program had retired from his career that he took up after he retired the first time. So, 70’s? No, he wasn’t taking the program for fun, he intended to go back out to work some more.

2. yes, you do care more now, that matters. That you actually care about the degree matters. That the instructors are your age peers matters. Even if they are twice your age: you are all grown ups & parents & peers compared to the student aged students. Which makes it so much easier to approach them, converse with them, argue with them even.

3. the one bad thing. I speak from experience here. Getting an education that allowed me to turn my hobby into my work DID make work more pleasant. but it made my hobby a lot less enjoyable. work was no longer a chore, doing the same work at home was no longer relaxing. now, in your case, if working out as work means you don’t have to work out for it’s own sake too, great. but I went to culinary school.

By: Beth

Beth — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:40:41 +0000

I didn’t go back to school after having career, but did switch to nutrition/wellness degree in what was supposed to be my senior year in college add that to a long winded graduate school adventure, a required internship and sitting for a test… 9 years later I couldn’t be happier in the field that I really love vs just getting the degree to say I graduated from college as many had urged me to do. Go for it, what’s the worst that could happen?

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 02:25:04 +0000

I would say, life isn’t a dress rehersal. I’d also say that there is some random stat out there that people change careers several times before they turn 40. I’d also say that now is the time to do it, because while your life may seem “full” now with small children, it’s a whole different world once they enter school and there is homework and activities. I’d say that there are only three things that matter in life, good health, someone to love and something you love to do…so go for it. Take the leap. Just do it (there’s a reason that tag line became so famous!!). Merry Christmas and thank you for allowing me into your world and making me laugh so hard, so often!

By: Corey Auger

Corey Auger — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:23:50 +0000

I think this is great! When you have a passion for something there is always an enormous amount of potential. I hope we get a chance to meet in the New Year.. and would love to hear/share some ideas. Love the twitter stream BTW :)

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:09 +0000

So about three years ago I was on a walk with my husband when I made some comment about how if I could do it all over again I would have chosen a certain career path. And my husband looked at me, a little incredulously, and said “You’re not dead yet. You can still do it” and for some reason it took that to make me think that hey, I really could. I think about that moment a lot when I get overwhelmed by the thought of all that is left for me to do just to get my foot in the door.

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:18:46 +0000

I know I’m late to the game but I just wanted to add this: My mom worked as a radio journalist for years and years. When I was still pretty little, she was laid off and her station folded. Instead of wallowing, she made a pretty gutsy choice. She went back to school to get her master’s in education. It meant my Dad had to take on solo dinner-making and parenting roles on some nights, it meant that yeah, I stuck my little 5-year-old-nose against the window above our driveway waiting and waiting for her to come home on nights she had class. I remember that distinctly. But now? It’s only been in the past couple years (I’m 22) that I’ve been able to fully understand her sacrifice. She went back to school in an entirely new field, was a very successful student, and has now been teaching for about 11 years–and is an ass-kicking name-taking teacher at that. (She runs the “Outdoor Nature Club” at her school now too. Man I adore that woman.) She walked away from one career path and smack dab in the path towards another. She took all kinds of risks but guess what? She did it. I’m more proud of and grateful for it all every year, I’m amazed at the size of both, amazed at her.

Remember that post you wrote, what you’d learned about fitness? Let me put it to you in your own language:

“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t start now. If you need to start over, that’s okay: start again now.”

You’ve SO got this.

By: Denise

Denise — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:44:57 +0000

I am a long time lurker. And I think you should definitely do this. I have been so inspired by what you have accomplished and sometimes it’s thinking about you that gets my ass into my running gear at some ridiculous hour.

Anyway, I’m 38, and have a long history in marketing. At 35, I decided to go back to school to become a therapist. I just graduated and while I still have a few steps further to go down the road, I can’t believe how quickly the school part flew by. And to make it not so hard financially, I was able to do freelance copywriting on the side. There were some moments when I thought I just couldn’t possibly finish, but I did. And I never have to attend another sales meeting, or try and stab my eyeballs out at another tradeshow. Wheee!

By: Jenny

Jenny — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:36:24 +0000

Unhelpful and douchey book-nerd comment:

Paul Bowles wrote “The Sheltering Sky,” not Gloria Cubana.

Encouraging and non-douchey comment:

DO IT. Life’s too short not to.