Off topic: If you were 18 again?

B

bikemaniac

Senior Member
Hi,

I'm at a point in life where I have the possibility to do something entirely new in terms of occupation. I have had, and still have many hobbies and a few years back I even restored a Model A.

I'm a mechanical engineer but I've run away from corporate lifestyle since it gets worse year by year (95% of all mechanical engineers do computerized 3D modeling and when not they attend boring worthless meetings). I have talked to a number of fellow engineers and surprisingly many admit that they would become woodworkers/cabinetmakers/carpenters if they could choose to do their life all over again (become 18 again). I agree with them since I also enjoy working with wood.

So if you could choose your ideal occupation, what would i be based on your life experience? Would you open a shop where you wrench old model A's all day long - or something else?

Lucas
 
After majoring in geology in college, I landed a summer office job in an asbestos mine. Hated it. We decided to go farming, eventually bought a farm and still farming 44 years later. Never looked back. Would do it over again.
The lesson here is "Do what you like to do, and not what other people expect you to do"
 
I have a slightly different approach.......... do what makes you lots of $ in a very few hours per week, and enjoy that $ pursuing the many other interests you have.


If you choose an occupation that pays poorly, you will always be behind the 8 ball.
If you are multi talented, you can enjoy many many things in life. Nothing is perfect.


For example, my wife works with many doctors, a few of them have and like cars and enjoy wrenching in their spare time. this is but one example..........


My oldest son is a merchant mairine, he makes more $ in 3 months at sea then most make in a year. His hobby is building classic trailers such as airstreams and tear drops. He also enjoys advanced climbing out in Colorado and Cali.
 
I was 17 and right out of high school and started as an apprentice electrician in the family business...Got bored with that after a few years and followed my father in the commercial H.V.A.C. and refrigeration side of the business...I worked with dad from 1974 to the day he retired in 1992...I wouldn't change a thing other than the regret of not having any interest in his Model A when he was alive...Dad knew a lot about these cars and I should have taken an intrest in learning from him...The car sat for 30 years and he gave it to me before he passed...I was going to cut it up and make a hot rod out of it until my mom gave me a photo album of the restoration process...I got sentimental, maybe a little "senti" and a lot less "mental" and got the car running on my mom's 84th birthday...She has Alzhimers and we went out for a birthday ride...It brought her back to a time when she went out for a rides with dad...The car will be passed on to my granddaughter when I leave this earth...
 
I give the same advice to anyone considering a new career, no matter their age: talk to a bunch of people who are in that career. Find out what their days are like, what skills are needed, where you acquire those skills, work-life balance, what's the labor market like, etc. If you're thinking of starting a company, talk to other startup founders. Make sure you have realistic expectations.
 
If I was 18 again ?

I would not have gotten married.

I would/should have stayed with fabrication.

I would have saved and invested my money better/more.

I'm glad I was flying and have continued.

But, over-all, everything is working out OK.

I
 
I would change very little!
Married same gal, same career…probably would NOT have done a few things that were not very good decisions! But they say won’t doesn’t kill u makes u better!
Would have Kept my original 30 Roadster, 65 GTO.
 
I left high school at 18, started as an apprentice, got my ticket and worked at that trade, when I was 27 I decided to be pilot, after I got my private license I thought that I was too old to change careers, so I stayed working at my trade. Retired at 60 because I was tired of working for a living, never really enjoyed the work, I was good at it, but it was just a job that payed the bills. Been kicking myself for not followimg up in a flying career.
Got married at 32, that lasted 46 wonderful years until my wife passed away.
 
I am also a mechanical engineer and spend most of my career designing equipment to make solar cells and solar modules. I worked for some really bad companies.

The last job I had before my final retirement was with a small company that designed automation equipment for manufacturing. It was a great company to work for. It was like a family and I really enjoyed going to work each day. They were really supportive.

So, bottom line, it all depends on the company you hook up with.

That said, there is nothing wrong with changing hats. It sounds like you would enjoy having a bicycle shop or a company that sells and maintains bikes, or manufactures them. There are some really high tech bicycles now. I have seen some interesting bikes made out of wood.
 
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Another BSME here. As stated many times previously, corporate culture is the key to job satisfaction when working for someone. But to the question, what would I do differently if I could be young again? Hopefully I would have the wisdom I acquired after years of learning from my mistakes. I would take one of two paths:
1. Apply myself to my course work and truly learn the subjects rather than learn enough just to pass the class. (I worked or partied on weekends; schoolwork was second or third priority.)
2. Develop metal working skills and run my own shop. No college required.
Oh well, I am happily retired and my '30 coupe provides endless hours of focused activity. :)
 
If I were 18 - again? I would have kept the original title to a 1929 Sports Coupe I bought off the original owner: Cleve Donaldson in 1958 for $125.00 cash
 
I started writing about cars when I was 16 and made a career out of it for 40 years. Thought about a career change once and killed the urge instantly as I was having to much fun in the hot rod industry.
 
Not much different,I would probably do some things twice.My dad was a builder-remodeler,so I had to learn a lot working for him.I framed a small house in the summer of 71 when I was 15,all by myself.I liked the mechanicals of anything so I plumbed and wired a lot.Thought I wanted to work on cars,but in 78 I worked at the JD dealer painting about 35 pieces of equipment for an auction.One month job,a year later I was still there,working on tractors.Sure beat working on cars.Drove truck,mostly lowbed,ran and worked on a lot of equipment.I have dug wells,foundations,built foundations,installed lots of septic systems,and spent thousands of hours plowing snow.Cut and sold firewood,and sold hundreds of cars,tractors,trucks,and other equipment.Most anything that came along,I would do.That is changing though.I will no longer build a chimney,or a foundation,or change a truck frame by myself.I think I did so many different things because I could learn something.Lately I've been involved with a friend that designs solar arrays,that may turn out to be one of the most interesting things I've ever been involved with.
 
I had to make this exact decision in 1980 and decide to bail mechanical engineering and have not regretted it one damn day. I realized I can hire software engineers, lawyers and salesman to work for me and
not me for them. I am at the
point now where I am ready to retire sell it all and just make things for my son's company.
 
I was a mechanical engineer and loved it until inept management made me decide to retire.
I got my FAA A&P license and inspection authorization. Did that for 20 years but got tired of the people issues. Now I just enjoy my 1948 and 1949 Pipers and my 1931 Model A.
No more demanding phone calls.

I think next time I would be a structural engineer. Bridges and tall building construction fascinate me. I’d marry my same wife. 60 years and it’s still going strong.
 
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At 18 I was beginning my sophomore year of engineering school, with the dream of designing race car suspensions. I was told that to learn that I should get a job with one of the big 3 automakers after graduating. Moving to Michigan wasn’t something I wanted to do, primarily because of too many family and friends in New England. I discovered that I had a great aptitude for thermodynamics, and became intrigued by the massive equipment used in electrical power production. I worked for an electric utility company in their engineering dept and then power plants. I left that job I loved to move back closer to home, and landed a job with a major supplier to that industry, retiring after 36 years near the top of their engineering community. I satisfied my automotive interests as a hobby, and am spending my retirement playing with my Model A and old farm equipment. So, from what I learned about myself as I went through life, I wouldn’t (couldn’t) have changed anything due to the things that mattered most to me.
 
Teach others about the magic of doing what you love. Teach folks about the "Happiness check''. Take the fundamentals about each job and see which you like and which you can build a career upon.

Follow your dream and be sure you spouse works as well. And both support each other.

Minimum alcohol; maximum honesty

Don't let the Basterds get you down
 
Interesting. I am a mechanical engineer too and I find the OP has stated it very well. The most fun I had was running my own machine shop. I have had a blessed career but the whole industry has reduced us to overpaid draftsmen.
I would love to find a way to make a living doing something fun with Model A's or motorcycles but I don't see it happening.
 
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