So I know I like to smoke pot and hug trees but I am a professional and have worked pretty hard in my career. The last 5 years I have had a reset in life priorities and to my surprise, I have been offered two jobs… which I cannot choose between the two. Both will require me to relocate, one to Hawthorne, CA, outside LA, and the other back to Jacksonville, Fl, where I graduated top grad from a private technical institute in 2005. I would either be working as a lead welder for a space/aviation company that is sort of gaining popularity, or teaching at that same private institution I went to years ago. I have been sitting on the Teaching position offer for over a month now. I was just offered the other job this week. IDK what to say. I feel overwhelmed at this point. What if I dont take either job? Is the offer still an accomplishment?
Well, that depends, if you like explaining things to people and testing them in their ability to understand what you’ve explained then go teach. Increasing the educational level of the next generations only improves us as a whole and is a worthy endeavor.
mmh… ask friends, familly and even the huged trees 
ask your heart and if you really dont know, go to a casino, place a coin on red or black and follow destiny
It depends what you want to do and where you want to live.
If you prefer doing the work, and are fine with living in Hawthorne, take the SpaceX job.
If you prefer teaching the next generation and are fine with living in Jacksonville, take the teaching job.
If neither seems like an improvement on your current situation, take neither.
I’m an experienced programmer and visual designer who discovered long ago that I much prefer hands-on work to managing a team of people doing the work. So I keep turning down promotions into management. Some people will say I’ve cut my prospects short. I say I’m doing something I enjoy instead of something I hate. Life’s too short to spend 1/3 or more of it miserable, no matter how much money I make in return.
Sorta explains why I’m not a miner in EVE… 
You can build the spaceships or teach about building them?
Definitely I would choose work that would be building the spaceship. Teaching is an ungrateful job, you want to teach people in beginning but then they dont want to learn, and those who learn will be gone and new ones will come. Its working in human material and human material is a lot harder to work with. Just try to remember who of the teachers you liked and why. Working with spaceships, building things, that would personally be my favorite. You are building the tool in which you will have to put all your skills and knowledge, and that feeling when it will finally stand and launch. And you will be there standing in the crowd with the feeling that you build it, it launched succesfully and it will explore the space. Your spaceship. I think only being the astronaut can be better.
Which of the two offers more long time security?, corse there is a lot speaking for helping humanity towards it destiny. But it can go belly up rather fast, teaching kids can be both rewarding and an ungrateful job. But even that is a way to help humanity to become a fully space living species…
I would be assembling pieces and welding structural assemblies that assist in the Rocket departments, I wont be actually working on the Rockets themselves. Im not an engineer sadly, I never went to finish my BA/MA … some of their positions they have PHD requirements for, they clearly are way over my head. The teaching position, yea, I do like to teach others and help them become better at what they do, and the Director at that college was my professor at the time when I was there, so I kinda have a wedge the in the door there.
what Im actually concenred about though is a common fear a lot of people experience. the Fear of success and becoming what they really want to become. its a new phase in m life. IDK if Im ready for it, what if it doesnt work out. blaa blaa I been thru some really tough times so its not like I cant do it, or deal with it if ■■■■ hits the fan but… Im comfortable here now, and thats what is kinda bothering me. I learned young, to rarely accept being comfortable. things change, life is rough, and expectations can make things worse. Im afraid to take the CA job, because its literally a dream to work for NASA, and become an explorer. Reality check though, Im no engineer… so I have a small chance of that being a reality, though I know if I worked at it hard enough I could make it happen. Space X would be the counter to NASA, still with space stuff, Id be a line man in a manufacturing line assuring welding procedures are completed correctly etc… machine welding, automated processes. etc. but man, thats a step up for me, and if for some reason, … the fear and thoughts of failure… I never really dealt with this before. Was always fearless and head first. I know I have some soul searching to do here… Ive put Jack on hold for over a month now… the Tesla job, idk…
Id be leaving my music here in Portland, relocating to LA? idk… and JAX ■■■■, FL is about to be under water… idk how far ahead I should plan, I didnt expect to get the offer back nor so soon and now that I did, Im kinda second guessing it 
From a financial perspective - which area could be afforded and provide a better quality of life?
Quality of life is very important to consider. Cali cost of living is overly stupid while Jacksonville is more Normal.
I have seen what students can do to teachers and I think you should start welding.
Being a teacher would be really stressing. Imagine some people not respecting you at all, only trying to get past the exams and you will have to do a lot of checking after everyone. Teachers I know really started enthusiastically and ended up disheartened, imagine I was teached by an ukrainian professor who build rockets in soviet union and he was laughed at behind the back by students for having funny accent, well he also didnt had much hope for us, trying first to somehow use his wits to make us learn something, but there were really dense students there. Realities. 
As for facility, I work in one and sometimes go watch people doing their work and they look busy doing their part, have contracts and rights you have to respect, not caring about some dumb students ability to understand what is talked about.
Cost of living should be important in your decision.
Sensitivity of your eyes should be another.
I was a welder for 15 years. I fabricated and built parts for nuclear facilities. It is some of the highest pay a welder can receive.
It is still hard to say if it was worth it. I have to wear sunglasses when I wake up because the refrigerator is blinding.
Why you ask a bunch of certified sociopaths ?as other gaming communities would call us
Ahh nice, I had a contract thru the NRC as well, Worked Southport, SC Nuclear Facility there. was the only nuclear job I had taken. Talking about pay? yea, 45$ an hour sound okay? they pay double time for holidays and overtime… I remember one week I made over 2800$ take home. Turnaround work 12 hour days 7 days a week, 84 hour work week is no joke here.
I tended to stick with Duke Power, Santee Cooper, Wanzek, QCI, TCI, Im sure you heard of some of these contractors, being you too worked in the energy dept.
My eyes suck. Its hard to read, I have to read around the letters, sun light is terribly bright for me. yea idk… I do tig and stick high pressure, usualy 180xx wall, all xray stuff. I do miss the pay but dont miss the travel across the US, Ive worked in over 38 states so far.
QOl? idk… I like working here part time, I get my pension from the VA… and Im confortable. I get to play eve a lot and work when I want but I do make low wages atm. not that I need high wages though.
I have many certs for like pressure vessels, military code, confined space, heavy equipment… on and on. hardly any of these would be of use at either job…
I just turned down a 27/hr job working shutdowns, again back to 6-7 days a week at least 10 hour days… I feel worn or bored of it. I miss welding though, I get to do a little here and there. I think five years ago, before I had a mid life crisis… lol… I would have taken either job without much question. but now, idk. things are different.
I’m looking for employment in Europe, where I would not have to pay taxes in America, especially not Canada, where they may want to abuse it and administer it into imprisoning me and interfere against my work and discredit me of my work.
I am willing to take a University degree to make it easier, but I sure would prosecute them for the delays (why not get a professional job without the degree when the skills are even less?).
Oh yes, I never had other than minimum wage except for an hospital employment before joining their union (there was a 6 months probation period or so…).
I however, started my own company in 1995, following a 1993 robbery and worst damage to my business programs which were for inventory, including logistics, with integrated evaluation systems with them.
This included the programs, programs flowcharts, programs structure charts, systems data flow diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, and a few other analysis reports and description, for the last 25+ years due to this.
- Lately a UN weapons inspector blasting me that I do have no credits for my authorship, either due to hostile take over by enemies, or what not.
Don’t worry about Jacksonville being under water, that’s West Coast crazy talk.
Look at cost of living for each area in question and what kind of lifestyle you can have there on the salary provided. In the end, a job is just a job.
yes, not all Windows are safe with those plants plans.
It’s specifically written in the writ .
They offered me an arborist job offer in Germany with a company from France. I should try to get the contract and go.
haha so im drinking and somehow a party formed cause we cellabrating i stay home and not go anywhere… we got a keg on the roof and idk how i got down last time weeee
life is good
picked up some good from the gun shop today, gave a homeless woman in wheelchair 2$, ate sushi, and came home and instant party… it happenes
gtg the pool is still warm,
Maybe it’s just the aircraft mechanic in me that’s talking but I would take that welding job in a heartbeat. “Gaining Popularity” is an understatement of how important such jobs really are. A lot of people put off blue collar jobs thinking it’s for the uneducated who don’t take college but little do most of those people realize is that technical jobs require college although the difference here is that technical (aka vocational) colleges are much more affordable and provide a bigger return for your investment than a typical college that viciously pushes liberal arts courses down your throat for no reason than you take your money.
However, what’s stopping me from considering it (if I were in your position) is that you said the welding job is in California which is becoming an economic joke at this time with overpriced housing. A whopping $350,000 FOR A 1-BEDROOM, 1-BATHROOM APARTMENT in I think either Los Angeles or San Francisco. I can’t remember which. But I don’t know of the cost of living in Hawthorne.
As for that teaching position in Florida, I would probably go for it if it’s a technical college. Technicians need teachers too. And besides, the cost of living in Florida is better. Although I’m not sure how much it costs in Jacksonville compared to Homestead where I’m at. At least here in Homestead I bought a 2-story, 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom, 2-car garage house with a nice backyard and a sizeable driveway FOR THE EXACT SAME PRICE AS WHAT THEY CHARGE FOR THAT APARTMENT IN CALIFORNIA!
What I do when I have this kind of situation:
-Assign Option A to the heads side of a coin.
-Assign Option B to the tails side of the coin.
-Flip the coin.
-If I’m disappointed by the result, I know which option I really wanted to choose. But didn’t quite realize it, or could force myself to make the decision.
I cant do that… flip a coin on a life changing opportunity? I can understand making a calculated assumption or estimate but Im not that type of risk taker anymore.
The CA job is a risk… the company is laying off people now, they are assigning military contracts, and Ive lost interest with the recent changes in our society… and the so called leadership of this corrupted nation. Id rather just sit here on my pension and enjoy what is left with a full heart. Ive done all I could imagine.
The FL job is the best achievement I think I can muster… offered a teaching position? ■■■■… thats pretty awesome imo. Im really good at what I do, and I have a very calm hand for it, I can weld like a machine with my eyes closed… but its just time to move on. My eyes hurt when walking outside and theres white sidewalks,… its literraly blinding me, yesterday I went for a walk and it was for hte first time, noticable to such a level, I couldnt keep my eyes open to see where I was going. I need to get to the eye doc and a new career is in order.
Ive been playing with computers my whole life. I can hack, very poorly might I add, I build an app for my bf4 and that pisses everyone off, cause its pretty awesome… lol was my first project though I had help, I cannot claim credit. Ive been learning python and ruby and linux for the last two years… I have a terribly powerful machine and a dual boot into kali… been learning about all that stuff. Im fascinated with security and penetration…
I know I dont need a degree. but I do need certifications, and thankfully tehre are TONS of certs I can get once I get hte basics down that apply… Ill pick the rest up as I go. IDK where this will lead but its what Ive decided to do.
The future coming is gonna be tough so all that is on my mind right now is preparing, saving up ammo, food, water, medical supplies, etc… I just purchased an older military HAM radio and am considering a few other pieces of redundant equipment. My pathfinder is set and ready to go crawling if ■■■■ hits the fan…
I just want to be prepared for what is to come. theres nothing getting caught naked with your hand in the cookie jar…
Here is an idea, if you like teaching. Have a look outside USA, there could be teaching oppertunities elsewhere.
If you are a good teacher i am sure we could use someone with your caliber here in sweden, i don’t recall your other skills. But why not have a look around?, it can’t hurt…