# How to sleep with supermodels on a bed of benjamins?



## Caspian (Oct 14, 2003)

Not very helpful with supermodels, but...the times in my life when I paddled the most days per year (77,100,90, and 80 days respectively) there were two factors contributing, sometimes together. First, I worked at NOC, right on the water and could boat before/after work and/or at lunch/after dinner with ease. I always had boating partners and needless to say the water within an hour's drive was silly. 

The other factor was doing a grad program that had no class on Friday - so Friday always was a skiing or boating opportunity. The program was in Denver, so I was close to enough water here. Also, in the summers, I had a boss who didn't care when I left work as long as the work was done and done well. So I left for Golden or Bailey most days around 3pm.

If boating as much as possible is truly your goal, I would get a job right next to the river similar to my job, which was at the outfitters store at NOC. I would not raft guide - us retail folks boated way more than the raft guides just because we didn't have to work so hard between guiding trips like they did. The other option is to get a job that allows you some flexibility such as web design - something that would let you work in the evenings.

Key to any approach like this is to lower your standard of living. You will probably have to live less gloriously than you did even as a student, but you will boat an awful lot. 

Final thought - if you are an intellectual type, this might be harder than you would wish - I've seen many, many people who were brainy get burned out on river work in a few seasons, then go to grad school for a 9-to-5 because they needed intellectual stimulation in a job. I've known enough brainy raft guides in my time, but my observation is that they often end up being less than satisfied in that line of work.

I'd love to opine more, but the banner on the left shows that Brooks Brothers is having a sale and like most Buzzards, I wouldn't miss it for the world. In fact, I'm canceling my plans to head into the mountains after lunch.


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## will raft 4 beer (Nov 6, 2003)

Self-employment or contract work where you can choose your contract start times. I worked in AK for 3 years (marine bio-fisheries data collection), 6 moths per year, and travelled the world and, yes, boated my ass off during the summers. Selling time in chunks means time off in large chunks too. Better than 9-5. Also, living where there is no off season works. Buy property on a river next to a play spot. Good luck


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

yeah i am planning on becoming a teacher so I will have the summers and winters off, its just going to be hard to find a job (history). Hopefully though I will make enough to shop at Brooks Brothers. It is my style especially the guy on the bottom right when you first open the link.


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## gh (Oct 13, 2003)

Please dont waste your youth working at a desk. I would do anything to have my youth back so that I could play more. Dont get a real job until you are at least 30 maybe 40.


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## Redpaddle (Jan 10, 2007)

yeah, I always thought you were a "casual dad" type special k. 

I am trying to nail down a job at a grouper hatchery in Indonesia that will kick my ass for a while then set me up to play for a few months/years. I will be back in the FoCo in July for some boatin. keep the water above 3.5 for me....


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## BradM (Apr 13, 2007)

I'm a grad student - it sucks during the school year - but now I come and go as I please so long as I get done what needs to be done. All work should be that way - I wonder how many hours a day someone working a 9 to 5 spends NOT working? I know when I worked 9 to 5 I only did about 15 minutes of real work a week . . . don't tell the 'Bobs'.

Think about marrying into money - not old money - but new dirty money.


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## bshack93 (Feb 11, 2006)

Marry a rich bitch, divorce her, and take all the cash..Thats the fact Jack. Idid it,and all I have to say is "See you on the river, SUCKA


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## mommer (Mar 23, 2004)

*gh has got it right!*

remember, if you are as into it as it sounds, that you can get food from the dumpster, find a motorhome or tent cheap or free, money sucks, live at the takeouts for the buddys and shuttles, and only boat with those that think saftey first. your choice, like gh said "you are only young and able once per" so follow your own path, but take it from us that have been there, "boat till you cant, then get the real job":twisted: 





gh said:


> Please dont waste your youth working at a desk. I would do anything to have my youth back so that I could play more. Dont get a real job until you are at least 30 maybe 40.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Dude, if I had it to do over again I would move to a ski town with good boating nearby and get a job washing dishes or waiting tables at night. That way your days are free to boat, bike or hit the bc depending on the season. Would your job be fulfilling? Perhaps. Dish is dirty...dish is clean. I've made a difference. Or friendly interaction with lots of customers at tables for a few hours. Either job -- easy to do stoned. So you're all set. Besides, any job would be tolerable after a day of fresh powder or running the gnar. You'd have to drink cheap beer, ration your gunj and live in Spartan accommodations, not to mention make your gear last as long as possible, duct tape style. 

With a better job and more money comes more expenses and responsibility. You may find that overall your quality of living per se has not increased very much. I suppose that would depend on the criterion by which you judge "quality". It may be difficult to convince a good woman to live the hobo lifestyle for very long and if you require a good woman you may be s.o.l. Some people prefer having nothing but time and don't need any money. Others waste all their time making money they never have time to enjoy. I think it's best to strike a balance.

Nevertheless, I'll agree with the just hang out and do your thing for now camp. If you get sick of the ski/boat bumb lifestyle and get hungry it will motivate you to do something else. At least you did it when you had the chance. I'm poised to move to a ski town and be a dentist -- the closest to enjoying both worlds that I could come up with. But it's still a daytime job and the things we like to do are best done with the lights on. Get your mind out of the gutter.

Peace.

Josh


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## kiwi up a tree (Oct 26, 2006)

bshack93 said:


> Marry a rich bitch, divorce her, and take all the cash..Thats the fact Jack. Idid it,and all I have to say is "See you on the river, SUCKA[/quote
> 
> are you tring to get attention , be cool or wat? cause it didnt work.


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

All right that being said, Evan when you come out in July hit me up, I am saddened that you didn't call me last summer when you got out here. How can you do that to the guy you learned to paddle with? Second, unfortunately the Salida Police nabbed me for a speeding ticket so that hurts the wallet, but does anyone want to go boating not this next week, but the week of the 17th. I have Mon the 18th through Sat the 23rd off (see don't work much). I am down to go anywhere the water is flowing and I should have enough money to buy some gas, peanut butter and bread. Cascade Creek/Upper Animas maybe if it is running?


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## climbhoser (Apr 12, 2005)

I disagree with the folks that say play when young, work when old and here's why:

I have a good friend who is a teacher. He started when he was 23 and took an early retirement when he was 46 and now he's done. Granted, he's done running the gnar, but he had every summer off to do that anyways. He was never a bigtime skier...yeah, he did it and had fun, but his seasons were spring summer and fall...a big hunter and boater. So, he had two weeks to ski in winter, and he spent 14 days doing just that...plus he left work at work and had solid weekends to do what he wanted with it. He loved his job, felt good about it and still even had some free weekdays (getting done at 3 is a pretty good deal) to put a fly in the water. 

He even took a year off as a sabbatical and lived in his family cabin in Breckenridge, worked on the hill doing food services part time and skied all the time. Then he just boated his ass silly.

Teaching is an awesome gig for the guy who wants a family but loves his free time and doesn't value spendy crap like cars and watches and plasma screens and shiz.

I was going to be a teacher, but after 6.5 years of undergrad and two degrees when the fat bitch behind the desk told me it would be at least 2-3 years more of undergrad studies to get my teaching cert I decided it wasn't worth it and I took a 9-5. I hate it like a muthafucka, but I get awesome health insurance, I'm paid a huge wad and my newborn daughter is taken care of as my wife can afford to stay home.

If I had it to do over again I would have been more serious in school, gone to grad school and tried the whole professor thing...or just jumped on top of the teaching opportunity sooner. Now I'm stuck with no time and an ass job.

The plus is that I can afford new boats, afford trips to go boating, afford new skis, afford new skins, afford gas to get skiing, afford good food, afford feeding my wife and daughter and my daughter gets parent time all day every day instead of being stuck with some stupid day care ho trying to force a bottle down her throat.

I just don't have any damn time....


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## Redpaddle (Jan 10, 2007)

it appears to me that the lesson of climbhoser's story is to not have kids. Kids cost more than kayaks, and are less bouyant in rapids. good point. 



(no offense, I'm sure your daughter is a wonderful ball of joy climbhoser)


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

Health insurance is the real mutha-fucka. It seems like a 40-hour week is a requirement for decent employer coverage...if you pay on your own, thats another few hundered a month premium. Hate to say it, but when you play hard, the chances are it will result in an expensive injury sooner or later.


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## danger (Oct 13, 2003)

nursing. two year associates degree followed by working full time (three 12 hour shifts a week) and the opportunity to travel anywhere in the US. then, living in a major metropolitan city will allow you to work "agency" where an agency calls you in the morning and asks if you feel like working. to which you reply "one moment while i check the flows/ snow report". agency nurses earn about $30- 40/ hour.

dan


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## climbhoser (Apr 12, 2005)

and the teacher's health insurance is cherry.

Yeah, having kids puts a dent in things for sure. Like I said, if it weren't for the kid I'd probably be a teacher, too. 

Or just teaching ski lessons, raft guiding, fly guiding and rock guiding like I was doing before. All that stuff together didn't get me half my current salary, though, and of course no health insurance or anything...just a lot of really fun jobs.

Oh, and the guy who said raft guides with intellect get burned out must not have had any interesting clients. One of the best aspects of being a guide is the opportunity to meet and talk with a very wide variety of characters from all over. 

That said, some of the most interesting guys in camp turn into the biggest chumps when they get on the water/snow/rock whatever. On the flipside, I have a friend who guided Eugene Levy down the Salmon in Idaho...pretty cool. And you can have amazing conversations, if you're up to it...but you need to be a people person.

If I were a teacher I would continue to raft guide in the summer for the dough and the sheer joy of it. Yeah, I might not spend as much time in my 'yak as others, but a few days a week is plenty. 

By the way, what's wrong with safety boating? I knew a Nepalese National Champion rodeo boater who ran the safety kayak for a compay I worked for. This dude would run the IV playboating stretch in front of all of us and play on every feature on his way down while the rafts sat above in an eddy getting watered up, scouting lines, etc...then then he'd get into an eddy, sit with his rope on his deck and wait for swimmer, etc...then he'd playboat the rest of the stretch behind us to clean up. What a job!

Teaching rawks...and hey, you never know, you might be teaching your kids kayaking one spring!


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

Yeah I am looking forward to teaching, it will be a sweet gig. I love kids and both my parents are teachers so it runs in the blood and I taught kayaking last year and would have done it again if the company hadn't folded (not my fault)I am just having problems balancing work and play right now. And kids are not in the picture. As soon a I can afford it I am getting a snip job. Call it selfish but I am having too much fun to clean up poop and puke, not sleeping. I would rather travel the world with my shuttle bunny and shower her with all of my teacher riches.


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## iliketohike (Nov 29, 2006)

I think Budha, or whatever his name is, says, if you want less you have more. Try minimizing your expenses. Of course it comes at a cost, but is that worth it so you can boat all the time. PB&J is good. But really I wish I knew, cause I'd hop on dat train. Didn't read the posts, just the question. 

Move into your truck. Go grocery shopping. Break up with Girl Friend. Shower at rest areas. Take food from dumpster and soup kitchens. Beg, but never steal. Quit smoking. Document.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

*money*

go crab fishing in alaska once a year than you have like 18 hours a day to go boating theres a good idea, than head to coasta rica if you are running low


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

caspermike said:


> go crab fishing in alaska once a year than you have like 18 hours a day to go boating theres a good idea, than head to coasta rica if you are running low


I have seriously thought about going to alaska for a fishing season to crab and the likes. I have friends that have done it and could get me a job, the only problem is if I am going to have a 50% chance of dying on the water than I am going to take my chances with the NSV or Valicito or something like that.

Iliketohike I have done most of what you have said, but damn gas is expensive


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## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

i don't know one teacher (my wife teaches and i'm good friends with several of her teaching partners) who shows up one minute before the first bell rings and leaves school every day the minute school is out and the kids leave. my wife logs more hours than i do at my 8 to 5 desk job for sure, and she makes about half of what i do. she brings shit home at night, brings shit home on the weekends, gets together with her teaching partners on weekends to plan because they don't have time to do it during the week, has to go to after-school functions for no pay and has no chance to take the overtime off as comp time, is discouraged from taking vacation during the school year, etc. 

anyone that goes into teaching because they think it's an easy job is going to get their shit handed to them about a month into their first year on the job. granted the two weeks at christmas and the two months in the summer are good, but they're mentally spent when that time rolls around. you teach because you care about others and want to help them better their lives.

curious to know what would keep you from getting a job teaching around here....conviction, d.u.i., some other black mark? if you've done your shit right in school, you should be alright. granted it might be easier at a smaller west slope school where you don't have 2million other people applying for the job you want (esp in poudre), but you can get hired around here. my wife and all her teaching partners did.

and climbhoser, you seem to have enough time to do some surfing during the day so your job can't be all that bad. at least you're not in a ditch up to your knees in water with a shovel in your hand making $8 an hour. if it's so bad, maybe you should consider a career change.


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

The Dude, I am not going into the teaching because I care about snot nosed spoiled brats with disconnected parents, I am going into teaching for the money. Isn't that why everyone goes into teaching?


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## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

yourrealdad said:


> The Dude, I am not going into the teaching because I care about snot nosed spoiled brats with disconnected parents, I am going into teaching for the money. Isn't that why everyone goes into teaching?


 ya fer sure


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## climbhoser (Apr 12, 2005)

the_dude said:


> i don't know one teacher (my wife teaches and i'm good friends with several of her teaching partners) who shows up one minute before the first bell rings and leaves school every day the minute school is out and the kids leave. my wife logs more hours than i do at my 8 to 5 desk job for sure, and she makes about half of what i do. she brings shit home at night, brings shit home on the weekends, gets together with her teaching partners on weekends to plan because they don't have time to do it during the week, has to go to after-school functions for no pay and has no chance to take the overtime off as comp time, is discouraged from taking vacation during the school year, etc.
> 
> anyone that goes into teaching because they think it's an easy job is going to get their shit handed to them about a month into their first year on the job. granted the two weeks at christmas and the two months in the summer are good, but they're mentally spent when that time rolls around. you teach because you care about others and want to help them better their lives.
> 
> ...


Dude, it isn't about easy, but as you mentioned it's about passion. Having a job you care about is a huge plus, it makes tons of the work seem much easier than it is. Having no passion for what you do makes everything seem way harder. The teachers I know bust their asses, but yeah, they find time here and there to enjoy their nights and weekends. Maybe they just have their shit together more than your wife, but they're climbing on weekends, skiing, etc...and then they're guiding on the Ark in the summers or travelling or running other businesses. It's a great job, but the pay is shitty.

As for my position, I spend the day on the phone, so while I'm on hold or waiting for someone to pick up I post. I have a CPU and a headset and I talk about financial products all day long. Do I like financial products? Not especially. Yeah, it's nice to think about maximizing my retirement savings and helping people with theirs, but I've never been obsessed enough with money to develop a passion for growing it and sharing those methods...it's just a job to me. I sit in a chair all day, I would MUCH rather be digging a ditch and be paid the same with the same benes. MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH rather that. Best job I ever had was a professional mover because I got to stay in shape...but the pay sucked. 

I'm an active freak...I need to move. My legs go crazy in here and no matter how far I run in the morning I still go nuts. I see Mt. Evans on the horizon but I never look because my stupid company requires me to make the most of my time and holds me to a certain amount of calls a day as well as talk time and actual conversations. And, if I don't make them I get booted and some young, hungry f0ker gets my seat and I'm back where I started trying to find a job to take care of my family. I'd rather be worn out, callused and dirty at the end of the day than putting on extra pounds every day due to immobility and stress.

I was a full time substitute teacher for a while...loved it. Yeah, it's hard, but you get into the swing of it. I took over a math class for an entire semester and wished I could have stayed forever. Would have if the gov't didn't have stupid regs on how many credits I have to file to teach. 

Bottom line: just because I have a few minutes to post doesn't mean I have an easy job. I'd like to see you try it. And passion is where it's at...it's all about compromises though.


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## brendodendo (Jul 18, 2004)

I feel compelled to jump in here, as a couple topics mentioned here I know a thing or 2 about.

Teaching is a passion. My wife loves here job. Extra work at home and all. Summers off. A week at thanksgiving and a week in the spring. All the hard work and crap she puts up with durring the year are paid back when that bell rang for her last week.

I run my own inc. It can be a PIA and can be real rewarding. I do everything from the hands on to the book keeping and the some of the taxes. I set my own hours and take full responsability for having to provide for my family. Some months are great ... others, I worry about paying the bills on time. I get to hang out with my 4 month old son some days and get to get out on others.

The health ins thing is a crock of $h!T. I just got dropped by a well know ski area in my area for not accumulating enough hours to qualify to stay on their plan for the summer. Wouldn't you know it... the next day I fell off my bike and broke my right wrist. The baby is also having issues with dairy and soy by way of mom. So more tests are needed. At least I can be kept on on COBRA. It's many $$$, but "We" gotta have it. I could not afford to self insure at this point. Kids do cost alot, but damn, that smile on his face when I walk into the room makes it all worth while.

myrealdad,
you should look at the roaring fork school district. Many openings for teaching in this area. If you want one, now is the time to get on it.


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## Caspian (Oct 14, 2003)

Never did raft guide - I worked the outfitter's store, that was just my observation living among lots of guides. Like I said, it's a consideration, not a rule.



climbhoser said:


> Teaching is an awesome gig for the guy who wants a family but loves his free time and doesn't value spendy crap like cars and watches and plasma screens and shiz.


I agree about the cars, watches and plasma TVs, but shiz is totally worth it.


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

brendodendo said:


> myrealdad,
> you should look at the roaring fork school district. Many openings for teaching in this area. If you want one, now is the time to get on it.


I have to do my Student teaching next semester but I will be looking for a job anywhere that there is boating so out east ain't happening. Roaring fork looks good though I will have to remember that.


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## Caspian (Oct 14, 2003)

Swain County or Jackson County, NC puts you in the middle of a lot of stuff - Chattooga, Nanny/Cascades, Ocoee, Cheoah, Pigeon, all the Cashiers/Highlands creeks, and the Park.

Or Asheville and run the Green after work.


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## bshack93 (Feb 11, 2006)

kiwi up a tree said:


> bshack93 said:
> 
> 
> > Marry a rich bitch, divorce her, and take all the cash..Thats the fact Jack. Idid it,and all I have to say is "See you on the river, SUCKA[/quote
> ...


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## brendodendo (Jul 18, 2004)

bshack93, 
Kiwi up a tree is a KID in New Zeland. Some people do take things seriously, others spout off at the keyboard with nothing useful to say. Get a clue. It's not just 30 somethings here on this board. Funny comments aside, being an @$$ is uncalled for.


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## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

*Can't say about the supermodels. . .*

For years, I worked seasonally for the FS, lived in a tent, and banked the cash, while intermittently going to college, usually one term each year. (Took me a long time to get degrees, but I did.)

The typical year started with winter quarter at USU in Logan, Utah, where there's great backcountry skiing and ice climbing. In spring I'd go to Wyoming, to feed cattle from a horsedrawn bobsled, and calve on a ranch, then fix the fences (30 pastures, 5000 acres). Then I'd do June-October with the Forest Circus, and save as much as I could, given the usual bad habits. 

Sometimes, after leaving the FS, I'd help gather and sort cows. Then I'd buff out the 1960 VW bus and find my climbing partner. We'd head for the Valley and Tahquitz, by way of Redrocks. Then as the storms blew in, we'd retreat to J-Tree. We got way in with the campground hosts, usually cranky old buggers, so we were able to swap our names registering for a campsite and live there a month or two (helping to clean up campsites while scrounging leftover firewood and skimming the cream off the dumpsters) while we climbed zillions of pitches. 

The whole time I worked on my writing, publishing poetry, stories for CLIMBING, enviro journalism: you name it. That led to a Stanford fellowship and publishing contracts. 

In paprallel, my FS job ramped up (range grunt to range foreman to grazing cop to hydrology tech). My last gig, for seven years, involved monitoring (via boot and raft and skis) yearround in the Wind River Range. 

At present, I write


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## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

(Damn thing posted before I was done)

which is sketchy, and consult on hydro stuff. 

The good part is that I can go boating tomorrow, if the water's up. 

The point: choose how you want to live, and develop your talents to that end. Health coverage? Yeah, right. 

yrs, Chip


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## vardaddy (Jun 14, 2004)

I'll weigh in because I'm a teacher. Although I didn't start there. I finished my college degree in science. Decided I wanted to ski one year. Didn't understand the possibility it would become an obsession and that turned into 5 straight years skiing 130 days a year while bartending and waiting tables. It was paradise in a way but eventually I decided I wanted more to my life than just a nice bartending gig and powder. 
Headed back got my teaching cert and master's. Got a job in Colorado teaching, picked up kayaking on my summers. Still got 40-50 days of skiing in a year, skiing pretty much every weekend and boating once that season began. 
You can teach and find the time. It can also eat you alive and if you want spend every waking hour working on it. Something like 50% of the teachers quit in the first five years. Make sure you find a balance. The first couple years are hard and then it gets easier. 
My advice find a school with teachers that have similar interests as yourself. Make sure you meet some of the staff before hand. You can wind up in some bad positions if you are not careful. If you're doing your student teaching in the fall then I would get your name in as a sub in the spring in an area of colorado you're interested in. This gives you a chance to scope out the schools, kids, teachers, admin and find place that fits you. If you see a job opening and you haven't been to the school, take your resume their yourself, find out the principal's name and ask if you can meet the principal. If you get an interview ask if you can see a classroom. 
Remember you're not going to be an outstanding teacher your first year no matter how many hours you put in. Slowly though you build up a good rythym and a bag of tricks and it becomes a fun thing. 
I teach science so jobs are a bit easier to come by, history is tougher. A lot of history teachers I've seen hired subbed first in that school. Good luck.


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## cecil (May 30, 2005)

*Teaching is the S*#$*

I would like to chime in here as well. I got out of college and went straight into the corporate managment ladder. I found much success and was promoted pretty much annually for 3 years. I had a multi-million dollar operation under my control, 20 employees, and the pay checks were great. Only one problem...I worked about 50-60 hours a week and had NO life. 

I was miserable and knew something had to change. So I thought a long time about what is it that I am really looking for in life. I came to the conclusion that I wanted a job that would make a difference while not consuming all of my life (and energy). Teaching was it! I have taken a HUGE pay cut, and had to go back to school to get my teaching cert. but it was 100% worth it. I have plenty of free time which has drastically increased my quality of life, I am never stressed from work anymore, and am overall a much happier person that I ever was before.

Oh and by the way...I have summers off so paddling everyday (while still getting a paycheck at the end of the month) is very much my reality. I will never be rich but I am one of the more wealthy people I know!

Good luck in your search.


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## Caspian (Oct 14, 2003)

cecil said:


> I will never be rich but I am one of the more wealthy people I know!


Yes, but you hang out with kayakers, that ain't saying much! LOL I know what you mean though. In most ways the richest times in my life I was living in a pretty spartan fashion.


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## climbhoser (Apr 12, 2005)

Chip said:


> Health coverage? Yeah, right.
> 
> yrs, Chip


That's one hell of a life, Chip!

No health sucks, I don't care what you say. If you're one of the lucky you make it through unscathed, but if you're like my friend who got hit in the head by rockfall while guiding in the Cascades and is now spending the rest of his life paying mondo bucks for his hospital trip then you understand that outdoor play lifestyles and no health insurance is a bad mix.

Which brings me to the bottom line: why NOT teach when you get mucho time off AND health insurance? Dirtbagging is cheap, so the teacher's pay is like buckets of gold to those of us who don't value material things (beyond our rack, skis or boats). You have summers to climb, boat, whatever...the only season that really suffers is the ski season, and as you read there are teachers still getting 50-60 days of skiing in a year! That's huge!

Give me a teaching job and I'm there.

BTW, does anyone know what it would take a guy with a math degree to get into a teaching gig in CO?


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## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

climbhoser said:


> BTW, does anyone know what it would take a guy with a math degree to get into a teaching gig in CO?


here's what my wife did: she has a bachelor's in ED but not for teaching, for therapeutic recreation. she decided she wanted to teach, so she applied to UNC to go through their post-baccalaureate program that licenses you to teach in this state. they take 25 out of about 150 applicants each year. classwork was pretty intense. it was a full summer schedule and the following fall and spring semesters with pretty full grad level classloads both semesters. on top of the classwork in the spring, she student taught at an elem school here in the fort. with the great connections she made from student teaching, she wound up getting a job there. this summer she is taking the three classes necessary to complete her master's in ed from UNC. her licensure and master's won't come cheap (about $13k total), but her happiness and sanity at the end of the day make it worthwhile, plus having her master's will get her about a $4k raise next year.

fort lewis offers a similar program. one of our friends just finished that one up. regis university offers a similar same thing, but it's mucho deniro. CSU offers it for high-school level teachers. there have to be alternative licensure programs available in denver.


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## robatnordic (Jul 1, 2005)

Your dilemma sounds all too familiar. i went through a time in the early 80's when I was cycling. Cast around for jobs that had freedom to train/race, enough money to live on (barely), and health coverage. Became a flight attendant for American. Then it was three on, four or five days off. I was essentially a paid rider. Worked great for a while...met a ton of cuties and traveled to races wherever I pleased. I raced in Europe, Brazil, Canada. In winter I logged 100+ days for about 5 yrs. And when real life started I was able to move on with absolutly no regrets. Now my son is asking the same exact questions. My advice? Try "hoods in the woods/on rivers"....Outward Bound...Nols...Teach in the Durango School district or Fort Lewis college. All these things will make you a better teacher when you do want to settle down. And as for settling down later, it is not so much of a compromise as it is looking for new challenges. It is pretty sweet to kill it at work, then on a powder day shred the hell out of my young employees who thought I was just an old bald washed up dude


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## climbhoser (Apr 12, 2005)

Muchas gracias, Dude.

it's definitely something I have to explore. I totally wish I had done it when I was younger, but I convinced myself that teaching remedial math would drive me nuts and that I needed to teach advance, pure mathematics at a college level to stay happy. I'm of the opinion now that even giving young kids a *glimpse* at how powerful math is can be enjoyable and rewarding.

I'll have to check out Denver's programs.


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## jenneral (Aug 28, 2006)

*you know what they say*

All work and no play...... Leaves others to live life and you to pay taxes and social security for them


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## JJH (Oct 14, 2003)

hey yourarealpuss,


first, you will never get a supermodel by openly stating that you are in a 'akward' time of your life. (you can't quote ice cube and act all gangsta and do that either.)

second, your style is certainly not pimpin if you are wearing hot pants. with your roomie. you guys are just pimpin each other. seriously you shouldn't give each other the smack on the ass "good game" after cleaning dishes.

third, the only way to roll like a real baller, is to hustle!! straight up, no questions asked....


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## River Girl (Jun 14, 2007)

Don't work in a cubicle!!!!! I somehow got myself a "real" job, and it has been a valuable learning experience. But I am soooo not doing this forever. Somedays I look at the 3 walls surrounding me, and I think 'why in the heck is a 24 y.o. active/outdoorsy girl doing this?' Well, I am glad I am doing this for a year or so, cause the health insurance is great. And I needed it! Otherwise I would probably be in huge debt and in a sorry mess. I do plan on going back to grad school for a masters...maybe in science ed? For now, I can deal with running to the rivers on the weekend.


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

JJH,
Some girls like the "awkward" guy cause he seems harmless and they can take advantage of him, so I let them think that and then bam I put my foot down. Ice Cube also had an awkward time in life, "Are we there Yet?". And I will give you a slap on the sweet cheeks anytime I see you, even if you are not wearing the hot pants. If I ever see you, is hustling and taking care of the little one keeping you off the river these days.

P.S.
to quote Rick Ross "Everyday I'm Hustlin"


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