Joining the Navy

[PerfectWagnerite]

I do mind, because it's a fairly small community of specialists and I'd rather keep a certain level of anonimity here. But it has to do with what you see in my avatar, though that is a rather outdated example.

No problem, thanks again !

[S709]

Perhaps none of this will be useful, but I want to say a few things:

I wonder what kind of experience the navy can provide that will be useful in the future. There could be useful technical skills, like operating certain equipment or computer software -- but these skills could probably be learned in an apprentice or community college setting without the risk of being sent to a warzone.

Another thing that *might* be worth considering is that an army training and service setting can possibly be psychologically destructive for some (perhaps small group of) people.

I wonder if there aren't more options. There may be more unusual opportunities out there. Just as an example, I know of one person who was contacted and hired by a computer game company to create levels/maps for a new game, after they saw his work online -- hardly something I would've imagined as a possible career or job skill -- but it seems to be working well.

Perhaps it would be possible to find work as a tutor for high school history or art or english courses, which would help in getting experience towards a teaching career; this in addition to your current job would help save up for school...

And as was mentioned earlier, there are a lot of scolarships available -- one example being essay contests. I know at least one person who got some scholarship money this way...

Finally, is the retail job experience really a dead end? Is there maybe a chance for advancing to retail management or something else?

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Someone asked what I do. I'm a biologist--a postdoctoral research fellow. I enjoy the job a great deal and get paid to do what I enjoy--specifically doing research and writing papers, giving talks at meetings, etc. I pretty much make up my own schedule and work when I want, which is often from home in the late night and early morning hours. There is minimal bullshit to deal with (in great contrast to life as a graduate student). I'm looking for a position in academia or government. One of the postdocs in our lab was very productive, had lots of high-powered publications, and it still took her five years to get the position she wanted. This is not uncommon these days. But, as I said, this is why the widely accepted notion that those with degrees earn more needs to be examined closely. Although this may be true in general, what is true in general often has little or no bearing on any given individual. If I had learned to become a car mechanic or a welder out of high school, I'd likely be making a lot more money than I am now with a Ph.D. And no one cares whether I apply myself. At this stage of the game, people only care about results.


O'Mensch, I've enjoyed reading your musings about the legal profession. At one point in graduate school, I became extremely fed-up with academia and seriously considered going to law school. I even took the LSAT (got a 161, ho hum). After considering the enormous amount of debt I'd be taking on, and talking to several law students and lawyers and hearing about the ridiculous hours, stress, and other hardships inherent in the job (especially in the first few years after graduating), I decided it was not for me. This was reinforced by having a major portion of my dissertation research accepted for publication (vindicating my theories, which are counter to much of what was done in the past), and having to opportunity to supervise undergraduate researchers, which I enjoyed a great deal. Also, I realized that I don't deal with stress all that well, and I have too many hobbies and interests to enjoy being a lawyer for very long.

[MishaK]

O'Mensch, I've enjoyed reading your musings about the legal profession. At one point in graduate school, I became extremely fed-up with academia and seriously considered going to law school. I even took the LSAT (got a 161, ho hum). After considering the enormous amount of debt I'd be taking on, and talking to several law students and lawyers and hearing about the ridiculous hours, stress, and other hardships inherent in the job (especially in the first few years after graduating), I decided it was not for me. This was reinforced by having a major portion of my dissertation research accepted for publication (vindicating my theories, which are counter to much of what was done in the past), and having to opportunity to supervise undergraduate researchers, which I enjoyed a great deal. Also, I realized that I don't deal with stress all that well, and I have too many hobbies and interests to enjoy being a lawyer for very long.

My wife is a graduate student (getting a PhD in Comp Lit). You guys have it better, believe me.    I actually thought of going into academia two years ago, but someone's gotta pay for all the CDs and fine wine and the mortgage. 

[Bonehelm]

Dying for one's motherland is overrated. People are just brainwashed by the U.S government.

[PSmith08]

Dying for one's motherland is overrated. People are just brainwashed by the U.S government.

That must be it.

[Bonehelm]

That must be it.

I hope you sensed that I was kidding.

[Bonehelm]

Do you really need speakers? Because carrying two chunky boxes everywhere kind of defeats the purpose of having a compact, mobile laptop. I suggest that you look into sub $100 cans; some are really good sounding straight out of PCs and computers in general. You can get the AKG K81 DJ for under $90USD on ebay, for example.

[MishaK]

Kullervo,

I noticed you have replaced your avatar with a much happier looking fellow. May we conclude from this that your outlook on the future has improved?

[Kullervo]

Kullervo,

I noticed you have replaced your avatar with a much happier looking fellow. May we conclude from this that your outlook on the future has improved?

Perhaps 

No, I just grab things I come across. My last avatar was from a book about the cross-cultural exchange of art with the West and Japan, but Felix is much nicer