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superory
Nov 20, 2008, 1:28 AM
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i was reading through some old threads and trip reports and i came to the realization that some people that still seem to lead normal lives (read: not living in their car) climb a lot! So i was wondering what it is that everyone does to be able to make a living and climb so much??!?! do you hide bodies??? grow drugs??? sell pancakes??? what is everyones money making method of chioce that still allows them to climb as much as they want?
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brownie710
Nov 20, 2008, 1:33 AM
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great question. I'm a mental health therapist so I'm pretty much a weekend warrior. It seems it is a trade off, my buddy climbs every day and is a total rock star, he bounces, bartends, and drinks. No large sums of cash or stability but lots of climbing.
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ACJ
Nov 20, 2008, 2:04 AM
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I teach people to climb.
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rockie
Nov 20, 2008, 2:19 AM
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Health care profession and about 5 employers rather than 1 full time one, so I can suit myself and go where I want, when I want more so this way. I still work full time effectively so the pay is the same; if not better. After a year of not being able to have leave, or see long term friends - then falling ill at the end of it when my first leave came as I'd expected would happen, due to burn out, shift work, and working full time. I am not allowing that to happen again. Live first, work later, and that includes making time for friends, thankfully I still have all mine. So, in other words: Work to live not live to work.
(This post was edited by rockie on Nov 20, 2008, 10:03 PM)
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rtwilli4
Nov 20, 2008, 6:16 AM
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superory wrote: grow drugs??? ;)
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hosh
Nov 20, 2008, 6:56 AM
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I work in a secured facility with Juvenile offenders. My official job title is "Juvenile Justice Officer, level III". Sounds official (and to a degree, it is), but it's not all that glorious. I do get to use hand cuffs... hosh.
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rockie
Nov 20, 2008, 8:27 AM
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I've used hand cuffs too, but not for your type of job, not for any job.
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a-e-jones
Nov 20, 2008, 11:56 AM
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wouldn't it be sweet if you were a part of the canadian senate, you work like 20 days a year and get six figure salaries and i bartend
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zealotnoob
Nov 20, 2008, 1:29 PM
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Construction management in DC. No time but nights at the gym and one or two weekends out a month. Need more. If your work allows plenty of time for climbing, post up! We need ideas.
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blueeyedclimber
Nov 20, 2008, 1:40 PM
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a-e-jones wrote: wouldn't it be sweet if you were a part of the canadian senate, you work like 20 days a year and get six figure salaries and i bartend ...or the President of the United States of America. http://www.chron.com/...n/mason/5042364.html I am a teacher, so technically I get summers off, but I always work to supplement my income. Although, it's not very hard work. I help to run an outdoor climbing camp for kids. I am mostly a weekend warrior, but take long holiday weekends and a full week vacation every summer. Josh
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markc
Nov 20, 2008, 2:33 PM
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This has definitely come up before - a search may give even more options. A friend is a physical therapist in Colorado. He has a four-day work week, and has climbing within a few minutes of his house. He's able to get a quick burn after work, and has a three-day weekend. That's pretty sweet. Teachers get the summer break, plus some good time off around certain holidays. That said, if you're just in it for the breaks you're going to burn out. My former sister-in-law worked as a traveling nurse. The signing bonuses were usually substantial, and you're able to move around quite a bit. If you manage your money well, taking breaks between gigs should be manageable. I think where you live and how you structure your free time has a lot to do with it. If you're close to climbing, you can get out after work. If you're willing to devote all of your weekends and vacation time to climbing, you can get a lot of climbing in. If you're like me, demands like work and parenthood often limit climbing time. Last night, I did flip through the Yosemite Free Climbs book with my two-year-old. You know, just planting the seed.
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hosh
Nov 20, 2008, 7:21 PM
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Yeah, between work and family, I have a hard time getting things going. I do make it to the local gym often enough, but not for me. My 2 y/o son does the climbing... hosh.
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superory
Nov 20, 2008, 7:35 PM
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a-e-jones wrote: wouldn't it be sweet if you were a part of the canadian senate, you work like 20 days a year and get six figure salaries and i bartend New life goal: Step 1. Move to Canada. Step 2. Become Canadian Senator. Step 3. Climb 345 days a year. Step 4.???????? Step 5. Profit!!
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Gmburns2000
Nov 20, 2008, 7:35 PM
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work a 9-5 in healthcare, but I get earned time off given to me in a pool instead of specific days that I have to take. I take nearly no days off between Jan and May, and earn over 20 hours per month. So when summer rolls around, I've got a few weeks to play with, and play with them I do. i.e. - weekend warrior with summer flex days off
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thatguyat99
Nov 20, 2008, 9:34 PM
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I'm an ER Tech so I am scheduled for 3 days a week. Usually I work a 4th day for overtime but that still gives me 3 days off a week. Plus I make my schedule for the most part.
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rockie
Nov 20, 2008, 10:01 PM
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a-e-jones wrote: wouldn't it be sweet if you were a part of the canadian senate, you work like 20 days a year and get six figure salaries and i bartend I hear if you're a dirty RCMP, or just in the police force, you get paid ridiculous amounts. All that for getting to taser innocent people.. nice!
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altelis
Nov 20, 2008, 10:05 PM
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i used to be an undergrad philosophy student- climbed more than i should have then i became a bar tender after graduating and skied/climbed/biked at least 4 days/wk (usually 6) then i became a graduate student and i climb 1-2x a week in the GYM if i'm LUCKY (didn't get in any climbing the last 2.5 wks) my outdoor climbing for this semester (that started in AUGUST) was a 1/4 day of top-roping
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rockie
Nov 20, 2008, 10:05 PM
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markc wrote: This has definitely come up before - a search may give even more options. A friend is a physical therapist in Colorado. He has a four-day work week, and has climbing within a few minutes of his house. He's able to get a quick burn after work, and has a three-day weekend. That's pretty sweet. I think where you live and how you structure your free time has a lot to do with it. If you're close to climbing, you can get out after work. If you're willing to devote all of your weekends and vacation time to climbing, you can get a lot of climbing in. I'd agree with that. Having the flexibility, a job that pays enough to afford you the time off, and being close to a climbing area, are all factors for allowing time to get climbing in.
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jbroom
Nov 20, 2008, 10:19 PM
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I've been a travel nurse with my girlfriend for a bit now and it's gotta be one of the better jobs for climbing opportunities. We look on our company's website for jobs in areas around the country that would be good for weather and climbing(currently we kinda f-ed up cause we are in southern Montana until January). Take a three month contract at that place and work six says on eight days off. After that three month assignment take 1-2 months off to travel/climb then take another assignment. No complaints here.
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yokese
Nov 20, 2008, 11:01 PM
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If anyone is interested on working an insane number of hours for a ludicrously low salary, I'd highly suggest to start a career in academic science... ah, you'd need a PhD and most probably 2 to 4 years of postdoctoral training. Welcome....
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jmeizis
Nov 21, 2008, 12:01 AM
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I'm a rock guide during the summer and the rest of the time I'm working at a climbing gym as a desk monkey. Pays not the greatest but there hasn't been a day since I started both these jobs that I haven't been able to climb if I didn't want to. It helps that I live in Colorado.
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Valarc
Nov 21, 2008, 12:16 AM
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yokese wrote: If anyone is interested on working an insane number of hours for a ludicrously low salary, I'd highly suggest to start a career in academic science... ah, you'd need a PhD and most probably 2 to 4 years of postdoctoral training. Welcome.... Yeah, I'm getting the hell out of the academic world ASAP. I love research, but for the amount of education I've got and the hours I put in, it's just not worth it. My plan is to go into a teaching-only academic job. The pay will suck, but it will be fulfilling (I love to teach) and have lots of time off. The status of research in this country - the politics, bureaucracy, and lack of funding, are such a turn off that it sucks all of the fun out of science. I'm thinking i might not even go into the full-time employee role, but rather do some adjunct teaching for a few years. My girlfriend has the potential to move around pretty much wherever she wants for her job, so we've considered traveling the country for a bit before we settle down.
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churningindawake
Nov 21, 2008, 12:28 AM
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Go to school.
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superory
Nov 21, 2008, 4:29 AM
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meahtots
Nov 21, 2008, 5:09 AM
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whoa there. i think what he is trying to say is:
churningindawake wrote: {I} Go to school. but of course I could be wrong
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angry
Nov 21, 2008, 6:10 AM
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superory wrote: churningindawake wrote: Go to school. stfu n00b!!!111!! ive been a member of higher education for the better half of a decade! (and im still not going to be a doctor...) just tells us your day job, no need for the life advice. i gets enough of that from my mom. You realize he is 14 right?
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irregularpanda
Nov 21, 2008, 6:51 AM
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superory wrote: grow drugs??? sell pancakes??? I sell crack actually. No seriously, I just got into nursing school, so for 18 months I will not have a life, or much outdoor climbing, but after it's all over I should get paid pretty fucking well.
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rockie
Nov 21, 2008, 6:59 AM
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irregularpanda wrote: superory wrote: grow drugs??? sell pancakes??? seriously, I just got into nursing school, so for 18 months I will not have a life, or much outdoor climbing, but after it's all over I should get paid pretty ... well. That's about right. Though if it's a valid course, e.g. degree, it will be more like 3 yrs at least where you won't have a life, not 18 months. But it'll be worth it.
(This post was edited by rockie on Nov 21, 2008, 7:00 AM)
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suilenroc
Nov 21, 2008, 7:09 AM
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Full time student and I retired(read: closed indefinitely) from managing a gear shop... so glade i p.d. a lot of stuff, who pays retail anyway?
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suilenroc
Nov 21, 2008, 8:53 AM
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kriso9tails wrote: suilenroc wrote: who pays retail anyway? I guess you do now. I take product images for MEC. If I had my way, I'd draw the entire catalog myself in crayon instead of wasting time waiting for samples and taking photos, but for some reason no one ever listens to me. Still, at least I don't pay retail. WRONG. In this world, it is all about who you know and NOT how hard you climb(work for, steal from, buy online((assholes)), or route booty)...
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jimo
Nov 21, 2008, 10:46 AM
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I'm a self employed carpenter. I do have a lot of time between big projects and finding days to work to lunch and climb is pretty sweet, but with the current financial hysteria, a steady job is getting more appealing. Winter is especially slow for business but I am not a fan of the cold, I have very little interest in ice climbing or skiing. I find myself wasting a lot of time on the internet...
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fatoomchk
Nov 21, 2008, 1:09 PM
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I work too much and climb too little. However, I have two friends that do have it worked out to maximise climbing time. One is a professional fire fighter, the other works as a life guard at a sports training facility. Both guys have the same deal - 12 hour shifts, 4 days on, 4 days off. And in both cases using the in house bouldering facilities is considered "work".
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bayinghounds
Nov 21, 2008, 1:15 PM
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I deliver pizzas in a college town. On a closing shift I generally take home around $100 in unreported tips. Usually wont get home until 3 or 4 in the morning. Only end up working about 4 days a week. Some nights are more lucrative, i.e. Halloween i left with about $175. Only pays minimum wage though.
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duncanlennon
Nov 21, 2008, 1:39 PM
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In the summers I work 7-3 as a trail maintenance worker in NH. They put me up, feed me, and pay me minimum wage. Each day, I take off at 3 and climb till 8, return, sleep, and repeat. No complaints beyond the fact that I have no money.
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jaablink
Nov 21, 2008, 1:52 PM
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Done too many jobs list …Notable… From partners with a family owned construction co. . To volunteer work building trails in AK for 6 month spikes. (work hard get paid little) have lots of fun … working with at risk youth 2nd 6 month spike AK ... Having a degree in CIS, now I code for a company on contract. I get paid for the assignments I complete , I also choose the assignments from a list. For instance, the software I code is being updated constantly. These updates cause problems (bugs) , I choose a bug to work on , find where the conflict is and do my best to correct the conflict so it flows. I put in 10 to 50 hours a week depending on the time of year and weather. I do all my work from a laptop and can do it from any ware in the world. I only need to update with the source safe 3 or 4 times a year, so I do not need to go to the main office often. This gives me lots of time to take ,plan trips, and train. Most recently my girlfriend and I have been traveling and climbing all over with many more trips planned. This will be her first season on ice…
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Feller
Nov 21, 2008, 9:26 PM
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I work at an ad agency 9-5, M-F....I have a kid, a social life, a small freelance web design business, and an addiction to video games. This leaves me ~20-30 minutes a week to climb. I generally spend it putting my shoes on, and applying chalk to my hands. Then I come back here and talk about how hard I climbed. but srsly weekend warrior here....seems to be a pretty common story I'm seeing. now with the snow and cold, I get out even less =\ its actually really depressing. I hate gyms.
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superory
Nov 21, 2008, 9:34 PM
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woha that post came off as way dick and im sorry. posting drunk has gotten people in trouble before but i wasnt even drinking! i may have taken too much of my glaucoma medicine on the other hand... sorry bout that churning, didnt mean to jump all over you. no hard feelings.
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justalli
Nov 21, 2008, 9:53 PM
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Me and my friend Tania sell hugs on South Beach, Miami.
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slavetogravity
Nov 21, 2008, 10:32 PM
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Great question. I asked by self the same question during my 20's when I was living out of my truck, traveling across the globe, climbing and living .99 cents short of dollar. What's the secret? I would always see guys who always seamed to have more money and more time then I did to climb then I did. So I started to ask, what do you do for money? The answer that I heard time and time again....... Brace your self.... Nurse. Specifically Registered Nurse. I'm now 3 years through a 4 year Nursing degree. Don't ask my why, but nursing and climbing seam to go hand and hand. No less then two of my instructors are avid climbers, and a great many of my climbing partners today are Nurses. Who new, but there you have it.
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rockie
Nov 21, 2008, 10:46 PM
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slavetogravity wrote: Great question. I asked by self the same question during my 20's when I was living out of my truck, traveling across the globe, climbing and living .99 cents short of dollar. What's the secret? I would always see guys who always seamed to have more money and more time then I did to climb then I did. So I started to ask, what do you do for money? The answer that I heard time and time again....... Brace your self.... Nurse. Specifically Registered Nurse. I'm now 3 years through a 4 year Nursing degree. Don't ask my why, but nursing and climbing seam to go hand and hand. No less then two of my instructors are avid climbers, and a great many of my climbing partners today are Nurses. Who new, but there you have it. And we are short of Registered Nurses, so there you have it. If you are lost for a job and climbing time, go and become a nurse, I recommend it, just not hospital politics bull sh*t, but go through that anyway, then get out of the hospital setting altogether, that's what I did, couldn't be happier. My friends an anaesthetist, docs get less time off, he is always working, I am glad I didn't continue and head into that as I did at one time contemplate doing. I know you are probably thinking, money there for studying, but if you train in the U.K, like some from Boston, U.S did on our course, you get a bursary as we all did, and they pay for you (means tested bursaries are common in nursing programmes in the U.K), at least it will cover your accomodation. I worked weekends, and studied and focused on my course solidly in the week, would burn out at the end of each term, but be ready after the rest for the next term. Just that way I didn't take a student loan either, I managed to live on what I earned, and you only needed food really, when the accomodation was covered. Those who lived at home with their parents were worse off as it happened, they got no financial support. Also, student loans were available if you really needed that, which you'd repay back once you started working (after you qualified), hard work, but if you focus hard and make that your priority, you'll swim through.
(This post was edited by rockie on Nov 21, 2008, 10:49 PM)
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