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aerotrash
Dec 3, 2005, 2:24 AM
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Anyone have this problem of having a job that doesn't support our habit? I think we all do, :lol: or have at one time. Anyone out there have a job or know of one that's a little more forgiving for climbers?
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vegastradguy
Dec 3, 2005, 2:27 AM
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i know a firefighter who seems to manage getting in more than his share.
teachers can be good if you can not overwork yourself.
riggers are a common occupation in Vegas- work nights, climb days.
my personal fav? student!
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phineas
Dec 3, 2005, 2:38 AM
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Take a look at substitute teaching. The pay's not always great but the flexibility is outstanding. Get signed on at a couple of nearby school systems and you can keep pretty steady work during the school year and if you want to go climbing, just go. It's considered casual work and here at least they don't seem to mind if you turn away a few jobs. I also do some casual work for the Farm Service Administration (USDA) as a field reporter climbing grain bins to check out grain used as collateral for farm loans. It pays worse than the teaching but helps to fill in around the edges and is very flexible.
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brad84
Dec 3, 2005, 2:43 AM
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i second "student." im taking the route of professional student, and a few years down the road ill make a seamless transition into professorship and research.
if you're smart about it you have all the time you want (and then some) to climb and maintain a very high gpa.
at least for the sciences, phd progs (or any you should even bother looking at) will offer paid tuition and books, a stipend large enough to live off of ~25k/yr. some will even offer room and board.
seems to me like you better get back to learning :wink:
best of look in your pursuit of the vertical
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grovehunter
Dec 3, 2005, 5:40 AM
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I hear you loud and clear! I am starting my own business to better control my time. I am currently working toward a 1 day workweek 3 - 4 hours a day. That is my goal, it sounds tempting doesn't it? If you hear of a better plan than mine let me know right away! :lol:
Peace,
Chuck
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scottquig
Dec 3, 2005, 6:42 AM
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If you want to be a student/climber, you'd better go to a reasonably easy school. I spend 80+ hours a week doing schoolwork. I have been climbing outdoors a total of two times since september.
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gunkiemike
Dec 3, 2005, 2:09 PM
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The decent science PhD programs will expect you to sell your soul to the school for 3 years. We're talking 80-100 hrs/week being common. I know more grad students who were washed out of their academic program for climbing too much than grad students who climbed more than they did before the program.
That's not to say there aren't good grad programs out there. I was full time in a MS Ed program for two semesters and I never climbed so much. The key was that the courses were all in the late afternoon and evening.
As for substitute teaching, around here that pays $55-60/day. Better than flippin' burgers, but not by much. I hope your dirt bagging skills are up to date. :wink:
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lordshockspeare
Dec 3, 2005, 4:42 PM
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For me it depends....
The job that improved my climbing the most was Construction.
During this last summer I was lucky to climb once or twice a month, mainly because I was working to pay for school and this coming summers vagabonding. Needless to say 50 hr work weeks of framing/remodeling I didnīt have energy to do any climbing. However the payoff came in the fall when I took a a long roadtrip to Maple and Rifle. I was able to onsight multiple 12cīs and work a few 12dīs. My previous best was a 12b redpoint!
The job that gave me the most time to climb was when I was resoling Shoes. Just by the nature of the buisness my boss was sympathetic and I would always justify my early departure by saying I was just going out to get some more buisness!
However I was a partimer and really wasnīt making all that much money.
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angry
Dec 3, 2005, 5:35 PM
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When I was living with my parents and didn't need much money, I was a lifeguard.
I worked the 5AM to 11am shift. I had the rest of the day free. I made sure I wasn't scheduled on weekends. And subs are relatively easy to get.
Now I teach. Every weekend is free. I've got summer off. And I have multiple breaks. I'm still jealous of my student friends.
One friend of mine is an engineer. He works about 4 days a week and can take time off besides that. He climbs a ton and makes (I'm guessing) 5X what I do as a teacher.
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mcgivney_nh
Dec 4, 2005, 12:46 AM
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I think I've pretty much got it the best... high school student with no job... the downside is i also have no license (thats changing in April) and no car (changing as of April) of course, once I get a car, I'm going to have to get a job to pay for gas to go climbing, and therefore, I won't have it made anymore because I will have school 5 days a week plus working to pay for gas to climb...but then a again, I have the whole summer off from school. :D
-Sean
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ihuang
Dec 4, 2005, 3:15 AM
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I used to be a hand model and trad climbing has ended my career. Don't let this happen to you!
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builttospill
Dec 4, 2005, 3:16 AM
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I work the swing shift at an office (no physical labor) which is pretty good for climbing. I'm in school during the day so I don't have time, but I know people here who work the swing shift and snowboard 4 days a week during the winter. It's pretty nice as long as you don't have other obligations.
Office jobs are sweet when they are straight-up 8 hour days and no worries away from the office. Closer to work the better.
If you like taking trips, firefighting is good because my understanding is that they get 2-3 days off a time and then work long shifts. Not a bad deal for short road/camping trips to nice places.
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climbingnurse
Dec 4, 2005, 4:48 AM
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Registered: Oct 30, 2003
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I know I've replied to at least three threads like this, so you might wanna do a search.
But yeah, on a bad week I only get out to play 2 days a week. On a good week I board or climb 4 days. The standard work schedule for a bedside, hospital nurse is 3, 12-hour shifts per week. On top of that I get something like 4 weeks paid vacation.
That said, during the 2 years I was in nursing school I did very little climbing and worked my ass off in school. Nursing is also a very stressful job with a stupidly low financial reward for what you do. It's also incredibly rewarding on a good day, and you really won't ever feel guilty about cashing your paychecks.
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granite_grrl
Dec 4, 2005, 4:32 PM
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In reply to: One friend of mine is an engineer. He works about 4 days a week and can take time off besides that. He climbs a ton and makes (I'm guessing) 5X what I do as a teacher.
Hmmm, 4 days a week eh? I don't think that's the norm, but I've heard of companies doing it. You can get a very involved engineering job, where you get no time off, or you can avoid that and get a reasonable amount of time off....but it won't be large blocks or always when you want to take it.
The one advantage is that you do make a lot of money for the amount of time that you spend in school (I can't think of any other 4 year programs that you can make as much money coming out of school). I'm saving my money right now.....and when I quit I'll have plenty to travel for a good while (if you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm an engineer :wink: )
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sick_climba
Dec 4, 2005, 6:10 PM
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Registered: Apr 1, 2005
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Im just a kid but restraunts... Im a busser soon waiter and I make some money enough to buy gear a bit at a time when I need it, (course I don't have a buncha bills to pay) but I can ask for time off when I want to climb, or see if sombody can cover for me...
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lilfoxiq
Dec 4, 2005, 6:26 PM
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Registered: Jul 17, 2005
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is anyone else confused by this thread? i mean a job, any job, that gives you money and free time?
it seems like you could figure out with common sense if you just read a monster.com post.
or you could be a streetwalker...only have to work nights and you get to meet interesting people!
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jred
Dec 4, 2005, 6:31 PM
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Registered: Jul 27, 2003
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I manage a rock climbing gym, it's great. The owners are climbers themselves and allow me to only work 3-4 days of the week in summer. I can pretty much take any time off I want,as long as the gym is kept running well.
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snakehuntergirl
Dec 9, 2005, 5:37 PM
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Registered: Sep 13, 2005
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In reply to: Nursing is also a very stressful job with a stupidly low financial reward for what you do. It's also incredibly rewarding on a good day, and you really won't ever feel guilty about cashing your paychecks.
Agree. The majority of floor/bedside nurses work like dogs. Many of us go without lunch breaks, run around on our feet all shift, suffer the politics and abuses of our profession, commonly pressured into working overtime , short staffed and expected to carry the work load of 2-3 people, but you are right, on a good day it can be very rewarding.
Sometimes on my days off I just want to rest, but I make myself find the energy to climb, as I'm sure a lot of other climber nurses do. It is such a great escape from what we endure during our work week. I just worked 34 hours in the past two days (Total of 54 hours this week) I'll be taking it easy today, maybe a hike,but will be sure to get out to climb tomorrow with my Jonny. He works very hard too, as a rigger.
Climbing is a demanding and time consuming sport .I'm sure some studies have been done already, but it would be interesting to see what occupations/professions/lifestyles attract climbers and which ones create climbers.
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