Select to expand quote

boty said..

Purfler said..

Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I suspect I'm the only archivist (and amateur violin maker) here Most of my career has been in higher education, The University of Sydney since 1989, University Archivist for 21 years. My unit also looks after current recordkeeping, GIPA (NSW speak for FOI), and privacy (where I spend most of my time, and increasingly important).

My office has harbour glimpses and I often sit here wondering... I have terrific colleagues and the Uni is a great place but I think the time for spending much more time on, in and under the water is fast approaching. The might keep me part time, which would be good as I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sports to rebuild (in addition the 1993 MX5 LE that is daily transport) and the acquisition of Patsy happened in an unplanned way.

Regards,

Tim

not an armature violin maker but did 4 weeks work experience as one in the late seventies went on to do cabinetmaking apprenticeship did restoration and maintenance work on skiffs and wooden boats as a side line till i bought the slipway in 2001 now stuck fixing stuffed old boats fulltime don't know weather i love or hate it

Boty, I knew a motor mechanic in the Barossa Valley who specialised in fixing Jaguars. He didn't like it but was really
good at it. His business was called Twin Cam Auto's, it was soon dubbed Tin Can Auto's.

Select to expand quote

boty said..

not an armature violin maker but did 4 weeks work experience as one in the late seventies went on to do cabinetmaking apprenticeship did restoration and maintenance work on skiffs and wooden boats as a side line till i bought the slipway in 2001 now stuck fixing stuffed old boats fulltime don't know weather i love or hate it

Was it Harry Vatiliotis? The person most skilled with their hands I have ever met. Now, if Harry had ever made boats...

Select to expand quote

samsturdy said..

boty said..

Purfler said..

Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I suspect I'm the only archivist (and amateur violin maker) here Most of my career has been in higher education, The University of Sydney since 1989, University Archivist for 21 years. My unit also looks after current recordkeeping, GIPA (NSW speak for FOI), and privacy (where I spend most of my time, and increasingly important).

My office has harbour glimpses and I often sit here wondering... I have terrific colleagues and the Uni is a great place but I think the time for spending much more time on, in and under the water is fast approaching. The might keep me part time, which would be good as I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sports to rebuild (in addition the 1993 MX5 LE that is daily transport) and the acquisition of Patsy happened in an unplanned way.

Regards,

Tim

not an armature violin maker but did 4 weeks work experience as one in the late seventies went on to do cabinetmaking apprenticeship did restoration and maintenance work on skiffs and wooden boats as a side line till i bought the slipway in 2001 now stuck fixing stuffed old boats fulltime don't know weather i love or hate it

Boty, I knew a motor mechanic in the Barossa Valley who specialised in fixing Jaguars. He didn't like it but was really
good at it. His business was called Twin Cam Auto's, it was soon dubbed Tin Can Auto's.

Hey easy there Sam.
I have had 4 Jags and 1 Daimler and I'd buy one tomorrow but the misses would divorce me.
xj12,xj6, xjs12,xjc6 and Daimler6.
Fantastic cars provided it is serviced by a Jag expert.
My mechanic raced an e type 12 in the targa tas. as well as Holden in v8 Supercars and Porsche in Porsche Cup. and made them purr. "Space ,Grace,Pace.
Ok,ok, the sixes overheated due to crappy tinfoil radiator expansion tank, dropped oil ,had terrible electrics and it helped to have a second car BUT the engines were/ are a work of art.
Ha

Select to expand quote

Hey easy there Sam.
I have had 4 Jags and 1 Daimler and I'd buy one tomorrow but the misses would divorce me.
xj12,xj6, xjs12,xjc6 and Daimler6.
Fantastic cars provided it is serviced by a Jag expert.
My mechanic raced an e type 12 in the targa tas. as well as Holden in v8 Supercars and Porsche in Porsche Cup. and made them purr. "Space ,Grace,Pace.
Ok,ok, the sixes overheated due to crappy tinfoil radiator expansion tank, dropped oil ,had terrible electrics and it helped to have a second car BUT the engines were/ are a work of art.
Ha

You have to love English cars

Allowable seepage of anything with oil in it and Lucas the prince of darkness

At my first job the boss had a XJS V12 that was for sale on the showroom floor and my job each morning was to clean up the oil leaks from underneath it

Regards Don

Select to expand quote

NowandZen said..
Hi Don, interesting topic!

I'd be interested to know if there are any full time cruisers out there, earning an income while sailing, and how they are paying the bills.

I've met people who have set themselves up financially and are now living the dream - paying their way from passive investments. Others who are still working, but only cruising when possible. And a few who earn a living while they are cruising! This interests me greatly.

Like you Bananabender, I have traded stocks and in particular Forex online for the last 10 years. One day I hope to be able to cruise full time with this as a sourceincome to pay my way. Having lived the dream for a couple of years, my wife and I reckon nothing short of around $45k a year to cover all expenses involved with cruising and general living. A flight home to WA thrown into the mix once a year.

I might have tunnel vision - thinking that I will only be able to bring in enough income doing something online while cruising, any ideas people??

Cheers!

It all depends on how lavish you want to cruise....
When my wife died at 50 I gave the business (www.canefire.net) to my sons, cashed in my small super, bought a 70k mono, and spent the next four years sailing it back from Qld to the Kimberly. I sold it in Darwin for what I paid for it. The Total cost over that time was 31k. I used to keep meticulous records then and that includes air fares, accomodation, hire cars, maintenance, repairs, feul and provisioning.
Buying a well prepared boat helps.
I also have free land based accomodation. If you have to maintain a home it can be a cruising killer.
I have since gone over to the dark side and bought a cat. I don't bother with keeping records any more but annual costs would be less than 20K. There's not much to spend money on if you stay out of marinas.
You have to do all your own maintenance. There are no shipwrights in Arhnem Land.
Now I do trade shares and babysit the business when they take holidays. If I need to go back to work at 70 I'll be that old bloke in Bunnings. I chose to go cruising now while Im still fit enough. Both boats that I have owned were all set up to go, but never went...
I turn 60 this year and am currently anchored off Denham.

In town here there is temp work available at the local servo, supermarket, and caravan park that don't require any special skills if you want some pin money.

Cheers
Rohan

Select to expand quote

Feralfather said..

NowandZen said..
Hi Don, interesting topic!

I'd be interested to know if there are any full time cruisers out there, earning an income while sailing, and how they are paying the bills.

I've met people who have set themselves up financially and are now living the dream - paying their way from passive investments. Others who are still working, but only cruising when possible. And a few who earn a living while they are cruising! This interests me greatly.

Like you Bananabender, I have traded stocks and in particular Forex online for the last 10 years. One day I hope to be able to cruise full time with this as a sourceincome to pay my way. Having lived the dream for a couple of years, my wife and I reckon nothing short of around $45k a year to cover all expenses involved with cruising and general living. A flight home to WA thrown into the mix once a year.

I might have tunnel vision - thinking that I will only be able to bring in enough income doing something online while cruising, any ideas people??

Cheers!

It all depends on how lavish you want to cruise....
When my wife died at 50 I gave the business (www.canefire.net) to my sons, cashed in my small super, bought a 70k mono, and spent the next four years sailing it back from Qld to the Kimberly. I sold it in Darwin for what I paid for it. The Total cost over that time was 31k. I used to keep meticulous records then and that includes air fares, accomodation, hire cars, maintenance, repairs, feul and provisioning.
Buying a well prepared boat helps.
I also have free land based accomodation. If you have to maintain a home it can be a cruising killer.
I have since gone over to the dark side and bought a cat. I don't bother with keeping records any more but annual costs would be less than 20K. There's not much to spend money on if you stay out of marinas.
You have to do all your own maintenance. There are no shipwrights in Arhnem Land.
Now I do trade shares and babysit the business when they take holidays. If I need to go back to work at 70 I'll be that old bloke in Bunnings. I chose to go cruising now while Im still fit enough. Both boats that I have owned were all set up to go, but never went...
I turn 60 this year and am currently anchored off Denham.

In town here there is temp work available at the local servo, supermarket, and caravan park that don't require any special skills if you want some pin money.

Cheers
Rohan

Good onya Rohan!
My dad died at 53 and really opened my eyes up to life in general.
Having had a taste of freedom - sailing for 2 years, I'm really keen to do it all again, but at the moment I'm caught on the treadmill of capitalism, hopefully setting myself up a bit better this time for full time cruising.

Interesting to read Morning Bird and Romana's navy connection. I was a Navy brat. My father was 20 years in the Navy - Chief Engineer (Sydney, Vampire, Womera, shaolhaven, etc.) and then in the early 60's he left and spent another 20 years as Sydney's Navy Port Fueling Officer. I grew up in a Navy house at Chowder Bay, watching the Catalinas take off and the start of the Sydney Hobart each year and swimming, sailing and surfing.

I am now retired but 40yrs ago among other things I completed a PhD in physics and did some research and uni teaching. But I have spent most of the past 30yrs teaching and writing high school physics texts. But still sail and surf whenever I can.

I was blessed to have grown up on the harbour and have great memories of sailing with my best mate's grandfather (the wonderful Jack Earl), racing on Sundays with the CYCA and sailing skiffs all over the harbour.

40 plus years in the construction industry . Started as a carpenter

Select to expand quote

Bananabender said..

samsturdy said..

boty said..

Purfler said..

Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I suspect I'm the only archivist (and amateur violin maker) here Most of my career has been in higher education, The University of Sydney since 1989, University Archivist for 21 years. My unit also looks after current recordkeeping, GIPA (NSW speak for FOI), and privacy (where I spend most of my time, and increasingly important).

My office has harbour glimpses and I often sit here wondering... I have terrific colleagues and the Uni is a great place but I think the time for spending much more time on, in and under the water is fast approaching. The might keep me part time, which would be good as I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sports to rebuild (in addition the 1993 MX5 LE that is daily transport) and the acquisition of Patsy happened in an unplanned way.

Regards,

Tim

not an armature violin maker but did 4 weeks work experience as one in the late seventies went on to do cabinetmaking apprenticeship did restoration and maintenance work on skiffs and wooden boats as a side line till i bought the slipway in 2001 now stuck fixing stuffed old boats fulltime don't know weather i love or hate it

Boty, I knew a motor mechanic in the Barossa Valley who specialised in fixing Jaguars. He didn't like it but was really
good at it. His business was called Twin Cam Auto's, it was soon dubbed Tin Can Auto's.

Hey easy there Sam.
I have had 4 Jags and 1 Daimler and I'd buy one tomorrow but the misses would divorce me.
xj12,xj6, xjs12,xjc6 and Daimler6.
Fantastic cars provided it is serviced by a Jag expert.
My mechanic raced an e type 12 in the targa tas. as well as Holden in v8 Supercars and Porsche in Porsche Cup. and made them purr. "Space ,Grace,Pace.
Ok,ok, the sixes overheated due to crappy tinfoil radiator expansion tank, dropped oil ,had terrible electrics and it helped to have a second car BUT the engines were/ are a work of art.
Ha

Add me to the converted BB. I bought a XF-S six odd years ago and I can't part with it. It's just an awesome car to drive, sublime engine, chassis and brakes.
I even blew up the engine and I still couldn't part with it.

Select to expand quote

shaggybaxter said..

Bananabender said..

samsturdy said..

boty said..

Purfler said..

Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I suspect I'm the only archivist (and amateur violin maker) here Most of my career has been in higher education, The University of Sydney since 1989, University Archivist for 21 years. My unit also looks after current recordkeeping, GIPA (NSW speak for FOI), and privacy (where I spend most of my time, and increasingly important).

My office has harbour glimpses and I often sit here wondering... I have terrific colleagues and the Uni is a great place but I think the time for spending much more time on, in and under the water is fast approaching. The might keep me part time, which would be good as I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sports to rebuild (in addition the 1993 MX5 LE that is daily transport) and the acquisition of Patsy happened in an unplanned way.

Regards,

Tim

not an armature violin maker but did 4 weeks work experience as one in the late seventies went on to do cabinetmaking apprenticeship did restoration and maintenance work on skiffs and wooden boats as a side line till i bought the slipway in 2001 now stuck fixing stuffed old boats fulltime don't know weather i love or hate it

Boty, I knew a motor mechanic in the Barossa Valley who specialised in fixing Jaguars. He didn't like it but was really
good at it. His business was called Twin Cam Auto's, it was soon dubbed Tin Can Auto's.

Hey easy there Sam.
I have had 4 Jags and 1 Daimler and I'd buy one tomorrow but the misses would divorce me.
xj12,xj6, xjs12,xjc6 and Daimler6.
Fantastic cars provided it is serviced by a Jag expert.
My mechanic raced an e type 12 in the targa tas. as well as Holden in v8 Supercars and Porsche in Porsche Cup. and made them purr. "Space ,Grace,Pace.
Ok,ok, the sixes overheated due to crappy tinfoil radiator expansion tank, dropped oil ,had terrible electrics and it helped to have a second car BUT the engines were/ are a work of art.
Ha

Add me to the converted BB. I bought a XF-S six odd years ago and I can't part with it. It's just an awesome car to drive, sublime engine, chassis and brakes.
I even blew up the engine and I still couldn't part with it.

What!! You blew up the engine. Must have forgotten to put oil in at last service.

There you go a man who knows class when he sees it , like me.

So many different walks of life with one common love of sailing.

I started my work career as a truck and later bus driver. Then sold advertising, menswear and moved into sales and customer service training. My Uncle Phil said I resembled a pinball, bouncing from bumper to bumper. He was also the uncle who taught me to sail, first in a Vagabond, then Middle Harbour Yacht Club races in his Bluebird. He also crewed on Mercedes III on quite a few Hobart races. His second last day out sailing before he passed on was on my Top Hat. His last day out on my Top Hat was when we scattered his ashes 3 miles off Barrenjoey.

After a long stint selling high end corporate software packages I took a u-turn, got out of the corporate world, and started working with my brother making signs. I now do that three days a week and some nights. The other two days I spend at the beach and at a mate's Harley workshop working on old Harleys. Including my own 1982 Shovelhead. It's the same age as my Top Hat.

I can also turn my hand to old Volkswagens, and currently drive a 1989 Caravelle, which is the daily driver, surf wagon and camper. Currently showing an original 462,000km on the odo. Whilst I've had a lot of cars, like Bananabender and his Jags, I've a love for the VW. I had a beetle for my first and will still have something with the VW logo on when I hang up the keys. I guess it comes from my Father, Grandfather, and my late father in law, all of whom were never afraid to pull something apart to see whether it could be fixed. Sometimes we won, sometimes not. But I still do all my own work on my Harley, my Caravelle and the 05 Touareg we keep for special occasions.

Select to expand quote

Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

Hi Donk and the rest of us, OK, confession: this wonderful land is not my birth place, in origine place I was educated to
become " Mecanical Technician in fish automated processing" and I had spend some years "devastating" oceans fauna, it was uncontroled then. On arival to my present home country I have learnt that this land sounded by oceans does not have ocean going catching and processing vessels and it was a dissapoitment. With family and young ones to come the coal mining prove to be closest area for income purposes , haha. All my posesion/wealth is due to coal industry.
Some time ago I did "scored" Goverment job, I became "Resercher", not complicated, anybody can do it.
About the my present job : I go on internet looking for "fitter" vacances, then I do apply for them, and after receving neg or "not succesfull " I'm puting it on my report and forthnight and check comes regulary. I'm

Plumber and gas fitter.

Pretty boring in comparison to everybody else. I'm a chef. I enjoy my job as crazy as it can be employed at Australia's own version of Farty Towels.

Been nursing for 44 years now, Mental Health Crisis Teams, International Development, and Remote Area Nursing. Currently located 700km WNW of Alice Springs. This means I only manage about 8 weeks per year on my boat, but it's still worth it!

Select to expand quote

boty said..

Purfler said..

Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I suspect I'm the only archivist (and amateur violin maker) here Most of my career has been in higher education, The University of Sydney since 1989, University Archivist for 21 years. My unit also looks after current recordkeeping, GIPA (NSW speak for FOI), and privacy (where I spend most of my time, and increasingly important).

My office has harbour glimpses and I often sit here wondering... I have terrific colleagues and the Uni is a great place but I think the time for spending much more time on, in and under the water is fast approaching. The might keep me part time, which would be good as I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sports to rebuild (in addition the 1993 MX5 LE that is daily transport) and the acquisition of Patsy happened in an unplanned way.

Regards,

Tim

not an armature violin maker but did 4 weeks work experience as one in the late seventies went on to do cabinetmaking apprenticeship did restoration and maintenance work on skiffs and wooden boats as a side line till i bought the slipway in 2001 now stuck fixing stuffed old boats fulltime don't know weather i love or hate it

not an armature violin maker but did spend a few years on the bench at Maton Giutars in the mid 70's while playing in a few melbourne bands
Went on to youth work after a few years at uni and worked on the Streets of Melbourns CBD in the early 80's and then on to residential youth work into the 90's while still playing music and doing guitar repairs. Mid 90's was back to full time music with recording and production thrown in the mix, recording many of Oz blues musicians live recording etc, Chain, Kev Borich, Spectrum, Jeff Lang, etc, and my own music. Also got a position in the Australian Pops Orchestra for a few years around 2000 and helped set up the Frankston Guitar Festival. Ive been at my current job since 2003 as AV/ Sound tech at a private school while still producing a few CD's a year for other artists and doing some live recording etc. I do my own music, mostly instrumentals as a self indulgent form of therapy so I quite enjoy it myself but as personal taste dictates, some people may like it and some would prefer to give it a big miss.
Heres a link to a CD i put out for the guitar Festival where you can preview some tunes.
music.apple.com/au/album/home/916339577

Select to expand quote

Guitz said..

boty said..

Purfler said..

Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I suspect I'm the only archivist (and amateur violin maker) here Most of my career has been in higher education, The University of Sydney since 1989, University Archivist for 21 years. My unit also looks after current recordkeeping, GIPA (NSW speak for FOI), and privacy (where I spend most of my time, and increasingly important).

My office has harbour glimpses and I often sit here wondering... I have terrific colleagues and the Uni is a great place but I think the time for spending much more time on, in and under the water is fast approaching. The might keep me part time, which would be good as I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sports to rebuild (in addition the 1993 MX5 LE that is daily transport) and the acquisition of Patsy happened in an unplanned way.

Regards,

Tim

not an armature violin maker but did 4 weeks work experience as one in the late seventies went on to do cabinetmaking apprenticeship did restoration and maintenance work on skiffs and wooden boats as a side line till i bought the slipway in 2001 now stuck fixing stuffed old boats fulltime don't know weather i love or hate it

not an armature violin maker but did spend a few years on the bench at Maton Giutars in the mid 70's while playing in a few melbourne bands
Went on to youth work after a few years at uni and worked on the Streets of Melbourns CBD in the early 80's and then on to residential youth work into the 90's while still playing music and doing guitar repairs. Mid 90's was back to full time music with recording and production thrown in the mix, recording many of Oz blues musicians live recording etc, Chain, Kev Borich, Spectrum, Jeff Lang, etc, and my own music. Also got a position in the Australian Pops Orchestra for a few years around 2000 and helped set up the Frankston Guitar Festival. Ive been at my current job since 2003 as AV/ Sound tech at a private school while still producing a few CD's a year for other artists and doing some live recording etc. I do my own music, mostly instrumentals as a self indulgent form of therapy so I quite enjoy it myself but as personal taste dictates, some people may like it and some would prefer to give it a big miss.
Heres a link to a CD i put out for the guitar Festival where you can preview some tunes.
music.apple.com/au/album/home/916339577

wow your playing is awsome

Glad you like it, thanks.

Builder

Hi All,

I started out in the RAN as an Electronics Tech, specialised in cryptography, then computer and telecoms tech for a while. Finally ended up in Government, that's what you get living in Canberra, at the Dept of Foreign Affairs. I have been here for about 20 years and seen most of the world as well as lived in Hong Kong for four years and stints in Iraq and Afghanistan. All in all a pretty interesting gig, but looking forward to retirement down Ramona's way and getting a lot more sailing time.

I was a lawyer, but that was in a completely different life. 2001 to 2003 my wife and I built a 6m wooden gaff cutter and sailed her around Melbourne for a few years. In 2007 we bought a boat in the US and started moving east, the Carribean, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Asia, and bringing her back to Oz in early 2017. During that voyage I age qualified for a modest living from the gummint.

Jeff

Nice to put ppls posts into some perspective. good thread...

FWIW...
44yo.
I'm hanging in my job of 4 years ATM... FIFO to PNG. Clinic supervisor on Jungle rig sites. Pick up the occasional ED work in Lonny when I feel like it and do a bit of travel around the country teaching occasionally. Pretty awesome except for the worry that work can dry up at any moment depending on oil price or exploration intent.

Got into this gig after 22 years in the green machine as a medic/nurse. Was a good 22... Time in Afghan (13 months all up) and Bougainville for operations gave some perspective for life. So glad to be out now with all the PC and governance that's in the forces now (maybe every retiree for the last 100 years has said this). Even thankful my last 4 years were in a more unconventional side of the forces and avoided a lot of that.

Toying with ideas for web based work or mobile... life coaching or medical trainer...

Work in progress....