I work in film and Tv and went freelance about 5 years ago with a view to closing the doors as soon as it got above 15 knots!.
It didn't pan out that way and its only really been in the last year that the business has built up enough that I am confident to take a day off when it blows...

After all those w..k..s voted for NO daylight savings - I am still dark over this, who could tell
I have organised - told -my clients that I am starting early in summer and my phone will be off if either 20Knots+ (I point them at seabreeze for reference) or warm and a breeze.
I'm also in IT and have some flexibility.

Piano Tuning got me through Harvard, and during my teaching years at Evergreen State College Windsurfing was invented, I got the bug BAD, and I really wanted my afternoons, and my brain for my own devices, etc., so I quite the Academic Industrial Complex, and went back to tuning, which much to my surprise turned into a real job, but did give me a lot of freedom to go windsurfing. Like every day for 4 years. Did I mention I sailed Div II boards a lot? A lot of light air here in the great NW- 2-3 K became a particular favorite regime. Gave me the freedom to do the Gorge in the early days- like on a yellow windsurfer with teak booms and no harness, the Straights ofJuan de ****a, and Hawaii. Made some boards, experimented with rigs, etc.

I was not alone. MD's, Dentists, Lawyers, CEO's, Carpenters, teachers, you name it, were quiting their gigs, buying a van, and moving to the Gorge. In the 80's it was an epidemic, supposedly worse than what was happening in the surfing scene at the time. We were all tired of being good, and postponing gratification, which we had all done so well for so long, and well, we had lived through the 60's and not dropped out, in the main. Windsurfing was just too good a stoke. And the amount of really accomplished athletes dropping out to do it was pretty impressive. Like all-american athletes. Heady stuff.

Wouldn't trade it for anything, even though now too decrepit. It did change the way I think about sailing in a most profound way.

Paul

Went from working for organizations to self-employed so I could windsurf more

About 3 months ago I did the opposite, went away from the water, now a 90min drive if I'm in a hurry
sitting here thinking WTF did I do

but lots more money, good for career good for the family blah blah. Roll on holidays in November

Jobs in certain areas are still good, what's your trade?

Well I had to go through chemo a cpl of years ago so I was forced to re-evaluate my working life a little. Decided I wanted to give windsurfing a go. So now I work 3 days a week so I can get out an do all the things I love - ie windsurfing. Also pick up other IT work when I need the extra cash (all after hours so it doesnt interfere with sailing). Eventually I intend on only doing my art (sculpture) for an income, so I will be totally flexible with time.

lee1972 said...

owning an expensive girlfirend who refuses to get into windsurfing

dump her - you are clearly incompatible - unless of course you can convince her to work so you can windsurf

Definitely!

In my job it's normal to take one day off per week, but I have re-arranged it so that I only take two half-days off per month, and then take ALL of December & January, plus a few weeks through winter.

Surely nothing is more important than windsurfing?!

I "retired" from being a self employed chippy to become govement employee. Half the pay,half the hours,flexible rdo,s and home by 4.30 . Down side....have to chase bushfires over summer

P.C_simpson said...

Well i now work when i want, for myself when i get jobs also do work for a company that is fully into windsurf and the whole staff leave when it's windy to go sailing, To "Test" Gear..

O well someone has to do it..

if you ever need a qld office i am soo soo keen,,,,,

ducati said...

All the above^^^ sounds much too complicated

I found a women with a s*#t load of money went and lived with her

Doesn't the fact that's she a fugly bother you though? [}:)]

bloody oath!!. Money cant buy the time that you didnt spend on the water.

Sorta changed once getting back into windsurfing. Moved from inland where the local dam dried out and there was no where to windsurf. Changed jobs where I go from getting a month off over summer to having 4 weeks leave a year. However currently studying to have a pleasant job with good holidays. As long as I submit reasonable essays over then next couple of years I should look forward to getting holidays from the first week of December to the last week of January plus another seven weeks off during the year. The trade off will be working on every fourth Saturday afternoon.