Alan H, the wrestling coach?

[Blu (Ontario)]

... Why is it that people will always stand at the door that has already been closed and will not take advantage of the doors that are opening?

The open door may not be the one you want, but sometimes they lead to a door that you do.


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[Mike1]

The open door may not be the one you want, but sometimes they lead to a door that you do.

EXACTLY! If you're brave enough to step through the first door, that is.

If you found out somebody was a mechanic, would you expect free oilchanges for nothing?

You might be surprised at how often it happens. And if they don't want you to do the work for free, they are expecting you to loan them the tools so they can do it.

[Panache]

Alan,

It sounds to me from what you have posted and talking with you that you get a kick out of teaching. It certainly sounds like you are good at it. If you and your wife can afford it, what do you have to lose by pursuing it for a year and a day and see where it leads?

Cheers

[Alan H]

The problem is the money. It's a complicated situation, which would take many paragraphs to explain, here. I do not have a single subject teaching credential, so I cannot teach at a California High School. I can SUBSTITUTE for up to 30-days in any single-subject classroom, but I cannot hold a full-time credentialed teaching job, except in an emergency basis. I have a COMMUNITY COLLEGE teaching credential, which is something that the State doesn't give out any more, and that plus my degrees plus my CBEST scores (I passed the test) OK me as a sub....but not as a full-time teacher.

So I'd have to work as the Wrestling coach and the Throwing coach, and go back to school to get the graduate units in Education that would qualify me to get a single-subject High School credential.

Meanwhile in 2008, the 30th Anniversary Singlehanded TransPacific Race looms over the horizon, and I *VERY* much want to do that race...I've sailed solo from San Francisco to Hawaii (did it in 1996) but never completed the race itself. It's one of my life's goals, in fact it's a HUGE goal. If I take this wrestling job, it will knock me out of the IT job world because the coaching part starts at 3:00 PM...can't hold down a full-time job and leave at 3:00, can you?

If I took the wrestling job, I would be kissing the 2008 TransPac race goodbye. I know you all may not see it like that, but trust me, in my income/life/marriage situation, I'd be kissing it goodbye. I'm very much NOT sure that I am ready to do that. There are half a dozen other complications that make the whole thing difficult as well.

Am I a teacher at heart? Yes. I know it's true, and there you go. But I tried for ten years straight to get a full-time community college teaching job in Biology in the SF Bay Area, and couldn't do it. I must have been in the final 3 about 6-8 times, but never landed a job. I finally woke up and smelled the roses about ten years ago....thus the IT career.

BTW, I happened to go back to the college (CSM, for you locals) that I spent the bulk of my community college teaching career at, and talked to one of the guys that started a full-time job in Chemistry right about the same time I started there, part-timing in Biology. He's making $95,000 a year with a PhD and almost 20 years of experience.. Not bad, eh? So much for the poor, starving college teachers....but I digress.

Anyway, this is a big decision. I'm very much not sure I'm ready, yet, and considering some of my commitments to my lady, I might not ever be ready.

Then, again.... Just don't know. I know I'll be turning down this coaching job, but whether I'll be making a move out of IT is another, totally different question.

[Panache]

Alan,

The income/life/marriage situation is a critical thing. The committment you and Joan have with each other (not to mention your dreams) take priority. This may not be the ideal situation, but perhaps your mind is now open to other possibilities.

Good Luck!

Cheers