Monday 6 December 2010

I am too late?

To stop what I'm doing and do something completely different?  Do people get to have two sea-changes in a lifetime?  When I was 37 I was working in IT, but without any qualifications, so off I went & did a IT Diploma (Analyst/Programmer, if anybody cares) - it was useful, and  the skills I learnt are just as valid now as then, but what's changed is the job focus - in the '90's I worked in what's known as 'Production Support', but is now known as 'Business as usual' - keeping the lights on & making sure that people can get their money out of the ATM's when they want it (snigger snigger NAB)...


Now you get to 'analyse' people's requirements, write process flows & talk to idiots who don't know how their products work but need you to work it out for them so they can tell you  how to change it.  It's more like hand-holding than analysis.


Gentle Readers, I've had enough of this.  I've seen an ad looking for an Upholstery apprentice.  I know it says "suits school leaver".  I am a school leaver.  It was just a while ago.  I'm reliable, I'm keen, I won't take sickies, I'll work hard.  Just because I'm 30 years older than the school leaver you were thinking of, doesn't mean I can't do a good job, right?  


Mr Golightly is somewhat dubious, because this will be my second sea-change, and he doesn't do upheaval very well, but really, I'm not working now, so what have I got to lose?  The August Institution I work for pays really well, there are great benefits and it's so secure it's like they've shackled you to your desk, but my heart just isn't in it anymore.  


I want to do something creative.  I want to spend 30 minutes driving to work instead of 90 minutes on a bus.  I want to leave home at 7.00 & be home by 4.30 instead of 7.30pm.  I want to be able to go for a walk after work.  I want to learn how to do this.  Do I want too much?