Big Changes

A couple weeks ago on a flight to Phoenix, I sat next to a nice lady who spent the entire 2 hours telling me her life story. I don't remember most of it as she wasn't entirely clear on what it is she does. But as we were landing, she turns to me and says "I've been going on this whole time and never asked what it is that you do". I wasn't prepared to get into another long conversation, being as we were landing, and said "I'm a wildland firefighter for the Forest Service." I don't know if it was how I said it or if she was already poised to ask the question, but she tilted her head and asked "Is it your passion?"

I hesitated. I suppose if it really was my passion my reply would've come a lot quicker. I thought about it, kinda thrown off by the question. No one has ever asked me that before and come to think of it, I've never really asked myself that before. I told her I really enjoy my job, it's fun and exciting....

She recommended that I go online and do some career tests to see if maybe there's something out there that I hadn't considered. I told her I would. I thought about it for a few more days until I was back at work. Bored, I logged on to the computer and took a couple career assessment tests. I don't even remember what they said, but there were a lot of "analyst" words in there. Senior analyst this, executive analyst that. What a load of crock. Me? An analyst? Remember, I'm practical, not logical. Just ask my engineer uncle.

I've been thinking about changing careers for quite some time. Don't get me wrong, I have a great job, but I've gotten to the point where I've kinda had enough. I really miss being able to see my friends and family on a regular basis. I miss the warm weather of San Diego and the convenience of living in a city. I've been wanting to go back to school and get my master's degree for quite awhile but I haven't been able to figure out what it is I want to do.

I also wondered if I would miss being in fire. When I saw a big plume of smoke on the horizon, would I long to be on the responding trucks, blowing by the road blocks past members of the general public that were fleeing the area?

After much thought, here's what I will not miss: not having a summer, loading 45 lbs on myself and hiking as fast as I can up a super steep mountain, poison oak, sleeping in abandoned lots behind gas stations in towns such as Laramie, WY, fire camp food, driving for hours across the US trying to keep myself dehydrated so I'm not "that guy" that has to ask for a restroom stop, cutting line all night and in to the next day, driving the top heavy buggies on poorly maintained roads, trying to burn piles in the pouring rain (and wondering why they won't light), Christmas Toe, how eaten up my scalp gets from going 14 days without a shower,and wearing long sleeve, long pants and wool socks in the middle of summer...in Arizona.

Lately I'm coming to realize that our lives are so short and go by so fast...and we only get one. I'm already at the age where I marvel at how time has flown by. And as my friend Corey said to me, "This life ain't no trial run". Amen to that. I keep thinking about how long I have until I can retire... so I can really start living my life. Well, that's at least 15 years from now and I would hate for those 15 years to go by without me.

Having helped raise Emily for the first few years of her life, I felt terrible leaving her to move up to Frazier Park, but I was still close enough that I could go home on the weekends. Now I'm not and I've missed a pretty big stretch of time in her life. When I went down to San Diego to be with Candace and the family for the birth of her second child, Charlotte, I really realized how much I want them in my life. I've never wanted my own children, so Candace's girls are the closest I'll ever have to children. On the day I left, I held Charlotte in my arms and felt absolutely terrible for leaving. By the time I came back, she'd be only a few months shy of a year old...old enough to wonder who the heck the stranger is that just showed up and pretends to know her. I don't want Charlotte to forget me and I don't want to miss out on any more of Emily's life. A good majority of my friends are in San Diego and I'd like to get back there.

I would like to one day own a dog. I suppose that's the closest I've ever had to a ticking biological clock. Obviously in my current job I cannot have a dog...or even a live plant.

I would like to quit beating myself up so much physically and mentally for my job. I would love to have a "normal" job where I can go home every night and use my energy for cooler things, like marathons, triathlons and century bike rides. I'd like to get back into swimming. I'd like to return to surfing.

Do I have a plan? Yes I do. Being as this post is already as long as it is, I'll sum it up and leave out all the crazy background.

I'm currently studying to take the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) which is the required exam for my major. I will take it around June, maybe a little earlier depending on how the studying is going. That gives me enough time that if I don't do well, I can take it again. From September to November I'll be sending in my applications to graduate school at San Jose State University, UCLA, UC Davis and San Francisco State University to get my master's in Meteorology or Atmospheric Science (the programs differ a little from school to school). When (if?) I'm accepted, I will resign from the Forest Service, sell my house and go back to school. At that time I will be close to major airports where I can buy a $50 plane ticket to head down to San Diego for the weekend, or hop over to Phoenix or Denver. Right now it's around $400 and involves driving an hour to the nearest airport.

After graduating with my master's degree in meteorology, I will look for jobs in the San Diego area either doing forecasting (not broadcast forecasting- I don't need to be on tv or the radio), research, or teaching. I can work for the government (not a fan) or private industries. I can teach at community colleges and universities, or I can get on research teams that are focusing on global climate change or weather monitoring and early warning systems for severe weather. I would absolutely love to do work with storm systems.

I will have a well-paying career that continually ranks high in the "Best Jobs in America" type surveys, I will be home, I will have a dog, and maybe be able to buy a house again. I'm going to do a triathlon and ride a century bike tour. I'm going to have nice weather year round. I will own (and keep alive) several plants and I might even enjoy camping once in awhile. I will be around to spend time with and support my friends and family.

After all, life is not about the end result. As cheesy as it sounds, it is so definately about the journey. I'm really excited to be moving on to a new chapter in my life...nervous about getting in to colleges of course, but who wouldn't be? It's going to be super exciting! I'm even excited about gaining a new capacity for logical thinking. I have to take 3 semesters of Calculus and 2 semesters of Calculus Based Physics (what?). Strangely enough, I'm kinda looking forward to those classes.

I'll post updates when they come around, but I'm looking at starting school in the spring of 2014 or in the case of UCLA who accepts applications a year ahead of time, fall of 2014. For now I'll continue stufying for the GRE and writing my Statement of Purpose.