Decisions, decisions...(Career)

whisky'sdad · Jun 7, 2009

Hello all,

I'm putting this out there to see if someone or some people can help me with some ideas on a career path.

Now, I'm looking for ideas. I'd be willing to move almost wherever, within reason. (No harsh winters i.e Mid North, Northeast USA, Russia, Norway, northern Europe) Here is a synopsis of my interests....

Outdoors in nature
Lakes/rivers/boats/jetskis/watersports (year-round kids camps, maybe?)
Gardening/plants/design
Animals...specifically cats

Just throw some ideas out, if you can! Much appreciated!

In the near future, my plan is to get into Gardening/Landscape during the day and mobile bartend at night. From there....I don't know....

gailc · Jun 8, 2009

Being in the Landscaping field myself my advice is to take some horticulture courses.
It seems the hotter topics of interest are container gardening, vegetable gardening, rain gardens and low water consumption gardens as well as native/prairie gardens. I think having experience in a niche can be very helpful.

What I see in some of the gardens I maintain is that people have a very limited knowledge of plants. One client had their home professionally landscaped but have plants that are not thriving or have died. A look at the orginial design is that plants were chosen that are only marginal here in Wisconsin or planted without consideration to the amount of sun received.

I believe if one really know plants (I try alot of new ones in my yard every year) and how well they will perform customers will appreciate this. Sometimes is not about the cost of the plants its just knowing the right plant.

On the other side-landscaping is dirty hard work-its not like working in ones garden very much where one can take breaks. Keeping on a schedule is important.

Good luck!

snake_lady · Jun 8, 2009

Gardening and landscaping would be fun, but I personally couldn't handle the labor involved. It would kill my back and hands..... Keep that in mind if you want to pursue it.... it's not easy on your back, as I'm sure Gail will tell you. My back and hands get sore just maintaining my own gardens.

What's your definition of a harsh winter? We had a longgggggg winter here in Southwestern ON. Canada, but I wouldn't call it harsh... a couple big snowfalls, but I've seen worse. I didn't even find it to be a cold winter, it just seemed to drag on and on.

Do you have the means for schooling?

Animals: vet assistant

(you would need some schooling, but then you could apply all over, in any place you'd be willing to live)

Outdoors: how bout a hiking guide? I don't know where.... we don't have year round trails here... well ok, we have hiking trails and snowmobile trails.

whisky'sdad · Jun 8, 2009

Originally Posted by GailC

Being in the Landscaping field myself my advice is to take some horticulture courses.
It seems the hotter topics of interest are container gardening, vegetable gardening, rain gardens and low water consumption gardens as well as native/prairie gardens. I think having experience in a niche can be very helpful.

What I see in some of the gardens I maintain is that people have a very limited knowledge of plants. One client had their home professionally landscaped but have plants that are not thriving or have died. A look at the orginial design is that plants were chosen that are only marginal here in Wisconsin or planted without consideration to the amount of sun received.

I believe if one really know plants (I try alot of new ones in my yard every year) and how well they will perform customers will appreciate this. Sometimes is not about the cost of the plants its just knowing the right plant.

On the other side-landscaping is dirty hard work-its not like working in ones garden very much where one can take breaks. Keeping on a schedule is important.

Good luck!

My mom tends to get plants that won't thrive here or plants them where they won't thrive i.e full sun plant in the shade, etc. I am going to check out some horticulture courses and find out more info on rain gardening and those others you mentioned. If you think of any useful sites I might be able to use, please send my way...

whisky'sdad · Jun 8, 2009

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Gardening and landscaping would be fun, but I personally couldn't handle the labor involved. It would kill my back and hands..... Keep that in mind if you want to pursue it.... it's not easy on your back, as I'm sure Gail will tell you. My back and hands get sore just maintaining my own gardens.

What's your definition of a harsh winter? We had a longgggggg winter here in Southwestern ON. Canada, but I wouldn't call it harsh... a couple big snowfalls, but I've seen worse. I didn't even find it to be a cold winter, it just seemed to drag on and on.

Do you have the means for schooling?

Animals: vet assistant

(you would need some schooling, but then you could apply all over, in any place you'd be willing to live)

Outdoors: how bout a hiking guide? I don't know where.... we don't have year round trails here... well ok, we have hiking trails and snowmobile trails.

Hiking guide....hmmm, never thought of something like that...I better get to hiking those trails in Portland when I get there!

Vet Tech...I'm in the process of checking that out.

Thanks!!
p.s. Harsh winters for me are where you have to scoop out your driveway on a regular basis and have chains on your car/truck. Basically, if things are shutdown because of the snow. Light snowing and such are fine...like an area where it would snow 2-3 feet or so a month.

rubsluts'mommy · Jun 8, 2009

Originally Posted by Whisky'sDad

p.s. Harsh winters for me are where you have to scoop out your driveway on a regular basis and have chains on your car/truck. Basically, if things are shutdown because of the snow. Light snowing and such are fine...like an area where it would snow 2-3 feet or so a month.

Hmm, be glad you weren't here in Portland last December. A lot closed down flat for about a week namely because people couldn't handle the snow. And having lived in Upstate NY, yes, there's lots of snow, but you don't do chains. You drive without them. Here in Portland folks put chains on, mostly because of the hills... the snow and ice + hills don't always mix. I couldn't drive anywhere because my apartment management said they weren't going to shovel... and they didn't for nearly the whole week. My store was closed down because no one could get to work. I could've (and would've) taken transit. It was running, with chains, limited runs, but still going. I walked to the grocery store the second day and nearly got hit by a moron making a turn too fast... I was on the sidewalk.

If you go for landscaping around here, definitely go for a specialty in drought resistant/low water plants. Learn your hardscapes as well as softscapes... PCC has design classes, mostly at the Sylvania campus.

Also, bartending? God knows there's a ton of places around here... of course a lot of them are strip clubs.... (I live with several near by, my location soon to change, thankfully)

So, when are you landing in Portland? What part of Portland are you looking at?

Amanda

whisky'sdad · Jun 8, 2009

Originally Posted by RubSluts'Mommy

Hmm, be glad you weren't here in Portland last December. A lot closed down flat for about a week namely because people couldn't handle the snow. And having lived in Upstate NY, yes, there's lots of snow, but you don't do chains. You drive without them. Here in Portland folks put chains on, mostly because of the hills... the snow and ice + hills don't always mix. I couldn't drive anywhere because my apartment management said they weren't going to shovel... and they didn't for nearly the whole week. My store was closed down because no one could get to work. I could've (and would've) taken transit. It was running, with chains, limited runs, but still going. I walked to the grocery store the second day and nearly got hit by a moron making a turn too fast... I was on the sidewalk.

If you go for landscaping around here, definitely go for a specialty in drought resistant/low water plants. Learn your hardscapes as well as softscapes... PCC has design classes, mostly at the Sylvania campus.

Also, bartending? God knows there's a ton of places around here... of course a lot of them are strip clubs.... (I live with several near by, my location soon to change, thankfully)

So, when are you landing in Portland? What part of Portland are you looking at?

Amanda

I'd like to meet you when I finally get up there!

I remember in Feb 2004, there was an article in the Oregonian about the lack of snowfall in the Portland area. Sure enough, a week later it dumped about 5 feet in a week, so I know about those sporadic snowfalls there. That's not that bad.

I'm really looking forward to getting back up there! I've sure missed it!

Hardscapes are bricks and pavers and such, right? I might outsource that as my back isn't that strong. I'll definately check out those design classes...

I'm supposed to be up there fairly soon, at most the end of June. I'm staying with a friend while I look for a place of my own. I'm kinda partial to Gresham as I really liked living there before. It's also closer to the gorge areas.

natalie_ca · Jun 8, 2009

I applaud you for wanting to advance your education!!!

First of all, sit down and think about the amount of time you are willing to spend in school to get your education.

Second, how much money do you want to be making per year?

Third, are you looking for job security?

Fourth, are you willing to move in the event you need to in order to procure employment?

Next go to the University and look at courses that fit the above.

Outdoors in nature
Lakes/rivers/boats/jetskis/watersports (year-round kids camps, maybe?)
Gardening/plants/design
Animals...specifically cats

Those sound more like hobbies than career choices. It's very difficult to make a career out of our hobbies, especially a career that pays us enough to support ourselves.

rubsluts'mommy · Jun 8, 2009

Originally Posted by Whisky'sDad

I'd like to meet you when I finally get up there!

I remember in Feb 2004, there was an article in the Oregonian about the lack of snowfall in the Portland area. Sure enough, a week later it dumped about 5 feet in a week, so I know about those sporadic snowfalls there. That's not that bad.

I'm really looking forward to getting back up there! I've sure missed it!

Hardscapes are bricks and pavers and such, right? I might outsource that as my back isn't that strong. I'll definately check out those design classes...

I'm supposed to be up there fairly soon, at most the end of June. I'm staying with a friend while I look for a place of my own. I'm kinda partial to Gresham as I really liked living there before. It's also closer to the gorge areas.

I've been trying to get local TCS'ers assembled since I moved here, but no such luck. I think once I move to my new place end of July, I'll be in a better position to do stuff...

Yes, hardscape is the bricks and such... I did a website for someone back in Chicago who did both hard and softscapes.

Sylvania campus is over in SW, so it would be a long commute to Sylvania. I just checked their website and there's nothing I can tell for horticulture... one of the other area Community Colleges might have something... I don't know. I'm one of those that kills plants easily... I like them, but they don't seem to like me that much.

Avoid the 82nd Ave corridor... that's what I'm moving away from... *shudders* I hate it here. I'll be going to a low-income building in The Pearl. My dream neighborhood.

Well, me know when you arrive...

whisky'sdad · Jun 8, 2009

SE from about 82nd to 181st seems to be a fairly bad area, from what I remember. I lived on SE 162nd/Division and didn't like it at all...

That's right...Sylvania is in SW. I'll check out MHCC. I've gone there before.

rubsluts'mommy · Jun 8, 2009

NE 82nd is pretty bad too... where i am. I'm at a major intersection and it really bites with all the trash (human and likewise) and noise... fights in the parking lot across the way, people throwing crud into my patio, you name it. It's almost as bad as SE 82nd.... Whenever i tell folks where I live, they cringe. Yeah, it's time to move. Scare the quiet respecting neighbors out and let the rude, inconsiderate ones stay... if a neighbor of mine in CA had gotten as many noise/trash complaints as these folks above me have, they'd have been evicted almost immediately. But not here... Sad. But oh well.

MHCC might have closer to what you're looking for. Good luck.

Amanda

gailc · Jun 8, 2009

You might want to check out the www.extension.oregonstate.edu and look to see if there is a local Master Gardener program. This should be a low cost way of getting some good local gardening education. There are requirements to become a Master Gardener however such as some sort of community volunteering. The local cooperative extension office should be able to provide you with information.

A good source of well written horticulture books is Timber Press and I believe its located out in Oregon or Washington state.

Another couple of areas of new horticulture interest are wall gardens and rooftop garden or even green roofs.

whisky'sdad · Jun 8, 2009

Originally Posted by GailC

You might want to check out the www.extension.oregonstate.edu and look to see if there is a local Master Gardener program. This should be a low cost way of getting some good local gardening education. There are requirements to become a Master Gardener however such as some sort of community volunteering. The local cooperative extension office should be able to provide you with information.

A good source of well written horticulture books is Timber Press and I believe its located out in Oregon or Washington state.

Another couple of areas of new horticulture interest are wall gardens and rooftop garden or even green roofs.

Gail...you are a Goddess!! I am so doing that!!

Decisions, decisions...(Career)

whisky'sdad

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