One of the things I often think about is what I want to do for work when I finally move out of New York. There are many options, although if I want to live in a low tax, high freedom rural area, I know that I will have to live with much lower wages but I think that’s fine as long as I can find a job that makes me satisfied with what I do everyday.
There are many fields that I think would work for me. Communications and public relations with my decade long experience, really two decades plus experience if I stay another ten years is an obvious choice. But those options may be better few and far between in a rural area that I desire to live in. Yet, I’m sure rural businesses like the oil and gas industry, forestry, or agriculture have significant communication needs.
Maybe I could turn all my mapping experience into a career. People like high quality maps and Quatum GIS is becoming more and more of a professional piece of software. QGIS is increasingly nipping on the heels of ArcGIS. I don’t have formal training but maybe in the future I’ll get more real world experience with my job that I can put on a resume. Maybe there are some certifications that I could earn too, although I’m not going to rush out and do that now as technology always changes.
Other good options might include human services as there is always a lot in that field as there is always disabled and others needing care. The pay is bad but if I’ve built up my savings and bought my off grid cabin and land with cash, I won’t need such a high income in the future.
There are also possibilities I guess working in agriculture or forestry or manufacturing, but as a white collared type guy, I doubt I could ever bridge that skills gap. There are definitely advantages to working in industries that aren’t so much about ideas and ideology.
I don’t know. It’s all a ways away. But I don’t think it’s a bad idea to start thinking about my tomorrow today, saving, investing, planning.
