Hello Everyone-I have been mentioned, but I haven't introduced myself to this forum. I do live in Washington, D.C. and I am looking at a career change. Colleen asked why would one who has a skill set and a job change careers and move toward something where one has an excellent chance of facing low wages, bad hours, etc. In my case I think it has a lot to do with something as naive as feeling interested in and really good about what you do. I have a comfortable job and I do it quite well, thank you, but at the end of the day there is nothing to report. I went to work, I worked, I socialized, I had lunch and I really don't care about the subject matter behind my employment. In the moments of low workload at my job I am searching out pastry-related information on the internet and drawing cakes and desserts and day dreaming ideas for chocolate decoration and whatnot. I am not considering the finer points of issues that interest the company for which I work. I've always been an adventurous person traveling far and wide and never really all that shy (maybe nervous sometimes, but not shy ) and I am from a place that consistently requires a lot of a person (Alaska) and when one is from such a place, I think it makes one inherently resourceful, purposeful and directed in a way. In short, a career change into this profession does not really scare me--not doing it because I'd be scared and chicken out, that scares me. I think a certain part of a person dies when someone quits due to adversity. Also, I can always use a little more character. Besides, I have had a number of jobs and I can tell everyone from experience that every job has a part of it that can suck beyond anyone's imagination. It depends on the person to make it work and the only job I have walked away from was baiting long-lines for fishermen in Southeast Alaska: In short, rotting fish on the old lines. Pulling the rotting fish off. Putting the squid on. Untangling the lines. Finding rotting fish heads in the tangled lines. Smelling rotting fish and fish heads. Smelling squid. Hands and arms and chest covered in squid ink. Smelling bad coffee wafting from break room. Smelling bucket of hot bleach water poured on floor to kill all other stenches and keep floor clean. Throwing up. Quitting on spot. Can pastry really be all that bad? Rebecca
