Lots of good advice on here already. Here is my .02. I prolly a lot older, but don't know how much wiser.

Keep the photo biz, run it on a part time basis, weekend, or a couple of days a week.

Go truck driving, and take your camera. There is a lot to see and photograph in this land. Then sell the photos. Also take a video camera with you, never know when a news story will cross your path.

Best of luck in what ever you do. Dream BIG.

 

What didn't ya like about it?

 

Yeah I thought about that too..the photo business will probably be a side job and i always take my camera with me anywhere I go so im sure it will be in the truck with me!

 

i know i'm not older, and definately not wiser, but i do drive the big trucks, so here are my thoughts. its not for everybody. but its perfect for others, i must be one of the "others" cause i like it. my dad was a metelurgical engineer, actually my brother and i are the first in my dads side that didn't go to a big college and become engineers. oh well, i hate math. and office jobs. people from all walks of life drive trucks, my best friend has a masters in bio-molecular chemistry and he drives now. i made about 40,000 my first year as a company driver. thats more than most of my friends make that actully graduated college and got a "good" job. my advise is to try and find a company that will pay you to train, and then get a year or two's worth of experience with them. after that, you can go most any where, just don't get any tickets or violations or wrecks. trrouble is that its getting hard to find a good company that will pay you to train. i would stay away from J.B. hunt and schnider,they're too big. find a medium-sized local company. they are out there. maybe you'll like it mabe not. it would be a shame to pay a school 3-4 grand just to find out you don't like it. or even worse, not be able to get a job, i have heard of that happening. most companys are leary of hiring people with no experience, to the point of not doing it. find someone that drives for a living, and ride with them for a week to see if it would be something you could stand. if you decide you want to -do it. maybe i'll see you out there someday.

 

MY father in law faced almost the same problem you do. His mom and dad were both educators and were really big on going to college and "making something out of yourself" Imagine their surprise when he joined the Navy and became a pipeline welder when he got out..

He has one brother that is a lawyer, sister that is a RN, sister that is a chemical engineer, and only one other brother that followed his path in life and joined the military.


He's happier than all of them. He's got 4 kids and one little grandson.


You gotta be your own man and make your own decisions no matter what the family thinks about you. If they truly love you for who you are, it won't matter what you are.

 

Lots of good advice already said here, but there is one other thing. Have you thought about approaching them about paying for college? If they are willing to pay for it, buckle down for 4 years and get your degree. A degree in ANYTHING opens a LOT of doors. After school, if you still have it in you, go drive for a while. If you have the option, GO TO SCHOOL. Shoot, if for no other reason go for the chics and off the hook parties!!!

 

I didn't read through all of the repies to your post, but think about this. Do you think all of your aunts/uncles/whatever really enjoy their job? Or do they just do it because of the money. If they give you a hard time, ask them and ask for an honest answer. I bet no.

I kind of went through/am going through the same thing, sort of. All of my cousins have batchelor's degrees or higher and I struggled for 4 years at a university only to never make it through the math needed for engineering. I decided to quit spinning my wheels and enroll at the community college and get an associates degree in the same thing. I've already heard the thoughts of my family (that being the higher educated ones) and they look down on anyone who isn't as educated as them. That kind of really had me feeling down for a while. In the end, it doesn't matter. I'm having a great time, learning a lot, and will enjoy what I do. I won't be making 6 figures, but who cares. People who makes tons of money usually work a lot and don't have time to spend it anyway...so why try.

To be honest, I would love to drive a truck too. Who knows, I may end up doing that one day. I just want to at least some sort of degree, that way I haven't wasted my time totally.

Do it for you, that's all that matters in the end.

 

I agree with you here. We run about 40 power units ourselves. The only reason i mention those larger outfits is because as you stated, it's very hard to find an opening with a smaller company if you have little or no experience. But those large outfits usually will. Doit just for a short time to get the required experience, than go looking somewhere else.

 

did ya ever tell them how much a new rig costs you would be rolling around in a sweet new expensive ride.

ok fun done. man its your life and if your family looks down on you for trying to support you self or family just because you drive around and don't sit in one place at a desk forget them they'll come around do what ya NEED to till you are able to do what you want!

 

As I was reading the post I got to thinking.......Go read the obituaries in your local paper. The focus of a persons life is not how much money they earned, or where they resided, or even what vehicle they drove, it's their friends, their family, their contributions to society, their faith, their hobbies.

In all the education that's available there are a few things not taught there, you learn them in life.

Here's a formula I learned as a pup, "When your outgo exceeds your income your upkeep becomes your downfall". Or "Keep you spiritual growth ahead of your material growth for true success".

Practice the basics and what you do (employment) won't matter because you will be happy, with less stress and over time will be light years ahead of those in the "rat race".

Learn to analyze what you're are doing before you do it (anticipate before you participate) and after you do it to improve next time, don't make impulsive decisions, treat people with respect, be assertive.......and guess what? People will say, "You're lucky"! They don't understand, "luck is when opportunity and preparedness meet"!!

Best of LUCK to ya. len

 

If your family looks down on you because of the job that you have then I would say that is their problem and not yours. To an extent my in-laws are the same way. They would never come right out and say it, but it is obvious from some of their comments that they consider low-income or uneducated people to somehow be inferior to them...and these are people who I would otherwise consider to be good Christian people. That has always bothered me.

My advice is to do what is best for you and your wife and children (if you're married and have children) and not worry about what anybody else thinks about it. If driving a truck is what you think is best, do it and do it well. If trying to get some help to get your business going better is what you think is best, do it and do it well. Whatever you decide to do, do it and do it well.

If your family loves and respects you then they will also respect your decisions (even if they don't like them). On the other hand, if they love you then they should also have your best interests in mind, so don't discount what they have to say when you go and talk to them about this. Maybe they can help. After all, that's what family is for.

 

my wife is an mech engineer and a good one at that. her mother was a school teacher and her father was a college prof. her sister has more degrees than a hotplate and most are in engineering her brother is a civil engineer and her other sister is and engineer and is married to an engineer. then there is me. 18 months of community college and quit to wrench. made good money the whole time i wrenched . it bothers me once in a while about the education thing . i was always told about my ability for being an engineer. just never did it. to late for me now , so i am a part time farmer , mechanic and mister mom to our daughter. i would go for and education as was earlier said. i can have just a good idea as my wife but she has earned her license as an engineer and that makes the difference in wages. i dig holes and she says where. be self made it makes all the difference. about the business most people won't take you serious until you reach your forties. then your and expert for some unknown reason.

 

do EVERYTHING you do in LOVE.
no matter what, when you are dealing with a person, do what you do out of love, never out of hate, spite, to get even, revenge, whatever.

I am NOT gonna sit back and regret what I did and the years of family and fellowship i lost just because i had to get even.

if you do everything like you love that person - your part is done, what they do: is thiers to regret.

so don't bone up your life on account of your family.

i would TALK to them. a good spiritual, deep, emotional discussion on the mistakes and foibles they have had in life, let them tell you why they are (or are not) happy and weigh measure and balance thier happiness, and thier life of aristocracy against your plans.



here's what i tell folks: the 7-7-7 plan.

figure out where you want to be in:

7 days
7 months
7 years

now, you have to do certain THINGS in the next 7 days ( like wrap up the Photoshop - i would rent it out to another photographer - sell the business, but keep the land/building/eqpt so that you have residual income and someone else has the headaches)

in the next 7 months, you will need to pursue this CDL, and read the above carefully, i have several friends who drive, they leave Sunday, and come home thursday or friday. every week: they are gone all week.

one guy is a junior driver - he has to ride with a senior driver for his training.
the senior guy WILL NOT take a load in the snow, guess what?
he ain't drove in 3 weeks, guess what, no drive - no pay.

if in 7 years you want to be home every weekday coaching T-ball or hanging with your Girl, you need to find a different direction in the next 7 days and 7 months.

all of life is a building block. plan backwards from your 7 year point, and you will see what you need to do now.

it sounds to me like you need a buddy to set down with, and discuss the true meaning of life. some good advise up here, pick out one the fella's, PM him and ask if you can call him.

Pray about it. pray more. pray all the time

i tell you this, i do a lot of research before i make a BiG jump like you are planning on. this post is a sign you are doing that research. keep looking before you go OOOPS

i would talk to your family, and some older men in the area you trust.
life has a very different viewpoint once you punch over 50, and realize OOPs....

 

If you can have a job that you enjoy, that's priceless!! I've had a few I absolutely hated and I vowed that I would never be miserable like that again. If they can't respect you for doing something that makes you happy then... well, I can't say it here..

 

I'm Sorry Your Family Feels Like That And I Think You Should Hop On That Rig, Blow The Air Horn And Learn Cb Talk. You'll Have A Great Time, Meet Alot Of great People (my Dad Was A Trucker When I Was Growing Up, Hasn't Driven A Rig In 20 Years But He Will Always Be A Trucker!!!) And Just Think Of All The Pictures You Can Develop When You Come Home!! One More Thing Don't Buy Your Own Rig....do Join The Union... But Vote Rep. (sorry Had To Add That!!!)