Taking the plunge

[Zale]

At 52 years old, I would concentrate on the PHC aspect of the business. Thats where your money is going to be if you do it right. Much less wear and tear on the body. I'm not saying don't climb. Do the small and medium stuff but sub out the big and nasty stuff to the younger guys. Your body will thank you. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Farmertan]

PHC being application work? If so, yes, that'll be the focus. Thanks.

 

[Farmertan]

$50K with summers, stat holidays, and weekends off! Horrible to contemplate.
I suspect the novelty is gonna wear off sooner than you think.

Holiday and weekends "free" only means that I don't have to go into school. If you haven't taught before, you may be falling victim to the fallacy that teachers only work for nine months, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. I actually probably average about 75 hours per week during the school year, and my "summer" is about 10 weeks long. Subtract those 10 weeks, 2 weeks spring break and 2 weeks Christmas break, and you get 38 weeks at 75 hours per week. At 50k, that breaks down to about $17.55 per hour worked. That's for a highly trained professional educator and department head with administrative duties. I can get paid $15.00 per hour to run a zero turn and string trimmer. So, 10 years of college to earn $17.55 an hour is pretty horrible to contemplate, so I try not to dwell on it.

 

[Farmertan]

Then again, I never chose to go into biology to make a lot of money. If money was the primary concern, I would have stuck with auto repair which paid me $17.50/hr FLAT RATE. Money isn't the issue, liking what I do is.

 

[jefflovstrom]

At 52 years old,

When do you turn 53?
Curious Jeff,,:msp_biggrin:

 

[Coen]

Teaching

Quitting teaching for tree work was the best move I ever made. I would never wish anyone I like to go into education. I went in at 6 every morning, stayed till 5 every evening, graded papers all weekend, dealt with crap all day from students and parents who didnt care about anything but their selfish wants and needs. During summers I was expected to do this and that from the school district. If it wasn't for tree work I'd be paying on student deabt until death. I hated it. Anyone who thinks teachers have it made should spend some time in a public school. Take a look and see the type of students that walk through them doors. See if you can motivate them to read and write while being bashed by public opinion. Most teachers want out, but options are few; especially for females.

 

[Pelorus]

Sorry guys, but I ain't buying what you're selling.
My mom was a (career) teacher in the public school system (Canada). Loved her job. 30+ years doing it.
Teach the same grade/subject for several years, and you are basically using the same lesson plans. This 75 hours a week is malarky I say! (Are you adding in your commute to/from school and your lunch break?)
Plus, with a private school you prolly have a lot lower student : teacher ratio.
What was your average class size? Grading papers all weekend every weekend.:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:
Anyway, if you think your indoor, climate-controlled desk job was brutal, then you got another thing coming, and the honeymoon is gonna be over before you know it!

 

[twochains]

Seems like a crazy jump...teacher to tree climber..and yet it seems there are several of you that have done it. Who'd a thunk it...I guess if you were a Botanist er something...maybe even a Physics teacher...Hell IDK. I would figure that a 52 year old teacher would have quite the learning curve doing tree work...body and mind. Good luck to ya, better start doing some P90X and eating right.

 

[Coen]

Teaching

I've been living the dream since quitting teaching. I've spent time in Canadian cities and Ive felt safe being out after dark. In American cities people need a gun after dark. I know Canadian schools are nothing like what we have here.

 

[Coen]

Canada

I love going to Canada and hockey by the way.

 

[Farmertan]

Sorry guys, but I ain't buying what you're selling.
My mom was a (career) teacher in the public school system (Canada). Loved her job. 30+ years doing it.
Teach the same grade/subject for several years, and you are basically using the same lesson plans. This 75 hours a week is malarky I say! (Are you adding in your commute to/from school and your lunch break?)
Plus, with a private school you prolly have a lot lower student : teacher ratio.
What was your average class size? Grading papers all weekend every weekend.:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:
Anyway, if you think your indoor, climate-controlled desk job was brutal, then you got another thing coming, and the honeymoon is gonna be over before you know it!

Perhaps we should just trade jobs

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Perhaps we should just trade jobs

I think the difference is before Pelorus just up and quit his job and started teaching science, he would make sure he was properly trained. But hey, it's just tree work, right? It's not like ya need training to do it , right? Jeff

 

[Pelorus]

Jeff, the eventual decline & fall of my creaking tree empire will prolly result in me delivering take-out Chinese food.
Sometimes a Great Notion was a damn fine movie.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Yeah, if it wasn't for all the money and the groupies I'd probably go do something else too.

 

[Gologit]

Yeah, if it wasn't for all the money and the groupies I'd probably go do something else too.

Money? Groupies??!! Dammit, I knew I should have been an arborist. All we get are IOUs and surly 7-11 clerks with missing teeth and blotchy tattoos who get bent out of shape when we wear our calks in the store.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

It's got it's downside Bob. The last contract job I did, let me tell ya. The limo was late, I had to drive myself. Then when I get there, fiji water in the cooler, when I had specifically said Evian. I mean it's tough enough to teach a groundie to put a girth hitch on a round bottle, but a square one? It was a disaster. I even had to carry all my gear to the tree, gas up my own saw, it was murder.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Money? Groupies??!! Dammit, I knew I should have been an arborist.

Nah, people always expect you to know everything,,
Jeff

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Nah, people always expect you to know everything,,
Jeff

" Yes ma'am, that's the worst case of oak wilt I've ever seen in a maple. We should get it down before EAB hits this area."

 

[jefflovstrom]

" Yes ma'am, that's the worst case of oak wilt I've ever seen in a maple. We should get it down before EAB hits this area."

We dont have EAB ,,we have fusarium.
Jeff,,not grumpy
:eek2:

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I wish we had EAB, maybe they would get rid of all these arizona ash. Talk about a weed with visions of grandeur....