What to do, what to do?

Sat watching a programme last night on telly about ice (don't laugh it was actually very interesting) when I noticed that a large number of people had job titles that sounded very exotic and fancy - such as Glacieologist and Space Physicist. It got me thinking about careers, hobbies and what we all choose to do with our lives.

I kind of fell into my career through a series of what can only be described as "non-decisions". When I got my GCSE results I picked the 4 subjects I did best in and did them at A-Level and then I picked the subject I was best as at A-Level as my degree. Nearing the end of my degree I was offered a PhD and, being brutally honest, I only decided to take it because it stopped me having to make a further decision about what to do with my life. Upon finishing my PhD I had no idea what I wanted to do until it was suggested to me that I try my hand at Engineering - and I'm still there. I've basically got to the age of 31 without actually having to make a decision about what I want to do as a career. 

Its the same for a lot of people and how does it happen that so many people fall into a career which they do rather than enjoy every second of? I suppose it starts at school, some people are lucky enough to know exactly what they want to do from an early age. I, however, had no idea and so was gently guided towards doing what I was good at, partially due to me own inability to decide or articulate what I enjoyed doing. There is no doubt that it is the responsibility of the individual person to do the research about potential careers but at that age you are relying more on the adults in your life - its probably no coincidence that my sister and I are a teacher and an engineer - just like our parents. You can end up not making a decision and simply falling into the easiest (or least taxing) route.

This mentality of doing what seems to be the easiest path and following what is essentially there in front of you can often transfer over into other aspects of life, such as hobbies. People can often become "bogged down" into a routine in life and when confronted about it, it seems that it is simply a general acceptance of "well thats what life is like" - almost like people have got to a certain point without really making a decision (hopefully the analogy I'm aiming at is becoming clearer here!!). 


Often times people are heard complaining about not being able to do something in life due to lack of time or money and, whilst this is a perfectly valid reason in a lot of scenarios, I feel that it is also often a convenient excuse for some people who are unwilling or unable to get out of their comfort zone and try something new - there is often a way of working around the problems of time and money, granted I am looking towards this country when I make this statement rather than say somewhere in Africa where the challenges are greater and more life changing. 

In the last few years I've tried rock climbing, snowboarding, salsa dancing, Italian classes and SCUBA diving and I can honestly say that the only thing that has changed is that I have stopped making excuses for not doing these things - in other words I have started to make decisions rather than relying on non-decisions to guide my path through life.


I think thats the general thrust of where I am coming from here, too often in life we seem to rely on decisions to be made for us and then we moan about the consequences. We should take some responsibility, go out and be brave enough to make these decisions and follow what we want to do and what we are passionate about. Stop thinking "why should I do something?" and instead think "why shouldn't I do something?". If we do this then it makes it much easier to follow our dreams and passions and to end up doing the things we love with the people we love - which is what life should be about in the end.


Till next time,
DT

Travel Tips for the Jet Setters

This is the view from my desk each afternoon at around 12:30pm when Emirates flight EK017 from Dubai lands at Manchester. Its the Airbus A380 and it looks much more impressive in real life!! I'd like to say its not always so grim but its Manchester so that would be a lie.

I was watching this come in today and it reminded me of a list I put together when I flew to Malaysia the other week of Useful Travel Tips for the discerning traveller. Having been born abroad, lived abroad and travelled a bit with both work and life I "should" be in a decent position to pass on some advice

• Sometimes at security checks I have been asked to remove my belt and sometimes I haven't. Luck says that you will ONLY be asked to remove your belt if you have baggy jeans on which are relying 100% on said belt to keep them up.

• NEVER EVER EVER try to humourously engage immigration staff at US airports. Particularly when you have a UK passport although you were born in Germany (apparently that means you are probably a member of the Third Reich). Also don't ask the immigration staff  "what would you recommend?" when they ask you "what is your reason for entering the US?". In my defence it had been a 10 hour transatlantic flight sat between an asthmatic elephant and a screaming child.

• No matter how many times you've seen an episode of (for example) Family Guy, you WILL laugh like a tit at the really funny bit when watching it on a plane, resulting in (a) large numbers of people looking at you strangely (b) potential spillage of drink or food when you knee the tray table in your amusement.

• It ALWAYS rains upon arrival in Manchester, ignore whatever the captain says and keep your jacket with you at all times. On the off chance it isn't raining when you disembark, it will be when you finally leave the airport.

• If you can get them, the best economy class seats are generally at the front of the cabin sections by the emergency door. For extra leg room (and no-one in front moving constantly during the flight and disturbing your drink/meal) you have to agree to be the one to open the emergency door if you have crashed, which seems an excellent trade. Curiously you need to be able to speak English to sit in these (or maybe the native language of the flight) but not sure why that is relevant. A big red arrow showing either a clockwise or an anti-clockwise turn doesn't really need a label does it?!

• Budget airlines are cheap for a reason. The food/drink/service/entertainment is shoddy because you basically haven't paid for it - prepare for this and stock up with whatever you can before hand or you will be crying when you have to pay £4 for 10 Pringles and a slightly moist Mars bar.

• Always look as if you know where you are going when you are in a city that is new to you. You can still consult a map (although preferably not every 2 seconds) and still look at road/street signs, but don't walk around gormlessly looking confused. I suppose there is nothing wrong with this, you just look very very silly.

• Don't fall into the (generally) British trap of speaking loudly and slowly at a foreign person without checking if they speak English first. It always helps to learn a bit of the language for where you are going - the most important phrase to learn however is "I'm sorry - I only speak a little <insert language here>, do you speak English?" because I can guarantee that whatever little you manage to learn will be woefully inadequate if the response comes back in the native language.

• Do your research. Don't turn up in a city on one of its holidays or in the middle of a festival/carnival without planning it. I mistakenly did this in Budapest (I think) once, I arrived on a Tuesday into the main train station and asked when the next bus to my hotel was. Friday was the helpful response, same for the trams and trains. About £50 later my 3 mile taxi journey was complete - nuts!

• When camping, don't camp on an ants nest. They get really arsey and have been known to break into your tent to voice their displeasure.

• Also, your tent probably isn't waterproof - but you won't find out until it rains. If it is waterproof, don't leave it unzipped. 

There are obviously thousands more tips and tricks out there (from people who do this kind of thing for a living)  but all of these things have happened to me in the last year or so and it would make me feel so much better knowing that they are now unlikely to happen to you. 

If they do, then its your own damn fault and its nothing to do with me if you are forcibly removed from the airport due to excessive showing of ass prior to a flight.

 

Till next time,

DT

Day 1 in the Big Brother House

Right then, first things first before we get into this. Introductions.

I'm 31, living in Manchester with my folks (so that's me pegged as a nerd already). I'm engaged to a fantastic girl and its full steam ahead with the plan to get married next year. I work as a Process Engineer (also known as a Chemical Engineer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_engineering) here in Manchester, although I have a Chemistry degree and PhD (hence the Doctor Tom tag - and further evidence of nerd-dom). Some people think that makes me a fake Doctor but I know better.

I have a ridiculous addiction to sports (mainly watching but sometimes playing) but I do frequently go out into the daylight too. Currently I'm in to Rockclimbing, Scuba Diving, Snowboarding and Cycling, though I'm pretty crap at all of them and far too overweight to be doing any really meaningful exercise. I did complete a triathlon last year but (a) it was only a Sprint one (b) I was pretty much last to finish, although I outpaced that 75 year old on the final straight to kick his ass.

Other interests include the prototypical ones for someone in my life position of reading, music, films, eating, traveling and so on but I'll reserve further information for a later blog. I want to get it in organically rather than now as it feels like I'm currently writing a CV! I would say politically I am right of centre and I only go into churches for weddings, funerals and christenings - so now at least you know the angle I'm coming at things from.

This blog will literally be about my life; what I get up to, where, with who, my thoughts on stuff, my ideas and other assorted titbits I find. It may be interesting, it sometimes might be funny but my main hope is that one day somebody other than a friend or family member reads it (i.e. through choice rather than because I've bugged people to go have a look to get my stats up).

Wow, having read that back it is staggeringly boring!! However as an introduction it tells you most of what you need to know. It took me 3 hours to come up with the title (which I know sucks but used a highly scientific method to eventually decide upon) so I'm not surprised the opening blog is not great. I'm pretty sure though my life is more interesting than it at first seems so hopefully that'll come across when I get around to blogging properly.

Till next time,

DT