California dreamin?

[The Hippie]

Okay, to start out, this is a post where I'm looking for a bit of advice. I know a lot of these members are quite knowledgeable, so that is why I decided to ask you guys.

 

Now, my #1 goal in this lifetime is to one day move out to California. But I'm not sure how to go about it. I'm 19 now and I've been working at a sh*tty warehouse lately. I know for a fact I do not want to be doing something like that for the rest of my life. I'm trying to force myself to go back to school and take a college course. But for the life of me I don't know what to take. It's a big decision and I'm sure some of you can relate.

 

To me it is very important to do what you love. I'm kind of a lazy f*cker, unless it's something that I enjoy doing. To add to it I don't have that many interests, Which makes it more difficult to pick a course to spend thousands of dollars on. So here, I'll try to list as many interests as I can where I could picture myself getting a career in. #1 for me is NFL football, football is my life and I look forward to every Sunday during the season. Downside is, it's near impossible to get into the NFL at any level. #2 would be the earth and the environment. I love beautiful landscapes, I love trees and forests, beaches, deserts, mountains all that good stuff. Anything geography related I guess. I know Cali has a diverse landscape so I'm leaning toward this option the most. I just need to narrow it down a tad. # 3 would be travelling. I love to travel and I'm always looking to explore and go on an adventure. I also love music and cars but I really don't know anything about them as far as a job would require.

 

I know the economy out in Cali isn't the greatest. I know this. So that is why I know it's important to get into field that will be needed in the future. So this is where I'm asking for your opinion, especially any of you that live on the West coast. Considering my interests, what types of job would be available and/or upcoming out in California? (Also any cities or towns that are growing and might have work) What type of jobs do you think would suite me?(Anything would help, I just need to gather ideas and options) Finally any courses that you could possibly recommend me as far as college goes?

 

I've really been having a tough time deciding on my future, so any positive feedback from you guys is greatly appreciated. I'm at a point where I just have to make a decision soon. Thanks in advance fellas, peace and love.

 

 

 

[Wolf of Badenoch]

Just follow your heart and listen to your dreams.

[Dale Nixon]

What you should become is easy: a football loving hippie bum traveller.

 

Thank me later.

[El Dildo]

you should move to Humboldt or Mendocino County, California and join the MMJ industry. get a job trimming, cultivating, or preparing super high quality herb for your fellow man. a lot of those jobs are full time with benefits nowadays. better yet, move to Colorado or Washington and get a job doing the same thing but completely legal.

 

California is slightly overrated.

whatever job you have, your money will go a lot further if you live somewhere other than the West coast.

[RoadRunner71]

I know that feel, I'm in a similar situation than you, excluding the football part. I can't help you in regard to your question, but I wish you the best luck

[NYC PATROL]

You seem to like nature a lot. Maybe start doing photography?

IDK but something that let's you be outside all day sounds like it would suit you.

 

I too also want to move out West one day. (Goal to have a nice pad in NYC and SoCal)

 

But yeah it's expensive in CA and you have to have a plan.

[I<3GTAV]

^^^ Photography seems to fit your interests best, like stated above. As a photographer, you can travel the world taking pictures of beautiful landscapes. That seems to suit you perfect.

[Dale Nixon]

^^^ Photography seems to fit your interests best, like stated above. As a photographer, you can travel the world taking pictures of beautiful landscapes. That seems to suit you perfect.

You mean, as a photographer with money and/or people to support you.

[trip]

I can't recommend anything specific as to the what to do and where parts of your deal, but...

 

19 is a good age to figure on a place to [maybe] settle. You can even work a labor/warehouse job in California. At least you will be where you would like while you work towards what you really want to do.

 

Take the crazy life risk while you can. It may sound crazy but sometimes having to survive can be a super fun adventure. Not to mention you will have more stories to tell your grandchildren.

[Dale Nixon]

Take the crazy life risk while you can. It may sound crazy but sometimes having to survive can be a super fun adventure.

Unless you die, of course. Haha.

[Saggy]

you should move to Humboldt or Mendocino County, California and join the MMJ industry. get a job trimming, cultivating, or preparing super high quality herb for your fellow man. a lot of those jobs are full time with benefits nowadays. better yet, move to Colorado or Washington and get a job doing the same thing but completely legal.

 

California is slightly overrated.

whatever job you have, your money will go a lot further if you live somewhere other than the West coast.

lol Those jobs aren't exactly just up for the taking, you've got to know the right people, and the people who have already been doing it for years don't want to lt someone else in either. I don't think I'd make any major investments into the new legal playing field in Washington and Colorado yet either until the DOJ decides if wants to get sue-happy.

 

I don't think you need to focus so much on California, the entire Pacific Northwest has pretty diverse landscapes and a lot of colleges that offer various courses that will get you out into those places. Biology classes, geology, so on and so forth... There's thousands of bush-wacking hippies that don't do anything but walk around in the forests collecting dirt samples and living off a 100k government grant to do so. Pretty awesome really.

 

I don't know what kind of colleges are offered in British Columbia, but you could probably find a course that gets you out into the wilderness there as well.

 

Also as far as football goes... I hate to tell people not to follow their dreams, but personally with your situation this is what I would do:

 

1. Get into a good college on a football scholarship somewhere in the U.S. that has diverse geography

2. Play your ass off--you seem to like that anyway--and get a free ride

3. Take a course in nature biology, geology, geography, etc. etc. There are literally thousands of college courses that will get you out into the woods collecting samples and all sorts of sh*t like that.

 

Now, depending on what type of college you get into that may offer both of these... A desire for a strong football team, and a science department that specializes a lot in wildlife ecology? Well, you're probably going to be in some rural town somewhere in Idahao, Montana, Oregon, or Northern California. My home state of Washington has two universities that are serious about their football teams and offer an abundance of courses that will get you out into nature. UW's biology department is pretty famous for sending students to some pretty awesomely remote places in the temperate rain forest here.

 

See I would take advantage of your interest in football, but I wouldn't make it my life goal. Even if you made it into the NFl, you're going to play for how long? Until you're in your 30s? You'll want something like a degree in some kind of natural science to get a real career in. In the meantime, college football is pretty serious in the U.S., so you might find that fulfills all your football desires right there. As far as I see it, if you have talent and a strong interest in it, most schools will want to give you a scholarship to play for their team. I wouldn't even think about it like "I'm going to play for the NFL" some day, think of it more as "I get to go to school for playing football," and then MAYBE if you're that 1 in a million you'll get drafted into the NFL, but realistically speaking I'd let your interest in football work toward your interest in nature. Think about how much more ground you'll be able to hike than all the other hippies who never played football? lol

 

But, there's two sides to that coin... People serious about football and advancing a career in football, push their bodies too hard. Having a knee injury isn't very conducive to hiking around in the mountains.

[The Hippie]

I have thought about Photography. Great idea, and I would love to do that as a living. Thing is, would it pay enough money to live comfortably out in California? I alway thought of photography as more of a part time job/hobby. Unless you get into National Geographic or something, but what are the odds of that?

 

In reply to SagaciousKJB - Thanks for the reply bro. I do have a really strong interest in football but I've come to the realistic conclusion that being a football player just wasn't meant for me. I just dont have the size. If I were to get into football as a career my favourite job would be to become a football scout. Still a pretty unrealistic goal. I do want to become that bush whacking hippie collecting dirt samples though haha.

[Saggy]

I have thought about Photography. Great idea, and I would love to do that as a living. Thing is, would it pay enough money to live comfortably out in California? I alway thought of photography as more of a part time job/hobby. Unless you get into National Geographic or something, but what are the odds of that?

 

In reply to SagaciousKJB - Thanks for the reply bro. I do have a really strong interest in football but I've come to the realistic conclusion that being a football player just wasn't meant for me. I just dont have the size. If I were to get into football as a career my favourite job would be to become a football scout. Still a pretty unrealistic goal. I do want to become that bush whacking hippie collecting dirt samples though haha.

Well, with that in mind then, any particular reason to leave Canada? You guys have some terrific geology and a lot of good univerisities up there yourself. What else is it about California?

 

I have to admit California would be great for what you want. Very diverse landscapes, and you'd have to make a lot of road trips to get to them. I'm sure the same could probably be said for Canada though.

[PLaYbAck_Nine]

I'm on the same boat as you. I want to move out to California, I want to become a film director, not as easy. But I'm taking the risk. I can't see myself being happy doing anything else but that. So why not give it a shot.

[El Dildo]

 

lol Those jobs aren't exactly just up for the taking, you've got to know the right people, and the people who have already been doing it for years don't want to lt someone else in either.  I don't think I'd make any major investments into the new legal playing field in Washington and Colorado yet either until the DOJ decides if wants to get sue-happy.

you don't know what you're talking about.

these jobs are advertised in the paper, local magazines, on Monster.com, etc etc.

 

most say "no experience necessary" and you don't have to know someone to get in.

you simply apply.

 

the DOJ hasn't sued any of the legal MMJ dispensaries in CO or WA.

they haven't sued the employees either. there's no reason to suspect that they will because the Attorney General has vowed to let legal states be legal.

 

it's a very safe and legitimate career field.

[The Hippie]

 

I have thought about Photography. Great idea, and I would love to do that as a living. Thing is, would it pay enough money to live comfortably out in California? I alway thought of photography as more of a part time job/hobby. Unless you get into National Geographic or something, but what are the odds of that? 

 

In reply to SagaciousKJB - Thanks for the reply bro. I do have a really strong interest in football but I've come to the realistic conclusion that being a football player just wasn't meant for me. I just dont have the size. If I were to get into football as a career my favourite job would be to become a football scout. Still a pretty unrealistic goal. I do want to become that bush whacking hippie collecting dirt samples though haha.

Well, with that in mind then, any particular reason to leave Canada? You guys have some terrific geology and a lot of good univerisities up there yourself. What else is it about California?

 

I have to admit California would be great for what you want. Very diverse landscapes, and you'd have to make a lot of road trips to get to them. I'm sure the same could probably be said for Canada though.

Well, to me, California has everything you could ask for. Don't get me wrong I like Canada and will always be a proud Canadian but something about California that just makes me feel emotionally attached to it . Hard to explain, but I feel that is the place I have to end up. The main reason why I'd prefer California over anywhere in Canada, is the weather. Beautiful temperatures all year round. I think having a good plan to start out with is key to success. It seems though making this plan is the hardest part.