Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Where are you and where are you going?
TopHatFox
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Location: FL; 25

Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by TopHatFox »

So I went to the geology department today and it looked pretty good. Looks like I'm likely to be accepted, with funding, and they'll take some of my MPA credits. It’s accredited too. The biggest PITA will be a thesis if I choose to do one, and finding a thesis advisor.

I also went to a career fair and met with representations from the US Dept of Ag, US Geo Society, NOAA, the NSF, and Fish and Wildlife. They really like geologists, and I can definitely see myself working with them. They also like public administrators. I'd imagine the MPA + MS will be a good combo, so at least the MPA wasn't a total waste of time. In any case, it'll probably take quite a while to do an MS in geo if I were to move to another state--especially with out of state tuition--so this perhaps this is the time to do it. I also have a gf now and a fwb or two, so that's much better. Finally, I moved my room to one room of my parent's rental, so at least that helps me pretend I’m an adult. lol.

I’m in the market for a nice manual crank standing and two 27” monitors. Maybe a mic also. Good for ramping up the financial advice business and work in general.

Two other issues I have are:

1. We have no more car spaces in our HOA, and I'd like a used Corolla, just dunno where to park it.
2. I'd like to have a geo job through the MS in Geo, so maybe I can apply to work a job through then

TopHatFox
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by TopHatFox »

MAY 2020

MPA: Done. 3.8 GPA, did it in 8 months, funded with stipend. I think the degree (and frankly most degrees) is bullshit and may not really hold much professional weight since it's not necessarily an in-demand, difficult skill, but at least I can now move on to something else and I have *a* masters.

Geology MS + License: Got accepted to the MS in Geosciences program. I find out about if my grad school funding will be extended to pay for all of my classes + a stipend in two weeks or so. Also found an ASBOG national certification for geology that I can study and take the test for in Oct 2020.

Geology Experience: Sent out e-mails to geology alumni all over the Mountain States and in FL. Got some promising leads, some of which may only require a BA in Geo and whatever-MS.

Girlfriend: Going well, though now it's monogamous, so that's been interesting. I think this might be my first monogamous relationship ever lol. Not sure how I feel about monogamy, but for now it's good. Relationship might be an issue if I need to bail out west, but maybe she'd want to come. We'll see. Still don't want kids or marriage.

Parents: Replaced mom's car from a lease to an owned, cheaper, more reliable model. Learned how to get a used car, fix it, and maintain it. Now need to sell dad's car probably at a loss, and get him a fully-owned, cheaper, more reliable model.

Home Repair: Need to learn more about buying a used home and home repair. This along with car knowledge is indispensable.

Stahlmann
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by Stahlmann »

if you weren't able to sustain daily 12h work in (let's say) comfy settings in NYC (possibilities to enjoy materialism after work, a lot people to date after hours), why are interested in living in container somewhere in the middle of nowhere with limited number of people for extended periods of time?

I'm genuinely curious to know your reasoning behind your current strategy. Maybe I'm missing something.

TopHatFox
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by TopHatFox »

Geology is skilled labor, and a STEM field. It is in-demand, pays well, has varied work settings, and has varied work schedules. Apparently most of the work is in Hydrogeology/Environmental Geology, Oil/gas, and mining. But there are plenty of these firms or government agencies throughout CO or UT. I’m sure it’s a job at the end of the day, but it’s much better than generic-office worker or over-saturated MS-level counselor.

Stahlmann
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by Stahlmann »

C40 wrote:
Wed May 01, 2019 2:39 pm
+1 on this. I'd include this in the 3 or 5 most important skills at work (along with being like-able and doing good work)
u wrote a bigger portion of such pieces of advice somewhere in topics of THF.
where is it? searching post of you + "boss" doesn't provide my much meat.
if somebody found this, pls share.

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C40
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by C40 »

Stahlmann wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 4:31 am
u wrote a bigger portion of such pieces of advice somewhere in topics of THF.
where is it? searching post of you + "boss" doesn't provide my much meat.
if somebody found this, pls share.
umm, I don't know. It could be in threads made by other people... but If you're sure it's in one of THF's topics, have you searched through his work-related threads?

theanimal
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by theanimal »

What’s going on Mr. Fox?

Stahlmann
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by Stahlmann »

it seems he hacked his personality to stop asking questions online and started living without us :lol:

Stahlmann
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by Stahlmann »

In the vein of the topic - I'm looking for some accounts of disenchantment millennials with their 9-5 who overcame this state.

Yea, monkey see, monkey does.

I was smarter than hooping new job every 6 months, but now being at large I feel lost.

TopHatFox
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Location: FL; 25

Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the West!

Post by TopHatFox »

June 2021

Finished MS in Geology + certifications. Travelled 35 states and all their national parks (24,000+ miles), and gave up on saving the parents financially. Firmly decided I don’t want kids, and saved some more grad stipends. Had fun adventures with the gf. Can now have full conversations in Portuguese and French + wrote two college-level papers in them. Got offered a free PhD by my major professor, but decided against it. Now applying for Geology work in US Mountain West, western Canada, Alaska, or Australia/NZ using the MS. Currently interviewing for a gold mine in AK.

I no longer feel the need to be surrounded by people, nor do I care if they’re successful or not. Having had some money for a while, I also no longer really care about having more in excess or retiring early (I.e., living only off a portfolio). Working part-time, on-and-off, or as a freelance geo is fine. Feeling pretty free.

—————

NW: 130K

daylen
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by daylen »

I heart you.

theanimal
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by theanimal »

Long live THF! Welcome back! I likely know what gold mine you are interviewing at. There are 2 big ones, one of which I've worked at and the other of which I have lots of friends that work there. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

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Jean
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by Jean »

Nice to ear you're doing well.

Gilberto de Piento
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by Gilberto de Piento »

Thanks for the update, good to hear you are finding your way! :D

TopHatFox
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by TopHatFox »

I heart you too<3.

theanimal, can you pm me your # again, I nuked my old phone and contacts after a rather disturbing scam scheme came through the line. Would be interested to hear about the mines or other geo roles your friends are doing in AK or in western USA/Canada.

Yeah, much more clear on how to succeed in real world rather than school world.

TopHatFox
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Location: FL; 25

Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by TopHatFox »

SEPTEMBER 2021

Travel

I’ve now travelled through 42 states and 100+ national parks, national monuments, national historic sites, and cities. The lava caves of NE California were so cool. I saw bears, mountain goats, bison, deer, elk, foxes, rabbits, chipmunks, and more.


GIS/RS Work

No luck finding mining, oil, or hydrogeology jobs, but lots of luck finding GIS and Remote Sensing work. I think there’s more demand for computer geologists than other types. If I can get a gis/rs role, I’ll likely take it & invest in it as much as possible, as the field is very interesting to me and teaches lots of other profitable, 100% remote skills.


Snip

After years of consideration, I finally got the snip with one of the best docs, so no chirren ever thx. I did save plenty of “material” just in case, but extremely unlikely I’ll ever use it. Recovery was pretty easy, played some Skyrim & ate canned soup.


Flex Work as New Normal & Minimalism

I don’t really think it makes that much sense to work a million hours/week in-person to save up a hearty stash any more. Not only are offices generally full of people that are meh — and who won’t hang out with you anyway after you leave — but we’re inflating the currency too much, all countries are in debt, we’re voting in more socialistic policies, etc.

Makes more sense to be a minimalist, learn high-hour rate remote skills, and earn a living as you’re traveling about enjoying your youth while you have it. You can easily save money anyway doing this. You also have the option to continue working after you have a nice stash, just with less hours or via a self-employment website. Having flexible post-FI work keeps one sane, and makes a portfolio more resilient. In-person skills likely wouldn’t allow flexible post-FI work.

On minimalism, I have learned that you can actually build an apartment in a bedroom (with electricity); it’s actually much easier than an RV because of easy electricity. Full-size bed/couch and end-table/night-stand; tv hung on wall + Xbox; sturdy desk with 3 monitors that doubles as work bench; cooking table with induction hot plate, mini-oven, and blender; mini-fridge/freezer; free-standing sink with water pump and water jugs; closet with clothes, shoes, broom, mop, and stored prepper supplies; and attached bathroom with sink, toilet, & shower.

Western Red Cedar
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by Western Red Cedar »

Hey THF - Very cool update and it is great to see you thriving. I'm relatively new here but followed along your journey for a couple years before creating an account.
TopHatFox wrote:
Thu Sep 02, 2021 10:00 am
Hey Giskard - do you know if GIS/Remote Sensing is a good field to go into long-term?

Off the cuff, it looks like it offers lots of opportunity to learn other skills, such as machine learning, AI, Python, etc; it can be done at-home easily; and it can be turned into a business with a website, podcast, & PayPal.
I saw this and thought I would offer my two cents as I've dabbled in RS/GIS in the past. @Mountain Frugal may be able to offer additional insights as I think he is still active in this area and has moved to a part-time, remote position.

I think GIS/Remote sensing is a solid direction to move if you are passionate about it and willing to learn to code. Based on your academic background, I would suggest just trying to land a job and learning as much as possible on the clock. Some of the most proficient GIS analysts I've worked with learned everything on the job. Most employers would probably pay for you to get a GIS certificate (usually 3-4 college classes) or other certs, and you can probably apply a lot of course work to what you'd be doing for your job.

Remote sensing is a little more niche, but pairs well with solid GIS and geospatial analysis skills. It is probably particularly relevant in geology. Lidar has become really valuable for assessing geologically hazardous areas over the last 10 years, along with a host of other things (archeological digs, forest management, etc.)

More generally, I've noticed a trend in the public sector in which GIS specialists are migrating to IT departments. Whereas, for years, there were specialists (bioligists, geologists, environmental planners, etc.) dispersed through different departments at state, regional or local governments.

I haven't really met any indie GIS/RS analysts. I did work with someone who created their own company and had a contract with us, but he was a municipal GIS specialist who was moonlighting. Most of the GIS or RS specialists I've seen either work in the public sector, at university labs, or for consulting companies. You may need to keep your expectations in check in terms of the independent opportunities, but if you develop a strong enough skill set you could probably freelance without much trouble.

The powerful thing about GIS and geospatial analysis is that you can apply it in any field. It is pretty big in natural resource management, emergency response and land use planning, but I think there is a lot of opportunity to keep growing further into other areas like public health and public safety. There are probably going to be a lot of opportunities to do interesting analysis around climate change, mitigation, and adaptation for years to come.

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mountainFrugal
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by mountainFrugal »

It is a quickly growing field and there are opportunities across all sectors, not just geology. I recently gave this advice to a friend's sibling interested in geospatial. If you have no experience yet, make a github profile and start learning and doing your own spatial data projects. I agree with @WRC about learning as much on the job as possible, but you might have a chicken/egg problem to get your first gig without some sort of skills to show. This is not the only data type that I deal with, but it has been fun because most of the data is free and you can ask all sorts of interesting large scale questions once you get the hang of it. Good luck.

---
I would recommend R because there is a healthy ecosystem of packages for dealing with all the different data types and statistics that is just not there in Python (yet?). Here are some tutorials to get you started. I recommend also learning code version control as this will serve you going forward with whatever project you have and will give you something to point to (covered in the beginning tutorial links).
1) Very beginner- https://software-carpentry.org/lessons/ (intro to R and Unix)
2) Intro to spatial- https://datacarpentry.org/r-intro-geospatial/
3) intermediate spatial- https://datacarpentry.org/r-raster-vector-geospatial/
4) advanced spatial- https://www.earthdatascience.org/course ... me-series/

General spatial R package list- https://cran.r-project.org/web/views/Spatial.html

TopHatFox
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by TopHatFox »

That’ll be helpful, thanks! I have 1 grad RS course, 1 grad GIS course, 1 grad Python class, and 1 undergrad CS class, so I have some samples to show thankfully. I think getting the first job will be key.

Hm, if GIS/RS may not lend to self-employment, other adjacent skills like Python probably would. Much easier than trying to self-employ an ability to log core or take soil samples, I’d imagine.

Western Red Cedar
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Re: Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Post by Western Red Cedar »

I should note that it could definitely be possible to self-employ or contract remotely with a consulting firm if you have a solid skill set in GIS/R/Python. If you are talented enough, you can probably create an ideal work environment. I just haven't seen it much over the last 10 years.

I suspect that my observations are primarily framed by working mostly with public sector GIS analysts, or consultants who "need" a full-time job. When you apply ERE or FU money to a professional situation, things change dramatically. Particularly in the current job climate.

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