Re: To be or not to be a DBA

Ed Stevens <nospam_at_noway.nohow> wrote in message news:<bcm130t0rbchr3evbubm26oagfn4p0o8dl_at_4ax.com>...
> On 13 Feb 2004 11:50:18 -0800, norwoodthree_at_my-deja.com (NorwoodThree)
> wrote:
>
> >If I had to do it all over again, I would not only have avoided being
> >a DBA, but would have stayed out of IT altogether. I knew I should
> >have learned guitar in my pre-20s instead ;)
>
> Here, here! I was a music ed. major in college. If I had known then
> what I know now (who, over the age of 40, *hasn't* said that?) I'd
> have spent far more time in the practice room and hounding my profs
> for more performance opportunities. I wouldn't have made as much
> money as I have in IT, but would have been much happier.

My brother-in-law also got his degree and became a pubilc school music teacher. After a couple of years, he went into the washing-machine repair business, because he had to support his young family. He just retired. Between 30 years of normal retirement investing and my sisters tax business she started after the kids were gone, they are middle-class millionaires.

Given the riskiness of evolving technology, only the first-hand knowledge that I really hate fixing washing-machines and much prefer being a technoweenie makes it worth the small difference in pay (and events of the next 20 years may wipe out that). I've still made more money in real estate investing. So the real secret is to have an avocation you like to pay the bills, and invest wisely to get rich.

Sometimes I have regrets I didn't continue on as a research scientist, although I can just as easily imagine being marginalized from the scientific community as I can imagine founding an ImClone. But I was just too tired of school, so I'm glad I found a niche.

jg

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