Post by: Mad cyclist on 12 November, 2018, 02:50:19 pm
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Post by: Wowbagger on 12 November, 2018, 03:03:19 pm
For many years I have been a moderate(ly weak) chess player - county 2nd team at my peak. However, I discovered that I had a pretty decent success rate at training primary-school aged children to play at a very high level in their age groups. When the opportunity came to take a voluntary redundancy I grabbed it with both hands and set myself up teaching kids how to play chess. From 1995 to the spring of this year, that has been my main, some years sole, source of income.
I also qualified as a piano teacher. So there again, my hobby became a money-making activity.
I found that once I had been earning money from an activity, it ceased to be a pleasure any more and became a chore. My last game of competitive chess was something like 14 years ago, and the end to my career coincided with my younger daughter going to university, and I didn't have the company any more. I stopped practising the piano.
I have stopped teaching the piano and I'm playing a lot again, and I reckon that I'm probably playing better than I ever have - which seems a bit odd for an old git with arthritic hands. Having said that, Andras Schiff is a bit older than I am and I find him inspirational. Daniel Barenboim still plays and he's superb. John Lill (won the Moscow International Competition in 1970 is well into his 70s and is still performing - I'm going to a recital of his on Friday.
Post by: mike on 12 November, 2018, 03:19:27 pm
I found that once I had been earning money from an activity, it ceased to be a pleasure any more and became a chore.
Exactly this. I went from enthusiastic photographer to paid wedding and corporate photographer and found I almost never used my camera unless I was being paid to.
I've now stopped looking for paid work and am using my camera much more for fun again (and using it better too)
Post by: T42 on 12 November, 2018, 03:25:37 pm
Post by: robgul on 12 November, 2018, 03:52:02 pm
Although I`m beyond retirement age and don`t really need the money. I enjoy it and and will probably carry on until I no longer enjoy it or the owner wants to change the arrangement. (In true bike shop employee tradition I do spend quite a bit on bike stuff ... all at trade price of course :thumbsup:)
Rob
Post by: Mad cyclist on 12 November, 2018, 04:10:58 pm
Post by: Torslanda on 12 November, 2018, 04:15:22 pm
Of course when you're cornered you fight back. My only transferrable skill was being able to fix bikes and I had a little capital. Given a choice of staying at home rocking back & to in a corner until the money ran out or going down fighting I chose the latter. It's reasonably well documented on here. I haven't grown to hate bikes or cycling but don't ride much.
Being aware of my mistakes I am doing my level best to make sure the boys don't do the same. I have been steering the eldest towards a practical engineering career. Trying to emphasise that it's the work that provides the income for the hobbies - not the other way around.
Post by: Torslanda on 12 November, 2018, 04:16:02 pm
I do apologise it should of read making your cycling hobby your career instead of making your hobby your career and should of gone in off topic 🙄
Keep it where it is IMHO.
Post by: Mad cyclist on 12 November, 2018, 04:17:55 pm
I do apologise it should of read making your cycling hobby your career instead of making your hobby your career and should of gone in off topic
Keep it where it is IMHO.
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Post by: Mad cyclist on 12 November, 2018, 04:28:19 pm
Maybe if I feel confident enough start my own bicycle repair business
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Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 12 November, 2018, 04:38:38 pm
Post by: Mad cyclist on 12 November, 2018, 04:41:57 pm
I was bike-mad as a youth and gradually moved into being a part-time then full-time bike mechanic, team mechanic, head mechanic at a shop and eventually shop manager. I spent a lot of time with bikes but not very much time riding by the end. I then went back to uni, am an engineer now and ride quite a bit.Did you go on a bike mechanic course or did you learn on the job
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Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 12 November, 2018, 05:01:50 pm
The shop where I 'apprenticed' was the best-equipped shop in the state, including lathes and torch. Stewy was an ex-toolmaker and liked making tools to higher tolerances than were commercially available. Several times, the shop had the only tool in the country for esoteric bike kit. I have my own Campag tool case and wheely tool cases in both Oz and the UK.
Post by: Torslanda on 12 November, 2018, 06:13:15 pm
Quote
Maybe if I feel confident enough start my own bicycle repair business
When we visited the DiscWorld Emporium in the Summer I was given to understand that Wincanton was devoid of bike shops.
Coincidentally renting a small shop on Wincanton high street was cheap. Very cheap.
#jussayin
Post by: Mad cyclist on 12 November, 2018, 06:15:54 pm
That's handy to knowQuoteMaybe if I feel confident enough start my own bicycle repair business
When we visited the DiscWorld Emporium in the Summer I was given to understand that Wincanton was devoid of bike shops.
Coincidentally renting a small shop on Wincanton high street was cheap. Very cheap.
#jussayin
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Post by: ElyDave on 12 November, 2018, 06:16:17 pm
I'd love to be a brewer as well, utilising my chemical engineering g skills and home brew enthusiasm, buts its very difficult to make a living from a micro brewery.
Post by: Wowbagger on 12 November, 2018, 06:58:38 pm
Post by: bludger on 12 November, 2018, 07:03:48 pm
Post by: rogerzilla on 12 November, 2018, 07:37:21 pm
Post by: mzjo on 12 November, 2018, 09:43:26 pm
In an earlier life I was a motorcycle despatcher for a couple of years (started it much too late) and, while I actually enjoyed the riding bit, the maintenance side sometimes got stressful. I quickly got to the stage where the bike got ridden if there was money in it, the weekend I drove the car (and sometimes rode a bicycle!). It broke my first marriage though!
I also enjoyed farming but that was a vocation not a career!
Post by: ElyDave on 13 November, 2018, 06:07:29 am
Post by: Peat on 13 November, 2018, 08:48:20 am
I've done some ride leading for him, I think the reality is it's a massive exercise in logistics and herding cats. The punters are incredibly needy. He puts a smile on, but i don't think I could hack it full time.
Post by: mark on 13 November, 2018, 05:41:43 pm
A friend of mine started a cycle tour company. The idea being he'd get to ride all year round in the sunshine in the worlds best spots.
I've done some ride leading for him, I think the reality is it's a massive exercise in logistics and herding cats. The punters are incredibly needy. He puts a smile on, but i don't think I could hack it full time.
I spent a summer leading bicycle tours for a US company, leading US tourists in the Salzburg area. "Incredibly needy" is about as nicely as I can describe those people. On the positive side, I had some great times cycling around France in between tours.
Post by: citoyen on 13 November, 2018, 07:39:36 pm
My understanding is that reading audio books is also very poorly rewarded - unless you can pass yourself off as Stephen Fry or someone. I've thought about it too, as I have had unsolicited favourable comments about the quality of my voice (both spoken and sung!) but have never got a round tuit.
I used to do it regularly as a volunteer for the RNID when I was a student - reading text books onto tape for deaf fellow students. It was interesting, and a great way of broadening my own education by reading things I’d never have looked at otherwise. But that was the full extent of my reward - I don’t imagine they would have had funds spare to pay for it (though they did have a well equipped recording studio - a good use of their limited resources).
Mind you, with my voice, I reckon they could have operated a profitable sideline in selling copies of the tapes as sleep aids.
Anyway, if it’s something you’re interested in doing, contact the RNID because I imagine they probably still need this service.
Post by: rafletcher on 13 November, 2018, 07:42:16 pm
My understanding is that reading audio books is also very poorly rewarded - unless you can pass yourself off as Stephen Fry or someone. I've thought about it too, as I have had unsolicited favourable comments about the quality of my voice (both spoken and sung!) but have never got a round tuit.
I used to do it regularly as a volunteer for the RNID when I was a student - reading text books onto tape for deaf fellow students. It was interesting, and a great way of broadening my own education by reading things I’d never have looked at otherwise. But that was the full extent of my reward - I don’t imagine they would have had funds spare to pay for it (though they did have a well equipped recording studio - a good use of their limited resources).
Mind you, with my voice, I reckon they could have operated a profitable sideline in selling copies of the tapes as sleep aids.
Anyway, if it’s something you’re interested in doing, contact the RNID because I imagine they probably still need this service.
Reading to the deaf? Do you mean the blind?
Post by: Kim on 13 November, 2018, 07:47:59 pm
Reading to the deaf?
About average for
But the RNIB are the ones with form for the molishing of audio books, shirley?
Post by: citoyen on 13 November, 2018, 08:19:32 pm
My understanding is that reading audio books is also very poorly rewarded - unless you can pass yourself off as Stephen Fry or someone. I've thought about it too, as I have had unsolicited favourable comments about the quality of my voice (both spoken and sung!) but have never got a round tuit.
I used to do it regularly as a volunteer for the RNID when I was a student - reading text books onto tape for deaf fellow students. It was interesting, and a great way of broadening my own education by reading things I’d never have looked at otherwise. But that was the full extent of my reward - I don’t imagine they would have had funds spare to pay for it (though they did have a well equipped recording studio - a good use of their limited resources).
Mind you, with my voice, I reckon they could have operated a profitable sideline in selling copies of the tapes as sleep aids.
Anyway, if it’s something you’re interested in doing, contact the RNID because I imagine they probably still need this service.
Reading to the deaf? Do you mean the blind?
Erm. It was a long time ago. I forget the details.
:facepalm:
Post by: Adam on 13 November, 2018, 09:29:38 pm
Anyway, I've now formed a CIC to recycle unwanted bikes, run training courses and other more useful things. One week in so far and 14 bikes renovated. Definitely more rewarding from a human perspective.
Post by: rafletcher on 14 November, 2018, 09:09:55 am
Many life stories on this topic seem, to me at least, to be stories of how one got out of a career and turned a hobby into paid income.
My story is a bit different as I never got beyond O levels so I never managed to start a career. Instead, I have been playing guitar on stage since I was 9 and have got by as a semi-pro musician. I say semi but in reality it has fluctuated between zilch and about one third of what I have needed to pay the mortgage and survive so I have often needed other jobs and lodgers to keep my head above water, financially speaking.
Many years ago I was curious about computers, bought a Sinclair ZX-81, wrote a few programs to help me with my then side job doing finances in the NHS (this predates the NHS having computers) and that led to a variety of computer openings. As music is what makes me tick, regardless of the pay, I have stayed mostly with what I love doing.
My stepson is also a musician, and very interested in computing. So along with recording and performing (as Cursor Miner - an acquired taste!) he did a PhD at Queen Mary's on the subject of, well, this... https://www.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/~simond/phd/RobertTubb-PhD-Thesis.pdf
On the back of it he now has a job with a software company in Berlin - his first "proper" job which he started aged approximately 40.