Landman or Landbrat?

Well, it happened today. My Crew Chief (my boss' boss' title is "Crew Chief--I am "Landman" and I swear this industry does have the coolest job titles) comes over and says "I need to talk to you." Normally I take such a request to be bad because it almost always is, but my head was down and she talked fast, so fast the question was out before I could process the "I need to talk to you."

What it was about is as of tomorrow I will be working a new courthouse in a new county for a new client. (their new client, I still have the same agent.) For those of you outside the industry, this is how it works and this is how fast it happens. Projects can end as fast as they can say "pack it up." HQ I heard even wanted me to slide over today. My boss told them "come on!" They moved fast on this project, almost wanted me to start the day after Thanksgiving but I held them off because that is a crazy day to start what with everyone off and I had an indie signing that monday and had taken tuesday to hop a ride in a private jet.

But this is the life. Same as the military, when the mission dictates you move, you move. I know what is involved. My current county could well slow down. If it does, the guy who didn't want to go may well be first let go. OTOH, when you accept a new project, you show loyalty. You get to "learn a new county" which is always good--always. People said word on the street is that they want to grow it to 30-40 people, just like where I am now. I think with two of us leaving tomorrow there will be 3-4. The boss there is a good guy. We used to talk in the deed room before we (at least I) realized we were working for the same outfit.

Most everyone has known a "military brat." Not as common as they were years ago, it is not a disparaging term, but a term for someone who knows how to go place to place and make the best of it. This will give me 5 counties in 2 states and 2 land survey systems. If it gets me promoted one day well yip, yip, yahoo. I am just one of the 2 3? people on here loving this business.

Quote: AZDuffman

But this is the life. Same as the military, when the mission dictates you move, you move.

This seems to be the biggest thing.

My look into the future has left me with a metric ton of choices, so much so that I'm wondering what all this "can't find a job" nonsense is all about. Oddly, the two directions pulling me the hardest are very contradictory - Do I want to be a greasy, dripping roustabout, or a tree hugging hippie? =)

Both are physical, both get me into the field. Both are growing industries, both require physical labor, both require a background in the sciences. Both will require pursuit of higher education, both require "man skills", and on and on it goes.

Every one I am capable of, every one I'd excel at. The one big question, my one glaring weakness - Am I prepared to move?

I'm very attached, perhaps too attached, to my current life. Some things, like fishing and racing, I could find anywhere. Others, like my hockey and family, I can't. Additionally, my other half has a Masters in corporate finance and has almost procured her law degree in same. How much demand is there for a corporate lawyer in a boom town in the middle of nowhere?

Moving will definitely be the biggest challenge. The money is everywhere, it just won't come to you.

Were I a non-breeding bachelor like yourself, I'd be tramping all over. It seems the only thing a blue collar boy needs to pull down $60 - $80 - $100k is the drive to work and the willingness to do it anywhere. It seems capability and flexibility is all one needs to blow up big time.

You love the area you live in, you'd be miserable moving.
All it would do is constantly remind you that wherever
you are, you miss being home.

Quote: Face

This seems to be the biggest thing.

My look into the future has left me with a metric ton of choices, so much so that I'm wondering what all this "can't find a job" nonsense is all about. Oddly, the two directions pulling me the hardest are very contradictory - Do I want to be a greasy, dripping roustabout, or a tree hugging hippie? =)

Both are physical, both get me into the field. Both are growing industries, both require physical labor, both require a background in the sciences. Both will require pursuit of higher education, both require "man skills", and on and on it goes.

Every one I am capable of, every one I'd excel at. The one big question, my one glaring weakness - Am I prepared to move?

I'm very attached, perhaps too attached, to my current life. Some things, like fishing and racing, I could find anywhere. Others, like my hockey and family, I can't. Additionally, my other half has a Masters in corporate finance and has almost procured her law degree in same. How much demand is there for a corporate lawyer in a boom town in the middle of nowhere?

Moving will definitely be the biggest challenge. The money is everywhere, it just won't come to you.

I was once very attached to WNY. I liked the town. It was big enough that there were all kinds of things to do, yet small enough that you could netwrok your way to knowing a lot of people. I met the mayor 3 or 4 times. I had a pub-crawl I went on. I had a nice house on a corner lot. But I could not get the job that would keep me living well. One day I woke up and said, "what am I doing?" Before this I decided the next relocation I would have would be a big one, to a new time zone. As we all know, that is what I did.

While it was not all smooth sailing, it really woke me up. Back in WNY there were just a few employers for those of us in banking. In AZ I once had 19 interviews in one week! In WNY 3 was a "good week." I discovered poker. I watched football at 10:00 AM. People cannot believe the adventure I had. Even moving into my first roommate place out there was something to remember. Later one roommate had a monster truck and the other one kept machine guns.

What is the point of all this rambling? The point is that you have to break inertia. The life of a roustabout will not leave a lot of time for hockey, but something can replace that. You might have to make some of it happen. But why not book some ice time and have a pick-up game?

Family, that is tough. I have reminded all the peeps here before that the USA was built on men finding their fortune and a supportive woman staying behind. It continues today with Mexicans and OTMs coming from overseas and sending money home. To be sure, it happens other places as well, but that only proves it is sometimes the best way.

You may need to sit down with the little lady and be sure your plan and goals are in harmony. Many are the women who say, "he has to be away for 'x' time, no big deal it is for work." Then, within a year, they are POed he is "gone so often." They want their man home. They would rather he be home and they be broke than he be gone sometimes and they live well. Not saying this will be her case, but I am saying I've seen it happen too often, so be sure it will be well.

My best advice may be to get on in PA as a roustabout. Get a 7/12 on 7/off plan if you can. Find a cheap motel or better yet find a room on craigslist. Live this life for 2 years.

At the end of 2 years, try to get a better gig on an oil platform. The feds are finally opening the east coast to leases, which means in 3-4 years they will be drilling. Can you live on 2 acres for 2 weeks? Can you do it in a storm? IMHO this gives the most predictability for her. Those guys do 14 on/14 off. Just when she misses you, you will come home. Just as she gets sick of you, you leave. The money will be good. On a platform she knows you will not be going on the town. Use the freequent flier miles from BUF to take her somewhere nice.I was once very attached to WNY. I liked the town. It was big enough that there were all kinds of things to do, yet small enough that you could netwrok your way to knowing a lot of people. I met the mayor 3 or 4 times. I had a pub-crawl I went on. I had a nice house on a corner lot. But I could not get the job that would keep me living well. One day I woke up and said, "what am I doing?" Before this I decided the next relocation I would have would be a big one, to a new time zone. As we all know, that is what I did.

While it was not all smooth sailing, it really woke me up. Back in WNY there were just a few employers for those of us in banking. In AZ I once had 19 interviews in one week! In WNY 3 was a "good week." I discovered poker. I watched football at 10:00 AM. People cannot believe the adventure I had. Even moving into my first roommate place out there was something to remember. Later one roommate had a monster truck and the other one kept machine guns.

What is the point of all this rambling? The point is that you have to break inertia. The life of a roustabout will not leave a lot of time for hockey, but something can replace that. You might have to make some of it happen. But why not book some ice time and have a pick-up game?

Family, that is tough. I have reminded all the peeps here before that the USA was built on men finding their fortune and a supportive woman staying behind. It continues today with Mexicans and OTMs coming from overseas and sending money home. To be sure, it happens other places as well, but that only proves it is sometimes the best way.

You may need to sit down with the little lady and be sure your plan and goals are in harmony. Many are the women who say, "he has to be away for 'x' time, no big deal it is for work." Then, within a year, they are POed he is "gone so often." They want their man home. They would rather he be home and they be broke than he be gone sometimes and they live well. Not saying this will be her case, but I am saying I've seen it happen too often, so be sure it will be well.

My best advice may be to get on in PA as a roustabout. Get a 7/12 on 7/off plan if you can. Find a cheap motel or better yet find a room on craigslist. Live this life for 2 years.

At the end of 2 years, try to get a better gig on an oil platform. The feds are finally opening the east coast to leases, which means in 3-4 years they will be drilling. Can you live on 2 acres for 2 weeks? Can you do it in a storm? IMHO this gives the most predictability for her. Those guys do 14 on/14 off. Just when she misses you, you will come home. Just as she gets sick of you, you leave. The money will be good. On a platform she knows you will not be going on the town. Use the freequent flier miles from BUF to take her somewhere nice.

Quote:

Were I a non-breeding bachelor like yourself, I'd be tramping all over. It seems the only thing a blue collar boy needs to pull down $60 - $80 - $100k is the drive to work and the willingness to do it anywhere. It seems capability and flexibility is all one needs to blow up big time.

Most limits are self-imposed. How many people have we all known that are mid-20s and still humping the night shift at some store and say they "can't get in anywhere" yet they do not want to commute of move. Suck it up, get her onboard, and in 5-10 years you will be sahyng, "good grief, had I not done this I would still commuting to a job I hate on I-86 which they still have not paved!"

I've known a lot of Land Brats -- oh, you dont mean the people who work in my office? :)

There's a lot of goofing off tradition in the land business which I'm sure AZ you are not appreciative of. A landman told me the other day, "You have to learn to take 45 minute breaks." He wanted to smoke a cigar. On the other hand: client in the office, oh hop to it, be in at eight and don't leave until five-thirty. Their are certainly some perverse incentives created with the billing system too.

I'm very sedentary in my current position so I'm basically a corporate 8-5 office drone in the middle of nowhere. There are worse things to be. (I can't say I wouldn't prefer a bigger city. But the fact that we're here probably keeps the pressure on our day rates up). They are extremely flexible with time off, going out of the office for a little bit for doctor's appointments, etc. -- no corporate bullshit or annoying boss either. And they get the money right.

Quote: theodores

There's a lot of goofing off tradition in the land business which I'm sure AZ you are not appreciative of. A landman told me the other day, "You have to learn to take 45 minute breaks." He wanted to smoke a cigar. On the other hand: client in the office, oh hop to it, be in at eight and don't leave until five-thirty. Their are certainly some perverse incentives created with the billing system too.

Not appreciative of?

Quote: AZDuffman

Not appreciative of?

I don't know, for some reason I imagined you as the guy getting in at 7:30 and leaving at 5 ... contemptuous of everyone else. Actually, that's another friend of mine that I got into the business. He doesn't like the goof-offs.

There's a lot of ex-military people in the office. They treat it as just another posting -- today I'm in Ohio, next month Arkansas, then maybe Wyoming...whatever!

Quote: theodores

I don't know, for some reason I imagined you as the guy getting in at 7:30 and leaving at 5 ... contemptuous of everyone else. Actually, that's another friend of mine that I got into the business. He doesn't like the goof-offs.

There's a lot of ex-military people in the office. They treat it as just another posting -- today I'm in Ohio, next month Arkansas, then maybe Wyoming...whatever!

I do get in before 8 but am gone by 4. I just do dislike people who push it too far.

Treating it as a posting is smart. A year on one project may be long.