Spontaneous thought whilst driving home from the boat

MoodySabre

MoodySabre

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I was toodling along the lanes from Bradwell on Thursday when a paramedic car went the other way. I had a spontaneous thought "Wish I'd done something useful"

Where did that come from? Could I have been one and still stopped work at 58 and afforded to own a decent boat? A bit unsettling but I'm not going back to work NO WAY.

Just thought I'd share that with you.
 
Define 'useful' - who's to say what is and what isn't?

Do you love and try to support your family and friends?
Would they miss you if you were no longer around?
If the answer to both of the above is 'yes' it sounds like you're leading a pretty useful life to me.

I don't plan on working one day past 50, and I won't be feeling guilty about it. Not in the least.:cool:
 
Roger, you have performed useful function. Your skills, and those of your acolytes, prevented my excess funds reaching the coffers of the government.
Note please that NHS employees (but not for much longer) get full pension at 30 years, so theoretically 48 years old, beating your paltry effort by 10 years.
Witness one Captainslarty ex of this forum.
 
:( 12 years - I started work at 16:eek:

I know I haven't been completely useless - I performed a commercial role that is necessary and fortunately fairly well paid and I have done and still do charity stuff. It was just that spontaneous thought that I had which made me wondered if a working life could have been better spent. Next time round maybe..........

At least I'm not as useless as the weather forecasters:mad::mad:
 
Don't beat yourself up too much. I'm a Paramedic. I won't be retiring at 58, but I do manage to run a reasonable boat. To my mind as long as we all do what we can with what life throws at us then no-one's contribution is more valuable than anyone elses. Console yourself with the thought that you won't need to turn out at 0200 on a Sunday morning to some youth who thinks their drink has been spiked after 'only' 25 vodka & oranges!
 
If you are feeling really impelled to do something you could get in touch with Southend CG and see if they need any more team members. I've been on the local team over here about 9-10 years and got a lot out of it.
 
Horatio said:
Don't beat yourself up too much. I'm a Paramedic. I won't be retiring at 58, but I do manage to run a reasonable boat. To my mind as long as we all do what we can with what life throws at us then no-one's contribution is more valuable than anyone elses. Console yourself with the thought that you won't need to turn out at 0200 on a Sunday morning to some youth who thinks their drink has been spiked after 'only' 25 vodka & oranges!
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I once had to ring an ambulance because I found a girl of about 14 in such a state. She was about ready to pass out (couldn't open her eyes or move etc). Some silly woman had also spotted her and went off on a useful rant about how it must be drugs, and it's disgusting. I looked at her as if to say 'shut up'. The girl was alright in the end though, but I imagine had the joy of a stomach pump.

Anyway, Roger, I don't understand your thought. Your job was useful to you, useful to your family, useful to your bank manager, the national economy, and the teenage mum with five kids and a state funded house down the road. You are useful to your friends, family etc etc.

It's not like they ambulance lot are super hero's either. I mean, good on everyone of them, but I doubt there's many that do the job simply to save lives. It also affords a living for them too.

I know a few nurses too, and they didn't join up to care for people. It was just a career move. Sure they are compassionate characters and probably make excellent nurses, but the decision to do that wasn't some idyllic selfless choice, it was because it paid more than hair dressing and had a career path.

Even an lifeboat guy I once met said "I don't do it to save lives, it's just a great craic".

As you as you enjoy yourself, and have good friends and family, then nothing else matters. No matter what job you have, your goals would be the same.
 
nathanlee said:
It's not like they ambulance lot are super hero's either. I mean, good on everyone of them, but I doubt there's many that do the job simply to save lives. It also affords a living for them too.
I'll have you know I wear my underpants over my trousers! :D

Anyway, its Monday morning, lovely weather and I'm off to spend the day sailing! Its a hard, thankless job but someone's got to do it. I'll shed a tear for all those fighting their way through heavy traffic to work for the next 5 days.
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did you ever have to participate in a "balloon debate" when you were at school?

The premise is that all participants are in a balloon that's losing height and have to argue who should be chucked out and who should stay. After each round of arguments there's a vote and one person gets canned.

We used to do it by taking a character from history - Churchill, Ghandi, Shakespeare etc. I've often wondered how I'd fare if I had to do it as myself. How long would I stay in a balloon with a random selection of you lot, for example?

Frankly - I'd throw me out pretty quickly!
 
Horatio said:
I'll have you know I wear my underpants over my trousers! :D
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Me too. :|

haha.

I SHOULD be sailing today. Forecast was WRONG AGAIN so I could get up to Whitby this afternoon. Problem is I need to get the rig down again to fix the masthead light. I've really had enough of taking the bloody rig down. The boat is too small to climb the mast, and too big to take down easily on my own. Still, the sun is out so it'll be an interesting project.
 
nathanlee said:
It's not like they ambulance lot are super hero's either. I mean, good on everyone of them, but I doubt there's many that do the job simply to save lives. It also affords a living for them too.

QUOTE]

Paramedics are super hero's to most of the people who have needed their services and I think the Btitish public hold them in very high regard. They are without doubt one of the most respected body of workers, along with some of the other emergency services.

The feeling of job satisfaction when they are able to save a life, or stabilise a patient and get them to hospital must be incredible, but you have to offset that by some of the dreadful sights they see and have to deal with which must also leave lasting memories.

Horatio you are a hero in most people's eyes. hope you have a good day sailing.
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Well, I've been in 'public' service for near on 25 yrs, doing the jobs no-one else in their right mind wants to do and running towards stuff any ssensible person runs away from. I haven't accumulated much wealth and costs in my personal life and health have been large.

However, I do intend to be retired well before I'm 58
 
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