Yes, I've been in this job almost a year now. Scary. I'd say "time flies when you're having fun", but it would so totally be a lie, so I'll restrict myself to an update about how TEH PLAN has worked out.

Those of you who remember and/or care will recall that I decided to take a year out from my career, and work on commercial boats so I could get the necessary logged hours towards a license to start my own charter company. I knew, when I made this decision, that it would involve a major drop in pay and general lifestyle, along with having to take on work that was mentally unstimulating and physically harder. I was right in all of this.

I've spent the bulk of the year working full time on board a line of passenger ferries. Mostly this has involved a small amount of deckhand and cargo work, in between vast stretches of basically being a cleaner, bartender and cafe attendant. Along with the necessary sea time, the job has given me l33t table wiping skillz, the ability to drive a crane, and a searing hatred of all humanity. Ha ha. I shall never do a customer service job again in my life.

I have also done several extended coastal voyages on board the world's most beautiful square-rigged sailing ship, as a watch leader. These voyages were all, without a doubt, some of the best experiences I have ever had. Pulling in a sail while standing on a swaying rope 96 feet in the air on a violently moving ship, believe it or not, *can* become second nature if you do it several times a day. So can going without a shower for almost two weeks, and getting clean by jumping over the side every morning at 6 a.m. in midwinter, though I can't say I ever got to *enjoy* that particular bit.

The rest of my logged time is made up by my Coastguard hours, so I am very happy to say that I have all the relevant paperwork, I passed the eye test, signed all the forms, and can now enrol to do the three week course and sit the exams any time I want to.

As it happens, I won't be doing this for a while; it can wait until I decide the time is right. The most significant thing for me was getting the hours I needed. The validity of my work experience doesn't expire for five years, so now I can go back to normal work, secure in the knowledge that I can sit the exams and start the company if/when it fits in with the rest of my life. (The course itself isn't an issue for me. I've already done Coastguard/recreational courses which covered a similar level of knowledge to the professional version.)

I will be staying in my boring ferry job until after I get back from my US holiday in August; I'll have been working there a year by then, so I qualify for the annual three weeks' paid holiday. Without this I couldn't possibly afford the trip to the USA. I adjusted well enough to living on a sixth of my former income, but it didn't leave anything for luxuries like overseas travel if I didn't have any holiday pay coming in at the same time.

After August, my plan is to stay with the ferries only as long as it takes to find a good job again. What that could be is anyone's guess, since I've changed my entire career every time I've changed my job, so far. I think I'm in a good position for my next job -- now that I know I can live quite comfortably on nearly minimum wage, anything else will be a big pay rise, so I can justify looking around until I find a really fun exciting one. I don't have any ties now, so I can take a job overseas or in another city if that's where the fun ones are. There are a lot of options.

In the meantime, it's a wonderful feeling to look at the calendar and know that my time left in *this* job is now measured in weeks, and that I achieved what I set out to do. And also, of course, to know that I will NEVER DO CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER AGAIN KTHXBYE.

Brunnen-"could tell you stories about that, but is trying to be less conspicuously cynical about people"G