This thread is for my Asylumite family. All others need not respond.
As many of you know, I am an EMS helicopter pilot living and working in the Central Valley of California. I have been doing this for almost fifteen years, make a good wage, and have a pretty good life that includes a wonderful home, lovely wife who I really enjoy spending time with, two poodles that I get to molest regularly, and a job that is increasingly... dull.
Maybe I'm just getting tired of working nights picking up drunks and gangbangers or maybe I'm just wired to always think that there is something more exciting around the next bend, but here I am looking at trying something new. My ability to recover after a week of nights is slowly fading and I find myself dreading that rotation knowing I'm consigned to get up six or seven times a night to go drop off some idiot who should have been home in bed-- a place I'd be if I had any choice in the matter.
I have a strong possibility at a job in Africa-- Angola to be specific --flying the oilfields on a 28 day on, 28 day off schedule for well into the six figures. Airfare is taken care of, they handle the meals, have a gym, a 9 hole golf course, and operate right on the beach. It is highly secure, being guarded by former South African elite troopers and has been in business for over 30 years, even through the worst of the proxy wars between the US and Sovs. I'd never have to fly nights again, can meet my bride anywhere in the world since the company gives me the equivilent of a flight from home to Angola, which is only one thousand miles away from being diametrically on the opposite side of the earth (they provide airfare round trip regardless of where it is you want to go as long as it is equal to or less than the distance between your home and the base). They even provide beer for the pilots at the end of the day.
So what's the dilemma you might ask? The problem is I really enjoy spending time with Mrs. Totem. Being away for a month at a time poses a real burden on us, especially since we know what all it entails having flown in the Gulf of Mexico doing 7/7 and 14/7 rotations waaay back when I first started flying. The difference now is we don't have kids in the house and can go travel the world seeing places we always wanted to see together.
I dunno. I haven't taken a vacation in five years now, so maybe that's the real problem. Maybe I'm just burnt out and need a few weeks off to recuperate. Maybe I'm just a little whiny ***** and should shut up and appreciate what I've got.
Whatdya think? Make a bold move and do something new and different? Or stand pat and continue to hate life every 4th week wishing those people I am supposed to save would just die a horrible and firey death before I lift off?
Totem