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Got fired without warning from my first real programming job. It was probably personality differences with the company owner, but it did teach me that I am not built to work collaboratively on software.

Became a school bus driver. Quit when the school district was asking me to drive in an unsafe way. (Too fast for my experience level.)

Tried to become a helicopter pilot. The FAA grounded me for life.

Now trying to start a software business with software I wrote alone from scratch. It would be a professional services business, not selling the software, which will be FOSS.

I have a few backup plans if that fails. For example, I've already written a book when I was a teen, but didn't like it, so I deleted it. I'm trying to write another now.

I can only do this because my wife has a job. Thank goodness for her and her patience.



hold up...you can't just say 'FAA grounded me for life' without sharing something about that story! I've never heard of anything like it...

Going straight to helicopters without flying airplanes first is not a typical path.


Medical issue.

https://gavinhoward.com/2022/09/grounded-for-life-losing-the...

I'm hoping that the pilot shortage will eventually allow me to apply again, with more good history, and get a medical.

I chose helicopters because that part of the industry is not as volatile, and I was making the transition during COVID when the airlines were struggling.




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