new,disillusioned & lonely

[mac]

:-( Hi everyone....despite my subject heading,I am feeling so happy to have finally found this site and all you great sounding folk!
I just hope I manage to pay my telephone bill or I'll be cut off!
I don't want to bring gloom to this site,nor will I,but for this one post I hope you will bear with me.
I live in a small village in Durham and I've got no mates!
I'm ex army after 15yrs of mostly great service as a commander and an instructor and liked by many comrades. life was great with plenty of mates and laughs.
2.5 yrs ago I left and found myself unable to settle into work.I found no work that could reward or challenge me!
Having no work means no money to do much. The people I knew here from years ago do what they've only ever done......Graft,get drunk,talk about football,fight and go to sleep.
I have more downs than ups these days....but not so much through lack of money;more through lack of adventure and company with like minded souls.
So now at this present time,after very recently leaving yet another job through disillusionment,i've decided to embark upon my own self styled course.........'re-discovery of myself and finding interesting mates!
These are my life course Modules:
voluntary conservation (already started)
voluntary mountain search & rescue (recruiting Jan04)
personal hill/mountain walking & climbing (done a bit recently)
wild camping
bushcraft (want to start yesterday)

hopefully, by doing these things (which are in my heart) my spark will be re-ignited. It may lead into paid work,but if it doesn't thats ok because by the time my spark is re-ignited I'll have made plenty of mates and it will once again burn so bright that Ill settle into any kind of work!
you folk could do me a big favour by telling me what sort of things I can go and do straight away in my local woods and forests and how to go about doing it....albeit it on my own!
by the way,just in case I get cut off and can't pay my next bt bill on time here's my address:
Mac Taylor
c/o 4 Castle View, Esh Winning,Durham, DH7 9LW
thanks to you all

 

[Neil1]

My brother is in the same boat, he left after 14 yrs, spent 2yrs unemployed and the last 3 yrs in a job he is not that keen on.
He and I are off to the woods for a few days starting today, he wants to make a new fire-set, and have a go at making spoons, bowl and probably a buck-saw.
He is comfortable out of doors, especially when no-one is looking for him or vice-versa. He was very inspired by the Wilderness Gathering w/end.
A good start for finding things to do is Ray Mears Complete Outdoor Handbook as this divided into projects for each season, its well illustrated and a good read too.
Hope this helps.
Neil1

 

[Jamie]

Hey Mac

Well at least you're on the right track! Welcome to the site and remember that there are masses of people using the site who can point you in the right direction if you're ever in need of assistance.

I think that you'll find that a large proportion of people here have done similar to you in that they have left a previous and unrelated career to explore this thing they call bushcraft....its all about quality of life!

I myself left a very lucrative career to go 'back to nature' with my inroad being going back to college to study landscape conservation (ecology and conservation basically). Its tough being a mature student but worth it and I'm sure you'll find your niche, it just may take a bit of time.

But remember to ask, because if you dont ask you dont get and the people here are more than willing to help with advice if asked.

Good luck to you!

Jamie

 

[al]

alright mac, i`m ex forces my self and after all that adventure and i`m sure you`ll agree that some of the things you do and witness are life changing ,so to that end a job is just a way to get money, life is much more important ,especialy when you have an insight of what really happens out there and whats there for you to bring peace of mind and satisfaction, anyway enough waffle from me, chin up bro, you aint alone, cheers al :-D

 

[al]

oh yeah mac, meant to say that if those things are already in your heart then you`re half way there

 

[Nod]

Hello Mac,

Why not try some other pastimes too. I took up cycling (MTB) a couple of years ago. Best thing I ever did. Of course I had a bike when I was a kid, but hadn't done anything since I was about 12.

It got me back in touch with some old mates (bumped into them at the local bike shop, neither of us had anyone to ride with at weekends, and now there's a group of about 5 of us......it's amazing how many neighbours etc saw us riding out and asked to join us).

Also, remember when you're a kid you can wander around in the wilds with your mates having adventures and no one asks any questions, 'cus you're kids and that's what kids do ( well they did when I was a lad). Groups of blokes doing that just look suspicious, but if you sit them on a bike....as if by magic it's all acceptable again. Yippeee.

Plus it gives you chance to explore new places. We get the maps out, do the local bridleways and travel by car to places further a field and ride those too. It's kept me fit, it's cheap if you want it to be, plus you get loads of mates.

Anyway, it's just an idea.

 

[mac]

:-D what a response! Thanks very much guys.I'll be on this site alot from now on to check out the topics and get in some good outdoor practice. Thanks to everyone for the support and replies.It's great to know you all, and now I'm feeling somehow part of a dedicated team! Good hunting!

 

[Jack]

Hey Mac.

If opportunity doesn't knock, try building a door. :mrgreen:

Wish you well.

Jack

 

[ally]

mac

modern life sucks

think you have touched a nerve with a lot of us, i'm new to this forum also so don't know if this has been suggested before but how about the group meeting up for a weekend etc to live the real way?

:idea: on another note, I keep looking on www.woodlands.co.uk site as I am keen to buy my own plot of woodland to play with, how about a group fund and bushcraftuk holdings(!) purchase a suitable site for members use?

as all people are in different financial cicumstances not quite sure of the solutions on access/share, although I would prefer open member access but that individual couls sell/transfer his 'share' of the property to family/members

your thoughts peeps....

 

[MartiniDave]

Mac,

Best of luck mate, I hope you get where you want to be.

Dave

 

[Jamie]

These are my life course Modules:
voluntary conservation (already started)
voluntary mountain search & rescue (recruiting Jan04)
personal hill/mountain walking & climbing (done a bit recently)
wild camping
bushcraft (want to start yesterday)

Hey Mac

So how are you going about doing your modules and getting the experiences etc?

I know how you feel on the bushcraft side of things as I wanted to start yesterday but am waiting for my first course (with woodsmoke) in May next year...cant come quickly enough!

I do a lot of conservation work as part of my course so perhaps can put my thinking cap on for you if I know what you are trying to achieve...remember, as I said previously, there are a lot of people here with so many diverse skillsets that if you lay out what you want to do, what you are doing and what you want to achieve as an end result then you will not be short of a few suggestions.

All the best

Jamie

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

Your post strikes a nerve in everyone. Many people feel disenfranchised with their situations. My recurring nightmare is to go for a walk and stumble into an American Civil War re enactor group, Hare Krishas, camouflage clad survivalists, the local bird watching club and lost Boy Scouts in some conjoined tangle at my favourite oak tree. One mistake people make is the assumption it takes top of the line gear( and lots of it) just to step out the door. In truth, I have acquired some pretty state of the art toys over time. But one of my favourite games is to set a modest budget,say $50 USD and tell people to assemble a working kit for a weekend outdoors.

 

[johnboy]

'My recurring nightmare is to go for a walk and stumble into an American Civil War re enactor group'.

I bumped into a group of these fellows a few years ago while visiting the Gettysburg Battlefield, and a scary bunch they were too, complete with muskets and the full 'Johnny Reb' dress. Do you get many American civil war re-enactment groups in California? As if my history serves me correctly California was'nt really involved in the Civil war.......?

Mac,

Good luck with all those projects I hope they all pan out for you the Mountain rescue should be fun. What grade are you climbing?

Best of luck

John

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

We have re enactor groups covering everything but Iraq.I know there are many groups over there also. It can be a fascinating pastime ( and expensive.) Trouble is some of these people disappear into their personnas 24/7. It can be somewhat irritating to have Buffalo Bill walk up and start critisizing your inaccurate dress "real cowboys didn't wear denhim levis until 1890 and not with that hat crease" while working with a fresh cowhorse. There was minimal Civil war activity in the west. Ironically, some of the modern day re enactor units muster more men than their historical counterparts could ever hope to see. The survival-primative skills-bushcraft community has it's share of these people. Knowing how to create a bowdrill fire and mug up with some wild plant brew is a marvelous skill. When the weather turns mean and I stumble hypothermic into a camp with a propane stove and Earl Grey that person is just as expert and wood savvy.

 

[Kev P]

Hi Mac
I think you are already doing the right things to get yourself out of your dilemna. By doing voluntary conservation work you are getting yourself out in the countryside, meeting like minded people, getting yourself noticed by possible employers and maybe even being in the right place to hear first hand about any job vacancies that crop up. Sooner or later something will pan out.
Good luck.

Ally, not a bad idea about buying a "communal" woodland. Its probably a bit ambitious at this stage for Bushcraft UK and the legalities would be a nightmare.....but it is certainly worth considering trying to bring together a smaller group at a local level and buying a wood on your own neighbourhood.

 

[Gary]

Hi Mac,

Cheer up mate - I was exactly the same as you. I served 15 years in the army, left at the rank of corpereal and ended up stuck in a security job.

Fortunately I saved up and went on a woodlore course with Ray Mears company this was good fun so I saved up and went on another. I got a distiction of these and was asked to go back and assist.

Well that was four years ago and now Im in the final stages of setting up my own company etc.

The hardest thing with being an ex-squaddie is you have experienced so such - on courses I often tell stories of stuff I did and the students just look at you as if your making it up. Or worse still you look at some part of your day to day job and think how insignificant it all is. Your manager loses it because you didnt tick all the boxes for example and you look at him and think 'does it matter? IT HARDLY LIFE OR DEATH!'

Only advise I can give you is grin and bear it - civvy street is like being on stag at the main gate - its boring but its gotta be done.

 

[Natural Pathways]

Hi Mac.

Like you and Gary I left the army after 22 years as a staff seargent and I found it hard to settle into this life. I found the skills I had from the army I was able to put them to good use. I now run my own company (Natural Pathways) with my partner in survival and nature awareness. And it is through nature awareness that I found I was able to grow within myself and to explore and change my way of thinking.

One of the things I would like to do in the future is to be able to give back something to other soldiers when they leave the forces. Something along the lines of a rites of passage workshop, are you guys interested?

I truely believe we all have so much to offer it would be a real shame to waste it all.

As with all the other messages there does seem to be a common line, it is really about who I am and not trying to be something That was not me, this was the reason I was having trouble with work, I lost my first two jobs (which I did in the army with my eyes shut) both within six weeks of each other and I knew on the day without advanced warning I was going to be sack.

I wish you lots of luck just be true to yourself mate.

Kind Regards

Geoffrey

 

[al]

a rites of passage workshop for ex soldiers, sounds interesting, what did you have in mind?

 

[Gary]

Hi Al, Mac,

Have just come off the phone after speaking with Geoffrey at natural pathways and as yet we aren't to sure what we will do or how it will be done.

Suffice to say a lot of ex- forces personal seem to be in the same boat and the course/event would be aimed at easing the transistion into civilian life while also allowing us the focus on and learn bushcraft skills.

KEEP AN EYE ON THIS SITE AND WE WILL KEEP YOU ALL POSTED

 

[silas]

If you shold lose your internet access, you should be able to get free access in your local library given your circumstances.
Best of luck