Going back to school

What about welding? It's like soldering but way more dangerous.

Edit: looks like the conversation about welding has already happened. But, I'll say, woodworking, CNC, and physical crafts are fun.

Maybe look into antique clock repair. You'll get to play with all the tools... from making bushings, playing with ultrasonic cleaners, rebuilding gears with CNC machines, and rebuilding / replacing antique electric contraptions.
 
German would be cool. I know a little German from watching German detective and police shows like Derrick and Alarm für Cobra 11. I know how Bavarians and Austrians greet each other with "servus" from Derrick and Kommissar Rex. I know how to say the man has been murdered - you know, useful every day conversation stuff. But it would be good to know more in case my next visit doesn't involve any homicide.

Have you looked into guitar electronics?
 
CNC has already been mentioned, but I would add 3D modeling. With how easy and inexpensive it has become to get into 3D printing, I'm incredibly grateful for the SolidWorks training I got at my old job (COVID hit before I could finish the certification) and it's obviously also useful in CNC as well. When I was at school the mechanical students had to take at least one electrical class, but the electricals didn't have to take any mechanical classes, and they seemed like fun.

I will also add that if you're comfortable enough with your skills, auditioning for an ensemble could be a lot of fun. I played in the jazz band and the symphony orchestra at our community college before I transferred out to finish my degree.
 
CNC has already been mentioned, but I would add 3D modeling. With how easy and inexpensive it has become to get into 3D printing,

Of the many colleges I went to one of them was for 3d modeling and animation. I was gunning for a career as an animator but once I discovered pedal building that was over with.

I might be able to get a student license of SolidWorks. Autodesk killed my favorite 3d program, the bastards.
 
Of the many colleges I went to one of them was for 3d modeling and animation. I was gunning for a career as an animator but once I discovered pedal building that was over with.

I might be able to get a student license of SolidWorks. Autodesk killed my favorite 3d program, the bastards.
There's a student discount for an online training program that includes AutoCAD and solidworks among others. I think it was $99 for 2 years iirc. If you're going the NSCC route, ask Peter Ortner about it. First dot last at NSCC dot edu
Unfortunately I don't have my NSCC email anymore and can't recall what the series/company was.
You can also get Spotify for 5.99/month🤣
 
There's a student discount for an online training program that includes AutoCAD and solidworks among others. I think it was $99 for 2 years iirc. If you're going the NSCC route, ask Peter Ortner about it. First dot last at NSCC dot edu
Unfortunately I don't have my NSCC email anymore and can't recall what the series/company was.
You can also get Spotify for 5.99/month🤣

So I had only looked into Volunteer CC so far but I checked out NSCC today. The AutoCAD class might be right up my alley. Could be the perfect thing to build upon my experience with 3D modeling from years ago.
 
So I had only looked into Volunteer CC so far but I checked out NSCC today. The AutoCAD class might be right up my alley. Could be the perfect thing to build upon my experience with 3D modeling from years ago.
Always forget about volstate and yeah, that's right up the road
Don't forget about TCAT
I think they have a Gallatin campus
 
I can’t emphasize enough how much I think you should take some art classes.

If there are sculpture classes, absolutely take them. Especially if there’s a bronze casting class. It’s an absolutely wild opportunity that you’ll rarely get.

As a ceramicist, if there’s a ceramics course you can take, absolutely do so. Hand-building and casting are where it’s at. Not as much into pottery, but if that’s all they have, it’s still worth doing.

Printmaking is also a ton of fun. A general printmaking class is good to get a taste of things. Screen printing is easy if you’re interested in that. Litho and Intaglio are both massive pains in the ass, but they’re also cool as hell and easy to get hooked on. Litho is almost impossible to do without access to a full on litho studio, so I’d suggest that if it’s available and you’re up for the challenge. Intaglio is easy enough to get into at home— small etching presses are cheap or you can DIY a larger one without tooo much difficulty, and etching plates is genuinely not much different at all from home-etching PCBs.
 
Yeah, screenprintng is fun, and you don’t really need any drawing ability to make cool stuff.
I’ve always wanted to try letterpress. Seems like a good mix of the “creative” + “tediously technical” that my brain seems to enjoy ;)
 
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