mary bain

Thanks, Ritchie
Over the years I have often found myself lurking at the ranch for an answer to a burning question in my mind. I love the civility of the ranch!

Hi Nikki,

I was actually looking for software + animals when I ran into this. Not much advise to give, but I'm 60 and tired of the corporate environment. Software used to be fun for me so I'm looking to get that back. Just combined my interest with software and jobs and voila! There you are on the other far side of your career.
three ideas popped into my head for you (and others on the thread) as I was reading through it.
1. I live in Portland which happens to be the corporate location for Banfield veterinary clinics. I've met a data person working there that loved it. There may be other commercial interests around animals/ pets that use software to organize and actually pay you for it. LOL! It probably doesn't involve direct contacts with pets, but I suspect people drawn to it are animal folks and it helps working in an environment where your coworkers have the same passions as you. Of course I've thought that before in other jobs to my disappointment. But you're more likely to find a manager who understands if you feel the need to take a couple of days off for an ailing pet or because you had to end one's suffering.
2. for you and others on the thread who said you shouldn't let the Myers Briggs rating stop you. That's true, but realize introversion isn't something that is "bad". However our society doesn't seem to value certain strong characteristics found with it. Lots of engineers are introverts. I have issues dealing with my business analysts (mostly extroverted women) because I too am an introvert. Now women engineers I have no problems with or male engineers. It's a much more genderless environment outside of the big corporate shops. There's a book I recommend for all, introvert or extrovert called "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking". For introverts to get a better feel for your talents and let them shine. For extroverts to have a better appreciation of introverts.
3. You're smart. I have often thought of ways software could be used to help animals and their owners, but it's unlikely to pay. One idea is in the face of natural disasters, pets and owners get separated and in the case of Katrina, horrible things happened. Owners who never got their pets back and rescue groups that nastily adopted out owned animals when they should have known better. Legally a lot of states have this covered now with legislation about how long before a group can officially adopt an animal out rescued from a natural disaster without an owners release. I think it's 2 years now. They can foster but not adopt. Anyway it made me consider software that could be used to help unite owners and their pets. It would be horrible to lose house and possessions, but even more horrible to be unable to claim your pet when it had been handed to a group you thought was temporary because the disaster shelters don't allow them in.
Another is a cell phone app that helps you find a lost pet who has a gps tracker on his collar. Probably already out there.
Think of a problem related to pets and then consider software to help solve the problem. Best to build your own company with that software or find a group interested in sponsoring it. Or get into embedded software and think of a problem or aid that helps with a closer association with the animals themselves, then you would have the interaction too for testing and possibly deploying the software.