Sorry Jack to have brought my own baggage into the thread.

But may I point out the tone I pick up from your words "fancy degree" seem to me perjorative. I happen to have a hard won BA in English and Education (licensed by the state of Virginia to teach), mainly as a result of having done the hard graft and knowing my body could not keep it up forever.

I cleaned those houses in between taking courses from a teacher college independent study programme which meant I studied and wrote and typed (before the days that home pcs were common) up papers at night and on weekends. I completed that coursework in the normal four years much to the chagrin and disbelief of my academic advisor. Before anyone makes comment about the energy of youth, I was 38 and had 3 kids and directed children and youth choir and drama programmes in my church as well as being soloist in church choir.

After diploma I worked as substitute teacher, teacher aid, (full time teacher posts were in short supply in the area of the state we lived in and with 3 kids I couldn' t take jobs over an hour drive away) part stocker in a card and gift shop, part time evening weekend manager of a university distance ed site, part time HR/payroll assistant, office manager of career center, and finally full time coordinating editor for US Federal Code online product. Upon moving to UK (2003) and discovering my degree is not honored here, I have worked as business support administrator which at times includes some surprisingly heavy hands on work. I have belonged to a union since I got employment in this country, an option not available to me in any job I worked in the US.

I think most people will do what they have to do, if given the chance. I suppose I should mention that the hard times fired the creativity in me. I wrote much more powerfully when times were toughest (in particular the house cleaning years) than I have at any other time.