Coping with being out of work - and career change

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I'm sure I 'm an Aspie though it has not been diagnosed. Independently, some years ago, I took the Meyers-Briggs and came out INTP, which is consistent with Aspie-dom. I have a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and have been writing software for semiconductor metrology. I put up with the ups and downs of layoffs in Silcon Valley and moved across the country for the 'ideal job' but found myself caught between managers at work who were only concerned for their image. I couldn't handle it since I was stressed by unworkable deadlines and an impossible situation. To make a long story short, I got a separation package and I'm now 'in the market' again. Just a few things that I 'd like your random feedback on:

1) I'm looking for another career. One I have considered is secondary math teaching and I am applying for a certification program. I have taught before (undergraduates) and enjoyed the control I had, although I did not like having an 'audience' particularly.
2) I have considered becoming a bartender, though the social and 'rush' of that does not appeal, I hear the money is decent and my world would be reasonably self-contained.
3) Ideally I'd like to work with pets (animals). Any way for and average cat lover to break into this?

hi dude. lemme tell you a few things....im an aspie vet and working as a vet is all about dealing with people.....so if you want to work with animals, get a pet cat, do not go into working with animals otherwise you will be an over qualified cage cleaner..get a part time volunteer job with animals surely but working with animals involves a lot of people interaction which i cant stand...i'll give you an example...."so how old is fluffy"?
"oh........................well ...........................ermmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, she was 7 when we got her"
i walked out of that consult and had a melt down and never consulted again. fuciking nt's cant answer a one word question.
i think teaching is the worst job for an aspie, invloves dealing directly with peopole and parents..worried concerned emotional parents..sheezus. i would hate that, but i did work in a universoty myself for a while i enjoyed the undergrad teaching stuff, maybe you are different than me.
i think you need to deal with your aspiness before you decide what job you want, get diagnosed and come to terms with it first, in the mean time, be a bar tender ....relax and just take your time sorting your life out. it is the least serious career for now while you decide what to do with your life, get a cat, and dont teach anything to anyone..ever.
just my thougths dude, hope this helps...

DON'T DO IT, unless as a last resort, or possibly part time. true, the money can be nice, but it could drive you nuts. i worked in a restaurant at my last job and had to fill-in whenever the weekend bartender couldn't work. so long as it stayed calm and quiet, i did okay, but imagine an aspie trying to work a bar with even just a few loud, drunk, arrogant people screaming everytime their team scores (we had two tvs that were almost always switched on espn). you can become frazzled and irritated very easily. i'm not saying other aspies might not like this job, but i wouldn't recommend it, based on my own experience. for that matter, i wouldn't recommend any other job in the food service industry. sadly, i might be getting a job in another restaurant due to the fact that i'm broke and need a lot of money fast.

I can imagine that sort of situation is really unnerving.

As it turns out, I got a job at a golf and country club where things are more civilized for the most part. At least the atmosphere is attractive and gnerally uncluttered. We have a few TVs around the room but they are not turned up very loud (if at all, just visual entertainment). I'll keep your observations in mind when I'm looking around for other positions in the industry.

I am coping with being out of work myself.

However, I am keeping busy and have had full days planned lately.