I wish I could write about EVERYTHING here, and not just 75% of my life. I have an epic rant chambered, but only Toney is being subjected to it. It’s frustrating. Perhaps I should fire up the old Bill Oates blog again? I might be able to remember the passwords…
No, that’s not going to happen. I can’t even keep up with one website. I’ll just let it fester in my gut, until it destroys a vital organ and my life flickers out.
I’m feeling an urge to buy a thirty-pound block of Pabst Blue Ribbon, and just watch every episode of Louie, one after the other. But, going on a three-day trip to oblivion isn’t going to help anything. I’ve been trapped in that cycle before.
In any case… I think this is the worst summer of my life. It’s hot and humid every day, everything is in chaos, and I feel like my world is getting tinier and tinier. In fact, at this point it’s collapsed in on itself, and turned into a black star, or whatever.
A few minutes ago I told Toney: “This is the worst summer since the car wreck, when I spent six months in a body cast and had to pee down a length of tubing.”
“That never happened,” she said.
“Oh, that’s right. Well, this one just moved to the top of the list, then!”
Earlier this week I was riding home from work, listening to George Noory, and he was interviewing someone who is an expert on Easter Island, and those freaky stone heads and whatnot. The guy was describing the island, and I was thinking how cool it would be to visit there.
And there was a time in my life when I believed that such a thing wasn’t outside the realm of possibility. Ya know? Now? I just simmer about stupid-ass shit that doesn’t matter, and work a million hours for little return. And I’m not just talking about money… Our entire lives are conducted inside two or three buildings. And at a certain point you start to believe it’s all there is.
In fact, I interact with people on a daily basis who don’t know anything about life outside Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, Pennsylvania. And… they don’t want to know. It’s beyond their reach, so why waste time thinking about it? In my darkest moments I feel like I’m becoming one of them.
We’re planning to go to New York City in a couple of weeks — all four of us. We’ve made such plans before, and something always comes along and screws them up. But we’re hell-bent on not allowing that to happen this time. We have to escape the black star for a day. Every one of us needs to be reminded there’s life beyond the Endless Mountains.
Holy hell! Maybe it’s best that I’m not able to run wide-open here? I haven’t whined this furiously in a long time. I feel like I’m a prime candidate to be swept up in an obscure religion, or get deeply involved in exposing government cover-ups, or go militantly gluten-free, or something. I feel like a 1935 German.
Anyway, I have daydreams about selling everything we own – a complete liquidation – and starting over in a different city. Have you ever made any gigantic life-changes, like that? Just finally having enough of something, and saying fukkit? I’m talking about the difficult things, like quitting a high-paying job ‘cause it’s sucking the life out of you, or moving far away to pursue a dream of some sort.
If so, please tell me about it. Something’s gotta give soon, and maybe your stories will inspire me. Use the comments link below.
And I’ll try to post something a little less… gothic over the weekend.
See ya then!
Now playing in the bunker
Treat yourself at Amazon: US and Canada
I got fed up at work one night, came home and called a law school and spoke with a recruiter. Turns out I was the “perfect” student for them, I was an adult with another career. I left the hospital and went to law school. I even clerked a couple of years. I did graduate and take the Bar (and passed on my first try), but it really wasn’t my thing. I never practiced. I went back to nursing, but not the same hospital. I did travel nursing, and worked all over the country, and then came home and got a local job. I tried to make a major change, but I just didn’t have it in me, but I realize I was trying the wrong change. The local job was making me miserable. I couldn’t stand the manager, I was tired of being constantly understaffed and working like a dog for an institution that held me (and all nurses) in contempt, and I was just miserable. I’ve now made a change that is the right one for me. I’m not at the hospital anymore, I’m doing public health, and life is now amazingly low stress.
Oh, and FIRST, for the first time.
And a well earned one as well.
I sort of did the opposite. The company was moving my job to Houston and I passed. I had no interest in that hot box again (I had worked in Freeport at Hoffman-LaRoche back in the day) and so I took a different job with the company for a small pay cut. It turned out great. I loved the job, the new boss and my co-workers. The group that moved to Houston was bought out by another conglomerate and then they were all let go.
Three years later, the company decided to move my group to Charlotte. I would really have loved to move, but with the housing market at the time in the toilet and our development full of Toyota houses that they let go into foreclosure when they shipped people back to Japan, we would have taken a bath. Plus my daughter had two years of school left and I didn’t want to screw her over.
I found another job here with the company, took another pay cut and absolutely hate every single person I work with now. They are lazy, useless pieces of shit and our boss does nothing to correct their behavior. I dread going in to work.
It’s a total crapshoot Jeff. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Hang in there Jeff! Bourbon season is just around the corner
Back in 2007 EVERYTHING about my life changed. Marriage, job, house. I chose the change, and it was scary as f-ck-all, but now? Cruisin’. Of course, now the cycle has looped back on itself and I feel another major change coming on, only this time it’s in the ‘let’s remodel the living room’ scope and not the ‘let’s get divorced and change jobs’ scope.
Holy heck, MY world is collapsing too!
A trip to NYC does a body good. Go find someplace horribly seedy, have a couple of overpriced cocktails, and do something so blatantly touristy you’ll hate yourself in the morning. Then do ‘Top of the Rock.’ Just my 2 bits…
Someone is having a mid-life crisis. We’ll be reading about strippers and Harleys any day now.
Go hug your kids and have sex with your wife.
Speaking of sex, I’ve been watching the XXX Olympics for over a week now. Where is the XXX part? I haven’t seen even one boob yet! Ripoff!!!!!
Wow, over of week of this and I never thought of that. So disappointed in myself. Very funny.
I didn’t see this myself, but a reliable source informed me – during a women’s water polo match a participant tugged on another participant’s suit exposing a certain anatomical part (boob). The XXX Olympics indeed. If only you had chosen to watch that event…
Yep. There was a nip shot. It was on the net.
Obviously there is sex at the Olympics:
London, United Kingdom (4E) – London Olympics organizers are investigating how a bucket of Australian brand condoms slipped into the Olympic Village where athletes are supposed to use only the Games’ official condom from sponsor Durex.
The organizers were also angered upon seeing the photo tweet of a container of condoms with the label ‘Kangaroos condoms, for the gland downunder.’ The photo was tweeted by Australian BMX cyclist Caroline Buchanan.
The maker of the “unofficial” condoms, Ansell and Pasante, has denied bringing its prophylactics to the village, where Durex condom dispensers are installed. Athletes are free to use the Durex condoms numbering 150,000 or 15 per athlete for the duration of the two-week sports event. Nearly 10,500 athletes are competing in the London Olympics.
While the incident has brought to fore the Olympic organizers’ strict policy of allowing only sponsors’ brands in Games and athletes premises, it also gave weight to reports that the Olympic Village is a venue where international athletes mingle from dining halls to bedrooms.
Olympic organizers have no say about revelations by some athletes about the sexual activities inside the Olympic Village, though the increasing number of condoms supplied during every Olympic Games speaks well of it.
In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Australia organizers distributed 45,000 free condoms. The Chinese distributed 70,000 condoms during the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Watched the Olympic Closing Ceremony last night. I saw…
1. Celebration of Homosexuality – featuring George Michael, Freddie Mercury, One Direction
2. Condemnation of organized religion – Imagine by John Lennon
3. Overtly drug inspired song lyrics – I am the Eggman?
4. Satan Worship – Don’t you think *somebody* sold their soul to get the Spice Girls famous?
5. Money Worship – Jessie J riding in a Rolls Royce singing that it isn’t about the money
6. Profanity – Eric Idle said “shit”
Can wait for Rio in 4 years when it will be about boobs and butts.
I’m not feeling exactly focused and well-grounded myself. My mind races with stuff I want to do with my business and with our house, but can’t seem to make myself stay focused long enough to actually accomplish anything. My husband’s prostate cancer is back. never really went away, actually, but it seems to be a strong reality now, instead of just a shadowy figure skulking around the corner. shit.
I went to NYC last Dec with a couple of girlfriends and loved every minute. I told my husband that we need to take our son (12) for a quick trip. You’re right, Jeff — a change of scenery would do us good.
Alice, I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. All my thoughts to you!
Don’t know where you are, but CAMC does the Gamma knife procedure for prostrate cancer. You may want to check it out.
Oops…. prostate.
Best wishes to your husband, Alice. Sorry to hear the news.
Good luck, Alice. We wish you the best.
Can one be grounded when the rug has been pulled out from under you? Yes, but it ain’t easy. Love, hugs and healing energy. Prevail.
Healing vibes your way, Alice.
Alice, so sorry to hear about your husband. Good thoughts coming your way!
Damn, Alice. That sucks. Best of luck to you and your husband. I hope he kicks that cancer’s ass.
Sending You nothing but positive thoughts.
Hang in there, Alice.
NYC can be a freak show. I just spent several days there due to family issues (Mom had brain surgery and I had to go hang with her). Anyway, I managed to see the following with no effort:
– Crazy man in Penn Station shouting “Trains! Trains!”
– Midget on the subway
– Guy with eyepatch, wearing a sandwich board advertising eyebrow threading
– The awesomeness that is Greenmarket
– Bar next door with Delirium Tremens on tap
– Coffee shop that is closed at 9:00am on Sunday
Mom is OK. I love The City, but I don’t think I could live there again.
.
Glad your mom is OK. I couldn’t imagine living within the wack pack of NYC!
As most of you know, I work for a plastic surgeon ….who’s wife “manages” the office. I have been there going on 9 years.
Recently, there was a big ta-do over extra work offered to me, completely voluntary, by the doc with lots of money for me to make on the side. He stood to make a small fortune as well. But when he realized the hospital want a piece of the pie for their part that would be taken from his pocket, he and th Mrs decided the this was now “part of my job” and I wouldn’t be paid anything extra. (payment was coming from an outside source).
She tried to “write me up” fo my attitude regarding not doing this work for no extra compensation. In her words “you get paid very well what you do around here. It’s part of your job”.
This was something THEY offered ME to make extra money on the side from an outside company that would be writing the checks.
I have been unhappy there for a while but after she and I went a few rounds, I realized life is too short to let these greedy bastards ruin my life. So I have been applying to other places for part time work. I want to focus on my jewelry and other design ideas I have.
Fuck them. As my mom used to say ” they are so greedy, they would steal a penny off a dead man’s eye”. It will be a little bit of an adjustment for my boyfriend and I. My paycheck is basically our play money. But my peace of mind and sanity is worth more. We’ll go out a few less days throughout the month.
You need to tell her to Fuck Off.
Play money isn’t worth anyone’s sanity.
A couple of times, I’ve gotten fed up with unprofessional behavior that kept going unchecked and said “fuck it.” The first time, I was in my mid-20’s and making way more money than a drunk that age should make.
And I couldn’t enjoy a fucking dime of it, because of long hours and crazy stress. I walked out one day and didn’t work for six months- to clear my head.
Fifteen years or so after that, around eight years ago, the same thing began to happen at my then-current job when the boss flew off the handle at me. And I pissed him off even more by remaining calm, even keeled- and not raising my voice even a little.
According to him, I quit. In my view, his saying “if you leave at 4:30 (my hours were 8-4:30), you’re fired” means I was fired, because I had things to do. I work to live, I don’t live to work. (And no matter what a supervisor might say, you can’t be forced into working overtime unless it’s specifically written into your employment contract and you consented to it.)
That time, instead of dropping out of work, I dropped out of the small town I lived in and moved to Atlanta, to cute the big city pangs while I was still young enough (late 30’s) to enjoy it.
And, I’m about to chuck it all again, because I seem to have a knack for finding jobs at companies who seem to excel in stupendously short-sighted, unethical, questionable behavior.
I was fortunate the first two times, and it worked. And this time around, I have the support of a ridiculously understanding woman. Sure, there have been a few tough spots (and there always are- and always will be), but things work out.
They will for me, they will for you. In the meantime, enjoy your vacation and good luck.
I moved to Atlanta to “cure” big city pangs. Nothing cute about it except maybe my poor editing skills.
” I have an epic rant chambered, but only Toney is being subjected to it. It’s frustrating. Perhaps I should fire up the old Bill Oates blog again? I might be able to remember the passwords…
No, that’s not going to happen. I can’t even keep up with one website. I’ll just let it fester in my gut, until it destroys a vital organ and my life flickers out”
What? The (not quite) secret mailing list isn’t good enough to vent what ails you? You know we’ll give you some words of reality to help push you along…
Jeff, when you are feeling discouraged by work, there is always hope from Groucho…
“Why, I know a fellow who started just a year ago with nothing but a canoe and now he has more women than you can shake a stick at, if that’s your idea of a good time.”
I have been working for the same company for 23 years, outside sales for a European owned manufacturing company.
For the first 20 years, this was the best job you could imagine, home office, good base salary, unlimited commission, fantastic health insurance (no co-pays, no deductibles), new top end company car every 3 years all expenses paid. I drove a Lincoln Navigator for 6 of those years. I know every 5 star restaurant from Virginia to Maine.
I decided when to travel, when to stay home, who to sell to, how much to charge for our product, it was like running my own company without the headaches.
My manager was 4,000 miles away and a sweetheart of a guy. He would travel to visit me every 6 months, give me a stellar review, eat dinner, get drunk, and go home. Life could not have been better.
Out of approximately 160 outside sales reps worldwide, I was consistently in the top 10 for sales volume and profit percentage. Months would go by and I would not even get one email or phone call from management, they showered me with awards, bonus checks, invitations to meetings (parties) in Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Belgium, Paris, Vancouver, Johannesburg, Machu Picchu, and more places than I can even recall.
Their business style was “if you don’t hear from us, you are doing a good job and if you are messing something up, we can discuss what we need to do to help you get back on track.” I NEVER was asked to get back on track. Hell, I made my own track.
Three years ago, our board of directors decided to “merge” with a similar American company who was a minor competitor and we inherited their American management team.
This place is now total drudgery. Call reports, conference calls, worthless meetings, restructure the commission plan (read big pay cut), umpteen assholes looking over monthly reports and asking a thousand questions, health insurance now sucks, product quality went from Rolex to Timex, advertising budget and entertainment budget shrunk by 75%, no longer any fun at all, no appreciation for achievement, nothing is ever good enough, they want MORE, MORE, MORE.
I am one inch from quitting this hell hole and would rather drive a garbage truck for minimum wage. I am now depressed, pissed off, hurt, angry, insulted, developing and alcohol problem, and generally ready to kick the living shit out of anyone who looks at me sideways.
You think I am bitter?
That bites. I see similar in my future as my two higher ups are going to be retiring within two years. As you, I got free reign to do as I wish as long as things get done nobody frets about it.
Being in the top for sales, can’t you do a side shift to be managed by the European overlords? A little; ‘If I gotta keep reporting to these American fools I am going to have to leave this wonderful company, what can you do so I report to the original manager/group?’
Jesus, Hardoxan, that sounds a lot like what happened to my job – the one that laid me off when they were bought out.
Six figure job for 12 years, owned a flat in San Francisco – groovin’, really. Got laid off the day I got back from spinal fusion surgery (sweethearts, huh?) Looked for work for a year, finally said ‘fukkit’. Sold what we could and shipped the rest to Italy to start semi-retirement.
Scared the shit out of us, but you know what? It’s working! We just had to change our priorities (read: money is no longer a priority) and things are great. A little work here, a little work there, grow a lot of our own food, have chickens…well worth the terror of the upheaval. I recommend it.
My mother in law (bless her soul) passed two years ago and my wife now owns her house in “Mayberry” West Virginia free and clear.
I keep telling her that we could sell half of our crap, move there, and I could take a job making half of my current salary and live about the same as we do now, but she won’t go for it yet.
Shit! I’d jump on that in a heartbeat! I live for the day when I don’t have a pit in my stomach every Sunday night thinking of the week ahead.
I finally have that now, and it’s amazing to look back at how much stress I was under. I absolutely dreaded going back to work, would literally have physical symptoms. Now I look forward to Monday. I’m such a weirdo. I hope you find something that makes you happy. Life is too short to work for assholes.
Its been a shitty year. This job search thing blows.
About ten years ago, I burned out on a fast paced career as an art director. I knew what I wanted to do,but needed a ‘road map’. I started reading a book called Soloing, by Harriet Rubin. I found the book so provocative that I felt guilty reading it, if I wasn’t going to start making real plans. Ten years later, with a fat vote of confidence from my wife, I’ve built a successful business entirely foreign to anything I was trained or went to school for. If you’re interested, my only advice is to remember the title of the book. Soloing, not partnering. I almost did the partnering thing. Twice. It would have ruined me and my family. If your OCD is any indication Jeff, you probably have what it takes. Life sucking endeavors are not kind to people with creative minds. Relax, enjoy the family, the change of view, and return with a new perspective.
You’re a talented guy, and I’m not the only one who thinks so.
I spent a decade in terrible marriage just because I could not bring myself to make a change that I knew I needed to make. At one point, I spent about a week in a deep funk trying to figure out what to do with myself. Finally, the day came that I chucked it all. He went on a business trip and when he came back, I had a new job, new house and no husband. Imagine his surprise.
My Mom always told me to never make decisions when you’re mad or sad, but I think that sometimes, you need a little sad to be the impetus to just say “fuck it”. When you’re cruising at the status quo, why rock the boat?? But when things aren’t great, that’s when you don’t have anything to lose.. that’s when you take a risk. I wish I was braver because I’ve rarely regretted taking a chance.
Hopefully, whatever this crisis is, you’ll be able to talk it out with Toney. You’re really fortunate to have a partner like her.
In 1994 I dropped out of college, sold my trombone, packed everything I wanted in one suitecase and bought a one way ticket from Philadelphia to San Diego… where I lived blissfully for seven years. 18 years later I find myself back in Philadelphia with the urge to do the same thing but now I have a well paying job, own a home and have a family – it’s a whole lot harder now than giving up a musical instrument. Also, my husbands not on board and that makes things harder. My goal is to leave everything and live simply on a quiet tropical island. I need to learn to fish….
That musta been one helluva trombone!
First let me say Jeff I am glad to be back! I was unemployed for two years, and have only had internet for a year now. I have worked for the last year at a crazy messed up job selling parts to carnys & big stinky bubbas… but finally yesterday it slowed down enough I dared to see if I could get on wvsr, & yeah I can!!!! I am ready to make a big life change, but hell I just got back to work a year ago & my kid is only 15… in a few more years I am saying screw it and just taking off… major life change…. Florida sux to live in & the 21 years I have lived here I have yet to meet a nice person… thanks I needed to vent a bit! SOOOOO glad to be back!!!
Welcome back, Lucie! I agree, Florida does suck!
I needed something new to do that will test my creativity so I just called a lady who is running an Improv class beginning in September. Thursdy nights from 7:00 – 9:00. I’ve never done anything like this, but it appeals to my whacked out side. Should be interesting. After the 8 week class, we put on a “show.”
I do stupid shit like this. When I can’t figure out what I want to do, or when I really get in a slump, I have to seek an outlet. Thank God my Beloved is behind me all the way. I guess if he wasn’t, I wouldn’t be married to him.
I miss WBRE 🙁
Louie is probably the best fucking show on TV right now.
As a matter of fact, yes I did once hit a giant ‘reset’ button and completely uproot my entire life to start over again. In 1998 I woke up one morning in Raleigh NC, and decided that there really wasn’t anything there to keep me in that god-forsaken city any longer. Nothing really wrong with Raleigh; it just lacked the original energy I needed in my life. The folks I knew were aging hipsters that seemed to think that the entire world revolved around them, and I was a single guy who wasn’t meeting anyone to which I would consider offering a wedding ring. So I drove into work (well-paying, interesting job!) and gave notice that I was quitting. I worked my two weeks, packed up my things, and left on my birthday. Best thing that ever happened to me. After I left NC, I travelled around for a bit, found the woman I eventually married, and went back to school for my terminal degree. I think I’ll probably have to hit the big ‘reset’ buttom again some day (perhaps I will wait until my son has gotten himself off to college first). I highly recommend it to anyone. There is so much opportunity and life out there, you’ll never see any of it if you stay in the hole that you currently find yourself in….and it’s real easy to get yourself into a hole. What you need to remember is that when you are on your death bed and reflecting back on your life; it will be a whole lot better to regret something you have done rather than something you haven’t done.
I’ve been wanting to do a mall shooting. Just to spice things up. Thanks.
Oh, you are a naughty, naughty boy.
I gave my office job notice two weeks ago (I’ve always worked in offices, some more tolerable than others; this one was killing my soul) and today is my last day! Next week, I start culinary school. I haven’t been a full-time student in nine years, and I know the next two will probably be the least-money-havingest, hard workingest of my life – but I reached that moment where I could no longer tolerate the way my professional life was going. I hope your NYC trip brings you much needed fun!
Congratulations on a) your last day int he hell hole and b) your new endeavor. Bon appetite!
several times in my life i dropped it all and started over
i always tryed to save enough to cover 6 months of basic bills in my ”get fucked” account
when things got rough i woulf tell boss to ”get fucked” and walk
about mid 30’s it was harder to get a job so i stuck it out at a sucky state job for 22 yrs
then nutcase uncle, who picked up cans along road, sold junk at flea markets,ect ,and would disapear for years on end showed up on a friday, told mom he came home to die,
4 days later he was found dead in yard
he was never married, and had millions in savings bonds,that we never suspected ,with siblings, neices and nephews as payable on death
with my share i took early retirement
no one, other than immeadate family knew i got a penny from him,and they don’t know how much,
they wonder when i going to start picking up cans,flea marketing, instead of fishing couple times a week, in a beat up ,second hand rowboat
so jeff, start buttering up any crazy relatives u got
My neighbor Dan lost his shit last year. His wife got in a car accident and they got a bunch of money, about half a million I think. He closed down his electrical business and they bought an RV and hauled ass. They’re home maybe 2 or 3 days every couple of months. He was telling me that he’s suicidal because his dish thing on the RV broke and they can’t watch TV on the road.
Guess a change of scenery isn’t the best for everyone…
Well the other thing is that her jaw is wired shut. I’d never seen that before. It’s weird as hell, watching someone talk through clenched teeth. But he was bitching about her jaw being wired shut and how he can’t get blowjobs anymore. So I guess that might be making him suicidal too.
Not to get off the subject but, where the HELL have Buck and AWG been?
What about Brittany? I don’t remember seeing her lately.
Not to over-analyze things, but I think all the mud-slinging, finger-pointing and chicken-littling is beginning to take its toll on us!
I’m just looking forward to November 7th when I can turn on the TV and NOT see some politician’s ugly mug!!!
Is it any wonder we all want to push the “Start Over” button?
In order to get your head above the clouds, you’ve got to stick your neck out.
Over 2 years ago I decided to quit my high paying job because I worked for a monster and could no longer stand going to work for that man. I was physically getting sick and had become a total nightmare to live with. I had no idea then that it would be so hard to find another job and as of this moment am still unemployed. We are living month to month and most of our savings is gone. Life is quite a struggle and I stress about it every day BUT… I still know deep inside that leaving that place was the best thing I could have done for me, my health and my marriage. You’ll figure it out Jeff and somewhere down the road this terrible summer will just be a footnote in your life.
My grandpappy used to always say, “You can jackoff in one place just as easy as you can jackoff in another.” His way of saying that he enjoyed traveling around and jacking off, I think. He was always trying to work jacking off into his sentences.
I’ve never had a desire to go to Easter Island. Have you seen where that fucking thing is at? No thanks.
Love this job I’ve had for 16+ years now but just lately a new thick layer of bullshit has been applied and I really got bent out of shape at my boss and my technical manager. Even wrote an email that wondered ‘out loud’ if it really made sense to keep working here. Unfortunately, I’m locked in. My wife and I just passed our 2nd anniversary and we’re happy as hell and her kids have got a ways to go before they are out of the house. (And one has to wonder, when looking to the future economic outlook, whether they will ever actually BE out of the house.) I strongly suspect that I’m trained for little else than what I do now and so probably couldn’t go anywhere else if I wanted to. Stay tuned….
But in reading Jeff’s words, I can see that this goes beyond job satisfaction. Someone else said it above: mid-life crisis. I prefer to term it ‘existential crisis’ rather than mid-life, because I’ve had ’em before and they started long before the middle of my life. Jeff’s right to avoid the 3-day bender. I never found many answers in the bottom of a bottle of Jack Daniels and these days the retribution my body has from such things is too much to ignore. Admit you’re fucked, Jeff – just like we all are in the end. Look for life’s little moments & cherish them. Yes – hug your kids or just talk to them. Have a beer, watch a sunset, slip Toney the tongue when (and where) you can, eat some ice cream. In short, look for life’s little moments and embrace them. They’re probably all you’re going to get.
Cheers, everyone. :~/
Never could stand Jack Daniel’s. Although one answer to be found at the bottom is, “yes, you drank too much”.
.
I always preferred George Dickel.
One of my co-workers (who happens to be in middle management) has a nasty habit of throwing last minute work onto me and my fellow (non-union/hourly) co-workers.
I have found that my recent switch to ‘non-reaction’ irritates him more than anything. I find particular glee in announcing that my day is already planned; I will try to fit in his poor planning as soon as possible.
I take no issue with mistakes or emergencies; I DO take issue with him rushing to me at 4:13 with demands and ‘need now’ items when I am getting ready to clock out for the day.
My boss, surprisingly, is backing me up. For now.
I often have thoughts of a mid-career crisis ‘is this as good as it gets’? Often write the ‘Fuck-off I quit’ email in my head as I drive to work. I think it would be great have the audio clip of “Yippie Ki Aye Motha Fucker’ as the salutation.
But then I get to my office building and get to doing what I do and the next thing you know it is another day, week, and a paycheck. Rinse and repeat. Hang in there Jeff you are not alone.
This will make everyone feel a lot better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr0UpQXYkGs
I feel like I write to Dear Diary here and get some excellent responses from friends I have yet to meet.
This must be the best wacky collection of misfit bloggers on the net. We are one hell of a bunch.
I am constantly entertained by the wit, wisdom, and experiences of people here.
Jeff has a knack for throwing out one obscure observation and everyone else completes the orchestra.
Good stuff.
In 2005 I packed up what I could fit into my car and drove to Florida. I stayed for four and a half years. In the end it wasn’t a sustainable life, but I wouldn’t want to live long term in Florida anyway. Too hot, too many nutcases, slow drivers, and kiddie touchers. But I needed the change at the time to keep me from sticking my head into the oven, so it served its purpose.
One of my closest friends is dying of a brain tumor at 40. Sometime like that gives you all of the perspective you’ll ever need, I think. Life is fragile, and uncertain. Live how you want. Do what makes you happy. Hold on to the small miracles. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Love as hard as you can. Those are the things that will matter in the end.
“You can always get more money, but you can’t get more time”.
Me and the wife gave the finger to our high salary high stress jobs back in 2005. My job was killing me, I could feel it.
Now to make ends meet we still work pretty damn hard, but it’s on our terms since we’re the boss. It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m working!
Life may suck but the alternative is Death.
paraphrase Groucho Marx
In 1997 while stationed in the UK, I separated from the USAF after 11 years, my wife of eight years and decided to marry an English lady. One of the reasons was that I didn’t want to offer my service to make damn sure that US gasoline was plentiful and cheap. During the Cold War, there was a definite sense of purpose in the military. Since then, not so much. ‘War on Terror’, yeah right. The military knows that actual wars are fought to be won. Keep people scared so they keep drinking the koolaid.
Jump forward 15 years of good marriage and a cool job where, as others have already stated, if no one is talking to you, everything is good. I did outlast a couple of supervisors that were complete tools. This taught me that management is mostly interchangeable, as long as it is local.
A few months ago, the global HQ want to ‘standardize’ products globally. Problem is that here in the UK our products (the ones I helped design, build and support) are about 3-5 years ahead of HQ’s idea of products. Issue is that HQ now has control of the budget. And they are based in AsiaPac. And they think they know better than the UK team. Being a wanna-be rocket scientist, I could deduce a world of pain coming down the pike.
Earlier this year, out of the blue, I was offered voluntary redundancy. After 12 years in the same company but seeing it all changing around me, and not for the better; once again I kicked the reset button hard. Scary? Hell yeah, but not as scary as being marginalized and ground down by the corporate cogs.
This time I haven’t rushed to find ANY job. I want to find a job that doesn’t suck. In the meantime, I’ve done a bit of contract work to pay the bills. So far, so good.
Might as well hang on until I find something that isn’t soul-sucking. Best of luck to all. Hang in there.
If you’ve not seen it already you might find this blog amusing:
http://reversepilgrims.wordpress.com/
It amused me, although I went the other direction, so technically I’m a Second Wave Pilgrim.
I’m a little late to this thread but it really interested me. My story is that have reset twice before. Once getting the hell out of Pottsville, PA to go teach in Japan. The other to try to save a doomed relationship by moving to Seattle. Both as a relatively young guy.
The first was one of the most exciting experiences of my life, but still with its share of drama and frustration. The second allowed me to get a real career going, I got married, had a kid and put down roots that I craved for a long time.
My job fizzled during the meltdown and I was really lucky to get another even if it was for a lot less. But it is at a real fussy old-school company and boring as hell. I only do actual work about 20 hours a week.
I would love to pick up and roll again right now. A change of scenery is exactly what I need. But this time I have a house and a kid and my wife’s career is finally taking off. So, I’m stuck here.
The good news is that the timing is now right for a new job and I’m getting some interest. So, hopefully I’ll be able to flip this outfit the bird and do something that may mean an end to my slacking, but will be engaging and pay what I’m worth.
Then, in about 12 years when my kid goes to college, I’m moving to Hawaii or Cabo or some other awesome place. If the wife wants go come she’s welcome, but I’m $#%*-ing going.
Thanks for listening. Pass the beer nuts.