"My job is not my passion"

[Conundrum]

I'm one of those. I am in my 60's and I tried being retired, then tried being semi-retired (consultant for my former company) and I found I did not enjoy it. I went back to work in a totally different field, started at the bottom and now run the show. I found that the social aspect of work is what I enjoy. Interacting with my coworkers and the public is why I keep working.

Smells like passion.

I know too many trade people who's lives got royally fucked in '07-09 to say that.

edit: at the end all of these things are macro at some level. want to make money in a trade you are a small businessman. subject to the vicissitudes of such a life. cube rat gos on funemployment which is annoying. small businessman eats savings.

There are so many people that “lost it all” in the trades in ‘07-10. I wonder how many people “had it all” in ‘02-06 that then lost it all. The people that lost it all in the Great Recession made their net worth in the few years leading up to it. Those who made a good chuck prior to the buildup and recession kept a bunch and are crushing it now. Everyone can help blow bubbles. Bummer is they pop.

Look at craigslist for newish 3/4 ton diesels with a lift that go for sale when the market turns. I bet the contractors without AP issues are driving a little bit older, modest vehicle. Saving money is a hell of a drug. And not taking on too many jobs with subs that will fold before the occupancy cert is the enabler.

[The AD]

I'm one of those. I am in my 60's and I tried being retired, then tried being semi-retired (consultant for my former company) and I found I did not enjoy it. I went back to work in a totally different field, started at the bottom and now run the show. I found that the social aspect of work is what I enjoy. Interacting with my coworkers and the public is why I keep working.

That's awesome, Harry. I doubt a lot of people are in that position.

[dunfree]

There are so many people that “lost it all” in the trades in ‘07-10. I wonder how many people “had it all” in ‘02-06 that then lost it all. The people that lost it all in the Great Recession made their net worth in the few years leading up to it

what's called the "great recession" covered a lot of things. One of those things was pretty substantial changes in regional US real estate spending patterns - you can find a number of mags talking about the decline in CT real estate. Another area was pretty large changes in across the US consumption patterns - my, current, "dream job", trade (retail music) has seen a broad change in business and a bunch of suppliers/participants who never recovered from the GR. Business down >40% and it never recovered.

One cottage manufacturer described the business as "eating like a snake". You take a few meals randomly. Not hard to see how a recession can fuck you over long term.

[Conundrum]

Supply and demand. Capitalism. I’m not saying what we have is a true capitalistic society. But what we have is an evolving economy. When you say people lost it all you are saying they invested in something that didn’t play out out and they lost it all. They didn’t have to invest anything therefore no losses.

If you mean the market changed and no none is buying their shit...sure, that happens. I guess the gov could have stepped in. If you’re saying builders of great wealth lost their asses the last go around, I’d argue they over extended new money style.

Edit. I mean those currently trying to do biz. Not those that had their retirement accounts f’d by what happened.

[Skidog]

I should have been a firefighter or joined the military right out of high school. I'd be two years away from my 20 by now...

The fuck if I don't kick myself all the time over this very thing. Growing up my best friends father was a paid fire captn. he told us after high school to just take the test, like wtf why not he said? We were dumb kids more interested in drinking beer and getting laid. Would've been a pretty sweet gig. I got friends who became small"ish" town cops in NJ, I graduated with them, they are now retired under 50...no clue what they will do with their time, but damn it must be sweet to have that problem when you still got some good years left.

I also have some thoughts on higher education. I don't think college is bad, I think the problem is a lot of kids 1) don't have a clue what they want to do since they likely haven't really done much but school up til this decision. 2) pick majors that don't really have a useful purpose towards gainful employment upon receipt of degree. I think a decent idea would be to let kids get jobs after high school for a couple year, see whats out there for them, without a degree, see what they like, get some partying out then start college, maybe at 21ish. 2) education lenders should weight the degree against the money being lent. If degree has a high likelihood of good future employment you get more money, you wanna study ancient sandscrit? Well we will give you some money, but not a lot. Yeah yeah I know banks are in for profit, they dont care about what degree you get, just that you pay back the loan. Just seems like both the above might help in some ways.

[schuss]

In technology there's a bunch of dev schools now that take a chunk of salary post-grad if you make over 50k for a period.
It seems that's a model that will likely work for a lot of things. Also, the schools generally setup close relationships with larger employers, so the curriculum is continually reworked based on market need. Fundamentally changes the experience, but seems like there's absolutely a place for it.

[glademaster]

In technology there's a bunch of dev schools now that take a chunk of salary post-grad if you make over 50k for a period.
It seems that's a model that will likely work for a lot of things. Also, the schools generally setup close relationships with larger employers, so the curriculum is continually reworked based on market need. Fundamentally changes the experience, but seems like there's absolutely a place for it.

This perspective is mind boggling to me. Curricula in higher education being dictated by corporations seems antithetical to the real purpose of a college education, which is, and should always be, about acquiring knowledge for learning's sake. It makes me truly sad for the future that there are people out there who only see education as a foil for their greed.

We don't need critical thinking or facts any more, just believe the latest line from Corporate and don't question anything, there's a financially secure future at the end of it. The selling out of America is now complete. Live it up and die young, because it's all going to shit in a hurry.

[zion zig zag]

This perspective is mind boggling to me. Curricula in higher education being dictated by corporations seems antithetical to the real purpose of a college education, which is, and should always be, about acquiring knowledge for learning's sake. It makes me truly sad for the future that there are people out there who only see education as a foil for their greed.

We don't need critical thinking or facts any more, just believe the latest line from Corporate and don't question anything, there's a financially secure future at the end of it. The selling out of America is now complete. Live it up and die young, because it's all going to shit in a hurry.

It's just trade school, same as it's ever been. Just because it's a white collar job doesn't change that.

[jackstraw]

I know a ton of pharma reps making 150k plus who barely work 25 hours a week.

Yeah, nothing wrong with that situation, eh?

Fuck big pharma raping Americans. Winning!

Money is overrated in this whole discussion. Sure you need to make a decent wage, but it isn't everything.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Look at craigslist for newish 3/4 ton diesels with a lift that go for sale when the market turns. I bet the contractors without AP issues are driving a little bit older, modest vehicle. Saving money is a hell of a drug. And not taking on too many jobs with subs that will fold before the occupancy cert is the enabler.

This is so true. I got a half serious rule on my job site, no $75 trucks and no $4K rims. 'Round here, when development is hot, a bunch of bad businessmen and contractors that are not really into it get in over there head. We are all one bad decision from being out of business. Those of us that made it through the last recession are pretty financially conservative and don't fuck around when it comes to overdue invoices.

[spanghew]

It's just trade school, same as it's ever been. Just because it's a white collar job doesn't change that.

That is the big confusion: people think college is trade school. the STEM movement is doing its best to bolster this misapprehension among parents, students and educators (well, administrators). You can learn a trade on your summers off, during your gap years. Use school to learn the things that pique your interest; take advantage of the outing program that will send you places you might not have gone on your own; live in a language house; join the debate team so you can cope with the Padded Room; study art and design so when you want to stop being a wood butcher and open a custom cabinet shop you have some idea of what to build. College is not about learning a trade, but it might give you a better chance of prospering in one.
And graduate school is for focusing on what you've decided to do next, anyway. It seems that most people who yammer about college don't really understand the basics of it . . .

[zion zig zag]

That is the big confusion: people think college is trade school. the STEM movement is doing its best to bolster this misapprehension among parents, students and educators (well, administrators). You can learn a trade on your summers off, during your gap years. Use school to learn the things that pique your interest; take advantage of the outing program that will send you places you might not have gone on your own; live in a language house; join the debate team so you can cope with the Padded Room; study art and design so when you want to stop being a wood butcher and open a custom cabinet shop you have some idea of what to build. College is not about learning a trade, but it might give you a better chance of prospering in one.
And graduate school is for focusing on what you've decided to do next, anyway. It seems that most people who yammer about college don't really understand the basics of it . . .

I'm not confused. I understand the greater purpose of a college education, but that doesn't change the fact that it's morphed/morphing into trade school. Those who seek a broader education can still find it but just look at ncskier's post in this thread to understand what 'merica thinks of those folks.

[fastfred]

hate my job
I"m sitting here in my pj's working
hate where I live
ski towns suck the life out of you
hate my life
it didn't turn out like it was suppose to
just finished my billing cycle for june
80k coming my way, what bike should I buy? nevermind wrong thread
not sure if I should do a bong hit or smoke a doobie
the joint always makes my hands smell bad and I hate going to a meeting and catching a whiff of weed and knowing it's me

[Buster Highmen]

I'm not confused. I understand the greater purpose of a college education, but that doesn't change the fact that it's morphed/morphing into trade school. Those who seek a broader education can still find it but just look at ncskier's post in this thread to understand what 'merica thinks of those folks.

So do you think this morphing is good?

[jackstraw]

80k coming my way, what bike should I buy? nevermind wrong thread

The red one!

the joint always makes my hands smell bad and I hate going to a meeting and catching a whiff of weed and knowing it's me

Yeah, me too.

[Foggy_Goggles]

So do you think this morphing is good?

I don't know. What I do know is we need an educated society and we need our young people to learn marketable job skills.

[Foggy_Goggles]

hate my job
I"m sitting here in my pj's working
hate where I live
ski towns suck the life out of you
hate my life
it didn't turn out like it was suppose to
just finished my billing cycle for june
80k coming my way, what bike should I buy? nevermind wrong thread
not sure if I should do a bong hit or smoke a doobie
the joint always makes my hands smell bad and I hate going to a meeting and catching a whiff of weed and knowing it's me

Move to Rifle, build spec homes...staying up valley too long is not good for your health.

[fastfred]

Move to Rifle, build spec homes...staying up valley too long is not good for your health.

I have other places picked out, can't tell you cause I don't want everyone to move there and "ruin it" like they did to the town I live in now
I'm just bent out of shape because simple beat me to one of the spots I picked

[fastfred]

The red one!



Yeah, me too.

thanks for the help there are only two choices matte black and red

[doebedoe]

My job isn't my passion. But it is something I can feel good most days about donating a huge portion of my life to because I believe in the mission, the work is often interesting, the people are rarely assholes, the pay/benefits is sufficient, most weeks I don't need to go over 40hr, and job security is ridiculous. And frankly given I entered the job market during the Great Recession I feel pretty damn lucky to be in such a position.

Fuck if I know what my "passion" is after I left academia. I now like skiing, biking, hiking with the pup, reading, gardening and traveling. Wouldn't want to work in any of those, and what I saw in academia made me nope out of there.

Upside is my partners passion is computer science. She's teaching at a local university now while finishing the Ph.D. Already has much higher earning potential than I ever will but hasn't felt need to cash out on it...yet.

[CarlMega]

I think some of you live in horribly depressed job markets. My nephew just graduated from unc charlotte. A good but not great school. Starting salary at BofA 75k. 20k sign on bonus. Puts his 40 hours in and goes home. He will have to get mba at some point, but for now fuck passion. He’s 22 pays $800 month in rent and is saving a ton of money.
My other niece is a nurse anesthetist. 25 makes $150k a year. Works 3 12 hour days. Picks up prn days at an outpatient surgery center for extra money. Bought a nice house with big down payment.
This is all in poor old North Carolina. Maybe some here should have skipped English degrees and fly tying classes.
You seem to be angry being poor.
I know a ton of pharma reps making 150k plus who barely work 25 hours a week.

Virtue signalling.

[Foggy_Goggles]

I have other places picked out, can't tell you cause I don't want everyone to move there and "ruin it" like they did to the town I live in now
I'm just bent out of shape because simple beat me to one of the spots I picked

Ha...I'm actually down to only one place that in Colorado that fits the appropriately in the "Awesome/Affordable/Quiet/Still Pay Your Bills" matrix. I should know within the next year what the options are depending on the wife's employment situations. If you snaps, says "fuck it" and quits then the future in uncertain for better or for worse.

[Buster Highmen]

I don't know. What I do know is we need an educated society and we need our young people to learn marketable job skills.

The thrust of higher education for some time has been morphing a trade school philosophy, one based on developing marketable skills.

I think that's a mistake. I think the objective of education should be a lot broader than that, to expose people to history, to the philosophies on which the Constitution is based. To exercise scientific methods in a variety of mediums, to put people in a position to react to changes in scientific paradigms, to changes in markets, to develop new markets.

The US has been a technical leader, creating markets for infra red technologies, solid state devices, computers and solar energy because of focus on scientific liberal arts like chemistry, physics and math in the 50s and 60s. The thing that concerns me is that a drift away from liberal arts and science in US education will have us yielding that leadership.

[zion zig zag]

So do you think this morphing is good?

Overall for the health of society? No. But for the individual? Maybe in the short term. I know what my capacity was as a twenty-something.

[CantDog]

My job is caring for dying people. As part of that work there is a lot of life review, reflecting on experiences, thinking about family and making meaning, etc. Certain themes emerge from folks— the importance of family, being kind, service, etc—but no one says they wish they made more money, or they wish they worked more. No one talks about materials that they value, while the joy of experiences comes up frequently. I’ve cared for some seriously impressive people who have changed their corner of the world, but the themes are always the same.

That being said, I love my work and what I do. Maybe on my deathbed it won’t matter, but it matters now.