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Poll
What should I do?
Quit being a whiny litte bitch and suck it up. 42%
Go back to school where you can safely tread water for 3 or 4 more years. 18%
Make money off of the Adequacy through banner ads and all those other things that don't work. 18%
Continue our current contract with Microsoft 21%

Votes: 33

 The diary where I present myself for your ridicule.

 Author:  Topic:  Posted:
Jan 22, 2002
 Comments:
Like so many of the Adequacy.org readers, I don't know any better than to share my innermost feelings on a site like Adequacy.org. Hopefully, you will all teach me a lesson I won't soon forget.
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I hate my job, but that's probably not the best place to start this story. First, perhaps some history would be appropriate. In mid-october I was laid off from my job of two years. The tech downturn, or whatever you wish to call it, finally hit home.

For nearly 3 months afterwards, I was looking for work which wasn't available, contemplating going back to school and enjoying living off of unemployment. Honestly, I don't think I've ever had as much fun. The social life I had been ignoring for the past year came back with a vengeance.

Then my old employer called. One of my friends who made it through the layoffs had injured himself and was unable to work. They desperately needed someone who could ramp up quickly to do some of his work until he could come back. I asked for quite a high hourly rate and they agreed.

So here I am, halfway through my 30 day contract. I hate it.

I don't know how I put up with it before. Perhaps I was just used to it then. I go home, and I don't have the energy or motivation to do anything. I can hardly make myself get up in the morning to go to work. I honestly feel like I'm selling my soul for a few hundred dollars per day.

A bit melodramatic perhaps, but it describes my feelings well.

Perhaps I do need to go back to school and perhaps learn a new craft? Or in the short term, it would be great if there was some way to make some money off of Adequacy, since I really need to spend time working on it so we can handle the massive traffic we've been experiencing lately.

Poll: What should I do with my life?


How I solved the same problem you have. (none / 0) (#1)
by Sexy Gallis on Tue Jan 22nd, 2002 at 01:56:25 PM PST
I quit school. Then I worked for an AI company. Hated it (money was yum). Quit it.

No Education, No Job.

What to do?

Start a porn company.

Girlfriend supplies the goodies, I make the cash.

Ain't life sweet?


(Just remember, Shoeboy...) (none / 0) (#8)
by chloedancer on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 07:41:36 AM PST
If/when you read this, I'm the one who suggested that you consider hiring yourself out as a male escort as a potential solution to your own lack of employment long before this alternative option was posted.

Don't even think about asking after the possibility of duplicating this set-up, ma cher! (Me, I'm just happy that I've not yet loaned you my digital camera; I'm so glad I've learned to follow my intuitive streak. ;)


Hrmmm... (none / 0) (#17)
by Peter Johnson on Thu Jan 24th, 2002 at 02:08:27 PM PST
Could I, perhaps, you know, borrow the camera to take pictures of myself?

I'd make less money that way, but it'd still be a fortune.
--Peter
Are you adequate?

 
few hundred a day? (none / 0) (#2)
by nathan on Tue Jan 22nd, 2002 at 02:14:49 PM PST
No matter how awful work is, having no money is harder. That said, maybe a different line would be worth investigating?

Nathan
--
Li'l Sis: Yo, that's a real grey area. Even by my lax standards.

Huh? (none / 0) (#3)
by zikzak on Tue Jan 22nd, 2002 at 03:11:28 PM PST
Having no money is easy. You can achieve the goal without doing anything at all.


you can do better than that. n/t (none / 0) (#4)
by nathan on Tue Jan 22nd, 2002 at 03:44:23 PM PST

--
Li'l Sis: Yo, that's a real grey area. Even by my lax standards.

 
I had thought about that (none / 0) (#5)
by elby on Tue Jan 22nd, 2002 at 04:13:25 PM PST
I'm considering becoming a sandal wearing hippy and joining some sort of commune where I can farm the soil all day to grow soy beans and hemp.

-lb


I hate (none / 0) (#9)
by hauntedattics on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 07:54:40 AM PST
to rain on your commune fantasy, but what if you hate all the others in the commune? What if you don't feel like getting up at 3 AM to harvest the hemp and the others boot you out? Then what if you end up living on the street in a cardboard box?

As a world-class worrier, I could continue, but I think you get my drift. Maybe some career counseling? There are many helpful books...



Details... (none / 0) (#11)
by elby on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 10:24:29 AM PST
Please, these small details do not concern me. Undoubtedly it will work out.

Career counseling? I've never even though of that before. What is that, anyway?

Do they give you some sort of cheesy aptitude test and then tell you to become a plumber?

-lb


Nope. (none / 0) (#12)
by hauntedattics on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 12:14:47 PM PST
Better. They give you several cheesy aptitude and personality tests and then tell you that you'd do well "working with information" or "managing people."



Oh, I think I've done one of those... (none / 0) (#13)
by elby on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 01:03:50 PM PST
My parents had me do one when I was still a teenager. They told me that high tech was an excellent career path for me.

Shows what they know.

-lb


 
Dear HA (none / 0) (#14)
by osm on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 03:51:13 PM PST
None of the issues mentioned would be a problem for my friend elby. Fortunately, he has me as an advisor.

Let me introduce you to the Glock 9mm 17 Pistol:

Caliber: 9x19mm
Dimensions: 186mm x 138mm x 30mm
Weight: 280g with loaded magazine
Cartridge: 9mm parabellum
Magazine Capacity: 10/17/19
Muzzle velocity: 370ms


With such a weapon at his side, I'm sure elby would NOT be kicked out of the commune for not waking up on time.


 
Maybe you just need a change of scene? (none / 0) (#6)
by jin wicked on Tue Jan 22nd, 2002 at 06:54:11 PM PST
It works for me sometimes, to just get away from everything for awhile. I know the feeling of coming home so exhausted you don't have energy to do the things you really want to do. :(


"Ars longa, vita brevis...Art is long, life is short."

I think it's the contrast (none / 0) (#7)
by elby on Tue Jan 22nd, 2002 at 07:37:11 PM PST
I think what really makes it apparent to me is the contrast between how much fun I was having being unemployed and then not having enough energy to leave the house.

lb


Yeah... (none / 0) (#15)
by jin wicked on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 05:29:33 PM PST
I always do my best work when I'm "unemployed" by regular means. The scales are tipping, though, so hopefully I'll be able to depend more and more on the stuff I really enjoy doing.


"Ars longa, vita brevis...Art is long, life is short."

 
I have a plan for you (none / 0) (#10)
by Anonymous Reader on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 09:42:02 AM PST
Lottery tickets. Here's how it works:

You buy one lottery ticket, you have a certain chance of winning. Buy two, and you've doubled your chance of winning. So, take that to the logical conclusion, scrape every dollar you can together, and buy many, many lottery tickets. For example, if you buy 100, your have a 100 times better chance of winning than if you just buy one. Buy 500 and it seems to me you "hitting the big one" is virtually assured, and you'll never have to sell your soul for any price (per day).


 
Do what I did (none / 0) (#16)
by jelerial on Wed Jan 23rd, 2002 at 09:27:12 PM PST
Start yourself up as an independent contractor. It sucks. But when you have work, the pay is pretty good, and when you don't have work.. you're unemployed so you can do whatever you want! But, as an independent contractor, you really get that feeling of being a whore..


 

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