Do you like your job?

“Just curious, who here likes what they do for a living? How about where and with whom you work?”

“I like my job, but it's not something I want to do all the way up until retirement. Unless of course retirement comes within the next 10 years. I work for a large aerospace contractor, doing electrical trouble-shooting, controls, and installations. It's physical most days so I stay in shape. I also like the people I work with for the most part, as well as my management. So I suppose if a person HAS to have a job, I've got a pretty good one. Oh, and every year, they give me more money without me ever having to ask for it. As well as a cash bonus at raise time. And 4 weeks of vacation, 1 week of personal leave, flex time if needed, insurance benefits etc. etc. No complaints here.”

“I like what I do. I like where I work and the company I work for. My fellow employees and I work good together and get along. Our job requires we be quite dependant on each other. There are a couple I probably wouldn't associate with if it weren't for work.”

“Heck yes I like my job. U.S. Army Cavalry Scout”

“I like my shop. My teacher is a fellow BPer, so I chat with him alot about BPin.”

“I love my job. I work in the mornings from 8:30-12:30. I like the people I work with. There is one guy in particular...I have a crush on him...it's baume66!”

“I like most of the people I work with, and liked my job much better in the past before we had some management changes. I don't like the new management. They have made it a very frustrating ordeal to try to do anything correctly. I've got lots of time off, good benifits, and the pay is good.”

“yaaaaaahooooooooo!”

“bpbaby, 12 hr. shifts? I used to work a shift that gave me 7 days off every fourth week. Then I got a transfer and I still work 12 hr shifts only a differnet schedule. It still affords me a good bit of time off (especially during the week which is nice) if we aren't working a lot of O.T.”

“I'll probably get slammed for this, but I design cellular telephones. I like my job a lot and the people I work with, but I've only been there for about a year”

“So, trailbuster, did you post on the CELL PHONES ON THE TRAIL? thread. We're curious to see if you carry a phone!
hehehehe”

“Baume66, yep I work the one where you get 7 days off every 4th week. Like you said, the only problem is the OT covering for others to go on vacation. There are only 5 folks in my dept. and we all have 4 or 5 weeks vacation.”

“I like my job a lot. I'm a software engineer for Wacom. It's interesting work that I have fun doing. Can't beat that.”

“Occupation: Absent-minded professor.

I like my job teaching engineering (mostly statistics, engineering economics, and engineering ethics) in a state university. I like my colleagues and especially being around college students. I was department chair for 7 years and that sucked. I can't say that the place is well run (very few educational institutions are), but the people are nice and the flexibility is awesome. Pay is so-so but the benefits are great at the state university. Great occupation for someone who likes to hike (4 day work week + vacations and summers off).

I used to work for General Motors as an Industrial Engineer in an assembly plant. I liked that a lot. Unfortunately they closed the plant (1982) and laid us all off.”

“I'm trying to move on to something different.

Last week I took and passed my Class B Commercial Drivers License (CDL) in order to be elegible for a position working for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Sent out the resume package (they wanted lots of info plus a long write-up of why I think I'm qualified for this job) also, and the next day got an Email saying they got the package and that it looked "OK" (meaning there was nothing to dis-qualify me).

It is a bust-a$$ maintenance job working driving a big truck doing tree work and whatever...but the pay is $15-18hr...and once I get my foot in the door I may have room for moving up and around in the NPS.

Wish me luck!”

“Good luck. Sounds like a good plan. I would like to work for the NPS. Maybe in my next life.”

“Good Luck Buddur!”

“Considering I am now putting together my own job, to my own specs (and what can keep me afloat financially)...... well, I'm very broke, but yes, I like it!

Am working part-time (2-3 days/week) at a weekly paper in SE Minnesota. It's a haul at 35 miles one way... BUT coverage area includes Lanesboro. And that is a great small town with a lot going for it.... B and Bs up the wazoo; the Root River Trail, a very scenic, paved trail on an old RR bed now taking in almost 70 miles with its various extensions (am looking forward to biking after work once spring arrives!); the Root River for canoeing; a new $2 million art center going in funded by a state grant; a small professional theatre; and the town pulls together unbelievably as volunteers for literally any good cause that comes along. (got a chance to get to know a few people there on a story last summer)

My new boss is mellow. What a refreshing change!! He is not even in my office. The gal office manager is great and funny.

Also, am doing some sales and writing for Midwest Today magazine. Here I hope to become financially stable (and BEYOND!!). They seem to be very good people running it. I've only just started and they keep offering me access to the free press trips they're offered to resorts and stuff!!

So, we'll see........... hopefully I'll like setting my own hours (am a night owl) and having a good chunk of free time off each week.”

“Yup. I do. Lots.

I provide insurance, investment, & financial planning services on a self-employed basis. As such, I have much flexibility in schedule, and in the summers, often take Friday's off to get an early start for camping and BP weekends. While I DO like most of the people I work with (after all, they ARE clients), some of them can be a$$holes. Despite my credentials and 20+ years of experience, some still treat me as a peon salesman whose only interest is seeing how deep I can get into their pockets. These people I usually fire, transfer, GIVE away, and so, I don't have the exposure to them I once did. Who wants to work with someone who doesn't have the courtesy to return a call?

Anyway, I take time off as needed, and am able to regularly schedule micro- and mini-escapes on a regular basis. Vacations aren't paid in the sehnse that most people are familiar with... but I'm fine with that. Really.”

“Let's put it this way:

Former life, newspaper editor: 50 hrs a week/no overtime, constant deadlines/stress, lots of responsibility and insufficient authority, crappy pay, and 3 weeks vacation (after 8 years) but couldn't take more than one at a time. However could take vacation after Labor Day and end of tourist/bug season.

Current life, community/technical college writing/communication instructor. Teaching 5 classes base load at about 40 hrs a week (depending on how many papers to read) unless I'm teaching overload (which I always am). Summers off (unless I'm teaching summer school, which for the first time in 4 or 5 years, I am NOT -- I came to my senses, plus my wife has some income now). No more autumn weeks spent backpacking, but a month off at Xmas, spring break week, and Easter downtime. NEA affiliate union, with good pay and benefits. Annual professional development trips I get to choose (went to Key West Literary Seminar this past January on science writing) and very eclectic colleagues.

That would be pretty good upgrade from the former life, but on top of it I lucked out and got a teaching post at a rather unique place. Our campus is small and in the woods on a lake. You can visit us at: www.nicoletcollege.com
to see what I mean. We've added outdoor adventure/skills classes for the summer, too, if you are looking for that. That's what's nuts about working during summer breaks -- I live where most people want to vacation. Lakes, rivers (Wisconsin and Pelican meet in our town -- a whitewater channel is being developed downtown under the paper mill's dam relicensing), county, state and national forests including trail systems and wilderness areas anywhere from 15 min. to 1/2 hour from my house.

It's cold and blustery today, so I'm at my office to grade some student writing. During the school year, time is flexible, but it may mean weekend work. On the other hand, unlimited computer/Internet time, which is good because my home computer is screwed up, so I have to post from here until I get our new computer ordered.

All in all, I remind myself NOT to complain, even on the bad days.”

“I'm still unemployed and I'm beginning to hate it.

Good for bp'ing, though.”

“Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyat! Yes I LOVE my motha fawking job!!!!!”

“I work in a factory making windows. I like my job but I just don't make enough money. My boss is great though. It's my girlfriend. Susan took over as supervisor a few months ago after our old boss quit.
And I'm also the day shift job steward for the Union.”

“I love my job as a flight instructor. I left a very successful corporate career because I didn't want to spend at least 5 days a week in a cube staring at a monitor, answering phone calls and email for the rest of my life. Now I make my own hours and don't make much money, but I'm dang happy!”

“Hoooyaaaah! Where else can you shoot big guns, play silly bugger at crazy hours, get paid to climb and hike AND look at cute buff men in various stages of undress?? LOL!!! Yeah, my job is pretty good. The 'benefits' aren't bad either! ;->”

“I used to love my job (Director of Engineering at a cutting edge start up). Then we got acquired by a really screwed up company (Thanks Mr. Greedy Ex-CEO). Last Friday, I had to lay off 50% of my group. Now my goal is to get out of here ASAP before I have to turn off the lights.”

“No, not any more. I've been working for U of M Housing and Residential Life for three years. I'm tired of freshmen, I"m tired of beurocracy, I"m tired of sharing a bathroom, I'm tired of graffitti, I'm tired of a room with all of 150 quare feet, I'm tired of having to wear sandals in the shower, I'm tired of having to ask neighbors to turn down their thumping bass, I'm tired of apathy, ignorance, and arrogance.

Being a Community Advisor (aka R.A.), has been a good experience. I've developed my leadership skills, and it has helped me get through college, and I've met some amazing people, but I'm done. I will certainly look back on the job with good memories, but that will take a couple of years. I'm graduating in May and it's not a moment too soon.”

“Yeah, I like my job. I used to like it better, back in the good old days. When I started, we had close to 20 people just in our survey/mapping department and now we're down to 6. Funny, we still have the same amount of work to do....

I get out in the field to do some surveying on occasion, but not enough. It's a nice break from staring at this computer! But there is some satisfaction in seeing that completed map, I guess.”

“I AM A HIGHSCHOOL SHOP TEACHER THAT'S HAD IT "UP TO HERE" WITH ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR!!!!!!


But I'll be better after a little Spring break ;o)”

“I used to work at this big outdoor clothing manufacturing plant in Indonesia. It was really a fun job. Hundreds of us all working together 14 hours a day and 6-7 days a week at 40 cents a day. The best part was that we didn't have to worry about overtime because labor laws didn't reqire it. Then I got promoted. They transferred me to the U.S. to work as a sales specialist for the clothing and gear I used to make. Now I cater to a bunch of corporate lackey, SUV driving, bourgeois idiots (for the most part). I miss my Indonesian brothers.”

“I hate my job and have for about 14 years now.Being an Army recruiter is the most stressful and thankless job in the Army and I can't wait for the next 20 months to pass for my retirement and that check that comes along with it. Hopefully in my next career I will be happy with what I am doing and I am very glad to see that most of you are pleased with what you are doing.”

“I love my job. I'm a structural eningeer specializing in buildings. I get to design the structure for a building and then watch it get built. Alabama is a good place to practice, no earthquakes.”

“Spam, my dad was a Navy recruiter right after WWII. I guess the high point was he recruited my mom. Then they got the heck out of Dodge for a while: Guam, complete with typhoons and Japanese holdouts and giant snakes.”

“Love my job. I'm a counselor at an adult education facility. I also teach their outdoor programs on a part time basis (translated that means they PAY me to go backpacking and hiking.)”

“Hey Kleetn, where do you work? I do GIS, computer mapping stuff for a psuedo-governmental organization in Austin, TX in a Surveying & Mapping dept. Some outdoor work doing GPS. I don't really like it much anymore, I'm kinda tired of being pigeon holed as a GIS person. I'm looking to get into community planning stuff, so keep your fingers crossed for me.”

“Yep, it's a good job. No one bothers me, I don't have to deal with the public (crazies!) and I have wonderful benefits. I work at my own pace, listen to talk radio all night and take breaks when I want.”

“Ranger, your job sounds real similar to mine. You say you're tired of being pigeon-holed? How so? Is your work not varied enough? Just feel like a change?

My wife HATES it when someone asks me what I do because they always respond something like, "whoa, that is so COOL! I love maps!" moooooHAHAHA!”

“I wish they had GIS classes when I was in kollege...the applications seem limitless.

...and Mr.Kleetn, you got one cool job.”

“Well, I'm really just tired of doing GIS in general. I'm fortunate to work at a place where I can go from producing maps for a master plan for a rural community to developing a facilities management tool for our electric transmission business. I'm just getting tired of doing computer stuff all day. I really liked working with our planning department to assist a small town develop their master plan and want to go in that direction. I don't want to give up the GIS completely, I just want the opportunity to focus on other things and planning is defintely a field I'm interested in. I think it would be great to work with small communities and help them determine how they can grow economically while maintaining their small town charm. Its a challenge but one I hope to face soon. Buddur, GIS is an amazing tool, anything you can think of in a spatial sense can go into GIS.”

“I love my job. I work in Pigeon Forge. Its busy during tourist season. I only work from April untill Jan 1st. Then get a nice long vacation with pay. Can't get any better than that. LOL”

“Ranger, my wife works in municipal government. What you outline is something she wrestles with everyday.”

“I like the paycheck, the benefits, the hours...

Most of the time I like my job, as much as anyone could like working for the gov't I suppose. I like working with other state employees and helping them get things done - not the usual attitude of someone in my position. Gawd forbid we might try to improve our service by changing the way we do things. If it ain't bein' done the way it's been done since Christ wore knickers it's bein' done the wrong way!

I'm a little frustrated with the system today...
~>%}”

“Oh yeah, I work for the BUDGET office - our knickname across state gov't is "Bureau of the Gods" if that's any indication of the prevailing attitude.”

“I wish I could quit my job.... But I need the rest.”

“No.

I want to win the lotto like normal people.”

“no”

“not at all”

“teardrop, where did you come from and where do you work? You aren't that far from me, I'm across the Mountain in Waynesville, NC maybe we could get together for a hike sometime.”

“I dont particularly enjoy my job.I do like the type of work though. I am an electrician ( apprentice). The work is challenging and pay is very good,great benefits. The folks I work with are a generally miserable lot and they desire to drag you into the pit of despair they inhabit. The days drag like I am standing still in slow motion. My instructor is obsessive/compulsive,which makes my job a herculean task . In 3 more years I will get my journeymans card, I WILL QUIT!!!!!


BTW oldie, arent you studying to be a teacher? If so, learn to love a bureaucracy, learn to relish district policies that make no sense, learn to love the indistrict memo .Learn to work for a machine that will eat your soul and destroy what shreds of dignity you still posses. Enjoy being a spoke in a giant wheel thats on a bike about to be run over by an 18 wheel truck. You will NOT be a human,but a classroom number and social security number That payroll will screw up taking from you the only incentive you have... YOUR PAY! Parents will hate you,children disrespect you administration will overwhelm you with unreasonable demands and taxpayers will resent your 12 wk summers. Enjoy yourself while you can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Oldie, post-secondary isn't quite that bad ... get your master's or above and fight for a non-K/12 job with all the others. LOL Hyper!”