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Here's Some Normal
by blank at 02:51 AM on September 03, 2005
Well, I don't have anything bad to say about Anna's posts, but I do agree on one thing: Things have gotten a little dry around these parts. For having a ton of writers, not much is being said. It's nice to see Ezy and Chuck stopping by along with the adventurous Leaffin. I guess I just want more.
Of corse, it's a little hypocritical of me to say such things since, you know, I'm not exactly posting anything either. So, I've decided to stop the lurking and start the posting, even if I just say something "normal."
The big thing with me right now is, like Leaffin, I'm applying for a new job. It's not anything near what I would call my dream job. It's a corporate, in-house design position in a big city in a big tower. Why would I want this? Why in hell would I want to do something that I don't absolutely love to do? I'll tell you why: Money, money, money.
That is it. That is the primary reason. Forget all that bull-shit you were fed in school about finding the perfect job that you'd just hop out of bed for every morning with your smiling face eager to get to work. It's a fucking lie. They even have tests to tell you what your perfect job is, but you'll never get "toilet scrubber" or "mortician." I mean, no one ever sat down and said, "I want to be a proctologist more than anything in the whole world!"
Oh, my gosh. What a cynical person I must be, right? Give me a minute. I've got some reasons for it. See, I like things like healthy food and shelter that isn't a dump. Air conditioning and heat are nice things to have. Computers and the internet are good too. These things aren't exactly free. That's why you always see "starving artists" with day jobs. They figure out real fast that starving is no fun.
With my current job, even with my tiny university employe salary, I have no trouble paying the bills — for myself. I just don't want to be by myself anymore. I want a wife, a house and kids. I'm not going to get that where I am. I suppose I could be like other people and have kids anyway, raise them in a 2 bedroom apartment, have the wife work to fund the day care bill and have my kids raised by other people. You know, because family is more important than money.
If I could, I'd just draw cartoons all the time. Being an illustrator would be a job I'd be good at, and best of all, I'd really like doing it. Why don't I do that? Well, it's a lot of work. Then you have that whole part of selling yourself and finding work. There's no stability. At that point it isn't fun anymore. I'd rather find a job I'm good at, one I don't absolutely hate to do, that isn't too stressful, pays the most and requires the least amount of time so I can afford to have fun.
comments (12)
What city?
by mg at September 3, 2005 8:01 AM
I live in Madison, Wisconsin, which is a liberal place full of idealists. I guess I'm one of those liberal idealists, too. But the second I graduated from college, I started working at a normal office job. And was probably the highest paid of my friends here (minus my computer programmer friend) ... others were working at the local food co-op, doing Americorps, or working with the mentally-disabled. I probably could have gotten a similar job, and I definitely thought about it, but then started thinking that those jobs don't necessarily appeal to me any more than an office job, and I could support myself and fill my savings account a helluva lot better with the office job.
So, here I am, supporting myself with that same office job. In a year, I make enough for me to live comfortably off of, AND put enough aside for a year of travel. It serves its purpose.
Anyway, good seeing you around, Blank, and most of all, good luck with the job!
by leaffin at September 3, 2005 11:07 AM
Jackson Browne had degenerated into a sancimonious one-world sap. But back in the day he had something to say. For instance, "Caught between the longing for love and the struggle for the legal tender... Got to do what you can just to keep your love alive. Try not to confuse it with what you do to survive."
by anna at September 3, 2005 2:49 PM
Blank, nice to see you too. apparently the provocative anti-anna rant of old whatisname has had the positive effect of priming you for a little writing. nice
I am reminded on most days what it's like to have a job that doesn't make you want to jump out of bed. My girlfriend has one of those. Most days I look forward to coming to work. It's a nice feeling particularly when contrasted with the soul crushing nature of her job. (the job isn't too bad, just a bad fit for her.)
Ideally you can find a job that you love and pays high 5 figures or better (like mine) so that you can have the best of both worlds. Believe me, I know that jobs that combine the two are few and far between.
Leaffin - a friend of mine used to live in Madison. Did a teaching/research gig at Uof Wisconsin there after she finished her Masters in Ecology. small world.
by chuck woolery at September 3, 2005 11:14 PM
I've started ranting about our handling of Katrina, but that's on my own blog, not here. lol
by fcsuper at September 5, 2005 12:57 AM
I'm so beside myself about that that I can't bring myself to write a word about it. All the usual words i.e tragedy, botched handling, devastation, ruinous etc just seem like cliches.
by anna at September 5, 2005 1:15 PM
"What city?"
St. Louis, where I was this weekend with my old college roommate who now lives in Madison Wisconsin. Very small world, indeed.
by MrBlank at September 5, 2005 10:04 PM
Um, I guess I live somewhere cool, huh?
I really like Madison lots... college town, surrounded by lakes, capitol city (which does make a difference since state government seems to funnel a bit more money towards Madison than anywhere else), original home of The Onion. But why does it have to get so cold in the winter? That's my biggest complaint.
by Leaffin at September 6, 2005 9:08 AM
I agree... I don't have the luxury of being idealist and bleedingheart liberal... follow your fucking dreams even if it means poverty and zero responsibility for anyone but yourself... blah, blah, blah... al sharpton... yadadadadad call al sharpton...
gagaga
ANYWAYS.... WHY DON"T YOU LET LOCKHEED FINALLLY BECOME A WRITER FOR THIS SITE? MG???????It's been over 4 Years now... and you still are being a 'racist'... JUST KIDDING. I DON"T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT RACISM. Those who cry racism are a bunch of PUSSIES....
by LOCKHEED at September 6, 2005 9:42 PM
I would usually agree with you on that point Lock, byt this nasty business about the New Orleans refugees, er, displaced citizens has given me cause for doubt. No way white people would be treated that way.
by anna at September 7, 2005 7:43 AM
Anna, I agree. If a category 5 had hit Long Island what would the response have been?
Blank, I agree 100% with you. Paying the bills and having the means to have families and relationships is really important. The dream jobs they tell you about in high school rarely appear, and even if they do, a lot of times you can't have the families and relationships at the same time as the jobs.
by jean at September 7, 2005 6:44 PM
No... not a RACE thing... I mean it's a CLASS thing... the poor will bitch... and then get drunk and have no discipline.
by LOCKHEEd at September 8, 2005 11:54 PM