Re: Working Man I agree with this. How can you excel and take any pride in your work if you hate having to perform it daily? It's impossible. I may bitch about my work but, as I've said before, I love what I do. I love educating people, as well as helping them. There is a certain satisfaction when they call me after having an accident and I have the ability to not only help them but be the calming, assuring voice on the other end of the line. I think, for me, the biggest thing I take away from my job every day is the sense of pride.
Are you serious? Do you know how many people with law degrees dont work in standard law at all? And not even counting people who work as lawyers for companies and such. But you don't have a law degree, so its different. "Pre-law" or whatever as an undergrad degree is worthless, but having a law degree is plenty useful even if you're not a lawyer. I know a couple people in my company with law degrees. Some of the annoying things about law are incredible useful like attention to detail, understand contracts, expressing yourself articulately and efficiently. I don't know what kind of law Sack practiced, but if it had any business facing applications, then moving into something business related would be a breeze. Maybe narrow if you want to become a scientist or a dentist, but I wouldn't think so otherwise. Now if you want to avoid business or non-profit work, or the like, then maybe its hard.
Re: Working Man Absolutely. That's certainly not what I meant. However, as an old dude, I have a number of friends who are married with children, and aren't passiionate about their career. (They don't hate it.) They feel trapped, because they have too many bills to just quit and start over by the time they realize they've spent all their educational time and training on "the wrong thing." So, they continue to slog through day after day, relatively unhappy, because they aren't finding happiness at work, which takes most of their time. Then, it gets worse - depression, bankruptcy, divorce, and on and on because they knew they were stuck. I have found, that the people of Option 2 are the ones who say "this is what I do, not who I am" and are able to continue working since they have a good bit invested in that, but find happiness and fulfillment elsewhere. By all means, Option 1 is better. But, I was answering 'sack's question about a career do over. Ideally, one doesn't need Option 1 or 2, because of enjoying the work or at least where it's leading, and not looking for a reboot.
I get what you're saying as far as business type practices go. But he said meteorology. Which tells me he's probably always found the sciences interesting and probably got pigeonholed into being a lawyer like so many people I know. With something science related, he will need other skills besides the ones he got in college and law school.
If you're going to get into science, get into chemistry. NO one does it, so jobs are plentiful. The pay is incredible (because no one does it), and everyone thinks you're smarter than God if you tell them you're a chemist. Trust me, it's a real panty-melter.
Then what do you expect a career counselor to tell you? They're going to tell you 1) parlay your law degree and/or Series 7 into something else in trading or law or 2) Go back to school to follow your passion of meteorology. There's no quick-fix path, either direction is going to require a certain amount of "sucking it up." Depends on you which one is going to suck less.
Re: Working Man I'm starting to realize that I hate programming. I'm great at it, but it's slowly killing me. At this point, work is the time between blackouts. Unfortunately, I'm not qualified to get any other job that pays more than half what I'm making now. That said, the things I am passionate about aren't serious career options. It is what it is.
Go buy a pickup & mower. Lawn businesses are overlooked but I have a buddy who makes bank mowing lawns. In the winter he puts a blade on his truck and clears driveways and parking lots. Seriously, no education required, lots of money if you're willing to work hard. It does require money up front though.
Life could be a lot worse... You have a series 7 and a law degree. Do you realize how valuable that combination is? Go work at a boutique hedge fund for a couple years, earn a small fortune, cash out, and do whatever you want.
Yeah because you have to bleach it pretty intensely for the color to take and hold. Packing to go to Myrtle Beach for a week. Husband is overseeing my packing, and is removing things as I pack, telling me to go lighter. I'm about to just take everything out except bikinis and a couple of big t-shirts. Also. I can't poop away from home...so I'm pre-pooping now. He's confused by this.
I have this exact problem (usually). If I drive wherever I'm going, that last hour before I'm home, I can feel my body prepare to relieve the stress that has on my body. My wife freaks out because well 3-7 days worth of shitting in an hour is an event in our house...
Re: Working Man You don't have to be passionate about your job to find a happy medium between "excited to go to work every day" and "barely restraining yourself from putting a ballpoint pen through your neck." Are you functional enough in IT to look into some systems administration or other such roles? Yes, your salary will go down initially but you should be able to rebound.
I think I understand how you feel to a certain degree. I don't have the same education but I do work for the state. I have awesome benefits and I make more than the average person who also does what I do. However, its terribly boring and generally not fulfilling. I got a job overseas that I will probably be starting before the end of the year. This could be something you seek out as well. Lots of opportunity to travel. Huge salaries. It also sounds like you need less traditional hobbies. Finding something to be excited about doing in your off time makes going to work not as bad. I'm not talking about working on your golf game or other super comfy posh things. I'm talking weekend trips with a nice telescope to places where there are no city lights. Random road trips to interesting places where you can hike and appreciate nature. Get a sexy digital camera and learn to take amazing photographs. Just something a little outside your comfort zone.
You've gotten some decent advice you'd be wise to heed from a couple people (excluding myself), so stop bringing the WDT down. If you want to really have a more granular discussion, by all means open up your own Advice Board thread and this topic can be focused, broken down much more, and won't be polluted.
Nah. I spent a week in Monterey and only pooped once. It just doesn't happen. Then I get home and release the thunder.