Are you happy where you are?

[BS_Tech_Spec]

Are you happy where you are? Location, job, life etc.. I am looking out my window right now at the falling snow thinking, “This sucks.” Oh to be in Florida right about now.

[Nighthand]

Wow. I wish I had a window. I would love to be in Cape Cod right now. My grandmother used to live there. I loved it. Then again, it has been a few years since I have been there. Either way, I would love to get some snow.

[underfunded]

Awesome.. I love the snow. If you are getting snow now I'll be recieving it tomorrow. YEAH!!!!!!!!!

[iateyourcat]

I'm working with Good people in a well well designed NT infrastructure... I like it.


------------------
=-iateyourcat-=

[theBeast]

The people I work with are great.
The customers are not.
The 45 minute drive to work is not.
The wear and tear on my 6 year old car is not.
The fatigue I feel at the end of the day is not.
The fact that I know very little people in the city in which I live is not.
The pay is ok.

So, generally, no, I'm not happy where I am right now.
Why don't I just get another job? Well...
1) I work Monday to Friday 9-5:30. By the time I get home, it's 6:15, and I leave for work at 8:15. Not much time to find an office job in that time.
2) I'm the only tech here right now, and I really don't want to leave the boss in a lurch. He's been too good to me in the past to do that to him.

------------------
***the Beast
- Fate drove me here...then told me to get out of the car...

[Danrak]

My current working enviroment has gone down hill since I started working here. They are getting more un-orgized everyday. They've only managed to keep one another tech here for more then a year. Everyone else was fired or found better jobs.
I plan on looking in the begining of the year for a new job. Maybe go south closer to Tampa. Most likely will end up getting a hour drive though. But I most likely could double my pay and get a better into working place.

I forgot, we also have to pay $5 a week to have them clean our work shirts. I haven't had a clean work shirt in two days and doesn't look like I will have one tomorrow either. But I am wearing my own shirts for my business till the clean their work shirts. http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif
------------------
.·°Danrak°·.
Do you need a silencer if you are going to shoot a mime?

[This message has been edited by Danrak (edited December 08, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Danrak (edited December 08, 2000).]

[Jvaguy]

im not happy .. i have a gf who is driving me nuts .. im on leave from work till i get better .. my best friend wants to come marry me ... and i want to marry her .. yet im traped here ... cause of a kid .. i dont want to lose so ill stick this out till i cant handle it anymore .. but i will do all i can to take my child with me

[tregee]

Hey I'm in my happy place. People are great, pays well, what more can I ask for...

[Nighthand]

By the way, to answer the rest of your questions. The pay sucks, I like some of the people, I like most of the users (the ones who admit they know nothing). Anybody hiring?

[Green Iguana]

Business has been great, I'm content. But the foggy overcast weather sucks though.

------------------
It's a dog eat dog world out there, and there isn't enough dog to go around. So get as much dog as you can, before all the dogs gone.

[poida217]

Originally posted by BS_Tech_Spec:
... I am looking out my window right now at the falling snow thinking, “This sucks.”

I'll trade with you, it's getting to be over 30 degrees celcius here (don't know what that is in farehnheit) and we ain't got no air con http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/frown.gif , well ok there is a fan out back but I might be lucky if I get to spend 2-3 hours in front of it.

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I can't get lost, everyone tells me where to go.

[jimmr13]

Where to start, Job = I own the Busness , thats great, Area = I live in San Diego County California, thats okay, Life = well All my kids are grown and Makeing it on there own, thats great, I care for my 83 year old STEP-Father, thats okay. My house is payed off, my truck is payed off,My car is payed off, No real bills, Thats great,
Been a Batchlor sense 83. So I guess the only thing missing in my life is someone to share it.
Okay I guess I'm Happy ???????? http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/biggrin.gif
IF THE FALLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM
WINS THE DIV. 1 CIF CHAMPIONSHIP TONIGHT
AT QUALCOM LIFE WOULD BE PERFECT ! http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif
http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif GO WARRIORS http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif
------------------
If all else fails read the directions !

[This message has been edited by jimmr13 (edited December 09, 2000).]

[AlienDyne]

I'm more than happy working in Greece, although it's kinda cold this time.
And I'm more than happy working as a Tech, although my current work sucks!

------------------
"Matter is passive. In spite of its power, it can't be controlled without the human mind." Sokrates

My Hardware Info, Hardware Media and Computer History page (http://www.geocities.com/alienhardware)

[Interex]

Great = Laid back environment
Sucks = Answering the phone; customers that complain or just don't have a clue

[Packrat]

poida217, I will trade you in a heartbeat. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee, where I have been looking for work for 3 months. Nothing except phone support. I would love to be in australia. Anybody know where there are jobs?


------------------
Its all fun and games until someone loses an eye, then its just fun in the dark.

[joshc]

Whats Great?
The pay.
The Overtime even with Salary
The Little Frig. That the company stocks with bear...mm Budwiezer and FAT Tire!!!(for use after five o'clock of course)..
100 mb ports on every drop and ATM ports on for all Network techs and Admins
The fuzzball table
The Free soda fountain

I havn't found anything bad yet...
My Sony Viao Laptop
My Touchpoint 3000 Phone
Paid for Broadband internet
Choose to work from home when I want

[moorstar]

I can't stand my job. I know I'm young and just starting out, but that is no excuse for my supervisors to treat me the way that I do. They won't help me learn my job, and when I mess up, they yell at me. I'm not usually one to complain, but my job sucks. No windows to see out side. Under yellow lights for 12 hours. In a full smock!!! HELP ME!!!

[Extremities]

Been at Visions Electronics for a little over a month now. It's been awesome, but I'm "just" a salesman, and I'd rather be a tech. The other computer guy is a dork, but if I'm doing the repairs he usually leaves me alone so he can go try to make more in commision. I kinda wish Compaqs weren't our main line, but I'm living.

[behemoth1]

Yup Minus 35 celcius here tonight / this morning that pretty much minus 35 for you "foreignheight" {nyuk!} guys too...but the pay sucks, conditions suck, boss is ok, customers mostly ok, and computers rely on windows which don't work and users can't figure out linux...my wife is cute, my kids are cute and im way past my eyebrows in debt
(i used to make better money, took a chance with a money man who wanted me to start a new chain of computer stores. he changes his mind...i gota go find a job FAST...
so i go from being a #2 guy in a 7 guy shop to #4 guy in a 4 guy shop....$10.00 an hour and prayin for a .25c raise!

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hear that sound? thats me shakin the pillars of heaven baby.

[Hound]

Feel sorry for you poida217, i've got refigerated aircon in my office and a crappy evap aircon in my tech room. Better than absolutly nothing..

Snow? whats that? I missed it when it snowed at Aryes Rock a few years ago. That would have been something to see.

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-------------------------
Computers; Can't live with em, sure as hell can't live without them...

[NPaladin]

Well, I work in network operations, which pays pretty decent...that's good. It' third shift, which is very quiet...that's both good and bad. I teach my A+ class, which is fun and pays good too...that's good. I do deskside work on the side....that pays a ton (I charge the going rate, abd have very little overhead), so that's good.

The bad, however, is that this is a sleepy section of NY state called Poughkeepsie... the only significant buisness is IBM, which is primarily token ring. The dating situation is terrible here, my hopes of actually finding a decent woman before I die are slim to none, and there just seem to be NO female computer geeks like myself around here!

I guess I'll live.


------------------
Bryan Pizzuti
CompTIA A+, CNAP
bpizzuti@earthlink.net

[jacqueline]

I am seriously happy where I am now.
The people I work with are smart, easy-going people like myself and that helps alot with the happiness thing too.
I work within a large state system set in a rural environment with very cool stuff flashing blinking and talking softly to me. Always learning; always seeing something I missed before and finding it all very cool.
happy?--yeah I really am.

[dexter3]

Being one of the top techs at work.I was passed over for a supervisor position because of a asinine women who is very spiteful and vindictive .So the other tech gets the job who just started 6 months ago.Draw your own conclusions.

[DesertEagle]

Well, after working in Field Service and having to carry a pager, a portable terminal, doing 4-5 hours of paperwork some weeks, picking up parts, returning parts, checking on parts, ordering parts, going to meetings and driving up to 350 miles a day and working 14 hour days, my newest job is 8-5, relatively calm except when we need to deploy 20 systems ASAP, I only support about 250 people, indoors and on one site. The only thing that sucks is the 1hour drive and the fact that corporate can be a bit frugal ie cheap.

[carrienscott]

I like my job but I'm still not too happy with my co-worker... He is a pain. I also have to endure 26 minutes of rush hour traffic both ways. http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/frown.gif But the company I work for is okay and they try to be progressive and change with the computer industry. I guess I'm not too tired of the job if I'm still here. http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif

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It's a dog eat dog world out there and I'm wearing milk bone underwear.

[SmashingU]

it is 70 degrees in fl, now... I'm working with State Dept. and DEA. I miss working at Space Center. (nasa has sweet jobs) But seeing as now I have my own office, and a phat pay check. Cant really complain. we'll see how things go after I finish my MCSE (4.0 and 2k) in a few months.

are you SURE it's December?? REALLY?

[LORE]

I enjoy my work. The jobs are both ok. I like most the people I work with. My bosses are both pretty cool. The downer is working two jobs and finishing my degree. I don't ever have a minute of time to spend with my fiancee. I feel bad, but it is hard to go 15 hours a day with work and school, 7 days a week and have anything left when I get home. I will be happy when school is done, one more year, and then I will be an electrical engineer, then I can move away from the snow, it is going to be 45 below 0 tonight, with the windchill, and I HATE IT! I long for the sun!!!! Over all my life is good, just no time, do you think we could get a day move from 24 hrs to say, 28 hours????? just wondering,

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We may be through with the past, but the past is not through with us.

[shaund]

I got fed up of working for other people and started my own NT consulting company. I love my work environment and if there is ever a time that I do not love my work environment, I have no one to blame but myself.

[Bigguns]

hey my work life suck my new boss is a D!#K but only good thing is I like what I do and I want to do more. The other people I work with are great. the other good thing is that we all (every one i work with) can tell our boss to get lost cuz hes a loser and he knows it to. Plus he thinks he knows every thing about computers.... NOT. all he knows is how to load FedEx trucks. send him back to the zoo where he belongs. All I want to do is come to work get stuff done I'll do anything just get my boss away from me. more work gets done when he's not around. sorry but God only know's what goes on at work. wow now that I got that out ... have a great Christmas every one!!! http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif

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[WebJedi_Master]

Hmm well let's see:

The Good:
Hours are flexable, dress code is quite casual. The occasional customer that is polite and says "thank you" after their problem is fixed.

The Bad:
Work is rather slow right now, and it likely won't pick up for a while. So I've started looking for another job.

The Ugly:
Customers that just have no place sitting in front of a computer, much less turning it on and using it. Then these people call me for support. http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif

Just my 2cents worth.


------------------
BREAKFAST.EXE Halted...
Cereal Port Not Responding

[Fierce1]

My job is pretty cool....
The good:

1. Good pay
2. Free Food
3. good people
4. Flexible hours
5. OT !!!!
6. Set my own pace and kinda my own boss...

The bad:

1. No Windows http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/frown.gif
2. Not doing hands on tech work yet, I
really want to do it part time on the
side.

Overall I can't complain. Besides we are always hiring...

------------------
Wheres my sledgehammer!?!

[Lia]

My job is ok. I just started permanent December 1 doing network admin, so that's pretty cool. Paycheck is good, co-workers are good. Management - could be better. Some people are swamped and others have nothing to do. Can't get training, and it's hard to get time off. I work for the government and have been red-circled (means that they think I make too much money so I'll never, ever, ever get a raise in this job - EVER!) and we don't get bonuses either.

My location - pretty good I guess. I'm in Canada and it's freezing right now. But, we have lots of snow and I went snowboarding this weekend. I have my own board and gear this year, so that's good. It was pretty cold (minus 30) so that wasn't so good.

My life is pretty good. I have zero free time, constantly busy in the evenings. I convocated from university in the spring, so no more school, for a while anyway. Weekends are crazy busy. I have a great BF (but no ring yet) and sometimes I play Asheron's Call online with him. Pretty fun.

[cheezmonkey]

Life is generally good. My new job is great, good pay, easy dress code, good co-workers, relatively easy work and NO GENERAL PUBLIC!!
My girlfriend loves me, both of them! My poetry just got published over in America, which is EXCELLENT http://www.geocities.com/enchantedforest/palace/9868 (im in the UK) My bike's off the road after i wrote it (and the car I hit, and myself) off a few weeks ago. thats the only bad part.

ps sorry about the amateur-ish website, but i made it a few years ago!

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No girl deserves my tears, and the one who does will never make me cry.

[crtlaltdel]

Couldn't be better, finally good pay, good people, easy work little bent about the weather here in Essex.CT, I hate winter, bring the sun, 75 degree weather and the bud lights

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What do you think this is ? The Holiday Inn...

[Quattro]

anybody wants to move to the Caribbean? Always nice weather, pay sucks, no traffic and nice windows (except the ones from Bill).

[TheLow1]

Originally posted by jimmr13:
Where to start, Job = I own the Busness , thats great, Area = I live in San Diego County California, thats okay, Life = well All my kids are grown and Makeing it on there own, thats great, I care for my 83 year old STEP-Father, thats okay. My house is payed off, my truck is payed off,My car is payed off, No real bills, Thats great,
Been a Batchlor sense 83. So I guess the only thing missing in my life is someone to share it.
Okay I guess I'm Happy ???????? http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/biggrin.gif
IF THE FALLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM
WINS THE DIV. 1 CIF CHAMPIONSHIP TONIGHT
AT QUALCOM LIFE WOULD BE PERFECT ! http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif
http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif GO WARRIORS http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif

Are you hiring Jimmr13?? I live in Florida but my wife is from Vista, She wants to move back the first of the year.

[Sckott]

Originally posted by Nighthand:
Wow. I wish I had a window. I would love to be in Cape Cod right now. .........

I live and work as a tech in Cape Cod.... I think I'm the only one who HAD a window as a tech in town. The others, now including me, don't have one.. They closed me in, and I like it better because I don't get people peeking trough and shouting for me. People politely come in and see me or ask.

But the rest of the techs in Cape Cod, for the most part, smoke a lot... and they're closed in... Today Cape Cod is a refreshing place to be, but it's winter. It can be drab.

I'm single. Foot loose and fancy free. I love where I am, but, as they say, I'm always sniffing for something better.

For those of you that think they're job is bad, I'm sure there can be much worse. If you think hard enough, you'll find it's true.

-Sckott

[JOAT]

I'm working for a manufacturing company with over 100 desktops. I've got a Novell FS, an SQL Server and an Exchange Server. The best thing is that I'm the only IT person and can standarize everything. The worst thing is that I'm the only IT person and must know everything. The absolute best thing is that I met my fiance at this company.

[rockjock59]

Ha, this is a strange coincedence, my last day is wednesday. I have been so frustrated with this company that I almost went "postal". the great thing is that half of the other tech are quiting or have quit already,
I will miss the people I work with but not those I work for... or the job (retail customers are such crybabies). I left for better money, better hours, better enviroment, better opportunities, shorter commute, better training. the list goes on and on.
the great thing is that they cant find another tech who will fix both electronics and computers for what they want to pay, it's right before the "busy" season (jan-aprl) and the store will be without a tech. I'm laughing all the way home

Rob

[u8drtsox]

I have been reading some of these and when I hear stuff like this it really gets me going. One of the most important things in life is Happiness. First off you have to be happy with yourself. Do some soul searching and find out what it is that is getting you down or just don't like about yourself and make the necessary changes to feel better about YOU!!! Next if the environment you are in is no good for you then do something about it. I felt that way many times in my life and when something isn't good enough for me I do something about it. I worked at UPS on the External Help desk supporting every nimrod from coast to coast. Mind you this was my first job out of school and I stayed there long enough to learn what I needed to know then when it came time and I knew they didn't care about the path I wanted to persue I moved on. I have been with this company now for over a year and everyone here is expected to do their job. If you screw up you will be repremanded, if you do good you will be rewarded. We look to each other for answers as it should be when working together however we are expected to stay on top of the ever changing technology. If we do not do for ourselves the company doesn't want you. Taking the initiative and going for certification is something we have to do on our own. It is expected of us. The more certification we have the more money the company can bill us out for which in turn the more money we make. If your company doesn't care how certified you are and doesn't do anything for you there are allot of companies out there that do. You are always worth more to someone else. That is why I left UPS. Believe me it wasn't easy. The perks and benifits were far superior to any company I have ever worked for. But back to what I was saying the more you put in the more you will get out. If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got. You do nothing you get nothing. It's that simple. If you wan't more out of life then get up off your a*s and get it. No one will do it for you. I didn't wait around for opportunity to knock on my door I was knocking it's door down. Sorry to be so blunt but sometimes it takes a little tough love or a kick in the a*s for someone to realize "Hey, I can do this. I don't need anyone else" If money is a problem there are many ways to get free money from the government to pay for school that you will never have to pay back. Pell grants are one of them. Also now is the perfect time to go to school because you can get a pell grant for both 2000&2001. I did this back in '95-'96 and got a Pell grant for both years which I gave back to the state "who paid for my school in full" as a contribution and received a nice kickback on my taxes when I filed them. How about them apples. If you put some effort into it you can do anything and go anywhere. Look at Bill Gates. I hope someday I can be as wealthy as him. I am doing what I can to make it happen. Just a few years ago I was doing roofing and killing myself slowly. I got hurt pretty bad and couldn't do that kind of work anymore. Nothing like having to change careers after you get married and have kids but I did it. Not just because I had to but because I wasn't going to sit on my a*s and live off the state. I could have given up and done nothing like allot of people on welfare but I refuse to live like that. I have dignity and faith in myself to do what I have to do to make sure my family has a home and a roof and clothes and food and some nice things that they want. These are the things that keep me Happy. DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO PEOPLE TO MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY. Work sucks? Find another place. The demand is there so do it. The next place sucks look elsewhere. If you find that every place sucks it might be YOU! It works if you work it. I'm Out.........

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Sometimes I fill my tub up with milk and blow bubbles

[crtlaltdel]

Way to go u8drtsox, that just about sums it up, if you no like leave....

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What do you think this is ? The Holiday Inn...

[taz7194]

Live in Las Vegas, have a great job, a great wife, two awesome kids, and 3 excellent dogs. Couldn't ask for anything more. Get paid good, work by myself most the day, no pressure and have an excellent owner. Love my job. Fixing computers is like working on toys all day. And I can deal with the people with no problem

[CJK]

to sum it up most everything right now sucks. My Boss is computer iliterate and to get anything approved by him is like pulling teeth because he is so cheep. Never any bonus just a bunch of thank you's. I am the only tech here and over worked and underpaid. Stuck in this place for another year and a half because of some stuff I signed when I was nieve and just starting. On the other hand this person I like is playing games with me...just got a ticket yesterday by a cop who felt like being a punk even though I was doing nothing wrong. When he pulled me over he had to look closely at my car in order to give me a reason of why he pulled me over. Turned out his reason was because of my back liscense plate cover being obstructive. Oh, then I got some psycho girl stocking me...not kidding. I guess I am happy, because despite all problems without life I wouldn't be able to experience all these problems.

[the^0rion]

What I don't like:

- 45min commute (30 miles each way)
- The smug comments people make when they're cranky. (I don't blame them...sometimes people can get really frustrated with a computer)
- The freakin people that insist on doing Mach 5 in the right lane as I'm pulling on in my 16 yr old buick
- Sitting in an office all day

What I like:

- Good Pay
- Mostly good people
- Good environment (i wouldn't mind a window)
- Good benefits
- Barely any bills
- My new Grand Prix in which I just tear past
those friggin people. ;-)

the^0rion

[Revenant]

heh... My job situation keeps getting better and better. I like my boss, we're pretty good friends. He used to own another store I worked for, split from his partner and took me. heh. I got a $2/hr raise, get paid for 40 hours/wk, usually only work 30-36(approved by him) He is going to pay for my benefits, completely. We are poised to become a total solution provider for setting up broadband/firewall/VPN-very good money. I will start getting profit sharing in february. He treats me like a partner and actually listens to what I say. The only downside is since we are new, we are very dependant on our existing client-base. But we are building very rapidly. If it all works out, in a year or so I should be making mucho bucks. Did I mention he's going to try and get me certified in Network Associates Firewall/VPN technology? heheh. Plus we are developing an idea for a piece of internet enabled software which should make us a pretty penny...

If I ever catch up with bills, then it will be a very cold day in hell... College was the worst 50grand I ever spent... not that I've ever spent that much money on any other one thing.

The only thing I have to say in response to U8drtsox is:
Sometimes we have to put up with the sucky jobs, so that we can get the experience necessary to go out and get the better ones. Plus, I've worked in several jobs which started out ok, then turned into completely suck-*** jobs after a month or two. That's just the nature of the beast. Unfortunately, if you keep skipping from job to job, to find one that is a good environment, a lot of the "good" jobs won't hire you, b/c "you have no commitment." So you are usually in a bit of a catch-22. The other problem is finding time to search. Most good jobs aren't advertised in the newspaper or temp agency. You kind of have to do some research. So, it's hard. What i would do when I made up my mind to leave, is take a sick day or two, and just hit the road, pound the pavement, call friends and former customers/business associates, do whatever it takes. Sometimes you don't even realize how much you hate your job until you sit down on a forum like this and just blow some steam. I've done that b4. You just sit back, look at what you wrote, and say,Holy Cow, I need to get out of here! So you guys and gals that hate your job, good luck in finding something new!

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Do one thing everyday that scares you.
Do two things everyday that scare the bejesus out of someone else.

[Southern Belle]

Good
Got large windows in the front of the store which I face all day long.
I am never bored with three or four different jobs I do here (computer tech, customer service, answering machine, phone tech support, janitor, etc.)
Hours aren't too bad and I can always attend appointments when I need to.
A relaxed atmosphere and lunch is as at my desk anytime I want, plus I can snack. Sodas are free and whatever I want.
Most of my customers are not in a hurry and are willing to listening.

Bad - White vehicles that park at my front door on sunshiny days.
Wish that I could solve all of my customers computer problems.
Want to move on to networking.

[thirdfey]

People I work with - some good some bad
Da Work - blows
where i live - i live in pinehurst, a million golf courses, retirement city, so it blows, maybe 40 years i'll like it better

but, i am getting my mcse and getting the hell out.

[TheLow1]

Originally posted by Revenant:
College was the worst 50grand I ever spent...

12 pack @ $10.00, $50,000 / $10.00 = 5000 12 packs = 60,000 cans WOW, you sure can drink.

[muski]

My job is pretty well stress free, can pick my own hrs, boss is cool. Downside is the cheap buzzard won't turn on the heat. Two of our techs can't fix anything, lots of returns, so I have to fix all the stuff they can't. I like my job, but I'm looking for something else.

[tegwilym]

I'm really bored with my job. I don't have much to do here anymore that is interesting or challenging. I work for a small .com in Seattle that used to have 110 people, but now down to 35. Most of the stuff I do now is just reboot Windows 98, plug in monitors and network cables and forgetting everything I ever knew about NT!
Bad time of the year to find something new, but I'm hoping January picks up and I get some calls for good jobs. Until then, I just sit here surfing the web all day, and sending email to friends. :-(

[cyberhh]

Engaged to be married to a wonderful girl. Work in a mellow work environment, commute of three whole blocks, however still contract and making far below what I should.
Otherwise all is good in the world.

[u8drtsox]

Originaly Posted by Revenant

The only thing I have to say in response to U8drtsox is:Sometimes we have to put up with the sucky jobs, so that we can get the experience necessary to go out and get the better ones. Plus, I've worked in several jobs which started out ok, then turned into completely suck-*** jobs after a month or two. That's just the nature of the beast. Unfortunately, if you keep skipping from job to job, to find one that is a good environment, a lot of the "good" jobs won't hire you, b/c "you have no commitment." So you are usually in a bit of a catch-22. The other problem is finding time to search. Most good jobs aren't advertised in the newspaper or temp agency. You kind of have to do some research. So, it's hard. What i would do when I made up my mind to leave, is take a sick day or two, and just hit the road, pound the pavement, call friends and former customers/business associates, do whatever it takes.

Thanks for noticing my post man but if you read it carefully I did mention that I did work at UPS for 3 years before I got out because I needed the foundation. I knew when it was time to go so I made the move. I also agree with the catch 22. Most companies like seeing stability however independent contractors spend a month or two on a site to help out with whatever their specialty is. Should a company look at someone like that and say well he only works for a company for a month at a time. It is how you sell yourself on an interview and what you know. If you have enough confidence in yourself you can be a great asset to any company you should choose to work for. If it isn't a comfortable environment for you that is when it becomes unhealthy and you become obsolved with anger and your self-esteam goes south. Since I have gotten into this line of work I have worked for two companies and I have references from CEO's of major corporations who would and who already have put together letters of recomendation for me. That is the message I was trying to put accross. Also as far as finding time I have sacrificed several lunch breaks to make calls. I don't sit at home and play Everquest until the wee hours of the morning. I am a do-er Life is too short to sit back and let life go by. I make the time when it comes to doing better for myself. My wife says to me from time to time that she doesn't have time for this or that and I tell her what is more important the One hour of Alley Mcbeal or making sure you are in bed early enough to make sure the kids get to school on time the next morning. During that time she could make their lunch and get their clothes ready for the next day. Time is what you make of it. If you look at the calendar of a CEO they usually have to schedual time for their family around what they are doing. I have witnessed this sort of thing and I hope that I never get that busy with work that I have to do that however if that is what it takes then so be it. Hopefully I will be comfortable enough to have plenty of time for my family. They say the more you make the more debt you have and I find that statement to be true. However I can now afford to pay off things in a month that I couldn't pay off in a year before. It's nice when my wife asks me hey we should really get a Video camera before the holidays and I say OK, Do a little surfing during my lunch hour to read reviews on Video/Digital cameras and purchace the JVC Digital Video+Digital Still camera. The thing is awesome. Easy to use and extreamly compact. I got them down to 1300 bucks and paid it in full when the bill came in. Just 5 years ago I was making less that half of what I am making now and I was making pretty good money then. If you make the time you will be rewarded in the long run. I enjoy my life right now. My Job the Money I make the friends I have but I worked really hard to get here and I am still working hard. I am taking another exam on the 20th. I put in for the day to have off and the next few days as well to celebrate my certification and have a nice Christmas and Chanuka with the family. (I'm Jewish and the wife is Catholic) Well I am in the middle of work and I have been jumping back and forth between writing this and I am losing my train of thought here. I just hung up on a client by accident. Got to go. I welcome all thoughts and criticism. However you will have to wait for a responce later tonight because I will have to log back on at home.

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Sometimes I fill my tub up with milk and blow bubbles

[Revenant]

pshaw, thelow... you got it all wrong...
King Cobra 40's = 1.50.
Let's assume 1 bottle of Captain Morgan for every ten bottles of King Cobra.
given:
A=total cost of Cobra
B=total cost of Morg
C=individual cost of Cobra C=1.50
D=individual cost of Morg D=10.00
M=total cost, in this case, a constant of 50000
x=the # of bottles of King Cobra
y=# of bottles of Captain.
basically we have:
A+B=M,
A=xc
B=yd
to get an equal #of bottles, you would have to have 10 y's
10y=x
our equation:
(xc)+(yd)=M
Substitute our ratio for x:
(10yc)+(yd)=M
y(10c+d)=M
divide to isolate y
y=M/(10c+D)
y=50000/(15+10)
y=2000
x=10y
x=20000
to verify
xc+yd=M
1.5x+10y=50000
1.5(20000)+10(2000)=50000
30000+20000=50000
Thus:
20000 bottles of King Cobra
2000 bottles of bacardi

College mathematics at its best... http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/wink.gif
Where would I be without it. (the voices say sober, but I choose not to listen to them)
Ok, I need a beer now.

[Revenant]

Sorry, U8, wasn't trying to come down on ya, but I sympathize for some of these people. I agree with most of what you are saying, to get out and do what it takes to get certed, but for some it is really difficult. And then there are those that whine and moan and do nothing. I've met those. they are 40-50 yrs old, have been in this field for 20-30 yrs, and haven't advanced beyond turning screws on new builds. I've known these people. Please do not take that as an insult if any of you are older and just starting out. Kudos to you! Just move on up the ladder like the rest of us try to do. The way I looked at it, I applied for one job, there was a tech there who was late 40's. slob, no *****ion, been doing the same thing since the early 80's. Turning screws. If that's all you want to do, then by all means do it, but don't moan and complain. I picture that guy every time I get down about my job. (Not much lately) I stopped being a screw turner 1 yr ago. After 2yrs Experience, I could move on easily. But getting that experience, man, there were some tough roads. That's all I was saying. You have to put up with a lot of shh.. stuff on that road. Especially when you know your stuff but don't have the experience to back it up. I started out at 7/hr. 2.5 yrs ago, turning screws. Now, I have a cush job (see above) and am making 3 times that (including bonuses and bene's). But all of that has come in just the last year. If you count retail electronics experience, add 2 more yrs on top of that, at @ 6/hr. It's a hard road to walk, but it's worth it in the end. BTW, I do agree with the selling yourself stuff. But I get way tired of people who oversell. I have one acquaintence who walked into a job at IBM b/c he outright LIED about his background. grrrrrr.... Makes it tougher for the rest of us.

Anyway, peace.


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Do one thing everyday that scares you.
Do two things everyday that scare the bejesus out of someone else.

[WickedTech]

the good:
1. 5 minute drive to work, or 8 minute bike ride in good weather.
2. My girlfriend is wonderful!
3. My new supervisor is hottie. I always say you can look at the menu, so long as you come home for dinner. http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/wink.gif
4. I get Overtime even though I'm on salary.

the bad:
1. My salary is about $8-$10K below the average for my position for this area.
2. I support beta software w/ little to no documentation.
3. The tech I'm supposed to turn to for advise; I wouldn't trust to know how to reboot a Win9x station.
4. Managment here is lame in the extreme. For example, I was required to rearrange my desk to be setup the way that they claim the desk is most ergonomic, yet I have greater pain in my back & wrists then ever before.
5. The doctor's office next door & above us continually steal our parking spots but immediately run out & complain if we try using one of their spots.
6. We've got tons of snow on the ground and wind chills are at least -30.


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