Job Finders

In the last week both my girlfriend and brother have found new jobs. It took a lot of looking to find them (both have been looking since the summer), but their efforts have paid off. It was nice to hear about people close to me finding jobs since all you hear in the news recently is about hiring down and the economy slipping into a 'r' word. Their success also gives me a little hope. With all the trouble that my company has had I think it may be time for me to get out.

Some Sad Advice

When I got home from work, I was quite upset and gave my dad a call for some advice. He told me about how companies are good paying you enough to make it really difficult for you to leave. And he said he works just hard enough to not get fired and really doesn't work to advance in any way. That is his way of 'getting back at the man.' I could only laugh at what he had to say because it was oh so sad. But he did tell me that if I didn't aspire to be like my bosses then it might be time to really start focusing on what else I'd rather be doing and not working very hard in the meantime. And now I am left this train of thought again.

A Smashing Day at Work

Just over a week into my new demoted position, I was working on my own and was still having problems adjusting to my new group's communication system. So just before lunch, my boss put in an order for me and I got confused. As we tried to resolve what I have done, he got so mad that he smashed a 5,000 dollar computer. I thought this gesture seemed a little extreme. He sent me away and when I came back he had went home for the day. Everyone around me was very supportive when I got back, telling me this wasn't the first time he had done something like this. I spent the rest of the day only thinking about how I didn't want to be there. Once again, my doubts about whether or not I wanted to continue working in an industry that can drive someone to computer smashing were renewed. Despite making a good amount of money for my age, I just don't want to eventually become who I work for. Furthermore, I am not interested in what we do so much so I sometimes zone out in the middle of people talking to me. As a result I am starting to put in some more thought about what I would want to do next.

Student Loans

I started to look over my student loan information in preparation for tax time and I made the disheartening discovery that after over two years of making student loan payments, I still owe more than I originally borrowed. My higher balance is just a good example of how interest can really add up. So I started to think if student loans (which only charges me 7%) can accumulate that kind of balance, then how bad it would be to carry a huge credit card debt that can charge three times that. And with credit card interest you don't even get the tax breaks that come with student loan payments. Despite my initial reaction of being disappointed about my higher balance, after thinking about debt I started to realize that student loan debt is not a bad kind to have.

Demotion

Today I started my new position doing the tasks I did before I got promoted. I learned some very important lessons about taking a step down the career ladder, mainly it is very demoralizing. Sitting down in the morning and checking over some work as I did every day until I was promoted over a year ago, I started to get really upset about how I've fallen in rank. I went from a decision-making asset to someone whose only function is support others in decision making positions. Moving backwards had such an effect on me that it started to carry over to my personal life. I had trouble sleeping and my general mood has taken a significant dip.

I also started to think about if I wanted to leave not only the company but also the entire industry. As so many of my friends and coworkers are unhappy about their jobs, I started to ponder whether or not a job can be enjoyed instead of just endured. Perhaps every workday is just a 'run out the clock situation.' Then I started to think that getting a different job may not be the answer as I may eventually end up facing similar or possibly even worse circumstances. A completely new career would probably not make me any happier and I would have to start over again anyway from an even lower position. In addition, I have no idea what I would rather do anyway.

But I do know what I'd like to do eventually. Perhaps this 'opportunity' has given me a chance to recommit to what I'd really like to do, as I have not worked as hard on my life's ambition as I started to get comfortable in a position which has provide me financial spoils and years of passionless weekday. To remind me of this resolution I started to chant a new mantra when I get down about work to push me through the unhappy times to remind me that I am working towards something bigger. So far this tactic has been very helpful in motivating me to do my best in the position I am in.

Funniest Moment of 2008

Less than an hour into the new year, I think I saw what my prove to be the funniest thing over the next 364 days. Shortly after the clock struck 12, I raised my arm and exclaimed, 'first high-five of '08, no pressure.' Our hands came plummeting towards each other as my high-five counterpart completely whiffed and proceeded to to slam his palm into the back of the head of a bystander. As he went to go apologize to her, I fell onto the bar barely able to breath from laughing so hard. I'm sure I will see and hear a number of intensely humorous things this year, but this moment will be hard to beat.