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Do you enjoy your work?

skibunny24

Enthusiastic Receiver of Reputation
Jun 16, 2010
3,281
585
Renton, WA
You know, I have contemplated ski instructoring, bike tour leading, NOLS or similar expedition/tour leader type stuff, but I think when it is being done as a profession, it must take some of the fun out of it.
Being a ski instructor was a ton of fun, but that was back when I didn't have a lot of bills. When you're older and doing it strickly for the money then it can get stressful when you don't get the high paying lessons you wanted.
I loved being a ski instructor, and did that until I got knocked up, but then... bills. You can definitely make that work doing other instructing in the off seasons (I taught climbing camps and swim lessons/lifeguarding). That was just fun work, and it didn't suck the fun out of skiing/climbing. It made me so much stronger that when I had personal ski time I could rip with the best of them.

Now, I sit at a desk in property managment. It's a great company with great benefits, and I have time to surf the interwebs at work. So I'd say I'm "happy" here. It is a job with a career I can follow and help support my family, but I'm REALLY doing this with the knowledge that we'll be riding off into the sunset in a camper van... hopefully for the rest of our lives!!
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
i actually love my new job with the postal service....once i get past all the BS of the in-office work that is. they break down every hour in 100 units so they can scrutinize every minute of work you do but once youre on the street delivering, its great. i get to be outside and dont have anyone looking over my shoulder. rainy days are teh major suck but thankfully it doesnt rain too often.
if it wasnt for the usps and union's inability to come to an agreement on new contracts for us, it would be perfect. i just have to deal with no insurance but good pay until then

i HATED my last sales mngt job since the company was awesome (horrible?) at micro managing their dying business and i had to work in a cubicle every so often. something i told myself id never do.
 

?????

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2005
1,678
2
San Francisco
I'm an architect and love the work. I design, draw and model buildings even if it's not for work. However, 5 years of the most stressful university experience imaginable and 1.5 years of internship later and I make about as much as I did working construction at the age of 15. So being an architect is cool, it'd be even cooler if I could afford to work as one.
 

Trailslug46

Monkey
May 14, 2006
123
0
Indiana
Pop delivery for one of the big two. Used to be a great company to work for when we where a franchise, bought out by the corperation, sucks now. When I started you could print an invoice in just six steps. Now it's nineteen screens to get through to print an invoice. Go big blue!!!
 

Quo Fan

don't make me kick your ass
Before I started Heavy Onlooking, I used to fix copiers. Very rewarding for the mechanically inclined. It was the same every day, but it was different every day. I was out on my own all day, and not flying a desk. I hate flying a desk.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I'm a movie analyst for a local movie distributor. I analyze (mostly unproduced) movies in terms of their box office potential. It requires a metric ton of reading (10000-15000 pages Feb-end of May) but I love movies and I get to work from wherever I want so I love the job. Also my boss is very straightforward and I respect that after a stint in a corpo media house. The job keeps me paranoid a lot since I always think I should be working faster but paranoia is normal for me. I also seems like it has large possibilities for development so I would really like to stay. The only thing some people may not like is the job is very on/off. 20-30 days non stop (no weekends) of 8-10h to 2 weeks of freedom and 2 weeks of slower days but it suits me.

How did I got it? I guess by being a smart ass and watching and reading a lot about movies.


The only other job that wouldn't be a possible advancement from this but something completely different would be trackbuilder. For some reason shoveling dirt gives me insane pleasure.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I consider my job more of a lifestyle then work.
Travelling across Europe for 8 months a year and then having the following 4 months off to explore the rest of the world on my own.
A workweek can mean working 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, for weeks and even months in a row. The only time off is travelling in between jobs and rainy days, which we use to chill out in the hotel, go fishing or play playstation.

I get the occasional weekend off during summer which I usually use to ride some DH or XC.
I dont know what the best part of my job is, getting time off to travel or the actuall job itself.
I see status updates from friends on facebook saying "Allmost weekend!" or "I hate mondays!" and dont understand what they are doing with their life.
I wake up every morning looking forward to a new day on the job, i know i wont have many regrets if I ever look back on my life when im older.
For me, this is what truly living is about.
What do you do Kevin?
 

DirtMcGirk

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm
Feb 21, 2008
6,379
1
Oz
Whatever you do, don't go to law school. It really makes assholes out of ordinary people.

My advice, open a food truck. Its the new fad.
 

ALEXIS_DH

Tirelessly Awesome
Jan 30, 2003
6,147
796
Lima, Peru, Peru
service manager for toyota forklifts here.

i dont like my job much.
as forklifts are a small part (volume wise, we are less than 2% of total sales) for my parent company (a japanese corporation), we arent really gievn much attention are mostly criminally mismanaged (almost dilbert style) with little incentive/tools to expand.

sometimes is slow, i can go for 2-3 complete days in a row at the office doing nothing but browsing the web.... other days are hell. i have to do a lot of administrative work, which sucks balls really.
i do enjoy playing CSI whenever something breaks down, catches fire or explodes... but besides that, its a lot of responsability for relatively little pay. i do get to travel for business to places like japan, brazil or europe every now and then, which is kinda nice....

am thinking about openning my own machinery rental-business, or finishing my degree in mechanical engineering and then move into mining or some high-paying 10 workdays-on-site 7 days-off in town jig...
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Whatever you do, don't go to law school. It really makes assholes out of ordinary people.

My advice, open a food truck. Its the new fad.
I second that with the power of Thor. Never believed that until my friend became an apocalyptic asshole because he wanted to fit in. Some of the stuff he allowed to happen is just insane. Not to mention it's like a training camp for right wing morons.
 

sunringlerider

Turbo Monkey
Oct 30, 2006
3,575
6,269
Corn Fields of Indiana
I would say I enjoy my job/career. I started sell seed corn to other farmers when I was 18 and I guess I have not looked back. I now cover most of northern CO selling JD machines. I have no office, I get to do fun things all day like customer meeting at trail heads. . . Today I spent the day at a sporting clay event, rough day at the office.
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,800
8,383
Nowhere Man!
I dug the earth floors of 4 overused Horse stalls out today. The blisters on my fingers and my aching back tell me that I suck at digging out horse stalls. I will be filling in those stalls with bituminous charcoal gravel and vent tiling over the gravel. The customer calls it a argentine. I call it a horse toilet. Horses get delight from Human suffering and are pure evil. A foal stomped a barn cat kitten today. Making me hate life even more....
 

X3pilot

Texans fan - LOL
Aug 13, 2007
5,860
1
SoMD
No help from me, I retired from the Navy and immediately went to work doing very similar work for the Navy. I love it, I do miss the flying part of my active duty gig, but other than that, I still like working around airplanes.
 

DirtMcGirk

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm
Feb 21, 2008
6,379
1
Oz
Law school didn't give me any more asshole than was already in my soul. But I'm special.

It didn't push me either way, right or left wing. I favor guns, I favor abortions, I favor gay marriage, I favor the death penalty, I favor universal health care, I favor funded college. Mostly I just want to be left alone by the man and my neighbors, be them real or digital.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,863
4,162
Copenhagen, Denmark
COO at an interactive advertising agency. Really like the company and my boss is a nice guy. My job keeps changing all the time which is both great and stressful at the same time. So far I have survived 3 years in the company :)
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,800
8,383
Nowhere Man!
Law school didn't give me any more asshole than was already in my soul. But I'm special.

It didn't push me either way, right or left wing. I favor guns, I favor abortions, I favor gay marriage, I favor the death penalty, I favor universal health care, I favor funded college. Mostly I just want to be left alone by the man and my neighbors, be them real or digital.
I worked in the Legal industry for 14 years at Thomson West. I ran the CLE dept for 3 years... I taught asshole...
 

DirtMcGirk

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm
Feb 21, 2008
6,379
1
Oz
I worked in the Legal industry for 14 years at Thomson West. I ran the CLE dept for 3 years... I taught asshole...
But do you still speak asshole.
And you're an asshole for being involved in CLE. I hate CLEs. Drive me nuts and then I can't find an online class to fit my needs.
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,681
4,904
North Van
COO at an interactive advertising agency. Really like the company and my boss is a nice guy. My job keeps changing all the time which is both great and stressful at the same time. So far I have survived 3 years in the company :)
I'm facsinated by advertising. Not sure if it's just the MadMen factor, but I think that might have been my other line of work , had I known it existed.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I'm facsinated by advertising. Not sure if it's just the MadMen factor, but I think that might have been my other line of work , had I known it existed.
Copywriting yes (though still stressful) but if you end up as an account or a media planner you would be pissed. Especially in the bigger corporate firms.
 

limitedslip

Monkey
Jul 11, 2007
173
1
Most of my money comes from online poker which I absolutely hate and despise. It's stressful as all hell and a total dead end.

A small part of my income comes from flying tourists around the south island of New Zealand, mostly between Queenstown and Milford Sound. It is so much goddamn fun, and the challenge makes me feel alive. If I won the lottery I would spend it all on tourism advertising so that I could fly more often.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Most of my money comes from online poker which I absolutely hate and despise. It's stressful as all hell and a total dead end.

A small part of my income comes from flying tourists around the south island of New Zealand, mostly between Queenstown and Milford Sound. It is so much goddamn fun, and the challenge makes me feel alive. If I won the lottery I would spend it all on tourism advertising so that I could fly more often.
Ever tried real poker ? I've met a few guys through couchsurfing who were pretty happy with live poker. Traveled the world and all that.

@Steve instals turf? As in for football stadiums and such? I feel like a moron today.
 

limitedslip

Monkey
Jul 11, 2007
173
1
Ever tried real poker ? I've met a few guys through couchsurfing who were pretty happy with live poker. Traveled the world and all that.

@Steve instals turf? As in for football stadiums and such? I feel like a moron today.
I find live poker very slow and boring, and it requires a larger bankroll for a given hourly winrate. Unless you live close to a cardroom you also have much higher overhead. I used to make drunken Vegas trips regularly years ago, back when I still enjoyed poker, but without heavy boozing (which I've grown out of) I can't do it.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I kind of understand how that can become crappy if that's your main source of income. Ever though of using some networking and maybe finding a regular job at one of the poker companies? Or is it super hard to get one there?
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,521
7,071
Colorado
I'm stuck in a sales conference in Kansas City right now. Kill me. I hope the follow up to my coffee meeting goes well on Monday.
 

limitedslip

Monkey
Jul 11, 2007
173
1
I kind of understand how that can become crappy if that's your main source of income. Ever though of using some networking and maybe finding a regular job at one of the poker companies? Or is it super hard to get one there?
That would be a decent option and I do have a relevant degree, though I'd likely have to move to the Isle of Man. At the moment though I'm focused on making a career out of flying.
 

gsweet

Monkey
Dec 20, 2001
733
4
Minnesota
Happy to say that I fall into the "would still do it if I won the lottery" category. Exploration geology. I get to go camping, wander around in the woods and map out rock types exposed at the surface. Conduct geophysical surveys and drilling programs, and extrapolate about geological scenarios roughly a mile underground. Every once in a while, I help lead field trips for geology students, other industry folks, etc., and sometimes I'm flown to other locals to just look at more geology.

I get paid extra if I actually find something, too...
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
That would be a decent option and I do have a relevant degree, though I'd likely have to move to the Isle of Man. At the moment though I'm focused on making a career out of flying.
That's a problem with some non standard jobs if you want to be steadily employed. I'm in the same spot since movie distributors rarely have their offices in the mountains. With the difference that I like my job. ;)
 

MMike

A fowl peckerwood.
Sep 5, 2001
18,207
105
just sittin' here drinkin' scotch
I dunno.....I can't complain. I occasionally get to fly at the ground faster than helicopters are legally allowed to go. Make "hilarious" movies. I get a company visa card...and in a few months, I'll have a the only office in the building with a window.

It took a while to find it, but this job and I work well together. It's the perfect balance of doing the fun stuff myself and pawning off the less fun stuff. I'd do it for free... though I might go to a 4 day work week.
 

gsweet

Monkey
Dec 20, 2001
733
4
Minnesota
I want YOUR job gsweet...
Depending on your interests and academic background, it wouldn't be too hard to get into at least part time. Most exploration companies have their field/drilling season in the spring/summer/fall, and bring on a handful of folks to help out with the manual labor. For us, this consists of field support while mapping (i.e., hiking around with us, carrying samples in the field, helping with camp setup and take down) as well as learning and actually helping with the mapping, core logging, sampling, etc. Generally pays pretty well; a lot more when you've got a geology background. FYI, if you're up for roughing it in remote areas for extended periods, your appeal as an employee increases.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
I worked for an Archeology firm one year... I was the mindless lackey who got to hunt for artifacts all day, hiking and rock hunting. There were some projects where we got to use metal detectors in the backcountry of a certain National Park. Found lots of cool ****! Got paid well. Saw tons of wildlife. Longest stint was 17 days in a backcountry camp with no support. Did I enjoy it? Hell yea. They didn't even have to pay me as I would have volunteered for any of it.

The project leaders on the other hand, spend their winters writing reports and cataloging artifacts. No thanks.