Work Status Update

[Longhorned]

Congratulations, Chi!!!!!! This is going to be stellar. You'll be living your own TV show soon.

(Alieberman, I think you know better than that.)

[scumdevils86]

Awesome news. Congrats!

[azgreg]

Nice Chi.

[PieceOfMeat]

Awesome to hear it Chi! Congrats!

[Phylek]

That's awesome, Chi. Nothing beats actually enjoying your job. It's a game changer.

[Longhorned]

I'm having a temporary eyesight issue where I can't focus on anything within about 8 feet. This is my second day in a row sitting on my couch watching TV all day long. This is amazing and I want it to never to end. It's like flying first class to Hong Kong. Highly recommended to anyone who hasn't had a break from work and kids for 5 years.

[Merkin]

Good health to you Professor!

[Longhorned]

That's exactly what happened!

[Carcassdragger]

That's awesome, Chi. Nothing beats actually enjoying your job. It's a game changer.

Doesn't pretty much everybody hate their job? Or is it just me? Maybe just getting old and tired of the bullshit.

[Longhorned]

That's awesome, Chi. Nothing beats actually enjoying your job. It's a game changer.

Doesn't pretty much everybody hate their job? Or is it just me? Maybe just getting old and tired of the bullshit.

But is it the things you do in your job? Or is it the people you hate?

[Chicat]

That's awesome, Chi. Nothing beats actually enjoying your job. It's a game changer.

Doesn't pretty much everybody hate their job? Or is it just me? Maybe just getting old and tired of the bullshit.

I don’t hate my job!

But if course it’s just the first week, so maybe we should revisit this in a few months.

[Longhorned]

That's a good start though!

[Alieberman]

I just got presented a very interesting job opportunity.... I have a zoom interview tomorrow about it.

If it works out it would mean a bunch of work.... from home.

I am intrigued and hopeful.

[97cats]

Doesn't pretty much everybody hate their job? Or is it just me? Maybe just getting old and tired of the bullshit.

i love my job

[UAEebs86]

I sit in a cube all day. My son got to go sit across from Mark Kelly at John McCain's desk in the Senate office building today. Lucky bastard.

[Chicat]

I just got presented a very interesting job opportunity.... I have a zoom interview tomorrow about it.

If it works out it would mean a bunch of work.... from home.

I am intrigued and hopeful.

Pumped for you Ari!

[azgreg]

Here's the view from my desk.

[scumdevils86]

I love my job. I don't get paid enough considering the experience and responsibilities I have and am overworked. But I love my boss and my team and I am still able to work from home for the time being. And the benefits are rather good. The positives outweigh any negative.

[Merkin]

I love being retired, even more than I thought I would.

I didn't love my job, nor did I hate it. Just a job. I worked to live, not lived to work. Got paid well for doing easy work that no one else wanted to do.

[scumdevils86]

Yea I definitely work to live. My wife and I do what we have to so we can have a stable and comfortable life. Not because we love our jobs for the work we do.

[Alieberman]

Here's the view from my desk.

That lighting would turn me into a serial killer...

[Carcassdragger]

That's awesome, Chi. Nothing beats actually enjoying your job. It's a game changer.

Doesn't pretty much everybody hate their job? Or is it just me? Maybe just getting old and tired of the bullshit.

But is it the things you do in your job? Or is it the people you hate?

Love the boss and the team. Great people. My gig should be the best one in our organization. But the bureaucratic bullshit and constant feeding of minutiae into the goddamn system, along with the obstacles to actually do so are just soul crushing.

Still I'm very blessed and I know it.

[PieceOfMeat]

I just got presented a very interesting job opportunity.... I have a zoom interview tomorrow about it.

If it works out it would mean a bunch of work.... from home.

I am intrigued and hopeful.

hope it works out for you!

[EastCoastCat]

I love my job. It allows me to sneak over to this board during the day and post inane comments.

[Chicat]

Here's the view from my desk.

No people in your line of sight, so at least you’ve got that going for you.

[azgreg]

Here's the view from my desk.

No people in your line of sight, so at least you’ve got that going for you.

No phone on my desk either and I'm sitting here in shorts and a t-shirt.

[Longhorned]

I just got presented a very interesting job opportunity.... I have a zoom interview tomorrow about it.

If it works out it would mean a bunch of work.... from home.

I am intrigued and hopeful.

I'm intrigued and hopeful for you!

[Longhorned]

Here's the view from my desk.

No people in your line of sight, so at least you’ve got that going for you.

No phone on my desk either and I'm sitting here in shorts and a t-shirt.

And you have a window!

[Longhorned]

But seriously, azgreg, you get to work with things. You have tools. Engineering is real, right? Most jobs are a simulation of work. With little that's tangible.

[Chicat]

First week of work… first day off tomorrow because our CEO decided we should do some community service or some reflecting in honor of Juneteenth.

Can’t beat getting an unexpected day off!

[EastCoastCat]

First week of work… first day off tomorrow because our CEO decided we should do some community service or some reflecting in honor of Juneteenth.

Can’t beat getting an unexpected day off!

I then expect double your daily post average tomorrow.



I don't have the day off tomorrow but my Client does for Juneteenth. Next best thing...

[scumdevils86]

I'm sure I'll have tomorrow off next year but there's too many moving parts in banking to just shut down for a day without more notice. Too bad. I would've loved to have the day off and to listen to some stories and read more about what the day truly means.

[dovecanyoncat]

I love being retired, even more than I thought I would.

I love being retired because woodswork would have eventually broken down my body and the world yet beckons to be explored. My office was any conifer/pinyon-juniper setting anywhere above 5000 ft. in the western rocky mountains and that was a thing the blessings of which few people have known. Anyone who is fulfilled by their work I count them King, heavy though is the head that wears the crown, and high is the demand of life after its mission.

[Chicat]

I'm sure I'll have tomorrow off next year but there's too many moving parts in banking to just shut down for a day without more notice. Too bad. I would've loved to have the day off and to listen to some stories and read more about what the day truly means.

There’s way too many moving parts in media too. So everyone else is either not taking the day off or they are cramming a full day’s worth of work into the last few hours today.

But it’s my first week. I literally don’t have shit to do.

[Chicat]

My office was any conifer/pinyon-juniper setting anywhere above 5000 ft. in the western rocky mountains and that was a thing the blessings of which few people have known.

Amazing. Before kids, I might have traded places with you.

[Longhorned]

I think the secret to loving my job is refusing to "advance" beyond the things I love about my job. Just growing older while doing the same stuff I started with, and getting better at that same stuff over time.

[Alieberman]

I just got presented a very interesting job opportunity.... I have a zoom interview tomorrow about it.

If it works out it would mean a bunch of work.... from home.

I am intrigued and hopeful.

Pumped for you Ari!

So..... it looks like I'm being offered this job.... now I need to decide what to do.

A little backstory.... for the last 20 years I have been a freelance audio/ visual meetings Project Manager. It's an industry that most people aren't really aware of. Basically I work with companies when they have meetings, conventions, and and conferences. I help put together all of their audio / video / presentation needs at venues all of the country (and internationally on occasion) Basically these companies contract with various Audio Visual Companies and they contract me out from job to job. Half my work is on the road, half here in Tucson. I am free to accept and turn down any job. I am used to a schedule of working 12 days straight, then having a week off, rinse and repeat. Lots of traveling... but I am somewhat in control of my schedule... and truly can work as much or as little as I want.

Then Covid happened and I was out of work for most all of a year.

I'm now being offered a job by a company who wants me in an all virtual meeting capacity side.... I will be working all from home... remotely setting up, monitoring and maintaining virtual meeting streams. No more having to deal with physically setting up giant screens, heavy equipment in huge ballrooms and convention centers. No more having to constantly deal with labor unions. No more traveling 100 days a year.

It sounds wonderful but after freelancing for 20 years and calling my own shots.... it's hard for me to wrap my head around a full time job... I like having lots of time off!

I'm getting an offer letter next week and they want us to decide quickly and start training in about 2 weeks... I think I'm leaning towards taking the job but I'm not totally sold yet...

[Merkin]

Like I have told my kids for years, it's easier to get a job when you have a job. I would be tempted to take it, and if it didn't work out then go back to what you were doing.

[Longhorned]

I agree with Merkin.

What do you see as the downside of taking a job that comes with things that give you apprehensions?

Samuel Becket said, "I just want to lay around and fart and think of Dante."

I can see Becket's preference as a legitimate reason not to take the job, but that's it.

[Alieberman]

I agree with Merkin.

What do you see as the downside of taking a job that comes with things that give you apprehensions?

Samuel Becket said, "I just want to lay around and fart and think of Dante."

I can see Becket's preference as a legitimate reason not to take the job, but that's it.

I'm really not sure what the downside is... I think it's because I currently do my job really well and there is a big learning curve ahead for me in this new direction. I know I can handle it but i can't help but be a little... scared.

I'm 90% sure I'm going to take the job.

[Chicat]

Negotiate 4 weeks of vacation and then let them train you to handle all aspects of virtual meetings.

What’s the worst that happens? You don’t like it, but you now have a whole new set of tools to market yourself for your next position.

I truly believe there are no mistakes. Only learning opportunities.

[Longhorned]

What Chi said. Besides, you've probably needed to expand your sphere since the time you broke the standing nap barrier while operating a video camera.

[UAEebs86]

Ari,
It sounds like COVID may have shown the corporate world how to save money on conventions and conferences, certainly in the short term and maybe permanently. Maybe the boondoggles will come back some day, maybe only partially. But like others have said, even if you don't want to do it long-term, you'll have it on your resume that you can do both.

Any chance you can to a 4/10 or 9/80 work week? I get every other Friday off and it's awesome. And at least you won't be on the road away from your family. (Ok maybe that's a disadvantage for some LOL.) I remember a guy I worked with at Motorola complained to his boss once that he wasn't on the road enough, and he was having to see his wife too much.

[Alieberman]

Ari,

Any chance you can to a 4/10 or 9/80 work week? I get every other Friday off and it's awesome.

Yes... it was made clear to me - when there aren't live shows going on, I just have to make sure I'm getting my work done. Although I'll be hourly... how and when I put my work in will be up to me. It could mean 4 days a week or like 7 (5/6 hour days)

You all are making me realize this should be a no brainer...

[Chicat]

Ari,

Any chance you can to a 4/10 or 9/80 work week? I get every other Friday off and it's awesome.

Yes... it was made clear to me - when there aren't live shows going on, I just have to make sure I'm getting my work done. Although I'll be hourly... how and when I put my work in will be up to me. It could mean 4 days a week or like 7 (5/6 hour days)

You all are making me realize this should be a no brainer...

I feel like I know you a little and I wonder if you might always wonder “what if” if you didn’t at least try it.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think so.

[dovecanyoncat]

There was one weird off-season when I tried to switch planets ..... tried to work in the straight world. It didn't work and I went back to the woods without dropping a stitch, but the lesson learned was profound: you can't know something, or more importantly understand it, while you're inside it. And having ventured beyond and back gives you stability within the thing you ultimately settle on because now you know better both the thing and yourself. My wife and I always look back on that experiment with relief. It's good to live in an expanding universe, so change is good. Change that brings you back to your best self is the best change. If that makes sense...

[Chicat]

After receiving a week’s worth of emails from vendors in my new role, I’m realizing what an annoying asshole I was as a sales rep.

I talked a good game about trying to add value with every communication effort I undertook, but I was lying to myself… as is every vendor I’ve seen “just checking in” and “wondering whatever happened with that Q3 plan”.

I think I’m going to like life a lot better not “keeping this on your radar” and “sending out a quick reminder that the Holidays are right around the corner!” I honestly can’t believe that was me for so goddamn long.

[Longhorned]

After receiving a week’s worth of emails from vendors in my new role, I’m realizing what an annoying asshole I was as a sales rep.

I talked a good game about trying to add value with every communication effort I undertook, but I was lying to myself… as is every vendor I’ve seen “just checking in” and “wondering whatever happened with that Q3 plan”.

I think I’m going to like life a lot better not “keeping this on your radar” and “sending out a quick reminder that the Holidays are right around the corner!” I honestly can’t believe that was me for so goddamn long.

What are you going to do? You have to try it on and then really wear it, right? I did the same thing, or the equivalent of it. But that was never you. You'll always be the guy who honestly wanted to stay in non-profit, but also wanted to right by his family, read books in an aesthetically pleasing domestic interior with quality beverages, and avoid weekends in the driveway trying to keep an old car running with what you could accomplish with your own cut-up, greasy hands. Now you can have it all, and feel sorry for the rest of them.

[Chicat]

After receiving a week’s worth of emails from vendors in my new role, I’m realizing what an annoying asshole I was as a sales rep.

I talked a good game about trying to add value with every communication effort I undertook, but I was lying to myself… as is every vendor I’ve seen “just checking in” and “wondering whatever happened with that Q3 plan”.

I think I’m going to like life a lot better not “keeping this on your radar” and “sending out a quick reminder that the Holidays are right around the corner!” I honestly can’t believe that was me for so goddamn long.

What are you going to do? You have to try it on and then really wear it, right? I did the same thing, or the equivalent of it. But that was never you. You'll always be the guy who honestly wanted to stay in non-profit, but also wanted to right by his family, read books in an aesthetically pleasing domestic interior with quality beverages, and avoid weekends in the driveway trying to keep an old car running with what you could accomplish with your own cut-up, greasy hands. Now you can have it all, and feel sorry for the rest of them.

As per usual, you’ve hit the nail on the head.

Can’t wait to tell one of these desperate mooks “Look, I get it. I was once exactly where you are. You’re 97% to your Q2 goal and your sales manager has decided to park himself in your colon this week even though you haven’t heard from him in months because if you don’t hit your number, he doesn’t get his full bonus, and his third wife is going to never let him live down the fact that she couldn’t get all the bells and whistles she wanted on her new Mercedes. But calling me three times a day to “check in” isn’t going to make my client suddenly find the $50k you're salivating over…”

[scumdevils86]

After receiving a week’s worth of emails from vendors in my new role, I’m realizing what an annoying asshole I was as a sales rep.

I talked a good game about trying to add value with every communication effort I undertook, but I was lying to myself… as is every vendor I’ve seen “just checking in” and “wondering whatever happened with that Q3 plan”.

I think I’m going to like life a lot better not “keeping this on your radar” and “sending out a quick reminder that the Holidays are right around the corner!” I honestly can’t believe that was me for so goddamn long.

Oof.. yea if I get an email barrage like that from a sales rep it just confirms to me that I don't want to give you any business ever.