Well this is a laugh... I'm still in shock! (not ff)

FAOL Community Sound Off
21

STRESS? What’s that?.
I’ve got a different story. My son, a fairly successful commodities trader, decided to QUIT his stressful job at the Merc and move to Montana to open a hot dog stand/restaurant. Last day at work will be March 15th. House ISN’t sold , and it’s no shack,or even READY for the market. Dad(ME with MY OWN deadlines) has to help him prepare the house for market. The real estate market is almost NON existent here at the moment. BUT he decides to do the less stressful thing. WELL, guess what Mark Jr. The STRESS is on your dad, ME now. Like most parents, no matter how old you are, you’re still my son and I worry about you and your choices. Hot dogs in Montana sounds great IF all your OTHER DUCKS line up.
The purpose of my semi rant here is to remind us all, that our decisions , in many cases, have a ripple effect on many things. Look back a bit before moving boldly forward.

Mark
PS: Even my “signature” describes my mindset. Yes, I’d rather be in…but…

22

Gringo -

Good luck to you.

I think I speak for most when I say that you are to be admired.

I spend 30 some odd years doing a job that I often did not enjoy, but as I moved up the corporate ladder the money and security made it increasingly hard to change careers.
So, I did the next best thing - I took early retirement (almost 8 years ago) and have spent all my time since doing only what I want to do. And for now, that means spending the entire summer and fall right on the banks of the Yellowstone River in Montana.

When I finally left my job, my co-workers gave me a Hallmark card that I thought was rather amusing though, and probably applied to me, at least to some degree.

On the front of the card is a picture of a person sitting at a desk with the caption “Want to make hundreds of dollars a week for doing absolutely nothing?”

Then you open the card, and it says in small print “Don’t quit your job.”

John

23

If your going to a place, having a great time , like being there and enjoy going back day after day AND some one pays you for it , you cant actually call what your doing a JOB. Its called PLAYTIME with a check thrown in.
Best wishes.
Perch

still dont know what I want to be when I grow up. this electrician thing (started studying it at 13 yrs old) is stop gap at best. just thought that by 53 my mind would have been made up by now! :slight_smile:

24

To all: The biggest THANK YOU I can think of.

I will print this thread out to refer to at those times I may need to.

:D:D:D:D

25

I am retired now, and draw 3 small pensions and SS. Over my life I have changed ocupations about every ten years. The last one at age 52 I went to work for the state of Oregon. Took a pay cut, had to move, and learn a new job. But the benifits made up for it. I have always said “if you don’t like this job,quit complaining to me and quit”. Life is too short to do something you don’t like. :tieone:
Good luck, and may God bless your new job.

Desertman :cool:

26

Gringo,

If you are going to be involved in smoking meat you have to come to the states. Go to Memphis and learn how to smoke pork, good dry rub ribs and pulled pork, out to Texas and learn about beef brisket. I’m not sure what it is they do in Kansas City but it seems I have heard something smoke and meat out there, but I think they really just make sauce. I don’t know where to learn about smoking sheep, roos and those other critter you have down there.

A friend descripted the process as you select the finest of young pigs and raise him on a careful diet and when he is ready built a altar from select hickory. You place the ribs, shoulders and best cut from the pig on the hickory altar and lightning comes from heaven and lights the hickory. Then you wait for perfecton.

27

  1. I’d been in the auto repair business for about 32 years…on and off, but mostly on. Other work came up that paid more so I thought it would be a good change. Most din’t hold my interest long and I’d return to working on cars.

  2. Closed the shop I’d had for 14 years on that Tuesday…moved everything to storage, began spending all of my time at home. Din’t even fly fish for a while. Stayed close, worked on the house, the yard, bought a new pu truck and began noticing something. Stress was leaving me.

The first several years and some went by fast…took those vacations I’d always dreamed about, spent more and more time with the wife and at home. Began fly fishing again. Din’t even think about stress. Blood pressure was good. Started volunteering at the local VA hospital. That felt good. Then in 2005 a paying job came up and I took it. A year and some later I was so glad I got layed off I can’t tell you. Stress.

  1. Went to work again in yet another line of work. Part time but turned stressful early on. Technically unemployed now but the SS started in August so I’m good. One thing I made sure of when working for almost 40 years of my life was to save some money. Bills are paid, including cars and house we live in. Wife works still and sometimes I feel a little guilty, but I started about 7 or 8 years before she did and great wife that she is, she assures me not to think about that, we’re doing fine and besides she says, ‘she loves to work’ and ‘loves her job’.

I’m at the best job I’ve ever had now though and that is taking care of the yard, the house, all the errands and hey, I squeeze in plenty of fly fishing now. I could go most every day if I wanted to. I do have to hand it to the guys and gals that have done 20 or 30 years on the day shift and the night shift guys, well I got to do that too and man, that takes a toll.

Meantime, some one, some time, some where once told me not to hesitate quitting a job I don’t like for any reason because he said, ‘You can always get another crumby job’.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

28

Good advice, and gents, you have humbled me.

Uncle jesse, maybe a FF trip to the US smoke houses would be tax deductable as a business expense… mmmmmmm… now me thinkin’…

Moose - why did youclose your business on 911 just for interest sake?

29

clipped [QUOTE=Uncle Jesse;280749
I’m not sure what it is they do in Kansas City but it seems I have heard something smoke and meat out there, but I think they really just make sauce.
[/QUOTE]

Uncle Jesse!!! I’m appalled!! That’s almost blasphemy!! You need to come up here, and I’ll show you some of the BEST BBQ on Earth!!! <Sauce, indeed! Oh, my!!!>:p:p

30

Gringo don’t look back, thats when they get you!!!

My first Job was changing tractor trailer tires, Saw a kid loose his right arm and head when a split ring blew off…

Joined the army at 20 y.o.a and spent 24yrs there, would not change a thing, never had a bad day in the army some damn uncomfortable ones but never a bad one…picked up body parts of my comrades and saved the lives of friends and had guns pointed at me and people spitting at me etc…

Worked E911 for 8 years and Ambulance for 6yrs…enough said there…

worked for a mid level America Defense Company CUBIC for 18 months…that sucked

SO I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN !!

I retired in 2006 from everything and am just finally feeling human again… reconnecting with my wife and kids and loving life again… (note: this BB had a heck of a lot to do with that)

My only job is to decide if I want to walk the dogs before or after I go fly fishing or tying…
I can now actually sleep and dream now… I have not had a dream or full nights sleep in 25 years… will never look back.

31

Gringo,
For over 15 years, I worked in the lowest lever of pharmaceuticals. Human blood plasma collection. I worked for a manager that was a man hater and the stress was overwhelming. For the last 90+ days there if I worked less than 12 hours a day (mostly 15 hours) every day including Sundays, I would count myself lucky. I would find myself falling asleep behind the wheel on my way TO work, due to an accumulation of a lack of sleep. I got bags under my eyes, and after a while they turned black and then they got hard. One day my manager came into my office sucking wind, saying “It’s not my fault. I had nothing to do with it.” I told her to sit down, take a deep breathe, bite the bullet and say the words. When she said, “I have to let you go” I told her that my heartburn just went away. It’s taken a lot of years, (about ten) but I’m finally back up to that minimal wage I was more than earning then. Now, I couldn’t be happier working where I am. I am a warehouseman for a small label manufacturer and our company profits go to support a large ministry in East Africa. I get by and I’m working for someone (the Lord) who loves man, and doesn’t hate man. My point is, Bravo to you for making a decision that will ultimately make you happier. Money is a hard thing to learn to do without, but no matter how much we earn we can learn to get by. Happiness can’t be achieved with a high wage.
God Bless,

32

I really am humbled by you guys, thank you so much.

I went in to the shop today and did some work, gee I will have to get fitter than I am LOL!!! I just realised that I have always made money with my brains before, never my hands. I think it feels good.

You really all are a great bunch of blokes (including blokesses)

33

Quick true story.
I have spent 34 years practicing law.
I spent a year teaching high school.
That year was practically salary free and consumed most of my savings.
But, like the MasterCard ads, it was priceless.
My profession is necessary to pay for little things like house notes, and gasoline and food. But if I could give it up…a nanosecond to choose is all it would take.
If you can afford it – do what you love.

34

Hello Gringo, well I was commuting three hours to the shop on each Monday or Tuesday then commuting back on Thursday or Friday, sometimes Saturday. That Tuesday morning when I got up and turned on the news to check the weather before heading south, I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears.

I turned to my wife and I said, ‘that’s it, I need to be here, I’m closing the shop’. It was something I was thinking about doing and it was easy as I was on a month to month lease agreement.

I drove south noticing that the major hiway was virtually deserted and that nothing was flying anywhere I drove by the airports. From Tuesday afternoon to Thurs midday, I literally tossed 14 years of accumulation into the pu truck and hauled it to my storage, said goodbye to the mechanic I shared the shop with and drove north. The hiway was still pretty much deserted so cruising at 80-90mph wasn’t a problem…all law enforcement was off on security assignments.

I had a lot of time to think going to and coming back from closing the shop…worked till late at night hauling stuff…got up at daybreak, started again. I told myself during all that thinking that no job was that important if you can’t be with your family, convincing myself I’d done the right thing closing the shop and ‘coming home’. Best career move I’ve ever made. And hey, I can go back to work anytime the need may arise…I still have all the shop equipment in my storage…but for now I’m going fly fishing ! Heh.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

35

You mean you’re gonna take him to Memphis?

(Nothing like throwin’ jalepenos in the hot sauce…)

Ed

36

Sauce? Who said sauce? Somebody say sauce? I like sauce. Where"s the sauce? :slight_smile:

37

Hey Moose… good on ya.

38

Eddie, Eddie, Eddie … you too, can learn the greatness of BBQ … UP HERE!!!

Gringo, always make sure to remember the chain mail glove!!

39

I really did get to live my dream when I enlisted in the Army and went aviation. Like flyfishfairwx said picking up the pieces of chopped up buddies, helicopter crashes are particularly ugly, getting shot at, nearly getting killed by weather, is damned uncomfortable.

Rescuing people, finding lost children, dashing in where Angels fear to tread because someone cried out for help and serving with the finest men and women God put on the earth made it worth everything.

then came the day when the Flight Surgeon said no more flying after reenlistment so I left my dream, my best friends, my comrades behind for the civilian world.

Spent over 15 years in Retail and Restaurant General Management. Got fired twice, quit a few jobs too. Just kept searching realizing that happiness is worth far more than money.

Just over six years ago a customer that works at the depot brings me an application for work there. I fill it out, turn it in and wait, and wait, and wait… One day, after I have given up hope of even the military wanting me back, as I am getting ready to work the counter in the convenience store again, I get a phone call. I am offered a position with the Defense Logistics Agency and told to report for duty at 0600 hours the following Monday.

I learned to look back only to draw upon my experience to help me be a better person and to reaffirm my faith. I made some foolhardy decisions along the way and my faith was tested. Through it all there was Amy and my faith so I let them be the voice of reason.

Now I am back serving the military and our nation again. My employer works with me to overcome my infirmities. I love my job!

Gringo my friend you must go where your heart guides you. What good does all the money do if you are so stressed out, unhappy or what ever that you are not here to enjoy spending it? As for me I’d rather be poor and happy than rich and miserable!

What good does one do their friends and family while suffering the burdens of an overbearing job? You have my thoughts, prayers and well wishes. I think you will be healthier and happier in the end. This may just be the beginning of your search but keep your faith and you will be rewarded handsomely.

40

Eric… ;-):wink:

Thanks.