Ask a Tim

-Elizabeth Taylor

Dear Ms. Taylor

This is, indeed, a very serious question! I was just having a conversation with a co-worker today who is new to the whole "working world" thing, (she's only 21 and this is her first job, isn't that cute) and I made the following observation to her.

From this point forward your life will consist of two things

a) You will, for atleast 2,080 hours of every year for the rest of your life, be in a place you would rather not be and most likely being underapprecitated for your talents. This place being work, those hours being 40 a week, and those people being your bosses

or

b)You will marry rich.

This unfortunately doesn't really answer your question (which wasn't really a question by the way, more of a diabtribe really, one that has perhaps been heard by others in the Dallas area that tend to frequent rooftops) but I'm getting there.

Well, the truth is, I have no answer. There is nothing I can say that will make you satisfied with your job and more content with the work you have to do. I'm not really the one to answer this question as I wasn't even at work yesterday at 4:09 (we got out an hour early to go vote), but even if I was I probably wouldn't have been working. In fact, I'm sure there is work I should be doing right now!

My problem is that I haven't found out what it is I truly want to do. I think once I figure that out, things will be better. Look at your ex who is blissfully happy having sold out to the "man" and is working for a small school in West Texas. Apparently, teaching is what makes him happy.

There are many people out there who are blissfully happy with the path their career has taken, and I, for one, despise these people.

We are not our parents generation of workers. My dad (and many other peoples' dads I know) worked the same job my entire life. He would drive 1.5 hours each way, worked hard, brought a lot of work home with him, and did this everyday. I have a lot of respect for that, I just don't want to be that way.

Its not that I don't have a good work ethic, I do. Its just that I am strongly holding on to not selling out to the "man." Every now I then I remember how America and Capitalism work, and realize I am hurting no one but myself, but I refuse to sell out!

Thoreau said in Walden , "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things."

I have always believed he was right, and I think now, women are begining to realize the truth of this as well. How to break this cycle, I don't know. I play the lottery, it seems to help some in that it gives me hope of something better. I'm sure its a little sad that the only thing I have to give me hope has the odds of 1 in 165,562,314,251 of ever happening, buts its better odds than me being satisfied with my current lot!

My advice? Find something that you truly enjoy doing, and somehow try and find a job that involves that. In most cases, it won't be what you majored in. In some cases it will.

I do find myself a little bitter sometimes though, I played by their rules. I got good grades in school, I got into and graduated from a great University, and things haven't worked out like they were supposed to. I was promised a good job and good income if I went to college, and damn it all, where is my money.... I think I'm going to write a nasty letter to my professors!

So to sum up, I have no idea how to remain motivated at your job, as I don't even know how to do it at mine. But if any of you out there have any ideas, please let us know!