I like this time at night on HBT

[Jayjay1976]

Sounds like you're having a rough time. I hope they quit jerking you around and pay up.

Well at least they could jerk a little faster, and gentle-like.

 

[seatazzz]

Well at least they could jerk a little faster, and gentle-like.

Jayjay, I feel your pain. In the 18 years since I settled on the career path I'm on (dispatcher for container freight) I've worked for three companies that were eventually gobbled up by huge megacorporations that do not give two hecks about the common employee; other than to shove 'culture' (omg I HATE that word now) and other gobbledegook (fifteen 'training' videos per week, anyone?) down our throats. I'm old enough to remember days when I did my job, respected my coworkers, and had a boss who didn't have to jump through bazillion hoops to get rid of that annoying coworker who didn't carry their weight; they just got fired. I work with a few people who, back in the day, wouldn't have lasted a week but they keep getting chances, and exploit the hell out of them. And they make things worse for the rest of us. I love my job, I'm good at it, but I'm getting jaded by seeing what happens.

 

[ncbrewer]

after their reneging on a retention contract worth a year's salary

Any legal recourse?

 

[Jayjay1976]

Any legal recourse?

Unfortunately, no.

 

[madscientist451]

And so now, after losing the majority of my retirement in worthless profit shares, after digging deep into the 401K I'd neglected just to pay bills, and after their reneging on a retention contract worth a year's salary, they've reached out and asked me to come back in as a contractor…

It sounds like a steady paycheck would be good for you right now. I despise my employer, but when I look at what I get compared to everyone else, I suck it up and try to take a good attitude into work. It helps to have an exit strategy, so there’s a feeling you are going to eventually get something on your own terms.

 

[ncbrewer]

I despise my employer

It seems like there's a lot of that going around.

 

[seatazzz]

The last two jobs I've had before this one were salaried, not hourly. For the most part, if the work was done we could go home, no matter the time of day. Heck, at my last job at least once a week the boss would text us to work from home, and we got tons done. At this job (also salaried), we are expected to stay in office our eight hours even if most of that is twiddling our thumbs. Thanks to the tariff scares (and changes to customs regulations), container freight is still slow even after the usual Chinese New Year hangover. My group is WAY overstaffed, due to our semi-clueless manager hiring for 'the future' which always seems out of reach due to the huge megacorporation's sales force being lackadaisical, and aforesaid general lack of containers coming from Asia. We could lay off three in our office alone and still have downtime. Many of the set-tos in our small office are due to someone hogging the work, because we are bored out of our tiny minds. Semi-clueless manager's solution? Projects! Mostly dealing with that hated word 'culture' and meaningless 'spirit' week suggestions. And remote work? We all have the capability, but semi-clueless manager (and his only slightly less clueless boss) have decided that is not feasible. He's always said he doesn't want to micro-manage (yet another phrase that was nonexistent a scant decade ago, I think) but if he catches us just staring blankly at a screen with no work, it's time for projects. On the rare occasions I'm allowed to work from home I get more done, and stay at it longer hours because there's not that rush to 'get done' in order to get home in time for whatever I need to do there. So do my co-workers, for the most part.

I'm not complaining about my salary; thanks to Washington State Law, we get paid a LOT. Almost twice what I was being paid a scant 8 years ago, doing less work. For the first time in our married life I make more than the husband, not a small feat. But if the bigwigs finally wake up and realize there's a lot of deadweight I'm afraid I won't be able to find something comparable, despite many contacts in the industry from 18 years at it. Relocating isn't an option either.

End of rant.

 

[balrog]

The last two jobs I've had before this one were salaried, not hourly. For the most part, if the work was done we could go home, no matter the time of day. Heck, at my last job at least once a week the boss would text us to work from home, and we got tons done. At this job (also salaried), we are expected to stay in office our eight hours even if most of that is twiddling our thumbs. Thanks to the tariff scares (and changes to customs regulations), container freight is still slow even after the usual Chinese New Year hangover. My group is WAY overstaffed, due to our semi-clueless manager hiring for 'the future' which always seems out of reach due to the huge megacorporation's sales force being lackadaisical, and aforesaid general lack of containers coming from Asia. We could lay off three in our office alone and still have downtime. Many of the set-tos in our small office are due to someone hogging the work, because we are bored out of our tiny minds. Semi-clueless manager's solution? Projects! Mostly dealing with that hated word 'culture' and meaningless 'spirit' week suggestions. And remote work? We all have the capability, but semi-clueless manager (and his only slightly less clueless boss) have decided that is not feasible. He's always said he doesn't want to micro-manage (yet another phrase that was nonexistent a scant decade ago, I think) but if he catches us just staring blankly at a screen with no work, it's time for projects. On the rare occasions I'm allowed to work from home I get more done, and stay at it longer hours because there's not that rush to 'get done' in order to get home in time for whatever I need to do there. So do my co-workers, for the most part.

I'm not complaining about my salary; thanks to Washington State Law, we get paid a LOT. Almost twice what I was being paid a scant 8 years ago, doing less work. For the first time in our married life I make more than the husband, not a small feat. But if the bigwigs finally wake up and realize there's a lot of deadweight I'm afraid I won't be able to find something comparable, despite many contacts in the industry from 18 years at it. Relocating isn't an option either.

End of rant.

I came to the conclusion that the control freak managers I worked for in the past, were always against work from home (easy in IT, except when server room was involved), because they themselves knew they would NEVER get anything done if THEY worked from home, and so by projection, nobody else would either.

 

[Broothru]

I came to the conclusion that the control freak managers I worked for in the past, were always against work from home (easy in IT, except when server room was involved), because they themselves knew they would NEVER get anything done if THEY worked from home, and so by projection, nobody else would either.

Face Time. It’s always about face time. And “control.” If they can make you be physically present in the office, the manager gains a level of control over you and your work life. It’s a dead giveaway of a weak manager.

Such close oversight exhibits both lack in trust of a subordinate’s ability and willingness to perform their assigned tasks, as well as the manager’s self-doubt about his own ability to perform his task of oversight. The job of a manager is not to ‘do’ the task, but rather to oversee the task being successfully performed.

A manager trains and motivates subordinates, then monitors and evaluates. He rewards success and remediates failures to create an environment where future success becomes the routine outcome.

Overbearing oversight is also a power play to demonstrate to his superiors that he is ‘powerful’ enough to ‘command’ a large staff, when actually it shows just the opposite: incompetence and deep seated fear that his weakness will be exposed.

 

[balrog]

incompetence and deep seated fear that his weakness will be exposed.

<the way my brain is wired, this immediately triggered...>

When they got home at night, their fat psychopathic wives would thrash them within inches of their lives

 

[seatazzz]

"Face Time. It’s always about face time. And “control.” If they can make you be physically present in the office, the manager gains a level of control over you and your work life. It’s a dead giveaway of a weak manager."

This.

Our semi-clueless manager not only micromanages, but plays us off against each other. Every time I've been in for a 'one on one' (his words for a talking to) I get told that at least three of my coworkers (unnamed, of course) have complained about my attitude. Which of course leaves me thinking, okay who is bitching about me behind my back? And makes working with said coworkers difficult at best. Fortunately we do get along for the most part, but it's that not-knowing who is the quisling in the room that makes it worse. Semi-clueless is about two years from retiring, fortunately.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I know it's daytime, but I spent some quality time today getting my smoker cleaned up for grilling season. A heady mix of pellet smoke and warpigs IPA conspire to dissipate the dark clouds of the long winter and awaken my inner carnivore. A rack of ribs and a corned beef pastrami will be my inaugural cook tomorrow.

 

[day_trippr]

 

[Jayjay1976]

I was at the national restaurant association show all day today at mccormick place. Met up with old colleagues and new clients, and had a bunch of conversations.

In reconnecting with old friends, I could feel how much time has passed and how much we've changed.

It's a lesson I feel like I've been late to learn; that I shouldn't speak in the same way that I think. Nobody has patience for history, perspective, or reflection in conversation. When I was younger, I wore a brashness borne out of simple inexperience. It was a reassuring time. Nothing is that simple anymore.

 

[passedpawn]

I was at the national restaurant association show all day today at mccormick place today. Met up with old colleagues and new clients, and had a bunch of conversations.

In reconnecting with old friends, I could feel how much time has passed and how much we've changed.

It's a lesson I feel like I've been late to learn; that I shouldn't speak in the same way that I think. Nobody has patience for history, perspective, or reflection in conversation. When I was younger, I wore a brashness borne out of simple inexperience. It was a reassuring time. Nothing is that simple anymore.

I could listen to you speak about anything, at any length. I'm all ears buddy.

Don't think that times have changed. They have not - you have. Your sentiment was spoken by ancients for the same reason: as we get older, wizened, the world appears different to us, but it's not. Yes, tech etc changes, but human nature never does.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

That last of that is extracted from The Desiderata ( it's next to me always). I hope it helps.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Well, after 14 months of hell in a day drinking free-fall, I've landed on my feet. Back with my old brand again, now under new leadership, but this time at the helm. In the past two months of contracting, I've pulled 3 programs out of a nose-dive and put them back on track, so they offered me a FT role as Creative Director. The pay is quite a bit better, but more importantly I have influence across the organization to shape all facets of the user experience. New digs, but I've already farted on all the chairs, and I'm starting to think I might be happy here.

It's a long road back, I need to patch the hole in our retirement account and start socking more away for the future, but I'm back.

Massive thanks to those of you who commiserated and offered words of encouragement, this community provided most of the glue that helped me resist falling completely apart. My natural state is something like half-done Jell-O, but y'all are the chunks of fruit that makes it palatable.

 

[Kent88]

Jayjay, you're a good egg.

 

[Broothru]

Well, after 14 months of hell in a day drinking free-fall, I've landed on my feet. Back with my old brand again, now under new leadership, but this time at the helm. In the past two months of contracting, I've pulled 3 programs out of a nose-dive and put them back on track, so they offered me a FT role as Creative Director. The pay is quite a bit better, but more importantly I have influence across the organization to shape all facets of the user experience. New digs, but I've already farted on all the chairs, and I'm starting to think I might be happy here.

It's a long road back, I need to patch the hole in our retirement account and start socking more away for the future, but I'm back.

Massive thanks to those of you who commiserated and offered words of encouragement, this community provided most of the glue that helped me resist falling completely apart. My natural state is something like half-done Jell-O, but y'all are the chunks of fruit that makes it palatable.

Looks like you've got the break you needed, and have the right attitude to move forward into less troubled seas. You've got the right priorities as well. Take it from a pro who went through the same storm four times in my career: once, after separating from Active Duty military just when a deep recession was beginning, and the other three when the companies I was working for at the time filed Chapter 11 bankruptcies (the first two ultimately filing Chapter 7 and liquidating). All the Chapter 11s resulted in the loss of company sponsored retirement plans. Patch the hole and be aggressive with savings. Invest, but don't speculate. Follow the advise of the wise broker who advised me to get rich slowly by investing consistently and systematically, riding out the financial storms. Get rich quick schemes will make you poor more often than not.

Each of my 'dislocations from income' lasted between 14~16 months, so when I say I feel your pain, I really do. During each 'career challenge' we did have the advantage of a working wife and me as a senior military officer with flight pay on a drilling Reserve status, so our income was "only" reduced by about 65%. Aggressive savings coupled with cautious and conservative investing got us through the bad times and into a reasonably comfortable retirement, anchored by my wife's retirement, my military retirement, investment portfolios and Social Security. Wasn't particularly fun or easy, as I'm sure you know only too well, but you can make it through. I'm certain you will.

 

[passedpawn]

Well, after 14 months of hell in a day drinking free-fall, I've landed on my feet. Back with my old brand again, now under new leadership, but this time at the helm. In the past two months of contracting, I've pulled 3 programs out of a nose-dive and put them back on track, so they offered me a FT role as Creative Director. The pay is quite a bit better, but more importantly I have influence across the organization to shape all facets of the user experience. New digs, but I've already farted on all the chairs, and I'm starting to think I might be happy here.

It's a long road back, I need to patch the hole in our retirement account and start socking more away for the future, but I'm back.

Massive thanks to those of you who commiserated and offered words of encouragement, this community provided most of the glue that helped me resist falling completely apart. My natural state is something like half-done Jell-O, but y'all are the chunks of fruit that makes it palatable.

To me you're an all-star. I don't know how all in your radius don't see that. Shame on them. I, for one, an a admirer. Maybe you aren't as outgoing in your work life as you are here?

Maybe trim your nose/ear hairs, too. I know that becomes a thing at our age.

 

[Jayjay1976]

To me you're an all-star. I don't know how all in your radius don't see that. Shame on them. I, for one, an a admirer. Maybe you aren't as outgoing in your work life as you are here?

Maybe trim your nose/ear hairs, too. I know that becomes a thing at our age.

Haha, I'm an introvert struggling to release my inner glory hog. And I got the nosebeard under control with my weapon of choice:

 

[Dland]

I guess I'll be the one to get this going again, don't want a nose hair expose' to stop an otherwise useful thread. That said, I hope JayJay's success continues.

Anyway, it seems I'm in a later than mid life reflection event, I'm really tired of my job, but I'm proprietor of a small company, three employees, four if you count me, and I work in the field a lot, as well as all the office & management isht, plus being the mechanic, equipment & cdl driver.

I know it sounds kind of windgy (austrailian for complainy), but I really don't care about my clients yards, I often detest the decisions they make for them that I have to implement. Yet I can't afford to stop, and I'm not sure if I could work for anyone else after so many years self employed.

Forty years next year since I started this landscape company, which was going to be a temporary job before I got a job with my degree or buy a farm. Never accomplished either of those. Getting dumped a gal I was planning to buy a farm with, twice (two different gals), kind of left me here on an expensive island, mostly mowing lawns, installing patios, fences, etc. My house, which I could never come close to affording at today's prices is OK, but this place has changed a lot, and not for the better, from my point of view.

My family is here and I have lost track of any friends I had off island. I'm pretty well respected in the community, but that community has been severally diluted by all the new comers, new money and their rental clients.

I'm sure I'm not the only one whose home area has "evolved", from a rural type relaxed into developed place with different values. This is has been my home all my adult life. I know a couple of friends who have sold out, cashed in (on high real estate value), and at least one regrets it. They will never be able to own a place here again unless the win a big lottery or something.

I don't expect any answers addressing my conundrum, but this is a good place as any to vent.

If you've gotten this far, thanks for hearing me out. [;

 

[Spikybits]

I guess I'll be the one to get this going again, don't want a nose hair expose' to stop an otherwise useful thread. That said, I hope JayJay's success continues.

Anyway, it seems I'm in a later than mid life reflection event, I'm really tired of my job, but I'm proprietor of a small company, three employees, four if you count me, and I work in the field a lot, as well as all the office & management isht, plus being the mechanic, equipment & cdl driver.

I know it sounds kind of windgy (austrailian for complainy), but I really don't care about my clients yards, I often detest the decisions they make for them that I have to implement. Yet I can't afford to stop, and I'm not sure if I could work for anyone else after so many years self employed.

Forty years next year since I started this landscape company, which was going to be a temporary job before I got a job with my degree or buy a farm. Never accomplished either of those. Getting dumped a gal I was planning to buy a farm with, twice (two different gals), kind of left me here on an expensive island, mostly mowing lawns, installing patios, fences, etc. My house, which I could never come close to affording at today's prices is OK, but this place has changed a lot, and not for the better, from my point of view.

My family is here and I have lost track of any friends I had off island. I'm pretty well respected in the community, but that community has been severally diluted by all the new comers, new money and their rental clients.

I'm sure I'm not the only one whose home area has "evolved", from a rural type relaxed into developed place with different values. This is has been my home all my adult life. I know a couple of friends who have sold out, cashed in (on high real estate value), and at least one regrets it. They will never be able to own a place here again unless the win a big lottery or something.

I don't expect any answers addressing my conundrum, but this is a good place as any to vent.

If you've gotten this far, thanks for hearing me out. [;

Cheers mate thank you for sharing

 

[Snuffy]

I guess I'll be the one to get this going again, don't want a nose hair expose' to stop an otherwise useful thread. That said, I hope JayJay's success continues.

Anyway, it seems I'm in a later than mid life reflection event, I'm really tired of my job, but I'm proprietor of a small company, three employees, four if you count me, and I work in the field a lot, as well as all the office & management isht, plus being the mechanic, equipment & cdl driver.

I am about to retire. A bit early by some standards, but not by mine. We built a home in a desirable location and have worked our posteriors off to make it sweet. My dad made it to 75. He was relatively functional until his last 6 months or so. I'm not waiting until somebody walks by my office, hears beeping and finds me face-down on a keyboard. Life is far too short. I gotta do the things I have always wanted to do NOW before they become physically impossible. So, with that in mind, I would say this to you over a cold beer in a cool place. Sell the business. If nobody wants it, sell the equipment. Sell your house. Take that money and buy that farm you've always wanted. In the real sense and not the figure-of-speech sense. <knock on wood>. You are younger today than you will ever be again. 10 years will spin past like water down a toilet. Screw leaving stuff to other people when you're gone. Go. Do. Live. I'm going to sail and fish and brew and ride motorcycles and camp and canoe and chase giggling grandkids around swingsets and grow hair and chase my gal around hotel rooms. Futz everybody. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

 

[DonT]

I'm in the process of selling my business so I can retire next year when I turn 65. I thought for a long time I would just die under a car (I'm a mechanic, shop owner). My wife retired last month and is now waiting for me. We have to move, we can't afford to stay in this community, as we don't own, and rents are sky-high.
Personally, I can't wait. I kinda hate cars now... lol. I'm gonna do all the stuff I don't have time/energy to do nowadays...

 

[passedpawn]

Hmm, this thread has taken a turn.

I'd suggest for anyone older than 60, get busy with your end game. You might have 50 more years of life, but you won't be able to go on like you did before, so don't kid yourself. You know what that means for you. Big house -> small house, house -> apt, big apt -> small apt, get on with it. Stop kidding yourself. Obviously, if there's money in the bank, that changes the equation.

Anyway, accept change, it's necessary. Do it while you're still able.

For your late nite soundtrack...

 

[Kent88]

 

[Kent88]

 

[Dland]

If we're giving out sweeping advice; whatever your age, try to avoid and pay down any debt you have. It is very hard to get ahead or even stay afloat when the banksters have you in their clutches.

Debt can be a good thing if it is to leverage your position with capital you don't have, but only if it is buying something will make you more money than your paying in interest, with ability to pay off principal, or improve your life substantially.

Besides a $1,500 small business loan I took out 38 years ago, the only interest bearing loan I had was my house mortgage. I re financed a couple of times for house addition, then shop building, and then once or twice just to lower my rate. Paid it all off by the time I was 60.5 years old, only 6 months past my goal.

I've never had a new car or truck (though I have around 10 vehicles now) and all the new machinery I've bought has been with zero interest loan promotions.

On the down side, I've not taken a vacation since my current gal moved in 27 years ago with her kid & then we had another one. Perhaps that is why I'm a little wired. I've been thinking about it a lot lately, but I've almost lost the ability to take it easy, unless I've "signed out" at the end of the day with some beers . I know I used to have it, but is has been decades, I was raised with a good work ethic, and it kind of took over.

I'm not sure of my end game, but I told my two long term employees they have until I'm 67 to buy me out, which they say they want to do. I have to finish my 30 year old house if I want to sell it not as a "fixer upper". I still have some plywood floors and stuff, a barn door on the living room, etc. Plus I feel I should stick around as long as my 94 year old mom is living in town.

Major life choices are often not simple ones.

 

[balrog]

"We have too much space"

"Men don't have enough space. Ever."

Truer words were never spoken.


Says the man who is actively moving from 2000 sq ft house w full basement to 1200 sq ft condo. You will all be witness and unwilling recipients of many much the updates on this.

 

[Kent88]

If we're giving out sweeping advice; whatever your age, try to avoid and pay down any debt you have. It is very hard to get ahead or even stay afloat when the banksters have you in their clutches.

Debt can be a good thing if it is to leverage your position with capital you don't have, but only if it is buying something will make you more money than your paying in interest, with ability to pay off principal, or improve your life substantially.
...

Major life choices are often not simple ones.

I have a recent example of when it might not be a terrific idea to pay down your debt ASAP. Shh! Don't tell Dave Ramsey.

... Ok, so this actually pertains to recent events in my life, recent enough that I've tried typing them out several times without giving too many clues about who I am, what work my family does, etc, etc. but I don't feel I can tell much of the story without potentially (low chance it happens, but risk isn't worth reward here) doxxing myself.

So I'll just say that sometimes one can think they're pretty clever prepaying a bunch on their mortgage, but if you don't maintain a good emergency fund it adds difficulty if one wants to move to pursue new opportunities.

In my case, it ended up working out surprisingly well. But that lack of an emergency fund added a noteworthy amount of stress for a week or so.