Comments on: My financial history, and stop whining about your job http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:05:50 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Susan http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-213370 Susan Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:21:02 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-213370 I have been doing the same job for 25 years. I complained for about 15 of those years. Because this was not the job I'd always wanted and always thought I'd do. But it was the job I got and did well at. I started to pay more attention to the good aspects of my job. That I was well paid and appreciated and treated with respect. That I had a lot of autonomy and liked the people I worked with. Over time I stopped complaining because I stopped feeling like complaining. I realized I'd made a choice and quit looking backwards. I enjoy your blog a lot. There's a lot of good common sense and even tough love here. I have been doing the same job for 25 years. I complained for about 15 of those years. Because this was not the job I'd always wanted and always thought I'd do. But it was the job I got and did well at. I started to pay more attention to the good aspects of my job. That I was well paid and appreciated and treated with respect. That I had a lot of autonomy and liked the people I worked with. Over time I stopped complaining because I stopped feeling like complaining. I realized I'd made a choice and quit looking backwards. I enjoy your blog a lot. There's a lot of good common sense and even tough love here.

]]> By: Tim Driver http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-213284 Tim Driver Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:29:17 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-213284 I totally agree with what you have said - There are times when you have to make big decisions and stick by them, OK one ended in divorce for me but was the best thing I ever did - So much happier in my life now remarried with 2 boys I totally agree with what you have said – There are times when you have to make big decisions and stick by them, OK one ended in divorce for me but was the best thing I ever did – So much happier in my life now remarried with 2 boys

]]> By: Kev http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-212562 Kev Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:12:20 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-212562 <i>And then there's one part that gets covered so little in this pick-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps land of Anything's Possible America. As hard as you might work, there's still one thing you can't do — "hire yourself!"</i> Sure you can; ever heard of starting your own business? It might guarantee that you never work a day as short as "9-to-5" again, but chances are, you'd be doing something you loved. And there's also a pretty good chance that your boss wouldn't be a jerk. ;-) And then there's one part that gets covered so little in this pick-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps land of Anything's Possible America. As hard as you might work, there's still one thing you can't do — "hire yourself!"

Sure you can; ever heard of starting your own business? It might guarantee that you never work a day as short as "9-to-5" again, but chances are, you'd be doing something you loved. And there's also a pretty good chance that your boss wouldn't be a jerk. ;-)

]]> By: Sexual Angsta http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-211816 Sexual Angsta Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:10:33 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-211816 My husband and I had to make a similar adult decision. We have two kids and decided that it was enough for us. So he got a vasectomy as my Christmas gift. (Try enjoying Christmas next to someone with blue balls.) While my maternal instinct was telling me otherwise, I knew that I had to move on from this phase of my life and do other things that would make me, and everyone else in turn, happy. My husband and I had to make a similar adult decision. We have two kids and decided that it was enough for us. So he got a vasectomy as my Christmas gift. (Try enjoying Christmas next to someone with blue balls.) While my maternal instinct was telling me otherwise, I knew that I had to move on from this phase of my life and do other things that would make me, and everyone else in turn, happy.

]]> By: Charm Links http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-210555 Charm Links Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:40:59 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-210555 Bret, I'm not being funny but I grew up with nothing in a poor area and now I'm a doctor. The only way I got there was working my backside off day and night so you can't say that capitalism has caused you to be poor at the expense of the rich. It is damned tough if you grow up in a poor area with no money, sure the odds are stacked against you but if you work as hard as you can then you can make it out of the poverty trap! Bret, I'm not being funny but I grew up with nothing in a poor area and now I'm a doctor. The only way I got there was working my backside off day and night so you can't say that capitalism has caused you to be poor at the expense of the rich. It is damned tough if you grow up in a poor area with no money, sure the odds are stacked against you but if you work as hard as you can then you can make it out of the poverty trap!

]]> By: bret http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-208640 bret Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:02:59 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-208640 HI penelope, I am glad to see that you have the courage to say things that needs to be said (aspies tend to do that) despite the emotional ramifications on your readers. This is a good "tough love" approach that might shake up the unmotivated and lazy people. However, i must say that telling people to scale down thier lives to meet thier income or get better income is useless advice for people in true dire straits. I lived (until a month ago) in a small rural town in alabama called jasper. I have a wife and two kids and we werent making it. I grew up on foodstamps and hud. ive even had to use those resources for my own family. When you live in an area with harsh employment scarcity it creates poverty because those who didnt have a good "foundation" laid by thier parents dont have the opportunities (usually) to even begin the journey to success. I know that empathy is not the strongest aspie suit, but you must keep in mind that there are circumstances that seriously devastate peoples live, through no fault of thier own. It is disrespectfull and arrogant to assume that "more discpline and hard work" is all that is needed. Usually in these cases, all that is needed is oppurtinity. Unfortunalty, capitalism creates artificial scarcity, andtherefore, some people must lose for others to win. Because i was raised in a poverty stricken family, in a poverty stricken county, in a poverty stricken state, i have not had the oppurtinities that alot of "middle income" families have had. The basic truth of the matter is , that my family had to lose for other families to win. Is this fair? that's not the question. The question is, is it fair to blame me? keep on bloggin ;o) HI penelope,

I am glad to see that you have the courage to say things that needs to be said (aspies tend to do that) despite the emotional ramifications on your readers. This is a good "tough love" approach that might shake up the unmotivated and lazy people. However, i must say that telling people to scale down thier lives to meet thier income or get better income is useless advice for people in true dire straits.

I lived (until a month ago) in a small rural town in alabama called jasper. I have a wife and two kids and we werent making it. I grew up on foodstamps and hud. ive even had to use those resources for my own family.

When you live in an area with harsh employment scarcity it creates poverty because those who didnt have a good "foundation" laid by thier parents dont have the opportunities (usually) to even begin the journey to success. I know that empathy is not the strongest aspie suit, but you must keep in mind that there are circumstances that seriously devastate peoples live, through no fault of thier own. It is disrespectfull and arrogant to assume that "more discpline and hard work" is all that is needed. Usually in these cases, all that is needed is oppurtinity. Unfortunalty, capitalism creates artificial scarcity, andtherefore, some people must lose for others to win.

Because i was raised in a poverty stricken family, in a poverty stricken county, in a poverty stricken state, i have not had the oppurtinities that alot of "middle income" families have had. The basic truth of the matter is , that my family had to lose for other families to win. Is this fair? that's not the question. The question is, is it fair to blame me?

keep on bloggin ;o)

]]> By: Kent Wedding Photographer http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-202151 Kent Wedding Photographer Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:16:35 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-202151 Taking the plunge to change a lifestyle is a massive choice. If you've only ever worked for someone else and never set up your own business, you will never know how difficult this can be. Making the choice to have no money for the next five years is a big one but the rewards are so much greater. True you actually tend to work more hours and unsociable hours but the reward is being your own boss, making deciscions and living by them. My wedding photography business took a while to really get going and a few years to pay back the investment, I work weekends but I do something that I'm good at and enjoy! Taking the plunge to change a lifestyle is a massive choice. If you've only ever worked for someone else and never set up your own business, you will never know how difficult this can be. Making the choice to have no money for the next five years is a big one but the rewards are so much greater. True you actually tend to work more hours and unsociable hours but the reward is being your own boss, making deciscions and living by them. My wedding photography business took a while to really get going and a few years to pay back the investment, I work weekends but I do something that I'm good at and enjoy!

]]> By: Amy http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-197830 Amy Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:28:02 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-197830 I agree. And I giggled when you said that you don't have to live in rural Alabama...I drive through a town in rural Alabama on my way to a beach in FL -- one of those towns where if you blinked, you'd miss it -- and my mind wanders there when I'm fighting Atlanta traffic or feel like I just need to slow down more... I've lived in NYC, Boston, Atlanta, and just spent the summer testing San Fran to see if it would be worth the relocation. I work from home for a Bay area software company and can work from anywhere, which at first sounded exciting since I'm single, no kids and could really pick up and move (if I could sell my house, that is)...great adventure in theory...but, I'm in my mid-30's now, and that "see the world" mentality I had in my 20's isn't me so much anymore. For one, I'm at lot less willing to put up with as much (like your storage fix just to fit into your Brooklyn apartment). After San Fran, I realized how lucky I was to have the home I had, although a 100+ year old historical home in Eufaula, AL, with double wraparound porches still sounds dreamy. I'm starting to appreciate that the real luxury I now have with being able to live anywhere is that I can now stay home longer in KY to visit friends and family, instead of just a weekend or for a holiday...it almost feels like I'm making up for lost time even from my moving around in my 20's. If there's anything I've learned with having less money or by living in a smaller town is that you really find out how creative you can be...the lifestyle affords it and nearly forces you to do so, and that's a blessing. I'd take it any day taking on a "second job" in NYC of trying to live there...the daily emotional, physical and financial job of just getting around. I agree. And I giggled when you said that you don't have to live in rural Alabama…I drive through a town in rural Alabama on my way to a beach in FL — one of those towns where if you blinked, you'd miss it — and my mind wanders there when I'm fighting Atlanta traffic or feel like I just need to slow down more…

I've lived in NYC, Boston, Atlanta, and just spent the summer testing San Fran to see if it would be worth the relocation. I work from home for a Bay area software company and can work from anywhere, which at first sounded exciting since I'm single, no kids and could really pick up and move (if I could sell my house, that is)…great adventure in theory…but, I'm in my mid-30's now, and that "see the world" mentality I had in my 20's isn't me so much anymore. For one, I'm at lot less willing to put up with as much (like your storage fix just to fit into your Brooklyn apartment). After San Fran, I realized how lucky I was to have the home I had, although a 100+ year old historical home in Eufaula, AL, with double wraparound porches still sounds dreamy. I'm starting to appreciate that the real luxury I now have with being able to live anywhere is that I can now stay home longer in KY to visit friends and family, instead of just a weekend or for a holiday…it almost feels like I'm making up for lost time even from my moving around in my 20's.

If there's anything I've learned with having less money or by living in a smaller town is that you really find out how creative you can be…the lifestyle affords it and nearly forces you to do so, and that's a blessing. I'd take it any day taking on a "second job" in NYC of trying to live there…the daily emotional, physical and financial job of just getting around.

]]> By: My financial history, and stop whining about your job | Penelope … | Personal Finance and Me http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-188424 My financial history, and stop whining about your job | Penelope … | Personal Finance and Me Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:46:54 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-188424 [...] View original here: My financial history, and stop whining about your job | Penelope … [...] [...] View original here: My financial history, and stop whining about your job | Penelope … [...]

]]> By: When is it too soon to take a vacation? | Professional Resume Services http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/comment-page-2/#comment-188149 When is it too soon to take a vacation? | Professional Resume Services Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:12:08 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/19/my-financial-history-and-stop-whining-about-your-job/#comment-188149 [...] The should-I or shouldn’t-I answers lie in your own heart. If you know you consistently pull your weight and handle a great deal of responsibility, then go. “However, if you are in the bottom 20% of performers, you are at risk any time you take a vacation” says Mr. Needham. Still, he says, few people get fired for taking a few days of which they are entitled to by company policy. “If you’re going to get fired, you’re going to get fired, so you might as well take your days off and enjoy yourself“. [...] [...] The should-I or shouldn't-I answers lie in your own heart. If you know you consistently pull your weight and handle a great deal of responsibility, then go. "However, if you are in the bottom 20% of performers, you are at risk any time you take a vacation" says Mr. Needham. Still, he says, few people get fired for taking a few days of which they are entitled to by company policy. "If you're going to get fired, you're going to get fired, so you might as well take your days off and enjoy yourself". [...]

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