OT: Quitting the Rat Race

[mimitabby]

I must echo everyone else. I have just read some very inspiring stories here, including Susan; of TE.
I have been working full time (with 3 months off for each of two sons) since i was 20 years old (i did spend some time trying to finish college, but didn't do THAT until this year)

I make an embarrassingly good salary for a woman without a degree (until June) and while my job is not personally very satisfying or interesting, I work with good people and we do good stuff (they design quieter airplanes).

So at least i can feel good about what we do here. but it is not MY purpose. It pays my bills and keeps me in a warm little house with good food all year round.

I used to talk about retiring at age 55 (I will be 55 in late november) but I don't talk about that anymore. If I retired, I would really need something else to do
and quite frankly; i am not sure i am ready for the drop in income.

The question is; how do you drop out for a year? Set some money aside. If you can't do that; you are going to be in worse shape than you are now at the end of a year. Moneylenders are there to make a fortune off you; and if you go into debt, it can be something you never climb out of.
If you don't like your job; try to get another one; or relocate so you don't have such a long commute.

After my kids grew up i expressed to my younger (andmore needy son) my regrets that i was not a stay at home mom and that he had to stay in day care. he said; mom, don't worry about it; you made us more self reliant.
Good luck
mimi a lab rat.

[Livin the Dream]

I must echo everyone else. I have just read some very inspiring stories here, including Susan; of TE.
I have been working full time (with 3 months off for each of two sons) since i was 20 years old (i did spend some time trying to finish college, but didn't do THAT until this year)

I make an embarrassingly good salary for a woman without a degree (until June) and while my job is not personally very satisfying or interesting, I work with good people and we do good stuff (they design quieter airplanes).

So at least i can feel good about what we do here. but it is not MY purpose. It pays my bills and keeps me in a warm little house with good food all year round.

I used to talk about retiring at age 55 (I will be 55 in late november) but I don't talk about that anymore. If I retired, I would really need something else to do
and quite frankly; i am not sure i am ready for the drop in income.

The question is; how do you drop out for a year? Set some money aside. If you can't do that; you are going to be in worse shape than you are now at the end of a year. Moneylenders are there to make a fortune off you; and if you go into debt, it can be something you never climb out of.
If you don't like your job; try to get another one; or relocate so you don't have such a long commute.

After my kids grew up i expressed to my younger (andmore needy son) my regrets that i was not a stay at home mom and that he had to stay in day care. he said; mom, don't worry about it; you made us more self reliant.
Good luck
mimi a lab rat.

Mimitabby, I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that your method of making a living is not your purpose. Rather, it supports the rest of your life, like bikes and accessories! And working with good people is a gift in an of itself..

Your comment touches on what led me back to satisfaction in the corporate world. In the few years I stepped out of corporate life to work in academia, I finally made peace with the fact that, at least at this point in my life, the best place for me to work was not in a field I am passionate about (education). The skills you use in your everyday job and the interests that are near and dear to your heart are not always one and the same. It's amazing what some soul-searching and a shift in attitude can do. Life is a trade-off.

BTW, congratulations on finishing your degree! That is a great accomplishment.