day job?

Originally posted by aquageek I Stay with you very cool job. I think we are all envious. Shaky, at least you HAVE a job!! I'm finding work hard to come by (and so are a lot of others...). Good luck with it, though!

Originally posted by aquageek The NC gov was either Hunt or Easley, depending on when you did the filming. It was Easley. I could have looked it up, I guess, but I was feeling lazy. Hunt came strolling through our newsroom once, but I didn't interview him. My job is cool, but not as cool as you might think. The first time you go to the White House is exciting. The second time is just like the first time, and the third time is just the same. You quickly realize that it's just another government building with government employees. Everything is so controlled and premeditated that you don't really get much by being there in person that you wouldn't get from watching teevee. Once you've shot a couple of "grip 'n grins" between politicians, it doesn't matter whether it's Colin Powell, Thabo Mbeki, George W, Pervez Musharraf or Arnold Schwartzenegger, the events are all exactly the same and will probably someday be accomplished by preprogrammed robot doubles of the dignitaries instead of the politicians themselves. Even shaking hands with Colin Powell is mostly meaningless, because it's really just a reflex for those people; they meet so many other people that none of them would remember me a month later. The thing I'll miss is the think tanks, which the regular public doesn't usually see. We've all heard the nutty reasons George W and friends have given for going into Iraq, all boiled down to easy soundbites and slogans formulated by top advertising consultants; but the conversation is entirely different coming from the mouths of Richard Perle and James Woolsey when they give academic briefings at AEI. At first they scare the crap out of you; then what they're doing starts to make a lot more sense, even if you still don't agree with it. I'm going back to school to change careers, or rather resume a career I left off too early. I started out working in the film industry, making films. It was tough physically and financially, and I needed a steady job, so I kind of fell into teevee news as a temporary thing. I was good at it, so I figured I would see where it would go. It's been a fun ride, but I really want to get back to the entertainment industry. I had been leaning toward entertainment law, because I have always enjoyed questions of law and felt it would be a good way to get back to the industry. At the same time, however, I eventually want to build up an equipment rental house and production company, and that goal seems to be at odds with the law career. That's what had me thinking of doubling up in law and business. However, I did so well on the GMAT (750) and had such a high undergraduate GPA (3.89) that my b school prospects are much better than my law school prospects. That, and talking with lawyers, helped me to realize that b school alone would probably be the better path. What I would like to do from this point is get my MBA and re-enter the motion picture industry in the distribution end, learning how that phase of the business works. I am particularly interested in international distribution, as well as domestic distribution of foreign films. I think I can get into Wharton at Pennsylvania, where they have a pretty strong media and entertainment club, as well as strong entrepreneurial and marketing majors. With my split goals, I might double major. I'm also negotiating with my boss for time off to visit Harvard and learn more about them, but I gotta say that I REALLY liked my visit to Wharton and the way they run things there. I'm not sure that anyone wanted to know all this, so I'm sorry if I've rambled too long. It just looked like some explanation was in order.

Intersting reasoning for changing carriers. I know that I am old because of what I am about to type. I have noticed over the years that no matter what one does or does not do, how important or how unimportant a position is, how well or how poor of a job one does, how finacially successful or how broke one is the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. That must be because of the human spirit or because we live in the greatest country in the world. We learn from the very begining that we can succecd at anything, except spelling, if we only dream hard enough and work hard enough at an endevor. Isn't America great. Shakey I sure hope that your dreams come to be reality. Just save a little time for this site as I enjoy your humor. By the way I am a husband, dad, and pharmacist. Have a great day Paul

Go for it Shakey! I think its great, too many folks get side tracked by other things in their life. I started my career late so I had the chance to really understand what I wanted out of life and a career before I ventured into getting the education and training needed. I'm happy where I am even though I could make a lot more money, and have a lot easier caseload practicing in the private sector. I think another factor comes into play also. To this day have other career field instrests and have considered going back to school so I could switch fields, simply because sometimes I want a new and different kind of challenge in my life. On a related note: I was reading an article the other day that was discussing the impact that living longer will have on us. This futurist believes that people will HAVE TO HAVE two careers over their life spans in order to support themselves into their old age! AHHHHHH, can you imagine working 60 years?!

Originally posted by SearayPaul Intersting reasoning for changing carriers. ... the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Just to be clear, that's not why I'm changing careers. I always wanted to work in film. Once I worked in film, I wanted to run my own production company. I also want to understand the market for the product of that company, so I want to work in film distribution for a while before taking the leap. I'm not leaving my current career in teevee news because I changed my mind about it. It was, from the beginning, only supposed to be a temporary sideline to regroup from my original foray into the film business. It just so happened that it was enjoyable enough, and I was successful enough at it, that the temporary gig turned into six, going on seven years. Yet every year that passed seemed to remove me further from my original goals. Now I am taking steps to reclaim them.

each and every day I work with people regarding their careers. My experience has been that the older someone is, the less likely they believe the grass is greenier--many people grow out of that belief in their careers when they come to understand that work is work is work. So, many career changers change because they can't ignore their hearts anymore. It's more about doing what you really, really, really, really want to do--not what's acceptable to do, or what one would make more money, or what's least likely to upset your wife/husband, whatever. Doing what you really, really, really, really want to do can be a scary reality--and not everyone allows themself to pursue it--because of money, it's hard to start over, giving up health benfits, or any other reason under the sun. Shaky, this is great news what you're doing. Keep the faith, and ignore everyone who discourages you. You're going to make it! Jerrycat :D

Fascinating thread........ I'm an IT auditor with a small national professional services firm called Urbach Kahn & Werlin Advisors, Inc.. I do technology related assessments for Federal government clients in DC.

Ya had to ask.... lemme see, what do I do... Civil Engineering, Land Surveying Yes, I can measure and certify pools ... ;) Some other stuff too, like GIS, database design, some programming, graphics design, 3D graphics, website design, whatever else people will pay me to do... ;) Some of it is explained here: www.cb-design.net

Originally posted by jerrycat ..... Doing what you really, really, really, really want to do can be a scary reality--and not everyone allows themself to pursue it--because of money, it's hard to start over, giving up health benfits, or any other reason under the sun. Since you mentioned this... Just this May, I bit the bullet quit where I was working and started getting my business off the ground. It was scary as hell taking that leap. It's turning out a lot better than I had planned. It's also allowed me the flexibility in schedule to start swimming :D .

lots of replies to my post...i know im a little late re-replying but thanks to all for making this a good post also i wish all you good swimmers a good future in your works..and keep up the good swimming;)