[maxiep]

TH, not to go all Bill Clinton on you, but I feel your pain. I always figured when I was in college by this age I would have figured out what I wanted to do when I grew up. If anything, I have more questions now then I did when I entered the workplace.

The one thing you want to do is take the time to make a reasoned and rational change. Don't let the pressure build until you explode. I remember when I left I-banking, I was so burned out on what qualified for my life that I went completely off the reservation--I moved to Stockholm and started a business that had little to do with my previous career. While the time I spent there had its rewards and makes for interesting cocktail conversation, in the end it served as nothing more than a several year break from reality.

Now, I'm back doing a derivative of what I did in NY, just fewer hours and a better location. I'm happier for it as I feel like I'm able to apply my experience and background, but in a place that offers a better quality of life. I look back at my years in Manhattan as surreal; it's just not a normal way to live your life. I look at my friends still there and it's like the greyhound races--I see them running ever faster in a futile attempt to catch the rabbit on the rail. Heck, I even have friends who have caught the rabbit and now they're looking for a new rabbit to catch--i.e. what is perceived as the goal is ultimately unfulfilling.

I'm sorry to hear about your parents, but the South may actually be a great place to make a transition. Coming from the big pond of the Tri-State Area, you should be able to transition your experience to a senior position in a regional firm in one of the Southland's boom towns. You may find the pace and the stress level a bit more to your liking.

Best of luck to you.

[Talkhard]

Originally Posted by maxiep

TH, not to go all Bill Clinton on you, but I feel your pain. I always figured when I was in college by this age I would have figured out what I wanted to do when I grew up. If anything, I have more questions now then I did when I entered the workplace.

The one thing you want to do is take the time to make a reasoned and rational change. Don't let the pressure build until you explode. I remember when I left I-banking, I was so burned out on what qualified for my life that I went completely off the reservation--I moved to Stockholm and started a business that had little to do with my previous career. While the time I spent there had its rewards and makes for interesting cocktail conversation, in the end it served as nothing more than a several year break from reality.

Now, I'm back doing a derivative of what I did in NY, just fewer hours and a better location. I'm happier for it as I feel like I'm able to apply my experience and background, but in a place that offers a better quality of life. I look back at my years in Manhattan as surreal; it's just not a normal way to live your life. I look at my friends still there and it's like the greyhound races--I see them running ever faster in a futile attempt to catch the rabbit on the rail. Heck, I even have friends who have caught the rabbit and now they're looking for a new rabbit to catch--i.e. what is perceived as the goal is ultimately unfulfilling.

I'm sorry to hear about your parents, but the South may actually be a great place to make a transition. Coming from the big pond of the Tri-State Area, you should be able to transition your experience to a senior position in a regional firm in one of the Southland's boom towns. You may find the pace and the stress level a bit more to your liking.

Best of luck to you.

Thank you, maxiep. I can't tell you how helpful it is to get all these different perspectives. You're absolutely right about working in Manhattan. It's exciting, but it's also a constant competition to do more, make more, be better, live faster, etc. Your analogy of the greyhound races is perfect.

As for having my career all figured out, I obviously don't. But I will tell you this: I am much more comfortable with who I am as a person, what I believe in, and what's important to me now than when I was younger.

Your thoughts on relocating to the south are very good, and very much to the point. I have often thought that relocating to a place like Asheville, N.C. might be perfect for me. Pretty close to my parents, and yet still a fairly sophisticated town with good places to eat, etc. I would probably have to take a big cut in pay, but it might be worth it.

Even if I don't make the move to the South this time, I have a feeling I'm going to eventually do it. It just seems to make the most sense to me.

Thanks for your very thoughtful and helpful post. This board really does have some great people.

[STOMP]

If I were in your shoes age and career paths wise and contemplating a life change in this economy I'd probably consider recharging my batteries on the cheap until things got better. I'd love to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, or maybe (to expand on Hap's idea) buy a pickup and a poptop and head south to Baja for an extended fishing trip and adventures.

But thats me. The advice I'd offer is to ruminate on whats important to you before making any decisions. I find thinking about such matters at night as I'm going to bed to be especially productive as distractions are few and my mind is clear. I've woken up the following day after doing this with epiphanies where everything makes sense. That might be to stay with your current job until the forced retirement ax falls but being comfortable not threatened by the real possibility of that happening.

Keep in mind that we live in a golden age and the future is yours largely because of what you've already accomplished. Good luck!

STOMP

[e_blazer1]

Hmmm. I'm wondering if some of these guys planting the seeds about an extended holliday in a remote place don't have an ulterior motive to get you off the board, TH.

[Talkhard]

Originally Posted by e_blazer1

Hmmm. I'm wondering if some of these guys planting the seeds about an extended holliday in a remote place don't have an ulterior motive to get you off the board, TH.

Nah. They know I can hop on the internet from almost anywhere these days.

[Talkhard]

Originally Posted by STOMP

If I were in your shoes age and career paths wise and contemplating a life change in this economy I'd probably consider recharging my batteries on the cheap until things got better. I'd love to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, or maybe (to expand on Hap's idea) buy a pickup and a poptop and head south to Baja for an extended fishing trip and adventures.

But thats me. The advice I'd offer is to ruminate on whats important to you before making any decisions. I find thinking about such matters at night as I'm going to bed to be especially productive as distractions are few and my mind is clear. I've woken up the following day after doing this with epiphanies where everything makes sense. That might be to stay with your current job until the forced retirement ax falls but being comfortable not threatened by the real possibility of that happening.

Keep in mind that we live in a golden age and the future is yours largely because of what you've already accomplished. Good luck!

Thanks, STOMP. It's amazing how humane we can all be when the subject isn't politics! And I include myself in that comment.

As for staying with the present job, I've thought about that, but things are so slow for me that I'd be terribly bored. Also, when I'm not billable, I feel like a dead weight for my agency, which isn't a good feeling. Wherever I am, I want to be making a contribution.

[stockfire]

Speaking of Baja. I just spent a week in La Paz. Highly recommended.

[Dan]

Another idea (which has kind of been talked about)...take a year off...drive around the country and bring a camera and a notebook...and document what you see. Maybe even a digital camcorder.

[Schilly]

Move somewhere cheap and write a book... That's what I'd do. If you want to start a business keep it small with low over head something that really doesn't need to make money but keeps you active.

[Talkhard]

Originally Posted by Schilly

Move somewhere cheap and write a book... That's what I'd do.

That's one of the options I am seriously considering. I've already started a book, and it would be nice to have a chunk of time to finish it.

If you want to start a business keep it small with low over head something that really doesn't need to make money but keeps you active.

That's also another option I'm looking at. I could do what I do now on a freelance basis, and still make a pretty decent living. At least enough to pay the bills and give me some spare time to work on my book.

Thanks, Schilly.

[It's_GO_Time]

Originally Posted by Schilly

If you want to start a business keep it small with low over head something that really doesn't need to make money but keeps you active.

Virtual office . . . $200/mo, can work at home and most clients think you work in some expensive office building. Build a web site and you are on your way . . .

[Talkhard]

Originally Posted by It's_GO_Time

Virtual office . . . $200/mo, can work at home and most clients think you work in some expensive office building. Build a web site and you are on your way . . .

Interesting idea. I like it.

Does it cost $200 a month to run a website?