My wife got a job!

notfarnow · 08:21 AM

Big day today!

My wife bounced from a few good jobs, trying to find something she liked. Her last job was a permanent, good paying professional job for a non-profit organization. She thought she'd like it, but after a year she knew she wasn't a good fit. So 2 years ago (3 days after we got married, actually) she quit her job and went back to school to get a degree in social work.

She finished her program in May, and has been doing placement work to get enough hours to be cerified as a social worker. Right now she's in Botswana doing her final 200 hrs over 6 weeks.

Before she left she sent her resume out to a few places. On Monday someone emailed her about a position. She had an interview over the phone last night, and was hired this morning. She starts as soon as she gets home in 4 weeks.

She's going to be doing social work for families with special needs children. She'll be making 15% less than she did at her last job 2 years ago, but she couldn't be happier.

2 went goes by so fast.... I can't believe we even hesitated. We've had to penny-pinch, but in all honesty it's been two really great years. We'll probably look back in 50 years and say they were among our best years.

bigchillcar · bigchillcar's Garage

good for her, jake

i used to fly professionally and made some big bucks in learjets. i got tired of being gone all the time, quit and returned to a prior occupation. turned out i hated it and missed flying, but found i missed teaching flying the most. so i quit the prior job as well and now am a simple general aviation flight instructor. i don't make a quarter of what i made flying a lear, but i'm home every night and look forward to what i do now.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 05-30-2007, 08:32 AM

Congratulations to your wife Jake!

I fully subscribe to the belief that since you are doing something 40 to 60 hours per week, it's best to love what you do from all aspects of life. a nice paycheck is great. being happy is wonderful.

someday I'm going to only coach rowing and build/restore pre-74 911s. Might make $50K per year, but quality of life would be highest possible.

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by notfarnow
Right now she's in Botswana doing her final 200 hrs over 6 weeks.

I used to know a guy that went to live there.

My wife went though grad school over a decade ago, and recently was out of work for over a year. I know where you are coming from, sail ahead into the new dawn.

pwd72s · 05-30-2007, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bigchillcar
good for her, jake i used to fly professionally and made some big bucks in learjets. i got tired of being gone all the time, quit and returned to a prior occupation. turned out i hated it and missed flying, but found i missed teaching flying the most. so i quit the prior job as well and now am a simple general aviation flight instructor. i don't make a quarter of what i made flying a lear, but i'm home every night and look forward to what i do now.

Bravo! As you know, life isn't all about the money. These days, I feel kind of sorry for those who think life is all about the big three...money, power, and sex.

livi · 05-30-2007, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwd72s
Bravo! As you know, life isn't all about the money. These days, I feel kind of sorry for those who think life is all about the big three...money, power, and sex.

That is good news, Jake !

Not sure what pwd is talking about though..

Rot 911 · 05-30-2007, 09:51 AM

Congratulations first to your wife for working for what she wanted and then to you for supporting her.

notfarnow · 05-30-2007, 09:53 AM

Thanks for the kind words guys. And congrats to you, Livi. It's good to know there are people like you taking care of children.

Reading rammstein's thread, many of you who enjoy your work seem to have changed careers quite a few times until you found a good fit. It's not always a step "up" in terms of salary or status, either. But, once you get into a good spot where you enjoy it, you tend to excel.

So she's starting again at the ground floor, but she's doing something she's passionate about. I'm sure she'll be running the joint in a few years.

The hard thing right now is I can't even call her! It's email only, and we talk for an hour every Sunday.

Know what I'm looking forward to? We never took a honeymoon, and I have my dad's 86 Carrera Cab booked for two weeks in August.

livi · 05-30-2007, 10:09 AM

Thanks Jake!

I believe the key word is 'being passionate about'. In my book that is what life is all about. Having the opportunity to spend the days doing your heart´s desire. Passion brings excellence.

As of next month I will have more free time in the weeks. Going 'passionate', I am dreaming of setting up a Porsche Service Shop in my new big garage. I just need to grasp the concept of TDC and valve clearance first..

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Jake,

Soon she will be home to go to that place where you trade paper for food and she will put it in the thingy where it gets all hot and stuff.

notfarnow · 05-30-2007, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by red-beard
Jake,

Soon she will be home to go to that place where you trade paper for food and she will put it in the thingy where it gets all hot and stuff.

Fridge is almost empty. I've had The Ladies From Work bringing me spaghetti, casseroles and macaroni. My neighbor brought over a nice casserole yesterday actually.

Was going to fire up the BBQ tonight. OldE is in town and was going to swing by, but I'm working till the wee hours so I had to cancel. Motivated me to vacuum and mow the lawn though.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Vacuum? Oh the cat scaring device. I sort of remember using one of those, I don't know, years ago.

Lawn mowers, yep. I go one of them.

notfarnow · 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by red-beard
Vacuum? Oh the cat scaring device.

No, dog brush. Such versatile machines.

Another bachelor living observation:
Frozen pizza in the BBQ = no dishes.
Found that tip right here in OT; thanks Vinman!