that's why they call them..... "Crackberrys" LOL.

Richard,
Very sorry to read this. I hope you realize that you can change it?

I grew up watching everyone go to a job, and was never a main streamer. Making money is like playing a game buddy; get in the game, its fun.

Shoot me a PM anytime ;)

MARK,
yudda man pal. :) yudda man.
As for the bike...... exactly!

I'm happy but I'm the only employee. I don't consider myself a workaholic but do enjoy most of my day at the shop. I'd get more work done if friends didn't keep dropping by to bs.
Jim

"...are you always happy?"

No, of course not. I doubt ANYONE is "always happy" I think you'd have to somewht dilusional to truthfully say that.

To me happy is a process, not a destination. And IMHO, it definitely comes from within... not from without.

As for work, I am 53 now and have been in my line of work for 30 years. I make more money than I ever have and for less work, all in all. Despite that it is the most Ive made, I don't live all that differently than when I made a lot less....so it isn't money that makes me lastingly happy.

I use a modification of an old saying about success, "Happiness isn't having everything you want, it is wanting everything you have".

Hi Dan,

Exactly so! For someone who has been an architect since 1966, and still at it, my "happiness" comes from doing things that are different every day (never a dull moment), things that bring pleasure to people with the buildings and interiors that we design and build, things that make people smile.

By the way, our house in Glendale will be the scene of new happiness when we finally move back in, and we can meet in person. I'm sure that you and I have crossed paths in previous posts on this Board.

See you at the California festival of Speed on 04.April?

Ideally, a job would be challenging, rewarding, fun, and lucrative all the time.

Yeah, I wish.

My job is always challenging, sometimes lucrative, and rewarding/fun about 1/2 the time. The other 1/2 the time, I'm tearing my hair out.

I've been working on the same project for 6 years. It will implement in another 2 years. There are about 950 people on my project and 35,000 end users. My project has consistently reorganized every six months for the past six years. We are on the 4th major revision of the schedule. My business partners want me to implement the most complex thing I'm working on third quarter of this year--but I don't expect them to actually decide this until second quarter.

Am I stressed? Not really. I accept that the world will change around me. I will do the best I can. I pretty much ignore schedules and reorganizations and just keep chugging along. Sometimes I'm ahead of schedule, sometimes I'm behind schedule. Oh well.

I like my job. it can be challenging, lucrative, I'm outside and I can work as much or as little as I want.. what I don't like is rain every few days, driving 800-1000 miles a week, the rain, daylight to darkthirty hours sometimes 6 1/2 days a week, rain delays where a 2 week job stretches to 1 month or more, the rain, 35 in the morning, 75 midday and back to 35 by dark, and working in small towns where the nearest food, hardware store or cell service is a 25 mile drive away like the job I'm on now. did I mention rain? I do have a great boss though.

reminds me of that story about the chicken farmer that always got flooded out.

he switched to ducks.

My new job requires me to be responsible for the lives of 55 people at all times. It's new to me and I dont know if I will be able to do the required things that come about with it. I've had some training, done some time with the people, and I only hope it turns out well. I am now a Professional Charter Bus driver. I'm going to Chicago this weekend with a high school group. They will site-see, visit museums etc. The size of the bus is not the issue; I've recently driven downtown Chi=town in rush hour, but I just hope to make the trip fun for all onboard. Film at 11

Are you feeling better John or just toughing it out?

actually... toughing it out. went from half dead, losing 20% of my weight to working 12hr days 6 days a week and driving 8-1000 miles a week. not eating much, haven't gained, most likely lost weight. got to me last week. couldn't finish a job because of rain every few days so I spent the week in bed sleeping, sitting in my chair surfing on the internet or sleeping in my chair. been stuffing myself as much as I can, but after I eat, I feel too bad to do much more than sit there. it's getting better over the last few days though. waiting for things to dry up so I can go back to work. thanks for asking

How many people ACTUALLY like their job? Really? I mean percentage of the population. Can I see some real stats on that? Also, I'd like to see the percent of people that like their job but not their supervisor or like their supervisior but not their job. That would make for an interesting thread.

In Houston?! That just means staying off the tollway to 59 bridge....:D

I guess that I love my job and that I'm happy most of the time. We've had a few accidents happen where I was decidedly not "Happy", but all in all I've got a pretty bit(hin job. I'd tell you more about my job but then you'd hate me. SmileWavy

Im happy, sometimes things arent the best but thats just the way it goes. I like my customers and work with technology spending many hours of my own time fooling around with our products and learning. The pay is okay and right now Im most stressed out about trying to schedule Snowboarding, Whitewater kayaking, AutoX and Time Trials while still spending time with my family. I will have about 30 days snowboarding this year, plan to have 20+ kayaking days and plan to get to the "track" for 10-15 days.

I like my job, the people i work with, the company i work for and the stuff that I do almost all the time. The times that I did not it was mostly me, filp that switch in your head and you will be fine.

Someone once said....."A job is normally a task you do not want to do, and that is why you get paid to do it."

We are train to live for retirement. I have 2 little ones (one is 3 month old)and all I ever think about is their college money and blowing my retirement on it and I 've a long way to go. I quit spending thousand to have fun since the old one came along 2 years ago.

Where the heck is Fairoaks CA?

I have decided two things for myself, that I am struggling to stick to:

1) A regular cycle of ups and downs is normal and to be expected in life.

2) Always look on the bright side of life.

Summary: Life sucks in a wonderful way.