[sammyg2]

LOL welcome to my world. I got out of management several years ago and found the perfect technical job, but last month was thrust back into management. My options were to take the promotion or quit. I still might quit.
The political games are silly. Unfortunately I'm pretty good at them so as the new guy I have other managers from other departments trying to form alliances. It's like that stupid "survivor" reality show.
My ace in the hole is that I am not looking for further advancement and am in a financial position that i could quit at any time. I could also go to work for one of several competitors without much effort so there's little or no political stress, only the challenge of out-playing the players. I can still pretty much say whatever is on my mind and get away with it, unlike the peter-principle managers who wouldn't say shoot even if they had a mouth-full.

That's what money is really for. It's not for spending or buying toys, it's for saving and investing and hoarding until you have enough to get true freedom.

A pile of toys and a stack of payments is like being in prison.
Being able to tell any boss, any time, anywhere to go screw himself without having to worry how you are going to keep paying for all your crap is freedom and is worth more than all the toys in the world.