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A Question...


Rex Kickass

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Long time readers of this board may know that I used to live in Michigan. Gave up radio, traveled Europe. Got back into radio - in a small town, was real unhappy with my life... but happy with my job. Unfortunately, life trumps job in the game of "winodj action card battle." So I'm living in NJ, with a job that I don't much care for, but I'm making a LOT more money. However, I also have a lot more expenses. New car, and much higher rent. My roommate situation has disintegrated and I need to find a new place to live quickly.

 

I found out I may have an opportunity back in Michigan, the same station I worked at when I started on soxtalk. The money is 40 to 50% less than I'm making now, but its in my passion.

 

Right now, neither option seems entirely economically feasible. So what should I do or where should I go?

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QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Feb 28, 2005 -> 11:24 AM)
Cost of living should be much cheaper in Michigan right?  Maybe you could afford something roommate-free?

I was going to say the same thing.

 

I ahd a job I was very unhappy with, took the paycut (BIG time) and am now much happier after getting another job within the industry and a promotion. Take the gamble to be happier.

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QUOTE(mreye @ Feb 28, 2005 -> 10:58 AM)
I was going to say the same thing.

 

I ahd a job I was very unhappy with, took the paycut (BIG time) and am now much happier after getting another job within the industry and a promotion. Take the gamble to be happier.

 

I got into the industry the same way.

 

If you want to move closer to home, take the leap. If not, stay where you are.

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I'm just an old fart who is still searching for the meaning of life, so I don't know squat. But I can tell you this.

 

Your job does not have to be your identity. Having passion for a job is a great thing, but it is not necessary to enjoy life.

 

I figure you need to look at things one of three ways.

 

1. Can you find a way to enjoy your life (assuming you are not based on what you said) with your current income? This means that if you are unhappy with your job, can you still perform it well enough to keep it and keep the money coming in? If you can, then can you make changes to your personal life so that you can enjoy your time away from work more? Can you afford to lose the roommate? Are there other aspects of your life you can improve on? Are there aspects that you can focus more of your free time on that will give you more enjoyment? If you can find a way to love your personal life and have the money to have a great time and enjoy life, then dealing with a less than perfect job is doable. But if you aren't happy outside of work, a crappy job will make life harder to enjoy.

 

2. Will enjoying the newer job/location and making less money keep you happy? Now? In 6 months? In 2 years? If you don't have the $$ to do the things you want outside of work, then is happiness from 8-5 worth it?

 

3. Is there a third alternative? Can you find the time to research a way to make more money, yet do the work you really enjoy? Is there another job/company/location that will provide that for you? Can it be done now or would you have to put in your time and pay your dues to make more money in whatever industry you love? Is radio what you really want to do or are there other industries that can provide a better combination of job satisfaction and compensation?

 

-- Don't get caught up in line of thinking that your job is your identity. Our job is a part of all of us, but if the rest of your life is in order, a job CAN be a means to an end.

-- That said, doing what you have a passion for can be very rewarding. If you can combine both a rewarding career and a personal life you enjoy, that is the best of both worlds. But you have to have a minimum amount of money to be able to enjoy life outside of work. For every person that amount is different, but being happy in your job, yet poor can only last for so long. Eventually your job will become less enjoyable because it is not providing you with what you need for personal enjoyment.

-- Make sure you aren't just wanting to go back to the old job because you are unhappy where you are now. Sometimes, we want to go back to that old girlfriend when we are not happy or lonely, because we remember all of the good things. We remember the bad things less vividly. If you go back for the wrong reasons, it won't take long to realize it and then you will be looking again. That is not in your best interests or of the girl (company) you are going back to. That is not to say you can't or shouldn't go back if you really feel that is where you belong, just make sure you are going back for the right reasons.

 

Rather than giving you answers, you now have more questions. Hopefully you can find some answers when thinking about these and other questions. It is different for every person and the answers are rarely black and white. Sometimes you just have to look at it from all angles, make a decision and take a chance. In mind, finding balance between enjoying what you do at work and what you do outside of work is the key. Where that balance is for you is the answer.

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It sounds to me like you're going to need a roommate in either case. If I were you, I'd try to find another roommate in Jersey, since the other job will require a 40-50% paycut (!). I don't think it'd be that difficult to find one, as the high cost of rent and car insurance on the coasts ensures a large supply of roommate-seeking singles. It also seems to me that the lower cost of living in Michigan will not offset that huge drop in income. Additionally, moving back to Michigan will cost you money (probably around $1,000, depending on how much furniture you have).

 

If I were you, I'd hold out for something away from the coasts that pays reasonably well. It might take a year or two, but it'd probably be worth it in the end.

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QUOTE(winodj @ Feb 28, 2005 -> 01:15 PM)
I asked your picture of Noam, but he was no help either.

Yeah he usually gives me two stock responses:

As soon as questions of will or decision or reason or choice of action arise, human science is at a loss.

-or-

Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

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QUOTE(winodj @ Feb 28, 2005 -> 04:16 PM)
Long time readers of this board may know that I used to live in Michigan. Gave up radio, traveled Europe. Got back into radio - in a small town, was real unhappy with my life... but happy with my job. Unfortunately, life trumps job in the game of "winodj action card battle." So I'm living in NJ, with a job that I don't much care for, but I'm making a LOT more money. However, I also have a lot more expenses. New car, and much higher rent. My roommate situation has disintegrated and I need to find a new place to live quickly.

 

I found out I may have an opportunity back in Michigan, the same station I worked at when I started on soxtalk. The money is 40 to 50% less than I'm making now, but its in my passion.

 

Right now, neither option seems entirely economically feasible. So what should I do or where should I go?

I think the ESPN Radio has na opening for a Pre and Post game host for the White Sox. You should look into that!

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http://www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html

 

see how your salary translates from one location to another. I live in Tulsa these days but would need to make nearly 50% more per year to live the same lifestyle in my hometown of Oswego. Obviously jobs tend to pay more to compensate for the differences, so when a Chicagoan says he makes $90K/yr it may sound like a s***load but it's really not all it's cracked up to be.

 

I really don't like the job I'm currently in but I'm living comfortably and have learned to just realize that work is work, not life, it's nothing more than a means to pay for my real life which most definitely takes place outside of work. Companies/employers only hired you for their own gains, you've got to keep it even and only agree to work for your personal gains, don't allow yourself to get attached to a f***ing job.

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WDJ,

 

Money doesn't buy happiness, but the lack of money certainly buys stress and unhappiness. Be certain to make enough to cover the living expenses.

 

Is this the same job where you couldn't be who you are? That would be the biggest no way Jose to me.

 

Rex mentioned something about the job isn't the be all in this. I remember playing a Chess tournament at Northwestern a dozen or so years ago. Beautiful building on the lake, great views, so I at least enjoyed getting trounced in my bracket. I lost in the first round to the eventual winner. As we were sitting in the kibitz room, playing over the game, we talked about what we did for a living. This guy was brilliant, very high IQ, active writer of obscure topics in equally obscure magazines, perpetual student, top flight Chess and Bridge player, and worked on an assembly line doing mindless, routine labor where he could use his brain for things he felt were important. He earned enough to pay his basic expenses. He loved his life. He commented how everyone around him hated that same job. When they asked him why he loved the job, he said love it while you have it, then love the next one. To that I would add, fake it until you make it. Go into work today and pretend it is your lifelong passion and you are excited and happy to be there.

 

Peace my friend.

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QUOTE(mmmmmbeeer @ Mar 1, 2005 -> 03:05 AM)
Yeah, class of '94...my brother graduated in '98 and my sis would have graduated in '99;  Eric, Tim, and Sarah Carlson.  Are you an OHS alumn?

Yeah 2000. But I don't know any of your family. Weird! Small world.

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So I'm thinking lots about this. I really can't decide right now if I would be happier in Michigan or happier here. I like the area, but I don't know that I can afford it. If I stay here, its a lot harder to change my employment because it pays well enough... so getting back into my passion would be more difficult. But if I move, I basically end a relationship that seems to be growing pretty well.

 

The dilemma continues.

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