Would you mind detailing the nature of your work (and what type of employer)? I went to grad school in an unrelated field but am considering a career change, and currently working on my TEFL certificate.
Pepe Le Pew wrote:
Started at $5/hr unloading airplanes with a forklift right out of high school 35 years ago (was a card-carrying Teamster).
Now make 91K/yr as a linguist. Love it. Get to travel and see the world at my employer's expense.
not my real name wrote:
the man with the plan wrote:Running isn't everything either dipshit. That running isn't going to get you anything when your wife wants to go on a vacation or you kid wants to go to something better than a community college.
whew, good thing i work at a private school, where there's free tuition for employee's children.
i'm also a good investor (started when i was in HS), i live within my means (not beyond) and i'm accumulating real wealth.
the time that i have that allows me to train is the bonus. i also have benefits with this job--something i wouldn't have with the other.
don't drag me down dude. this is my choice, i'm confidant with it, my fiance supports it and life is good.
I apologize. After reading your response I realize that maybe you aren't a dipshit. You sound sincere and like you know what you're talking about. I just really get annoyed with people who throw so much away to run. I mean, it's great to have time to run but not when your wife and kids are deprived of things like travel and education. I know a guy whose wife has told me she is ready to leave him because he is an engineer capable of making a good living but he would rather be an assistant coach at a DIII school so he can train. Money isn;t everything but neither is running.
it's cool man, i forgive you for givin me grief about it. it's water under the bridge.
funny though, i was thinking about this thread a few days ago on my long run. the high money job would allow me to take my wife on vacation once or twice a year--to nice exotic places. but realistically, that would be the only time we would spend with each other. instead, we'll be able to spend evenings and weekends together and with friends. not a glamorous life, but it's our choice.
i'm also coaching because it's my passion. it doesn't feel like work (sure, there are some days that it does), but i love what i do, and i get real excited about it every day.
i know what you mean about people who live their lives around running. i have a few friends like that, and it's as if their entire life revolves around dropping 1 or 2 minutes from their marathon PR. they go to casinos 2-3x/ week to make money, and don't invest themselves with their families. that's something that i could not and would not do. i saw the writing on the wall: i had the talent and drive to come reasonably close to a USATF B standard, but i chose to work on a master's degree instead, and i graduated in may 07. i ran some great races, achieved new PR's on the track, roads and in XC (post collegiately) and honestly gave it a real shot, but at the end of the day, i had to invest in my future as a husband/ father, and not a road-whore.
as for knowing what i'm talking about, well, i guess that's just speculation. it just comes down to making a decision and doing what i can to follow through and be committed to it. oh yeah, one more comment regarding travel. my fiance's grandmother travels the world 2-3x/ year and lived in kenya for over 30 years. the past 4 years, my fiance has been to africa and europe and other places. in a few weeks, she is going to spain with her grandmother for about 10 days. she gets her travel fill (me, i don't really like traveling. i like california just fine).
dept of corrections wrote:
pwn3d wrote:Attorney, started Sept. 07 - $160,000
be interested to hear what firm you work for. unless you're in dallas, LA or NYC at a top 20 firm you're full of it. either way your life is a nonstop whirlwind of document review and email. and sucks.
_________
attorney, started 2007: $75K
I'd agree with the above statement about him lying, or he's probably some "badass" first-year law student who thinks that $160k job is going to drop in his lap. I have news for him, you don't want it. I'm a government attorney-started at $57k and now at $82k with full benefits package after 3 years. I'll be right at $90k before the end of the year. I only work 40 hours a week (okay I'm at work 40 hours a week...I actually work less than that). Those $160k per year attorney jobs are out there, but most of those attorneys get flushed out of the firm after working grueling 80-100 hour weeks for 3-5 years (if they can last that long).
Glad I didn't piss you off too bad.
My wife and I were college runners and we have since moved on. We still run but it is down on the priority list. It's not like we have super high paying jobs or anything but we both teach and make a decent salary combined. We have all the vacations off together and summer. Which is huge! We went on vacation with some friends from college and their whole vacation revolved around being able to run. We were only gone 6 days and I was so annoyed.
Like you said, live within your means, invest, and enjoy life.