Lurker > Zachnorn

Bugmeat posted...

You seem to be forgetting that many states are "at will employment states" which means they don't need any reason to fire you. They can drop your ass at any time for just about any reason, with only a few exceptions that are protected under federal law, such as race, religion, sexual preference, etc.

This.

The only protection you have is if you're unionized, then it gets hard to fire you without cause without the union getting involved. But technically, employers can fire you for any reason they want. Except in Montana, from what I understand.
---

<D

FalinmerTheil posted...

I'd be agitated, but legally, they cannot terminate you for that, and if they tried, I could take them to court. If you are on a vacation and they decided to add a deadline (whether or not they knew you were on vacation to start with is a moot point) You are not on their clock, and as a result, aside from doing an action that could besmirch the company (which requires people to know you work for them) they can't really get you for anything, they try, you sue, and you win.

If you're salaried, you're basically always on the clock. Or maybe that was just my old job and how they treated salaried people. My coworkers would routinely call people when they were on vacation and I had to deal with weekend calls from clients.

It's part of why I'm hourly now and enjoy it much more.
---

<D

how many y/o is her doctor
---

<D

how many y/o is their trailer park community
---

<D

how many y/o is the head chef at the restaurant
---

<D

*does nothing*
---

<D

how many y/o is the person that arrested him
---

<D

how many y/o was the turkey
---

<D

azuarc posted...

go home, unless I have errands.

This.

I used to hang out around where I used to work, and go to the gym sometimes. But I hate the area I'm working in now, and so I take off as soon as I can to get to another neighborhood (especially before it gets dark) or just go home.
---

<D

I never beat it on the Wii. I've been meaning to replay it, though.

Are there any extra features or anything beyond it just being in HD?
---

<D

thank you, mzero11
---

<D

Call them the Traitors.

I've been calling them that for years, anyway. They tend to betray the cities they're in.

Betrayed Oakland.
Betrayed Los Angeles.
Betrayed Oakland again.
Now moving to Las Vegas.

I give them 25 years before they betray Las Vegas.
---

<D

thank you
---

<D

how many y/o is the school
---

<D

how many y/o is nutella
---

<D

how many y/o are the denver nuggets
---

<D

how many y/o is meetme
---

<D

I'll go to a baseball game with a friend, but I won't watch it on TV or anything. I'll support my local teams, but I'm not going to buy their merchandise.

So I guess I don't really like it. I don't hate it, either.
---

<D

EndOfDiscOne posted...

Shaduln posted...

Ryokles posted...

charmander6000 posted...

Bane_Of_Despair posted...

Winry

---

<D

3DSRage posted...

Why not make a PS Now portable, then?

Why not make a smartphone controller/dock thing and put out a PS Now app? Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/POWER-MOGA-Hero-Electronic-Games-Game/dp/B00FB5R9OY
---

<D

Johnbobb posted...

Wi-Fi is Coming

Are you my neighbor?

Anyway, believe it or not, it's Overrated. I made it when I was still doing overrated rants still and I just kept it.
---

<D

Portable is way too competitive now. There are platforms by Nintendo, Google, and Apple. Google and Apple dominate, it's hard enough for Nintendo to compete against smartphones and tablets as it is; like it or not, freemium phone games are very popular. And now, Nintendo is in the portable market twice, with two systems. There is a cheaper, more portable, lower powered system with cheaper and more "portable-friendly" games (3DS), and a more expensive, less portable (but still good enough), higher powered console you can take with you with console-style (and priced) games (Switch). I think part of the appeal of the PSP and Vita was that you would get fuller, more console-style games on the go, and now the Switch does that if you want it.

If I were Sony, I'd drop out and try to find growth elsewhere. Their PS Now service is looking like a potentially more profitable option than making another portable.
---

<D

MariaTaylor posted...

based on your reply to my first question to sounds like you already know what you want to do!

I guess that's true! I've had an idea for a very long time, but always just had trouble getting it to work out.

MariaTaylor posted...

I think a major benefit of school that some people overlook is the ability to network. doing grad school could be nice but you'll want to make sure to "shop around" first. find a school that has strong ties to local tech companies around where they are, perhaps with industry classes or something along those lines. well, we have these in the sciences so I assume you have it in technology too. but maybe not. additionally you're going to want to form a relationship with some of the faculty/staff members on campus and know that you will be able to work with them in order to complete your master's degree.

This was something that was emphasized when I was getting my BS degree, and although I networked, I don't think I did it enough or really realized how important it was. Part of why I am considering going further in my education is to get more networking opportunities.

MariaTaylor posted...

rather than asking me for advice though I'd recommend seeking out some more information. it's difficult for me to give you anything beyond generalities. here are some things that could work in seeking places to get your master's and deciding which of those places would be best for you;
1. just go to the website of any university that you could feasibly go to. check the website for information on which graduate degrees they offer.
2. you'll want to look at a few different options and see the details of what each degree is "all about." some of them are going to sound similar but they'll have different unique specializations. generally there is a site with some information and also most importantly
3. from here you'll get contact information for a person in that department who specifically talks to people like you

I'll definitely go and do that! Thanks!

MariaTaylor posted...

lastly, don't forget to talk to someone about things like where you will live, how you will pay for your tuition, etc. financial aide can help and grad students are also (pretty frequently) offered something like a stipend and/or jobs within the department to help supplement their cost of living. sometimes you have to ask about it first in order to find out about such opportunities.

Good to know, since cost is a major concern of mine as well!

MariaTaylor posted...

one final note: keep an open mind to all options. you're doing this to get a job, right? if you start learning about different grad programs and aren't enticed by the idea of doing a bunch of research or writing a thesis you might stumble into some kind of career opportunity from the people you meet. it's all about networking.

That's true too and would be ideal. Going to college is expensive both in terms of the actual cost of tuition, books, etc., but also expensive in that I'd have to either reduce my job to part-time or quit. So if I were to find a good job from this, even without getting a master's, I'd be fine with that!
---

<D

how many y/o is the slot machine
---

<D

how many y/o are her kids
---

<D

how many y/o was the plant
---

<D

Gatarix posted...

This mentality is your biggest problem imo. It's fine to seek happiness through your job - I mean, you're there for 8 hours a day, might as well get something out of it - but ideally that happiness should come from enjoying your work and being satisfied at a job well done, rather than some outside notion of "success."

I think it goes to what you said at the end of your post, that I don't really enjoy my job that much. This is true, because my job often feels like I'm so busy doing a bunch of simple things rather than interesting things, and I can't do the interesting things because teachers keep asking me to update Flash at every school I visit - simple, but it stops me from doing more with my job. It's a consistent problem with my coworkers as well. So it's hard for me to feel like I'm enjoying my work or feeling like I did a job well done when I'm constantly inundated with work. Though of course, there are times that are worth it, like when I make a teacher or students happy by fixing issues they were having.

Gatarix posted...

Like, myself as an example: Most of my peers are probably making six figures easy. I picked a lower-paying, low-stress job that I enjoy, and I don't regret it one bit. I like what I do. I have enough money for my hobbies. This is where I want to be, even if my peers are richer, more successful, etc. I feel like you'd be a lot happier if you had this kind of mentality (though, easier said than done, I know).

I told a friend of mine recently that I'd rather make 100k and work 30 hours per week than make 150k and work 40 hours per week. All I really want from work now is something that I enjoy, pays me enough to live comfortably with money I can spend on things I enjoy, and gives me enough time to enjoy life. I didn't realize the value of such things until recently. I'd never want to work all the time. I've done it and I've hated it, even if the job is otherwise good.

ViviffTheMobile posted...

I've never seen the purpose for an MPA unless you have a specific job that wants it. An MBA will still teach you a lot of the public sector and non-profit sector (at least mine did) and all the principles are still applicable to public sector work anyway. An MBA is a square, and an MPA is a rectangle.

That makes sense - things like managing people or doing HR aren't that different in public compared to private jobs, though obviously the goals of the organization would be different. I'll need to look into the main differences between getting an MBA vs. MPA, especially if MBAs can meet requirements of jobs that an MPA can be useful in, but not vice-versa.
---

<D

MariaTaylor posted...

what is it that you want to do specifically? do you know?

That's the issue. I'm not sure what I want to do.

I've had moderate to high amounts of success in some things I've done, but they all went crashing down in some way or another. Sometimes catastrophically. I've wanted to create software, and even made it to the national finals of a competition Microsoft does, but the financial aid department threatened to cut me off because computer science requires too many units to complete and I couldn't afford to get cut off. I wanted to design software, but the job market for that was ridiculous. I wanted to implement technology, but I got let go of a job where I was doing that, and I think it's because of appearance (they were telling me to try to look like Justin Timberlake and do crossfit a week or two before I got let go). I try to find jobs related to those things now and I can't, even though in many cases I meet the requirements.

This is why I have settled for this job where I mostly do basic tech support and computer updates. I really want to know what I can do to get out of this and into a more serious and better-paying job, but I have no idea what I can do.

MariaTaylor posted...

what I would advise is figuring out what you want to do, and then getting the appropriate level of education or training to do that thing.

What's a good way to figure out what I want to do? The only way I knew how was by seeing how interested I would get in something, but that hasn't really happened with anything in a long time.

banananor posted...

you're doing a good job of being open to suggestions. i'd also like to grant that, for some people, a lifestyle of perpetual education can work. it's a veeery, very select sub-group, though (willing to skip retirement, good enough at school to get free rides/stipends, or has/able to attract a spouse that earns money). if your mom is willing to fund you just taking a break from life for a couple years and you feel you need it, forget what i'm saying though

My mom is actually the one encouraging me to get my master's and even expressed disappointment that I haven't tried yet. She has told me that she would be willing to support me, but she only has so much time left where she can work to do that.

banananor posted...

SO- if you could imagine some better jobs, what would they be?

Probably the ones I mentioned above. I already know I want to work in technology if possible, but obviously that is very competitive and hard to get into, plus the hours can be ridiculous. I've also been interested in things like operations management, procurement/asset management, and general management, but as more of a "it's a job I could do and maybe kinda like" type of thing than something I'd love to do.

banananor posted...

i am worried you're focusing on step 3 of a 5 step process (step 3: get a master's) and building your plan around that instead of building your plan around your desired end result. there are a lot of great jobs out there that do not require a master's

True. I guess the problem is that I've been so confused about things lately that I don't know what I want to do, but I also don't want to waste any more time on indecision.
---

<D

Sorry, I had a few busy days and can't really respond to the responses yet, but I don't want this to purge. I'll respond after a good night of sleep and after finishing work tomorrow. But someone gave me an idea of getting a MPA instead of an MBA, which is an interesting idea since I like the idea of getting an MBA but I'm not so sure I want to work in business. So, something to investigate.
---

<D

ChaosTonyV4 posted...

Automate, virtualize, and write out guides to make your job easier. If you're THE guy, use your position to delegate simple tasks (the trick is to convince the people doing it into feeling that you're rewarding them with responsibility).

Then, use the newfound time at your desk supervising to get happy. Start writing, play games, or maybe work towards this Master's Degree if that's what it'll take to improve your outlook.

The difficult thing about that is that I have 15 schools I have assigned to me, and in 14 of them I'm their main tech guy. I also have reports I have to write because they don't want people slacking off. I actually know some people that got their schools to manage themselves, now they have those schools plus new random assignments...in my job, the reward for finishing work quickly is getting more work piled on you because people are expensive and everyone complains about the budget. It's the one thing I hate about working in the public sector.

Part of me wants to ask for me to be transferred to a school where I'd work there full-time so I could have time for other things.

gearofages posted...

Absolutely. People get advanced degrees in different fields all the time. You'll just have to show admissions committees that you're capable of doing the work, and, most of all, that you have a sincere desire to pursue graduate work in whichever field you choose. They don't automatically blackball you because you come from a different degree field. There are realistic limits, of course - I couldn't use my English B.A. to get admitted into a PhD in physics - but I think in your case you should be fine. And having work experience is a big, big help.

Thanks, I'll look into my options some more then!

Unknown_voter posted...

Honestly? Prioritize it. The past is gone, just look forward. Not much more you can do. I am not great at giving advice, but thats what I got.

I've been trying to do that to an extent. The business thinking side of me knows it's just dead weight and should be cut out of my future decisions. The emotional side of me sees all those years potentially having been a waste and it's just hard.
---

<D

Unknown_voter posted...

you could still do "work" aka create art, sports, etc for hobbies. you aren't just gonna watch tv all day or whatever.

Well yeah, that's all optional "work" though. Right now, most people have to work regardless of whether they want to or not. That's the problem. Basically, comparing our world of having to work to survive to a world where it's optional, I don't see the reason why anyone would choose our current world, assuming needs are otherwise being met.
---

<D

Of course I'd want to be in a world like that. I don't really understand why anyone wouldn't want that kind of a world.
---

<D

ok
---

<D

First, thanks everyone for your advice.

Unknown_voter posted...

my advice is to stop putting so much of your self worth into your job.

its worth trying to improve your situation if you really think it would make you more happy, but your non-work life should be primarily where you derive your satisfaction.

This is so complicated for me because I've found a direct correlation between success in work/school and self worth, which is a prerequisite for happiness for me. I wrote a lot about this, but I don't think anyone cares for my life story so I saved it and replaced it with this sentence. But as a summary: I used school/work as a thing to have success in and sacrificed everything else for many years to do my best with that, and I don't know how to escape that mentality. As much as I try, my education or work is the main thing that makes it or breaks it when it comes to happiness for me. And when I fail at working, it can have major psychological consequences for me.

Any advice for me to try to find more satisfaction in my non-work life? Keep in mind that for years I gave up on having much of a social life as well as relationships because I felt that they were going to distract me from my education more than anything. I just had to get high grades and waste my college years. Now, I feel like if I stop taking my work situation seriously, I will have truly wasted those years completely. My "career" of the past 3 years has been the primary source of depression for me, I'd say.

gearofages posted...

Get the master's in whatever you're interested in. Really. Don't try to format it around your current career. Graduate school is hard, but it's a lot harder if the program is something that you're not mentally invested in. An advanced degree is likely to help you move along and make more money, but don't count on that. Get the degree because you want to learn and improve yourself.

In general though, can you get a master's in something other than your bachelor's for certain things? Like I have a BS in business administration. Could I get a master's in information technology or computer science, even though I lack a BS-level education in those?

banananor posted...

my advice would be to start from the end and work backward.

that is, think about what sort of lifestyle you want, then figure out the way to get there

getting a masters is expensive, and you're probably not going to be earning as much while you're in school (opportunity cost). there has to be a very specific, bright light at the end of the tunnel for the program to be worth it

This is my main fear. Already, I'm not feeling like my BS degree is doing anything for me. The main reason why I want a master's is because a BS these days is basically like having a high school diploma years ago, so a master's might give me an edge in the job market. That's my theory, anyway.
---

<D

Grand Kirby posted...

If anyone's going to E3 we could meet up. No one did it last time.

Or even meet up outside of E3 for those of us that aren't going inside!
---

<D

Zachnorn does not approve of this topic.
---

<D

Terastodon posted...

I grew up in the 90s, that's how I do it.

---

<D

Basically, I'm thinking I'm reaching the point where it's now or never for getting one. I'm not happy with where my career is heading and I'd like to change it.

I have two degrees: AS in Computer Information Technology and a BS in Business Administration (finished in December 2013). Right now, I've been using my AS more than my BS. After I got involved in a job scam (which wanted me to fake my resume to apply to companies and then probably sent fake resumes in my name without my permission) and then I worked for a company that's a revolving door (they routinely fire people and give them settlements to not sue them for it), I had problems getting hired again since my resume became shaky and companies mostly didn't want to bother with me. I was also turned off by working for a business at the time, since I felt I was treated more fairly working for my university than I ever was working for a business.

I now work for a school district. It's nice because I can ask for summer off (unpaid, but still, what other job can you leave for 2 months and know you have a job afterwards?) but the job isn't using my BS degree at all. I work as a computer technician. I could have done this years ago with just my AS degree and technically the job doesn't even require that. I'm kind of tired of spending my days setting up computers, telling people to restart whatever it is they're having problems with, updating things, and other mostly mundane things people don't have time or energy to do so they hire me to do it. It's a stable job (I think) but it feels like a disappointment to me because I expected to have a better, more well-paying job at this point in my life. It is both a relief and source of depression - I'm relieved that I'm not unemployed and the job gets me enough money for me to enjoy things (though I'm still stuck at home), but I'm depressed because it's not where I wanted to be and I feel like I'm wasting my life away on this job.

So, I want to do something else. My mom thinks I should get a master's degree. I would like to, I needed to have the break I did from school, but I don't know what my options are now - I was originally planning to get my MBA. Is my main option getting an MBA? Should I even care for it? Can I get my master's in something else or would I basically need a second bachelor's if I would want to do that? Would it even be worth it? And if I do try to get one, what would I even need to do to start? Study for the GRE and/or GMAT and just apply? I feel so out of the loop on this stuff.

Any advice, Board 8?
---

<D

Depends on whether you're going to eat the animal or if the animal was a danger to you.
---

<D

azuarc posted...

The results here are going to be very age-dependent. If you're 25, the answer is probably "ick, no." If you're 35, you're going to be severely limiting your options, though. As in, like, every woman at that age is either married, has kids, or there's a good reason why neither has happened. So yeah, as much as I don't like the idea, there's not much of a choice.

This. I'm 27 and at this point, I'd rather not date someone with a kid. But 10 years from now, I probably wouldn't care.
---

<D

how many y/o is the house
---

<D

how many y/o is the grandma
---

<D

what the hell

why are you on the wrong account

stop half throttling
---

<D

I found it was easy enough to get someone banned from PSN for hacking my email address and then using it to sign up for a troll PSN account.

That said, now I found that a few of my email addresses are banned from PSN and so I do not have a PSN account now. Probably happened because I didn't have any PS system at the time and I used a few email addresses to talk to them, so they probably blocked out my other email addresses.

...So now I have to make another email address if I want a PSN account (gotta get one someday since I got a PS3 recently) and from what this topic is saying, it looks like I'll have fun if I ever run into a problem.
---

<D

how many y/o is the funeral home
---

<D

how many y/o is the term "conservawhackos"
---

<D

how many y/o is she
---

<D

ChaosTonyV4 posted...

Cadbury creme egg

The best kind of egg imo
---

<D

ok
---

<D

I caved and got one. People were telling me about how I shouldn't be playing Zelda with the Joy Con grips compared to the Pro Controller and that the Pro Controller is much more comfortable. But after playing an hour with it in Zelda and Splatoon (each), I just don't get it. The only thing I really like about it is that the control sticks allow you to move the stick farther, which helps with precise movement I guess.

Am I missing something here? I'm considering returning it.
---

<D