Never thought of it in quite that way, but you are dead right. I'm totally stealing that.
Yup. Everywhere, everything seems to be only going up in price, but most working stiffs sure ain't making any more money. And what you mention about the "American Work Ethic" rings true also. There was a time when there was a sort of unwritten social contract where you put in your years and time and energy for a company and they at least pretended like they gave two squats and would set you up with decent benefits and retirement. At least in a lot of fields. Doesn't happen much anymore.
What is really agonizing me is that I just left a job a couple months ago where I had put in some time. It was at times a tedious job, even a PITA some days, but I liked it. My boss and co-workers were chill. I never had to think about work once I left the office. I actually looked forward to going to work most of the time.
But I got an offer for a job that I thought would be a good move. A little more money (on paper, though that's not how it's worked out in practice) and I wouldn't have to do a 20 minute commute twice a day, etc. But it turns out there was NO monetary benefit to switching jobs, the health and other benefits are not as good, my boss is a micromanaging drag and I am constantly having to work at home, plan work-related things, meet and greet the public, and basically have work shite on my mind 24/7. I don't sleep well anymore and most days I dread coming to work.
If I could've gotten my old job back, I would have jumped on it. I was working for the state...DHS monkey-work, but it was real mellow compared to what I'm doing now. I am still putting in for DHS jobs everywhere I can to get back into it and kick my retirement fund back in and all that crap, but I gotta do it in such a way that doesn't require a major move to another part of the state which we can't afford to do right now.
It's good you are solid about what you want and don't want. I do enjoy having my kids now that I can relate to them on a more adult level, and there were plenty of times even when they were babies that I felt that it was really worth it. Special cute baby moments and all that jazz. But my kids are just over a year apart. They both inherited by particular genetic gift of insomnia, so for about 3 years my wife and I barely slept and felt like we were on a jagged go 24/7. For some reason, I ended up with the gray hairs though...
Yeah...definitely not a decision to go into lightly. Biggest thing you can ever do, and it really never ends. My stepson is 26 now but is still a fuggup a lot of the time. Love the kid, but I can't be responsible for him anymore or pick up his slack or bail him outta trouble or give him $$$ over and over. Just can't do it.
