Getting into teaching after corporate work: Need advice.

[Dead of Knight]

I don't want to go TOO much into the background details since I have already consulted many people and my mind is pretty much made up on what I want to do. But I will give an overall gist:

I just started my job in the corporate world (well, not really corporate, Big 4 accounting, but basically the same thing) a few months ago. I have realized that it just isn't for me. I am not into the rat race. My fiance and I are very frugal and are not planning on having children, so there is no need for me to work my ass for the money, especially since I have no debts and plenty of money in the bank (as discussed in a previous thread). I am miserable whenever I come home from work. I end up crying sometimes. I can just tell this shit isn't for me. I have always thought that when I retired, I would become a teacher, as I have loved the volunteer opportunities I have done that have allowed me to teach children in a classroom and love the idea of helping others. If I worked overtime, it would be to help a child succeed and possibly change their lives, not fatten the wallets of partners or executives. Sure there would be adminstrative bullshit and asshole parents, but dealing with those issues would still lead to the ultimate goal of helping people. I have realized to myself, why wait? I don't need the huge salary to live, and I will be happier.

So this is where the advice comes in. What is the next step? My degree is in accounting, obviously unrelated to anything in primary or secondary teaching. I think I would want to teach middle or high school social studies/history/economics or business-related stuff if a secondary school has such a program. I know that shit is much harder to get into than being a science or math teacher, but I am willing to work hard to get there. I plan on applying for Teach for America, but if that falls through, what should I do? Should I go to grad school? Should I apply for another alternative program for people coming out of the workforce to obtain a teaching license? Should I just start subbing and go from there? Can anyone give me any insight or links or anything? I plan on researching myself for sure, but CAG is often a wealth of knowledge for real life advice situations like this. Thanks a lot folks.

[fatherofcaitlyn]

http://softmelon.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/rodney-back-to-school.jpg


Here is your future. You need a degree in teaching. Since you already have a degree, you will not get any scholarships. So, maybe you should tough it out for a few years while having the company pick up the tab.

[Brownjohn]

If you have a masters degree, you could probably get a job teaching econ at a community college.

[Dead of Knight]

http://softmelon.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/rodney-back-to-school.jpg


Here is your future. You need a degree in teaching. Since you already have a degree, you will not get any scholarships. So, maybe you should tough it out for a few years while having the company pick up the tab.

:rofl:

Yeah, I don't need scholarships. If necessary I could pay out of pocket, but I am so damn spoiled by my parents I am pretty sure they'd pay for it.

Unfortunately I do not have a master's. I have passed the CPA exam but I doubt that really means much.

[fatherofcaitlyn]

:rofl:

Yeah, I don't need scholarships. If necessary I could pay out of pocket, but I am so damn spoiled by my parents I am pretty sure they'd pay for it.

Unfortunately I do not have a master's. I have passed the CPA exam but I doubt that really means much.

What is stopping you from going freelance?

[Brownjohn]

I would recommend speaking with your university's guidance department. They should be able to guide you in the right direction based on what subject and level you want to teach.

[Ryukahn]

There was a stay at home mom at one of the local elementary schools that just did teacher's aid as a parent work and gradually got around to getting her teaching license. I don't have any details on how that worked or what it entailed, but you could look into it since you said you like helping kids. Might be the best way to work yourself into the field, especially if you aren't hurting on money.

[Dead of Knight]

What is stopping you from going freelance?

I hate taxes. :P

EDIT: My alma mater has MEd programs in Middle Childhood Education and Integrated Social Studies. I am going to contact them after I talk with my father and fiance and schedule a meeting to talk about the programs. I would need at least a couple more quarters of undergrad classes to comply with the admissions requirements, but it's something I'm willing to do. I think it would be easiest to go through them because they know exactly which of my undergrad courses would apply to the program and I wouldn't have to deal with transfer credit horseshit.

[Sc4rfac3]

Follow your dreams, I wish you the best.

[soulvengeance]

I don't know if this would work for you, but here at Purdue they're looking for people who want to switch into teaching. There's more information here:

http://www.purdue.edu/stemgoesrural/

I figured accounting is somewhat related to math.:) There is also a scholarship, so you probably wouldn't have to pay to go.

[Dead of Knight]

I figured accounting is somewhat related to math.:)

You'd be surprised. ;) We're pretty much limited to using Excel and calculators nowadays. Thanks for the link though. Since it's in Indiana, it's something I would need to discuss with my fiance for sure. I'd also have to contact the program to make sure accounting would qualify as an undergrad major.

[fatherofcaitlyn]

I don't think I would make a good teacher.

I hate people in general. Except for redheaded dwarves, I would probably hate little people in general, too.

[dmaul1114]

It's definitely important to do something you love. Life sucks if you hate your job. I'm a professor and love both the teaching and research aspects. I've had jobs I hated in the past before grad school, and it's miserable doing something you hate.

As others have said, if you want to teach at the primary or secondary level you'll want to get an education degree with the relevant focus of what you want to teach--be it elemntary school or certain subjects at the high school level etc.

I wouldn't go the route of getting a masters and teaching at the community college level as those positions pay pretty crappy--$25-30,000 typically varying by area and school. You'd do much better than that teaching in public schools.


The other option to consider, of course, is getting an accounting job at a smaller company where it's not so much of a rat race. Pay will be lesser, but if you like accounting (and just hate the pace/stress at the big 4), maybe a smaller, bookkeeping type job would be more up your alley if you want to try something else before going back to school.

[fatherofcaitlyn]

Life sucks if you hate your job.

Only if you define yourself by a job you hate.

[dmaul1114]

Only if you define yourself by a job you hate.

It's not even that. If you're working long hours (like she probably is) and are tired and exhausted when you get home, it just suck ass. Regardless of how much emphasis you make of your job.

A 9-5 job that you don't take home with you (not working at home in evenings/weekends etc.) --like your call center job--is certainly more bearable even if you hate it. As it's easier to leave the annoyance in the office and enjoy the rest of your life.

But in any case, it's best to be happy at work and in the personal life of course. Much more enjoyable when you have a job you find rewarding and worthwhile, and not something your just slogging through for a paycheck.

[plasticbathmonki]

I work for one of those horrible teacher groups, so I get asked this same question more often than I should. I'll give you the same advice I give them.

1) Teachers work long hours for a slightly mediocre pay (it's not THAT bad, like some people claim, but it could be much better). You will be at work early, stay late and take your work home with you, regardless of how hard you try to fit it all in.

2) While you have a little of the summer off, don't get too comfortable with the whole idea of three months off. You have to use your summer break for mandatory professional development that every state requires you to get.

3) We need STEM teachers (science, tech, engineering and math) in secondary ed or Special Education at both the elementary and secondary levels. Get your certification in one of those areas, and you can pretty much call your butt solid gold as far as a district is concerned.

[dmaul1114]

That is definitely wise advice. Many underestimate how much work teaching is. I couldn't imagine teach 4-6 classes 5 days a week with all the course prep, grading etc. that would be required. I stay damn busy keeping up with 2 college courses a semester (and often it's two sections of the same course) that meet once or twice a week for 3 hours total.

It gets better once you have your classes prepped and don't have to spend so much time writing lectures, making assignments, exams etc. But it still takes time to go over the material before you teach it each time, grade stuff etc.

Another consideration is teachers I know are constantly bitching about all the useless meetings and bureacratic stuff they have to put up with that takes away from time they could spend on preparing to each etc--as well as adding frustration and stress.

And you're absolutely right about Summers too--some of my friends that teach high school are busy most of the summer as well with those seminatrs etc., as well as working on lesson plans for the coming year etc. At the university level, I stay busy with prepping the fall course and trying to catch up on research that I got behind on during the school year--many of my colleagues teach summer courses as well. I'm hoping to avoid it and do my best to pay my summer salary with research grant funds. Definitely not teaching this summer. But yeah, the teachers/professors, get summers off is a myth for sure.

In anycase, very good points. Teaching is something you need to be sure you'll enjoy before you get into it. As it's still long hours, and not great pay vs. the corporate rat race world. So really put some thought into it before you do more schooling and find out that you hate it as well.

[Dead of Knight]

I dunno, all this talk is getting me really anxious. I'm really at a crossroads in my life. I don't think I belong in the corporate world. But what if I don't like teaching? I am honestly pretty scared about what I want to do with my life.

[soulvengeance]

I dunno, all this talk is getting me really anxious. I'm really at a crossroads in my life. I don't think I belong in the corporate world. But what if I don't like teaching? I am honestly pretty scared about what I want to do with my life.

Is it possible you could shadow a teacher for a day? That might help you make up your mind. You could always be a professor too, if you're willing to go to grad school and get your PhD.

[dmaul1114]

I dunno, all this talk is getting me really anxious. I'm really at a crossroads in my life. I don't think I belong in the corporate world. But what if I don't like teaching? I am honestly pretty scared about what I want to do with my life.

Definitely take your time and figure it out.

It took me quite a while to figure out what I wanted to do. I started undergrad in Computer Science. Hated it and switched to journalism after a year. I did well, and graduated with that degree. But after working for a newspaper for a my last couple years of undergrad I decided I didn't want to do that.

I ended up going straight to grad school for Criminology as I loved the Crim classes I took as part of my minor. I planned on just getting a Master's and getting either some federal law enforcement job, or a lower level research position at a government agency or research firm.

But after 2 1/2 years of that when I was close to graduating I'd really started to enjoy the research, and with encouragement/pressure from the professor I'd been working for I decided to go for the Ph D--still unsure of what I wanted to do with it.

But after doing more involved research, getting through the comp exams and getting some teaching experience, I knew the academic route was the way I wanted to go. I finished up my Ph D in July, and I'm wrapping up my first semester as an Assistant Professor. I work a ton, and it's stressful at times, but I really love it the vast majority of the time.

My main point is don't stress out and take your time and figure out what you want to do. Most everyone has these type of "what the hell do I want to do with my life" crisis moment. No need to rush through it. Hell I just turned 31 and this is my first year of my real career!

Just slug away at work for awhile and figure out what you want to do, be it teaching, an accounting job in a less stressful environment, going to grad school for something entirely different etc.

A point about grad school--unless you're in certain fields like law, business, med school etc.--you can usually get assistantships which provide free tuition, benefits and a stipend for working 20 hours a week with professors as research or teaching assitantships. So if you really end up thinking you want to really change gears, that's an option. You can get a master's that will open doors in a new field for you if you go that route, and while working on it do some teaching and research to see if you want to go the professorial route etc. But don't rush into that type of decision either. Take your time.

[c0rnpwn]

While this is a discovery you have to make on your own, nevertheless we'll try and help you at this juncture. I know I was pretty razzle-dazzled from switching majors at uni, I can't imagine what you're going through. You seem to really love accounting -- so yeah, either teach it or find a less stressful way to do it.

I think the lower-key accounting job in a smaller firm as mentioned above might be your ticket. At the very least, your expertise will probably be gladly welcomed, you'd be helping them out, and you can use the (hopefully) less amount of stress to consider further if you would want to teach.

[plasticbathmonki]

I dunno, all this talk is getting me really anxious. I'm really at a crossroads in my life. I don't think I belong in the corporate world. But what if I don't like teaching? I am honestly pretty scared about what I want to do with my life.

I won't lie to you, the teacher turnover rate isn't the greatest in the world. A lot of novice teachers (3 years or less experience) do get burned out. It's a thankless job that many people are equipped to handle.

That being said, if you can make it through the initial challenges new teachers face, and if you love teaching children, then you'll have a fruitful career. Don't let all of the cautionary talk dissuade you from looking into the field, just use it as advice on whether or not it's truly the right career for you.

If you're interested, a lot of new teachers I've spoken to over the last year have gone through the Teach for America program. While I can't vouch for the program, it might be of assistance as you do your research. Check 'em out at http://www.teachforamerica.org.

[AngellicLulu]

Not true, many states you don't need a degree in education to teach. I have a BS in Environmental Policy and I teach gifted elementary school kids in public school.
Look into any alternative certification programs for your state.
Look for requirements for obtaining a teaching certificate.
I got to teach (and get paid as a regular teacher) on a temporary certificate while I took classes. There were only 6 classes and I had 3 years to take them all.
I'm permanently certified and I have tenure.
I would be happy to talk to you about the alternative certification program that I went through in Florida. With the economy it's a little bit harder for alt cert people, but usually it's putting yourself out there to get hired.
Teaching is not as bad as people make it sound. Yes, I do extra work each day and I spend extra money on my classroom for my children. But it's definitely worth it for the money, as long as you don't have a nazi principal. It's just like a boss, you need to find the right one and your life is so much easier.

[dmaul1114]

Teaching is not as bad as people make it sound. Yes, I do extra work each day and I spend extra money on my classroom for my children. But it's definitely worth it for the money, as long as you don't have a nazi principal.

Yeah, I didn't mean to scare her off of teaching. I enjoy teaching--at least at the college level--I could never do it at the primary or secondary level.

Just want to be sure she knows that teaching is a lot of work and like any intense job it's something you have to truly love to enjoy doing it as a career. It's a very rewarding experience for those who do love teaching and sharing knowledge with others etc.

She just has to make sure you fit that bill before she makes the commitment to lessen the chance her burning out and finding herself in the exact same place in a few years with a job she can't take.

[AngellicLulu]

Yeah, I didn't mean to scare her off of teaching. I enjoy teaching--at least at the college level--I could never do it at the primary or secondary level.

Just want to be sure she knows that teaching is a lot of work and like any intense job it's something you have to truly love to enjoy doing it as a career. It's a very rewarding experience for those who do love teaching and sharing knowledge with others etc.

She just has to make sure you fit that bill before she makes the commitment to lessen the chance her burning out and finding herself in the exact same place in a few years with a job she can't take.
That's the only reason I didn't go straight into an education degree. I wanted a fallback in case teaching was not for me.
It just ended up that teaching was for me.

[camoor]

Good luck OP.

I say go for it, anything's better then getting majorly bummed out by your job.

[tankass]

I know a number of teachers and the only things I can pass along are that there are long hours and homework (teachers have as much work as students at home, plus meetings and covering after school stuff). Think of it this way, the teacher may get a few months of the year off, but they make up for it in spades dealing with longer hours and the children themselves. Althouhg of course it depends on the level you teach, the higher you get, the more freedom you get, but the more knowledgeable you have to be. For example, if your teaching k-4 you only have to know basic stuff and the environment is way different. If your teaching college, you better know the principals of what your teaching and some good examples or the students are gonna call you on it.

I think someone also mentioned thankless, and it probably feels that way, but you have to know your doing good to some degree, its just gonna be rough. Good luck whatever your decision is. Oh and I got an offer to teach english in asian countries without any teaching experience and OK pay. Seems like something they are in need of and are willig to take anyone, you could try that as an option, that way you do it for a year and if you dont like it you can go to something else.

[dmaul1114]

Think of it this way, the teacher may get a few months of the year off, but they make up for it in spades dealing with longer hours and the children themselves.


Yep, and again the summer's off is largely a myth as you're expected to attend training, meetings etc., and will spend time doing course prep for the next year--especially the first few years before you have your repertoire of courses prepared.


Although of course it depends on the level you teach, the higher you get, the more freedom you get, but the more knowledgeable you have to be. For example, if your teaching k-4 you only have to know basic stuff and the environment is way different. If your teaching college, you better know the principals of what your teaching and some good examples or the students are gonna call you on it.

Very true. You really have to know your shit at the college/university level. And the main challenge at the unversity level is balancing the teaching with the research. You're contractual appointment is usually based on the workload being 50% teaching, 50% research--but the research part matters a LOT more in getting tenure and promotion.

So you really have to bust ass to keep up on publishing and bringing in grant funding, while also doing a good job on the teaching and not looking like an ass in front of your students who will challenge you a lot more than students at lower levels. So that's the trade off there. With the benefit being research if you enjoy it ,and a lot more flexibility in schedule etc.--long hours but more choice on when to work them as you're not wed to a full school day schedule.

Of course you can go the community college/teaching university route and just focus on teaching (and maybe writing text books)--but the pay is a good bit less. Tends to start around $25-35K for the 9 month academic year, vs. $50-60K starting out for the 9 month year in a research university. And again most teach in the summers, or bring in grant funding to pay summer salary (10% of 9 month salary per month most places--with 30% max you can get paid) which can bump those up a good bit. Along with doing consulting etc. Vs. just having the teaching summer courses option at community college.

That's the only reason I didn't go straight into an education degree. I wanted a fallback in case teaching was not for me.
It just ended up that teaching was for me.

Yep, if she could get a teaching gig like you did, that would be ideal. As it's a big leap to go back to school for a degree if she's not sure teaching is what she want's to do.

[JolietJake]

Isn't there some nationwide program designed for people who want to teach, but have been in other fields? I know it's supposed to be a fast track to teaching basically.

edit- That teach for America program i think. Lulu is right too, not all states require you have a degree in education to teach. Here is another option for you, try subbing for a while to see if you really like dealing with children and everything. I know here you don't even need a degree to sub.

[dopa345]

Being married to a teacher, I've seen firsthand that teaching is definitely harder than it looks. It's also tough to get a job, at least in a public school system so keep that in mind.

[Kapwanil]

Here is another option for you, try subbing for a while to see if you really like dealing with children and everything. I know here you don't even need a degree to sub.

Just be severely careful on that one. I'm still subbing as I try and find a permanent position somewhere and, depending upon the district and your responsibilities, it can range from "enjoyable" to "absolutely insane." Honestly, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it unless you have some semblance of classroom management down since I've seen far too many of my fresh-out-of-school colleagues walk into a subbing position and then quit by the end of the week.

Shadowing a teacher for a few days, if possible, is a good idea though. It's a better way of getting a feel for the teaching process and what's involved without being thrown to the wolves without any help or any idea of what to do. If you think teaching your own subject may be difficult just imagine having to pick up any subject at any area and pulling off a lesson with about ten or so minutes of prep. It's not as much fun as it sounds on most days! ;) Then again, I'm one of the few subs who doesn't walk in, take attendance, pull out a newspaper and ignore the class for the entire period unless they start stabbing each other!

Just keep in mind that it's hard to tell if teaching will be for you or not. I wish I could give a specific way in which to tell but I've had around two dozen friends and colleagues discover that teaching just wasn't in their blood at random times. For some it was during some of the required pedagogy classes. Others figured it out during student teaching (meaning years later and just about ready to graduate with the degree). And still others...well, they found out once they actually got an actual position.

[fatherofcaitlyn]

I dunno, all this talk is getting me really anxious. I'm really at a crossroads in my life. I don't think I belong in the corporate world. But what if I don't like teaching? I am honestly pretty scared about what I want to do with my life.

You have no debts. You have no kids. You have substantial savings.

You can be a bum for the next three years and still be in the black.

You can flip burgers for the next 10 years and still be in the black.

You can deliver pizzas for the next 20 years and still be in the black.

You could move to a second world country and never need to work again.

...

How much longer do you need to work at your shithole before you earn a week of vacation?

[dmaul1114]

The subbing idea isn't a bad one.

As noted, if you really want to put effort into, it's MUCH harder than teaching your own classes since you have next to no time to prepare.

If you can enjoy doing that, you'll probably be fine teaching--at least with the actual teaching part. The bureacratic non-sense can be another matter--I friend of mine's wife loved the teaching but hated the bureacratic crap and ended up quitting and going into corporate training.

Though I'd say a lot of that is dependent on finding a good district and a school with a good principal etc. as others note. But of course those jobs will be the hardest to get.

[Dead of Knight]

You have no debts. You have no kids. You have substantial savings.

You can be a bum for the next three years and still be in the black.

You can flip burgers for the next 10 years and still be in the black.

You can deliver pizzas for the next 20 years and still be in the black.

You could move to a second world country and never need to work again.

...

How much longer do you need to work at your shithole before you earn a week of vacation?

The only perk about the job is they do give decent vacation time. 15 days a year for the first two years, then 20 (I think it's 20, it could be a few more days) after. Of course most people don't stay for more than 2-3 years.

My father came to visit me and my fiance today after a long day of work to talk about this shit. He has been in the rat race for 30 years. He's an executive at a bank and makes good money. But he said it's taken a lot out of him in terms of not spending time with my mother and me, and he said he doesn't want me to have to do it. Both him and my fiance said they were worried for me when I took this job because they didn't think it would be for me. They both support me quitting and taking some time to figure out what I want to do with my life. I'm extremely fortunate and lucky to have that kind of support. I think I am going to try to stick it out for a few more weeks, figuring out the timeline for quitting, and then gtfo. I plan on doing a lot of research and really trying to see what I want to do with my life. I appreciate all the great posts in here. Some very insightful stuff.

AngellicLulu, I think I might be interested in the alternative licensure program. Apparently in Ohio all you need to do is take 2 classes, have a bachelor's degree, and take the Praxis II in the appropriate subject. I may be in contact with you in the future for your experiences. An MEd would be a lot of work if I end up not liking teaching (1 year to take undergrad prereqs + 1.5 year program). I also plan on at the very least applying for Teach for America and seeing where it goes from there.

[bordjon]

Fancy meeting you in here dmaul! (had a Dogfish Head 120 Min. last night after I gave my two finals!)

I figured I would share my two cents.

I'm also an instructor. I teach part-time at UAB in Birmingham, AL. Have been here for 4 years. I teach art. 2-3 classes a semester and usually 1 in the summer - amounts to nearly a full load but at a fraction of the pay. I also taught the whole time I was in grad school getting my MFA. They paid tuition and a stipend so that's certainly something to consider if it's available.

I went straight in to a master of ed program out of undergrad. Didn't complete it. It just wasn't for me. I realized I didn't want to teach grade school art. So I went on to get a terminal degree so I could teach art on the college level. Now I'm not even sure about that anymore... I've been teaching on the college level for the past eight years and have taught at two universities and a community college. It has it's ups and downs for sure. My mom retired from a state community college and had a great experience. On the other hand, my sister taught elementary/middle school for twenty some odd years in two states (AL and GA) then got in to psychometrics and is now completely out of the school system - she just got so fed up with the politics of it. Hell my grandmother taught in a one room school house even - I must have teaching in the blood!

You are lucky to have understanding parents and fiance. My parents and wife are also very supportive. My mom has always told me life is too short to be doing a job you aren't happy with! I applied for a few positions after I graduated then me and my wife sorta settled in Birmingham. She got a great job that she's real happy with so now we are trying to have a kid. My plans have changed a bit and I'm not looking for a full time position anymore. We are planning on me keeping the kid at home and probably continuing to teach part time. I understand the anxiety about the career stuff. I am just now (slowly) coming around to the idea that it is ok that I'm not the "family breadwinner" and all that jazz. And that it is ok for me to be a stay-at-home dad.

No real advice here in this post I don't suppose - just some random, rambling stuff about how I got from A to B to C.

[Malik112099]

1. Good Luck
2. The grass is always greener
3. Teachers make next to nothing for what they put up with
4. Teacher benefits are not that wonderful
5. This is a big one so READ IT:

I don't know how old you and your fiance are but there is going to be a point in time after she says "I do" that her motherly instinct will kick in. When it does you CANNOT pull the "we agreed to blah blah blah" card. Shit doesnt work like that. Be mentally prepared to one day have her look at you with the "we need to talk" eyes. It WILL happen. Feel free to tell me how wrong I am and deny it and claim your girl is different. But when it happens I want my name to pop into your head and I want you to curse me like no one has ever been cursed before. Hopefully I will be wearing a smile on my face somewhere....

6. Get off your parents' tit...it will be better for you in the long run

[JolietJake]

Dude...:rofl:

[Dead of Knight]

5. This is a big one so READ IT:

I don't know how old you and your fiance are but there is going to be a point in time after she says "I do" that her motherly instinct will kick in. When it does you CANNOT pull the "we agreed to blah blah blah" card. Shit doesnt work like that. Be mentally prepared to one day have her look at you with the "we need to talk" eyes. It WILL happen. Feel free to tell me how wrong I am and deny it and claim your girl is different. But when it happens I want my name to pop into your head and I want you to curse me like no one has ever been cursed before. Hopefully I will be wearing a smile on my face somewhere....

I'm a female. We don't want kids. I'm more than happy with my cats.

[Malik112099]

I'm a female. We don't want kids. I'm more than happy with my cats.

Hahahhahahah!! Silly girl! Once you say "I do" the "married" switch gets turn on. It is there, trust me. No woman thinks it exists and all married men know it exists. After being married for a few years I explained it to my wife. She claims she acted the same once we got married. I referenced actions, events, etc as proof and she was just kind of like "oh".... Your fucking cats can't say "I love you"....you can't look into your cat's eyes and see a little bit of yourself. Having your child run to you and say "I went pee pee potty!" is a much prouder moment than having your cat look at you out from its litter box with the "Do you fucking mind?" look on its face while taking a shit.... TRUST me. My wife had her puppies and cats when we were first married.



Mark my words. Once your "married" switch is on, the nesting program starts to slowly engage and before you know it you will be crying during cheerios commercials and telling your husband to fuck you every time your basal body temp is prime for baby making.

[fatherofcaitlyn]

What if she is the Chosen One, the woman without the "married" switch?

[Dead of Knight]

Hahahhahahah!! Silly girl! Once you say "I do" the "married" switch gets turn on. It is there, trust me. No woman thinks it exists and all married men know it exists. After being married for a few years I explained it to my wife. She claims she acted the same once we got married. I referenced actions, events, etc as proof and she was just kind of like "oh".... Your fucking cats can't say "I love you"....you can't look into your cat's eyes and see a little bit of yourself. Having your child run to you and say "I went pee pee potty!" is a much prouder moment than having your cat look at you out from its litter box with the "Do you fucking mind?" look on its face while taking a shit.... TRUST me. My wife had her puppies and cats when we were first married.

Mark my words. Once your "married" switch is on, the nesting program starts to slowly engage and before you know it you will be crying during cheerios commercials and telling your husband to fuck you every time your basal body temp is prime for baby making.

No. Not having kids runs in my family. My godmother, my great aunt, and my uncles all have zero kids and are in their 60s and 70s and are all married. And yes, I can tell the cats love me. They don't have to say it. They act like I'm their mommy. I do have a maternal instinct, and they fulfill it. They don't scream and cry and shit their pants. They don't run around the house screaming for hours like my cousin's 3 year old. They don't cost tens of thousands of dollars to raise.

[Malik112099]

No. Not having kids runs in my family. My godmother, my great aunt, and my uncles all have zero kids and are in their 60s and 70s and are all married. And yes, I can tell the cats love me. They don't have to say it. They act like I'm their mommy. I do have a maternal instinct, and they fulfill it. They don't scream and cry and shit their pants. They don't run around the house screaming for hours like my cousin's 3 year old. They don't cost tens of thousands of dollars to raise.


If not having kids "runs in your family" then you wouldnt be around.

[Dead of Knight]

If not having kids "runs in your family" then you wouldnt be around.

Derp. Did I say that my parents didn't have kids? Read my post.

I still can't figure out why I haven't put you on the ignore list yet.

[Malik112099]

Derp. Did I say that my parents didn't have kids? Read my post.

I still can't figure out why I haven't put you on the ignore list yet.


Derp. You mentioned 3 relatives. That doesn't mean not having kids runs in your family. I read your post. The simple fact that you have the motherly instinct and claim that cats fill it is just hilarious. You will see. It will happen. It might be many years down the line but it will happen.

Also, who uses the ignore list!? I guess a bunch of people cause i see it mentioned here and there. I just dont see the need for it. This is the internet. Maybe I just need a really good forum stalker or something before I see the use...

[dmaul1114]

Yeah, that's a pretty ridiculous statement.

There are plenty of married women around perfectly happy never having kids. Sorry you're bitter you didn't find one.

[SpazX]

Perhaps I'm biased, but the whole maternal thing is just a bunch of shit. Other than being horny, most of that seems to come after. You love your kids despite their being obnoxious because they've already been born and now you see them as a part of you, etc. You're not necessarily looking for that shit beforehand. Even if you love babies/kids that wouldn't mean you really want to birth and raise one. I love pizza, but I'm too lazy to even make it (or even pick it up, christ, get that shit delivered).

Anyway, the way you've attached it to marriage Malik is proof that it's more of a social role than anything else. People get married and then have kids because they think they're supposed to get married and have kids. Other people have set it up as the ideal. If DoK ever changes her mind it will be due to either her own reasoning or social pressure (which affects her reasoning, but whatever), not some switch.

[Malik112099]

Sorry you're bitter you didn't find one.

I am totally bitter about my 2 wonderful kids! To see them running around the Christmas tree while i type this post pointing out the ornaments they hung up to each other makes me so ungrateful for all that I have! I am so bitter that the vast majority of my conversations, thoughts, status updates, etc are about them! To know that I get to see them off for their first day of school, watch as they get money from the tooh fairy, rip open the gift they specifically asked santa for at the mall in a few weeks, drive their first car, go on their first date, etc makes me so upset with my decision to marry a woman who want children that i want to spit. Thanks, dmaul, for showing me my true feelings of bitterness towards the 2 greatest things to have ever happened to me.

[Malik112099]

Anyway, the way you've attached it to marriage Malik is proof that it's more of a social role than anything else. People get married and then have kids because they think they're supposed to get married and have kids. Other people have set it up as the ideal. If DoK ever changes her mind it will be due to either her own reasoning or social pressure (which affects her reasoning, but whatever), not some switch.


Wow..cant even fuck with someone on the internet anymore without people taking it personal. DoK can do whatever the fuck she wants. I dont care. She could get her uterus removed and start a fucking cat farm. I DONT CARE! Jesus....


Also...a lot of you are shit heads and if your parents went with your "reasoning" or whatever you want to call it you wouldnt be here. Having children you want isnt social pressure or some sort of "oh well, they are here so I have to love them" kind of thing. My wife and I were married almost 7 years before we had our first kid. The fact that people drop their kids off at fire departments and dumpsters also proves that their isnt a requirement to love them after they are here.



1. Don't take everything on the internet seriously
2. It is ok to set aside your robotic internet thinking and have a heart every once in a while.
3. I just had to rescue a bottle of liquid soap from my almost 2 year old daughter. :)

[SpazX]

But I like kids, and I want to have kids eventually. And kids are dropped of most of the time when there hasn't been a lot of time for attachment (not that it isn't hard to do, nine months of carrying a kid and popping it out forms a good amount of attachment). I assume you had reasons for wanting kids, based on your observations of what having kids entailed and shaped by your social environment, not because of the marriage switch.

There's just no reason why DoK will necessarily want kids.

[Malik112099]

But I like kids, and I want to have kids eventually. And kids are dropped of most of the time when there hasn't been a lot of time for attachment (not that it isn't hard to do, nine months of carrying a kid and popping it out forms a good amount of attachment). I assume you had reasons for wanting kids, based on your observations of what having kids entailed and shaped by your social environment, not because of the marriage switch.

There's just no reason why DoK will necessarily want kids.

The married switch exists. It doesnt really have anything to do with kids though. That fucking thing is there, i swear it.


also, i swear i recently read about someone relinquishing their child at a fire dept and the kid was like 11 or something

[SpazX]

I'm sure it happens, but usually when you get rid of a kid they're either too young to be really attached or grown enough that you kind of have to.

Did you live with your wife for a long time before you got married?

Also,

http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/data/500/derail2.jpg

[Malik112099]

I'm sure it happens, but usually when you get rid of a kid they're either too young to be really attached or grown enough that you kind of have to.

Did you live with your wife for a long time before you got married?

Also,

http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/data/500/derail2.jpg



Didn't live with each other at all. And we were both 19. It was rough to say the least.

Also, nice red x

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/69/derail2.jpg

[SpazX]

Assholes, I'm too lazy to host it myself, but there it is now anyway.

[jbuck138]

I graduated with a psychology degree and later received my alternative certification in education at a community college in florida. It didn't take long and was significantly less than pursuing a masters in education.

I teach Special Ed. and love it. Yes, you will work long hours and have a lot to do, but it is a very rewarding job.

Someone recommended subbing and I agree. Subbing was much tougher than having my own class for classroom management. You can learn a lot from subbing and decide if you want to continue to pursue this career. If you stay at your current job, take a personal day and sub everyonce and awhile.

Look into local colleges and see if they offer alt. cert. Good luck on whatever you decide.

[mykevermin]

Our "married switch" coalesced into the desire to add another dog to our household. 5 years, no kids, and no kids in sight. I cried following the first scene in "Idiocracy," mind you.

"I'M A fuck ALL Y'ALL!!!!!"

Allow me to bump in here seeking some advice. I'm a fence-sitting academic as well. I have one year as a visiting assistant professor under my belt - and I'm on the job market. Then I began to pursue jobs much more aggressively (but believe me, I was quite aggressive already) once I found out that state finances beign what they are (shit), this position might not exist for the 2010-11 academic year (my position is renewable up to three years). Which I'm cool with - hell, in the end, I essentially found out I was being laid off 10 months in advance. How many people are that fortunate?

Anyway, long story short is that I began to weigh the options of pursuing academic versus nonacademic work. Many of the reasons stated thus far in this thread are simultaneously what draw me in and push me away from staying in academia. But I also recognize that, while I could do a few years outside of academia, I'm worried about taking on a job that would effectively close the door for me to return down the line if I wanted.

So I've been very fortunate with job calls over the past week, but they're very disparate jobs that run the gamut b/w academic and non-academic - which is making things hard for me to think through.

A) tenure-track ass't professor position: the first university I heard from is the one I truly had at the top of my list. The job description, when I read it, really hit me as an almost flawless description of the courses I can teach and the research I perform. I was thinking "they don't want a professor, they want ME!" It's in a big city I want to live in and have friends in, near other large cities I have friends in as well. (fwiw, I live in a rural area right now, and realizing I'm not a rural dude, even if the rural area has a bar with cheap canned beer and Poison Idea on the jukebox).

B) criminologist position: this is a job way the fuck far away from where I live or have ever lived, but also in a major metropolitan area. This is not a university position - I'd be working with a police dept to gather and analyze data, present reports, and work with them to mold appropriate policy responses based on the data. A job like this would make it relatively easy to re-enter academia if I wanted (it's a 3-year position), since it's research, and criminological research. A lot like what I do right now, but without the teaching, I think - and the satisfaction that real human beings, and not just academics (:)), will be working with research I perform. Downside is that it's grant-funded and in CA. If the grant money is there it's there; but I'm skeptical of moving from a state where I'm experiencing job attrition due to state finances to take on a grant-funded job in a state with the #1 shittiest state budget in the nation.

C) Data analyst/statistician: Non-academic, but the company works with educational institutions. So I wouldn't be, say, running marketing focus groups to see which box of "Captain Crunch" consumers prefer - but this is the furthest away I'd go from academia. I'm unsure how, or if, I could return to higher education in the future. That's a big scary thing to me. On the other hand, this job is located in my #1 preferred city to move to (by comparison, A above is a close second, but not the same), I have friends employed by this company, and I have it on authority I could make decent money for starters - twice what I make as a current visiting professor, and probably $10-20K more than I'd make starting out as the assistant professor at A.

But I'm trying to hedge my bets, weighing short term versus long term, right? And this shit's making me go even more grey, but I do recognize that being highly sought after in the job market in *this* economy is a pretty awful thing to feel bad about.

But there it is. I'm sitting on the fence, and looking for guidance on which side to fall off onto.

[Malik112099]

pick what makes you happy but still pays the bills

[dmaul1114]

I am totally bitter about my 2 wonderful kids! To see them running around the Christmas tree while i type this post pointing out the ornaments they hung up to each other makes me so ungrateful for all that I have! I am so bitter that the vast majority of my conversations, thoughts, status updates, etc are about them! To know that I get to see them off for their first day of school, watch as they get money from the tooh fairy, rip open the gift they specifically asked santa for at the mall in a few weeks, drive their first car, go on their first date, etc makes me so upset with my decision to marry a woman who want children that i want to spit. Thanks, dmaul, for showing me my true feelings of bitterness towards the 2 greatest things to have ever happened to me.

Fair enough. You're spewing about a marriage switch made it sound like you didn't want to have kids and your wife pressured you into it after changing her mind after marriage.

It's great you love kids. But there are plenty of people who don't. I just don't enjoy children, and I'm too focused on my career and myself in general to make that kind of time sacrifice. I don't have as much free time as I like now, if I had kids I'd have none and be less productive in my career.



But there it is. I'm sitting on the fence, and looking for guidance on which side to fall off onto.

I really hope the university job pans out for you. I really don't think you'd like the PD job or the other job much. And both would make it tougher to get back into an academic job as you likely won't get much opportunities to crank out some top publications to beef up the CV. So you could end up 3 years or however long down the road having an even tougher time landing a tenure-track job in a good program as that 3 years of doing non-academic work can (likely will from what I've heard from senior colleagues, profs from grad school etc.) be stigmatized when compared to very strong ABD applicants, and senior-junior assistants who have 2-4 years of tenure track experience but are looking to move universities for whatever reason.

But it's a tough, tough job market in academia this year. I've heard from some colleagues that some openings have 75-100 applicants.

So with your situation, the best you can do is push hard for academic jobs, and also push for other jobs as back ups like you're doing. I'd just hesitate to take a non-academic job that had a 3 year committment, as you want to be able to get back on the academic job market each year. From all I've heard, the longer you're out of academia after finishing the Ph D, the harder it is to get back. With exceptions of working at a research firm and getting out publications in top ranked journals etc. (which isn't that common as most of that research just results in reports rather than scholarly publications).

So I'd suggest, if you don't land an academic job this year, really try to get a very research oriented job that will give you a chance to do some work leading to publications. And also try to get out some more publications on your own in the mean time. Anything you can do to beef up the CV on that front will help out tremedously the next time you go on the market. Beefing up the CJ part would be key if you want a CJ job. You mentioned before that your record is like 85% CJ and 15% sociology related--and that can hurt. The CJ programs aren't going to care about the sociology stuff as much. Soc programs vary, but some kind of frown upon CJ work (especially if it's more CJ and less crim theory stuff). Many exceptions to both, but that could be a barrier some places.

Anyway, don't know if that helps. Probably all info you've known and been weighing the whole time! But that's my two cents. Feel free to PM me if you want any more detailed info, questions etc. you dont' want to post here.

[mykevermin]

For real, dude. This feels very much like a transition point - and how/what I choose will have big time ramifications on what I can and can't do 10-15-25 years down the line.

Which is why I'm going grey. That and being old. Thanks for the info - I might use the B and C as leverage to get A to move along a bit faster in their hiring process. ;)

[SpazX]

I'd go with A myke, though I'm right now trying to get my ass into grad school to basically get to some kind of A myself and have no experience to actually help you. Unless your pay is rock bottom bullshit with A I don't think the 10-20k difference is worth it for C and B doesn't sound like the best idea really (for the reasons you stated).

[Dead of Knight]

Didn't live with each other at all. And we were both 19. It was rough to say the least.

Also, nice red x

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/69/derail2.jpg

This might be the problem. I've essentially lived with him for 2 years since we started dating. I'd live in my dorm on class days while I was still in college, but then I'd live in his apartment on days off and the weekends. I only had classes 3-4 days a week so I was living with him at least half the time then. Then I officially moved in after I graduated. So we know our living environment. Both of us have our hands full enough with 2 energetic, loving cats and full time jobs.

[dmaul1114]

I'd go with A myke, though I'm right now trying to get my ass into grad school to basically get to some kind of A myself and have no experience to actually help you. Unless your pay is rock bottom bullshit with A I don't think the 10-20k difference is worth it for C and B doesn't sound like the best idea really (for the reasons you stated).

Yeah, I don't think the 10-20K difference would be worth it. It's certainly a nice perk for a fall back plan, but not worth the setback in getting into academia if that's the ultimate goal.

The pay shouldn't be rock bottom. Most every program in our field (at least CJ, not as familiar with Soc) starts at $50-60K for the 9 month year for the fresh out of grad school Assistant Profs. With chances to get summer salary (up to 30% of your 9 month salary). Most places will give 1 or 2 months of summer salary (10% a month) for the first 2 or 3 years for new profs as well, leaving you 1 or 2 to fund yourself through research grants or teaching in the summer.

I'm in my first year and have $65K or so lined up for sure (between salary, provided month of summer salary, and some grant pay for consulting work), and just put in an application for another month of summer salary with would bump it up to a bit over $70K. So it's not shabby pay by any means, even starting out. So the pay shouldn't really factor into the equation much. Definitely put all efforts into the academic job.

[Dead of Knight]

Sounds like A would be want you'd want to do, Myke. A $10-20k difference isn't really shit if it's not what you want to do.

[dmaul1114]

Yep, and again the $10-20K difference is probably comparing the 9 month academic salary to the 12 month salary for the research job. So it's not as large as it seems and can be brought down by getting summer salary at the university.

[plasticbathmonki]

I'm in the same boat as you are, DoK. I work in PR. The job I'm currently in has excellent pay and wonderful benefits, but I can't honestly say that I want to do this for the rest of my life (working with people all day and having to fake being chipper can do that to you). I'm thinking about going back to school and studying nursing (much less of a risk than teaching), but I'd be giving up an 8-year career, excellent pay, etc etc.

[mykevermin]

Touche. Not to mention much of that may be eaten up by the cost of living differences in rents between A and C.

Thanks for the input, y'all.

[Malik112099]

This might be the problem. I've essentially lived with him for 2 years since we started dating. I'd live in my dorm on class days while I was still in college, but then I'd live in his apartment on days off and the weekends. I only had classes 3-4 days a week so I was living with him at least half the time then. Then I officially moved in after I graduated. So we know our living environment. Both of us have our hands full enough with 2 energetic, loving cats and full time jobs.


My only REAL advise to you is if you are truly unhappy with your job and the negativity is coming home with you then you need to change it. I have been there with the military and even though we are having a hard time starting our lives as civilians I am happier now.

[dmaul1114]

My only REAL advise to you is if you are truly unhappy with your job and the negativity is coming home with you then you need to change it. I have been there with the military and even though we are having a hard time starting our lives as civilians I am happier now.

That's definitely true. And she's lucky in having substantial savings etc. that will make changing careers easier for her than most if she decides to go that route.

A change is definitely needed, she just needs to do a lot of soul searching and make the right change. The least risky one short term is trying to find an accounting job with a smaller firm/business and see if that's lower stress and a job she enjoys. That would probably be my advice for what to try first, and then go from their with considering teaching and other options if you still hate doing accounting work.

[bordjon]

Well I may be one of the few - but I can see where Malik is coming from. People do change - sometimes over night even. Mine was a slower change but originally I didn't want kids. Now I want to have a child and feel like I'm ready for that. I NEVER though I'd be a stay-at-home dad. Never would have guessed that in a million years. Now it's what I want to do.

Life is too short to fuck around. Do what you want to do. If you decide a few years later that's not what you want to do - then stop doing it - and do something else. At least for now, you seem to be in a position to do that. You seem to have a money cushion right now and also seem to be smart with your money and that can afford you the opportunity to change things with your career path/life goal.

[dmaul1114]

Well I may be one of the few - but I can see where Malik is coming from. People do change - sometimes over night even. Mine was a slower change but originally I didn't want kids. Now I want to have a child and feel like I'm ready for that. I NEVER though I'd be a stay-at-home dad. Never would have guessed that in a million years. Now it's what I want to do.


No one disputed that people do change. Just that there's a "marriage trigger" that kicks in the maternal instinct and causes women who didn't want kids before to all of a sudden want them.

People do change over their life courses of course, and for some marriage can be one of the turning points to promote change. But it's a bit silly to say that all women have a "marriage trigger" and will want kids after getting married if they didn't want them before. Some will, some won't.

[Paco]

No one disputed that people do change. Just that there's a "marriage trigger" that kicks in the maternal instinct and causes women who didn't want kids before to all of a sudden want them.

People do change over their life courses of course, and for some marriage can be one of the turning points to promote change. But it's a bit silly to say that all women have a "marriage trigger" and will want kids after getting married if they didn't want them before. Some will, some won't.


I dunno, spawning out an eighteen "twenty one years in California" annuity seems to be a highlight of most women. Then there's the fabulous trash you see on maury that will spawn out kids for fifty dollar a week allowances to get their nails done and have a pair of pumps. You're right though on everyone being different. But if both are against having kids, then there's usually a higher chance of them not having kids since it requires at least one person to be somewhat receptive to the idea.

[bordjon]

Well Malik you should have been more clear about the "marriage trigger."

Generally, after around a year of being married, a small, fleshy nub begins to protrude from the skin three to four inches below the right nipple (you may also notice a small patch of thin, delicate hair emerge as well.) After approximately one more year the nub will harden and scale over. the hair will fall out. It will turn a pale green in color. It is approximately .5 inches in diameter. On average, 33 percent of women will notice a small rash around the trigger in the from of three thin, red lines encircling the trigger. This is normal.

[SpazX]

Oh, hey it's Paco! Insulting women!

[Paco]

Oh, hey it's Paco! Insulting women!

Oh look, it's someone who denies the truth for a significant majority of what really happens. If it wasn't common enough, you wouldn't have great car radio like Tom Leykis and stories of women who entrap men and women suing men for damage to their cooch.

[SpazX]

You heard it on the radio? Oh, well, I'm sorry, everything on the radio is definitely true, I'm sorry I questioned you.

[Paco]

You heard it on the radio? Oh, well, I'm sorry, everything on the radio is definitely true, I'm sorry I questioned you.

Way to construe. It has to happen at least somewhat often for it to be on the air for any given amount of time. Plus if people were so good and not causing shit or paternity traps, we wouldn't have delightful television like Maury, Montel, That shrill woman with the voice, Ricky, The View and on and on. Now I must take my leave for the case of the woman suing over horsee sauce awaits. God Bless America.

[dmaul1114]

What the fuck does that have to do with Malik's post in any case?

The fact that their are shitty people out their that get pregnant just to get child support etc. says nothing about the fact that they're are women who don't want kids period--nor his suggestion that such women don't exist and will change their minds once they get married.

[SpazX]

Way to construe. It has to happen at least somewhat often for it to be on the air for any given amount of time. Plus if people were so good and not causing shit or paternity traps, we wouldn't have delightful television like Maury, Montel, That shrill woman with the voice, Ricky, The View and on and on. Now I must take my leave for the case of the woman suing over horsee sauce awaits. God Bless America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic - especially when you seek out such information anyway (so you've got some confirmation bias going).

Do you have any actual statistics? And what exactly is the claim here anyway, you hate women pretty generally, what exactly is it that you think the majority of them do so often?


Sorry this thread is so derailed at this point, but I could've guessed Paco would be in here sooner or later once it had something to do with women...

[GuilewasNK]

I don't think I would make a good teacher.

I hate people in general. Except for redheaded dwarves, I would probably hate little people in general, too.

I know you wouldn't. In fact, the only person who isn't already one that I think could do it on CAG is epobirs. Almost everyone else is too much of a smartass or wears their politics (regardless of their leanings) on their sleeves.

DoK, all I can say is my sister was a teacher and her opinion of it was like every other job. It pays the bills. The best way to have a job you love is to make your own. Eventually, you will dread teaching too.

[Paco]

I know you wouldn't. In fact, the only person who isn't already one that I think could do it on CAG is epobirs. Almost everyone else is too much of a smartass or wears their politics (regardless of their leanings) on their sleeves.

DoK, all I can say is my sister was a teacher and her opinion of it was like every other job. It pays the bills. The best way to have a job you love is to make your own. Eventually, you will dread teaching too.


THIS right here. Though if it's a subject you love teaching that hate takes a long time to settle in. My cousin got a job as an art teacher and he always talks about this math teacher that fucking hates his job, but won't leave because of how much he makes and the fact that he essentially has Tenure and has a job for life. But he hates his job, hates his students and is only there to get the benefits.

[Malik112099]

At this point I dont care what I do. I want a job that pays well, period. It could be shoveling pig shit or decoding ancient languages. As long as it pays good and has decent benefits i'll take it.

[SpazX]

Decoding ancient languages sounds fucking awesome. Unless your boss is a dick of course, and expects you to decode everything in a week...

[The Mana Knight]

I'm the opposite, where as long as I'm making good money, I'll work all the time (such as OT, which I do a lot of now).

[Paco]

I'm the opposite, where as long as I'm making good money, I'll work all the time (such as OT, which I do a lot of now).

How's work on THE TESTER going?

[Malik112099]

I'm the opposite, where as long as I'm making good money, I'll work all the time (such as OT, which I do a lot of now).


How does one obtain your full and unwavering dedication for free such as Sony?

[Paco]

How does one obtain your full and unwavering dedication for free such as Sony?

Get him a PSP GO with anime games on it.

But seriously. What the hell DOES The Mana Knight do? For the longest time he was unemployed, but always ALWAYS buying all these fucking games. Now all of a sudden the man has a job, but we STILL have no info on what it is. I'm convinced that Sony saw his dedication and officially hired him and made a position called FANBOY just for him, in much the same way Sega has a official position in their company called TROLL who makes stupid decisions like releasing Yakuza 3 in March with Final Fantasy 13 and God of War 3.

[GuilewasNK]

Get him a PSP GO with anime games on it.

But seriously. What the hell DOES The Mana Knight do? For the longest time he was unemployed, but always ALWAYS buying all these fucking games. Now all of a sudden the man has a job, but we STILL have no info on what it is.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRaNpj51tBY

[Brak]

...

Is Paco really calling The Mana Knight a loser Sony fanboy..? :lol: / #-o

[The Mana Knight]

Get him a PSP GO with anime games on it.

But seriously. What the hell DOES The Mana Knight do? For the longest time he was unemployed, but always ALWAYS buying all these fucking games. Now all of a sudden the man has a job, but we STILL have no info on what it is. I'm convinced that Sony saw his dedication and officially hired him and made a position called FANBOY just for him, in much the same way Sega has a official position in their company called TROLL who makes stupid decisions like releasing Yakuza 3 in March with Final Fantasy 13 and God of War 3.Actually, the only reason I was able to pick up games while being unemployed previously was because I sold a ton of games I bought while last being employed. However, I honestly didn't pick up anywhere near as much compared to now.

What I do remains a secret, but all I can say is that I have zero affiliation with Sony (even if my laptop, one TV, etc. is Sony).

To an extent I understand the OP's decision because I really love teaching, but decided not to go into it because it doesn't make much money.

[Paco]

...

Is Paco really calling The Mana Knight a loser Sony fanboy..? :lol: / #-o


No, I'm actually curious on how he bought all this shit without a job and what his job is now because when he came back with a job, he was praising sony more then ever. This is something that's fascinating for some odd reason and I just need an answer.

Am I a sony fan? Somewhat. DO I believe they can do no wrong? HELL FUCKING NO. Them bitches owe me a new PSP. Damn thing has a dead pixel after a month of owning it.


But The Mana Knight is just in all honesty fascinating and puts in more work then any fan I've ever seen in my life, that I just KNOW that somewhere Sony is sending him some form of compensation. THEY HAVE TO. Even Antagonist from AOL back in the day didn't praise something this highly, and they were paid for it.

[mykevermin]

Paco, Mana Knight:

Shut the fuck up.

[Paco]

Actually, the only reason I was able to pick up games while being unemployed previously was because I sold a ton of games I bought while last being employed. However, I honestly didn't pick up anywhere near as much compared to now.

What I do remains a secret, but all I can say is that I have zero affiliation with Sony (even if my laptop, one TV, etc. is Sony).

To an extent I understand the OP's decision because I really love teaching, but decided not to go into it because it doesn't make much money.

That at least explains some of the mystery. Lot less interesting then I thought it would be.

Many people love teaching as there is an actual benefit that goes beyond the salary to it, but it depends on what you teach that determines your salary. I see a certain amount of dignity in teaching that several occupations cannot match. Teaching won't leave you a pauper, but it will leave you grumbling that you aren't making as much money as some other jobs. But hell at least a teacher can hold their head up high and know they made a difference.

Now, back to your regular posting on the topic.

[Ikohn4ever]

I work in a middle school as a teacher, if you have any real questions let me know. Also some cities have teaching programs where you teach and work towards your masters at the same time all you need is a college degree. Examples of this are New York teaching fellows and I know philly also has a similar program.

[Dead of Knight]

Well, I decided to be a pussy and perhaps give accounting one more try. Just not at the current company. I haven't pulled the trigger and put in my notice yet, but I will do it when I feel the time is right; I think I will know when that is only for myself.

I looked on the Federal Government's jobs website and found some nice government accounting jobs that I qualify for. I applied to one of them tonight, might do more later. If I REALLY hate accounting after trying a new accounting job, then I will know it's not for me, and that it wasn't just the company I was working for.

[pacifickarma]

The high school where I work offers accounting classes to students, so it's likely that someone with an accounting major would be in demand. That being said, it's a pretty bad time to go into teaching. Most school districts in my area are majorly in the red and are laying teachers off, cutting programs, slashing after-school programs, and generally being very thrifty. Twenty-three teachers were laid off at my high school last year and it's supposed to be about as bad this year.