Are you still doing what you set out to do in life?
The university where my wife works has an appreciation event for the employees every year – thanking the most-tenured professors through to the grounds keeping staff. It used to be a dinner honoring, well everybody connected with the school, and spouses were also included. There was hosted bar, music, and dancing should you desire to do so (I would usually desire to not). They give recognition in particular to individuals as to their length of employment, in 5-year increments.
These days it is scaled way back to a much simpler daytime gathering, so I don’t go much anymore. But this year, I have to go, as in a week or so my wife is getting acknowledgment of her 40 years of work in the library. This causes me to cast an eye back to recall how things played out over that time.
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This sort of accomplishment is becoming less common as technology heaves and shifts in new directions. While some occupations, like education, are stable over the years with ongoing institutions where longevity is possible, others have been greatly affected by the digital revolution of the 80’s and 90’s. Now some even are saying that you should switch it up, and instead of longevity in a job with the same employer being desired, it’s beneficial to both parties that employees move around a lot. Not sure as totally agree: My wife’s position has smoothed out the ups and downs of family finance...
...But I didn’t have much choice.
I can’t even imagine working for the same employer for 40 years, or even having the same job type. I had worked for four companies in my first 15 years after college. That is a result of working for small businesses; they tend to not survive for the long haul. I figured that I could be an independent contractor and not do any worse. None of the companies I worked for exist today, and in the case of a couple of them, I was one of the last persons out of the door.
We both were fine arts majors. While I spent the 5 months looking for a foot in the door doing design and graphics, my wife did some short-term things with a temp agency, a few weeks at a time. As luck would have it, a fill-in position came up at the library. Since she had worked in various capacities in two libraries during school, the agency thought it would be a good fit. It was, and the department head offered her a job…been there ever since!
Me? I was a graphic designer and artist for 10 years for a small graphics and advertising studio, two electronics firms — with a stint stuck in between for good measure — as the ad coordinator for a west-coast retail chain (I hated that one).
At the last place where I punched the proverbial time clock, I transitioned into a draftsman, as the advertising graphic work subsided. There was a need in that area, and paycheck continuity was of prominent importance at that point in time. I became the engineering aide…it’s amazing how far a couple mechanical drawing classes gets a guy! I learned on the job basically.
After the company closed (the promised funding never came through) I became self-employed, and gave me the opportunity to try different things. Often I served as an independent contractor working with an electronics engineer doing industrial design and printed circuit board layout.
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So we both were art students. She became a librarian, and I have designed about a 100 PCB’s and things made out of metal and plastic. Funny where life takes you, sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
What do you want to talk about today?
What: A Daily Kos meet up for DK members and interested parties
When: Saturday, May 19th, 2018 — Time: 12:00-? PM
Where: Highland Brewing, Asheville, NC
www.highlandbrewing.com
12 Old Charlotte Highway, Suite 200
Asheville, North Carolina 28803
828-299-3370
Directions via Google Maps
Why: Friends, tools and networking to win in November
Food: Food Trucks plus
Fun: Brewery Tour
RSVPS
1. randallt, organizer (kosmail him to connect)
2. Lamont Cranston
3. Joieau
4. Gordon20024
MAYBEES :
1. Otteray Scribe
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Netroots Nation 2018
Puerto Rico Kos !