I'm 35 Years Old

"Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection" (itsalwayssteve)
10/29/2013 at 23:06 • Filed to: None

And I decided to follow the advice of a close friend.

"If you hate your job, find another one. Do something else. It's not worth your time."

So I quit my job doing customer service for a major financial institution — it had high pressure sales involved and I came home every day hating myself. The pay was abysmal for the amount of revenue that we brought in.

My wife is in full support of this. We just went to advising and we've got a full-on plan to finish our bachelors' degrees by the end of fall 2015. I'll probably be taking 18 hours of classes next semester and another 12 during summer session. She just went part-time at her job and keeps benefits for both of us, but the craziest thing is that her take-home pay is about the same (less than $100/month difference) despite the fact that she's down 8 hours a week.

I'm now working part-time delivering pizzas and sammiches and bringing home almost as much every week (even after gas and everything) as I did at the bank. The Soul is going to be retired from its delivery duty later this fall and replaced with a cheap "pizza bitch." My father-in-law has a small car lot that deals mostly in 8-10 year old, low-ish mileage Japanese sedans, so I may just take a Tuesday morning and ride with him to an auction. He recently picked up a gray '04 Mazda6 4-cylinder 5-speed with 140k for about $2000 so I'm sure I can find something good, cheap.

So I'm kind of back where I was at 21, but with a wife, a pair of dogs, and a future ahead of me.

Have a good night, Oppo.

DISCUSSION (21)

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:09

That's actually a very good place to be. Best of luck man!

Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:09

Raises Glass , here's to your endeavors. Godspeed.

Svend > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:15

As long as your happy, with the one you love and have their support and indeed support each other in everything you do and put food on the table and pay the bills as well as the job being legal and not hurting anyone. It doesn't matter what you do. Take care, have a good evening and good luck in finding a car that fits your needs. All the best.

rabbitman > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:16

Good luck sounds like a good choice and the right move.

Edit: For you rock for using that picture if that is what I think it is from.

Get back to where you once belonged.

getchapopcorn > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:16

Kinja'd!!!

Argent > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:18

Sounds like you already like your current job/school situation more than your old job. Good, you're headed in the right direction! Keep it up, and good luck man!

interrogator-chaplain > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:18

Bringing home the bacon just doesn't taste right if it's ashes in your mouth. I'm nearly 10 years behind you looking at about the same deal. I have a college diploma in Video Game Development and I'm an aspiring 3D artist, but after a few health mishaps, it's not in the strongest shape. So I'm at home with my folks (Great people, really understanding and supportive.) and just started working part time slinging petrol again. I'm still positive that things will get better for me as I work on and more get stuff done. You've got a woman who loves you, a pair of faithful companions and if you didn't quit work in an epic fashion, a good job reference. You're going to be just fine.

pImpOfThePerverse > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:19

All the best adventures begin with the purchase of a cheap car.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:19

Hell yeah! Atleast you realized it now and not when you were 50! Then you may have been screwed.

Leadbull > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:22

College is great bro, it's even better if you join a frat!

desertdog5051 > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:26

I'm a bit older, but have found myself in a similar situation. Although, out of my control. It is difficult to transition into a whole new field of work. I hope your trans is easier. Best of luck, my fellow Oppo.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > rabbitman
10/29/2013 at 23:38

That movie is the origin of my unnatural desire to own a Bulletnose Studebaker.

POD > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:41

I can't applaud you enough. Very well done. I'm also finding myself in a similar place, but don't have your resolve.

Burrito de EJ25 > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/29/2013 at 23:46

Good luck and have Batman!

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/30/2013 at 00:14

Godspeed my friend.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > POD
10/30/2013 at 00:19

To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't have this resolve if it wasn't for my wife. She's a wonderful woman and always supports me. She also recognizes some things that I don't — or don't want to.

I've also lived with pretty severe depression most of my life. The causes for this are multiple but it was exacerbated in my late 20s and early 30s by excessive alcohol use and lacking a direction in my life. I met my wife about two and a half years ago and motivation changed. Instead of just wallowing around in the problems I had - many of which I created for myself - I saw a reason to make the effort to change them. I lost the pride that sometimes comes from my stubborn Irish-and-eastern-European bloodline and found that I could ask for help without it meaning that I'm weak.

Depression is an illness that commands respect — like any other mental illness. I take medication every day and that helps considerably, but like any other there are good and bad days. The bad days are fewer now that my stress level is down, but they still come around. Now, however, I recognize them and can manage them, rather than just letting them control me.

Dunnik > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/30/2013 at 00:51

Just to echo what others have said, I think you've made the right call. Good luck!

Be sure to try and post your vehicular prospects to Oppo for some 2nd opinions.

Greenmobile Supremo Commando, BRZ Extrordinare > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/30/2013 at 01:29

Good on you man for taking the risk and getting out of a stable job in order to do what you love. Especially in our current economic situation, that prospect only gets more difficult for people who can't afford to take that chance.

Good luck with your decision, and I hope everything works out well for you.

Reborn Pyrrhic > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/30/2013 at 02:45

Having a well laid out plan is half of it. Good luck and do your best!

POD > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/30/2013 at 08:44

I will be one of the first to say that it takes more courage and strength to seek help then it ever will to play the stoic card. I could go into research studies, and examples both personal and from some of my clients, but it seems like you've already lived most of what I could share.

You have an amazing primary support group, and you're already doing much to provide yourself with a positive role and life direction. You've figured out (or started to figure out) at 35 what many never do. While you're wife sounds like she has been a phenomenal catalyst, speaking as a slavic mutt myself, I know that the will to change needs to be as much intrinsic as extrinsic.

Again, I both commend and applaud you and wish you only the best in this new journey.

m2m, apex detective > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
10/30/2013 at 09:10

Kinja'd!!!

Godspeed!

While I lack the proper words right now, I just really want to express my respect for doing something like this, both to you and your supportive wife.