Change of gigs....

JeffG. · Post by **JeffG.** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:16 pm

Had to drop my job of the last 3 years. My employer was doing some things I just couldn't stomach, and I didn't want any part of it. It was funny, I was telling the other guys in the department the only way I could feel whole was to go to lunch, slam sushi and saki and listen to Springsteen full blast before coming back inside

I'd hoped to be able to take a break, play some guitar and build this JTM45 thats sitting here in the box, but instead I find myself with far less time, working weekends and late nights LOL. I had a shot at some contract work and took it, but that should end around 4/15.

Best to stay busy around my house. If the wife catches me in the recliner she starts talking about finding a way to get me pregnant

Post by **Scumback Speakers** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:20 pm

One of the reasons I went to work for myself. I got so tired of the shady deals and underhanded crap some of my employers did. It's funny, I don't make 6 figures like I used to 15 years ago, but I don't have that feeling that I need to scrape the slime off of me each nite as I leave work, either.

So I've settled for less money, but I'm a lot happier...and I don't commute, so that's probably worth at least 30K in time, gas and peace of mind.

Still glad the wife makes six figures, though...

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:27 pm

Southbay Ampworks wrote:So I've settled for less money, but I'm a lot happier...and I don't commute, so that's probably worth at least 30K in time, gas and peace of mind.

when I was a kid watching CHiPs I used to laugh at way overdone huge pile ups on the California freeways.

Then I moved here and found the show wasn't far from the truth!

Especially when it rains...

I make "new friends" everytime I'm out on my bike.

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:29 pm

Southbay Ampworks wrote:Still glad the wife makes six figures, though...

Post by **Scumback Speakers** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:28 pm

rockstah wrote:
Southbay Ampworks wrote:Still glad the wife makes six figures, though...

But when you're looking at a 600k house and a $3500 per month house note, that money don't go that far...oh yeah, I forgot, I have to pay some of that. Well, maybe we'll be ok...LOL.

I sure hate looking. God do I hate looking at houses. And do I hate contractors and remodeling people. They all suck.

The best thing about this house is that it's all done. The wife gets the upstairs of 1250 SF, and I get the basement with 450 SF. Enough to build an amp, recover a cab, and blast my Plexi...that's all I could ever hope for.

JeffG. · Post by **JeffG.** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:47 am

Southbay Ampworks wrote: Still glad the wife makes six figures, though...

Thats funny... same situation. It can be a weird dynamic at times though. I earn pretty well, but I will not ever match her, and her goal is to go much higher both in terms of $ and power.

Our mortgage has been paid down to a little less then half of yours, but then in IL that gets me about 2600 sf of living space and a half acre. Other then that there's the boat payment but nothing crazy, we live pretty cheap, at least for now. I'm sure that will start to change, its inevitable. I have mixed feelings about it. Its an odd dynamic to the relationship. The high-strung alpha females are a finicky breed.

For now I'm building some cool applications and that feels pretty good. The deadlines are brutal. I'm pulling 18 hour days for another week or so, but then I'll coast for 3 weeks and it all pays the same, better then my former day job but with the tax change I actually make less. But I build the resume up. If I can keep the work coming in steady I'll stick with it, and if not I'll go back to corporate vanilla

The main thing is I don't ever have to hear another phone call where a woman is crying so hard she can't even ask what happened to her money. It happened one time, and that will be the last time.

Post by **Scumback Speakers** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:32 am

California real estate is a market unto itself. You either buy up after selling your old property, or move out of state. Once you cash out, you'll have to get an inheritance or win the lottery to get back in.

I laugh at real estate ads out here. "Only 650K, perfect for the first time home buyer!" ...puhlease. My loan agent told me the wife and I should actually be looking at a 1.2M home, as he says that's what our income qualifies us for. I told him we still wanted to eat, something other than Campbell's soup.

We wrote the offer for the 600k house last nite with our agent. If it doesn't come through, we're just going to call a moratorium on looking for houses...especially since I do most of it. I'd rather get commercial space and put the company in there until the market stabilizes.

Or see if the wife can get a job out of state with her company. Hell, we could move to Texas, pay 220K for a house that's on an acre with 3600 square feet. I just hate the humidity there, although I hear Austin is better than Houston, where I did live 30 years ago. I'll never go back there except for a short visit...like changing planes in the airport! LOL

NitroLiq · Post by **NitroLiq** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:22 pm

Welcome to my world. We pay $1k/month rent for a crappy 1-bedroom apt in the middle of Queens, NY...this is the lower line price for 1-bedrooms...average would be around $1500. Every time I visit my folks down in Crestview, FL (near Pensacola/Ft. Walton Beach), I grab the real estate rags at Walmart....2 Acres, 4 bedrm, 2 bath, 2-car garage houses...$220k! Easily that'd be more than a million up here in NY or NJ. I'm basically coming to a crossroads because we want to start a family soon and I'm seriously over city life...the noise...the pollution. The issue is while I could probably telecommute from another state since I do web development work, I've done a few test runs working from home and trying to remote in to my box here at work or work via VPN is so ridiculously slow...don't know how practical it would be. Plus I find that while I like the time at home, I need to physically go to another place to work. The scary thing is that should I lose my gig while down there, I'd be seriously screwed because, while the area is building up, it's not the web or graphic design hub that NYC is. Always a double-edged sword and always forced to make some kind of leap of faith towards one side or the other.

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:28 pm

Southbay Ampworks wrote:California real estate is a market unto itself.

You can say that again

Tone Slinger · Post by **Tone Slinger** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:16 pm

So most of you guy's posting on this thread havent got children, right ? I live right outside of Charlotte NC, and let me tell you, the cost of living here is LOW. My total cost per month(1200 sq. ft,2 bedroom, including all bills) is only $1100. I have seen alot of people from up north move down here. I understand why, they get $500,000 out of thier house then get the same model down here for around $150,000. Then they can retire a little earlier. I really hate this "Money Mongering" mentality that alot of people have. There needs to be a better balance between work and play. Many Americans are working too many hours and stressing out all the time. Living that way will surely promote future bad health IMHO. I refuse to become a short haired, pop bellyed "professional", cause I'm a humble musician who's "Tryin to make a livin, and doin the best I can", that is, without selling out .

JeffG. · Post by **JeffG.** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:39 am

NitroLiq wrote:Welcome to my world. We pay $1k/month rent for a crappy 1-bedroom apt in the middle of Queens, NY...this is the lower line price for 1-bedrooms...average would be around $1500.

The scary thing is that should I lose my gig while down there, I'd be seriously screwed because, while the area is building up, it's not the web or graphic design hub that NYC is.

I moved here from Jersey City, we were at the marina by the PATH station. Its interesting to hear your perspective. I do web development, mostly backend, and when we were there it was the only time I struggled with finding work. I never meshed well, and I loathed the subway. I was working within 6 weeks of moving to the Chicago burbs.

We were buried in rent while in NYC. My house payment now plus an extra $500 per month is about what I was paying for rent on a one bedroom there. Its an experience I wouldn't give up, but I could not go back.

Hard to say not knowing exactly what you do -- or like to do -- but you shouldn't let lack of work scare you. I had contract work coming in within 3 days of putting the word out. Interviewing for a permanent position seems to have changed though, lots of testing and call back interviews. It can take 4 or 5 rounds to get hired. If you do it polish up on those Brainbench exams

4 other guys quit the same time I did and there experience has been pretty much all the same. But the jobs are there.

Jim, regarding Austin its been about 15 years or more since I was there, but I liked the town a lot. I do remember it being humid... but then I was visiting from Phoenix

NitroLiq · Post by **NitroLiq** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:22 am

Hey Jeff. Contract work usually isn't a problem. When the whole dot.com thing imploded I did contract work on and off for three years before I got into my current permanent gig. I still do it on the side from time to time. I don't like the tax side of it, though or lack of benefits. When I said NYC is a big hub for web development and design, I should've also added that it's also very over-saturated and cut-throat when trying to find a permanent position. It took me so long to find my current gig so that's one of the reasons I tend to be overly cautious about picking up and moving somewhere else. I'm getting older....there are kids who are are 12 yrs old who could code me under the table...the thing I have going for me is having experience and being well-rounded as a developer (front-end coding, web/print design, some back-end asp.net and coldfusion, 3D, audio, illustration, etc).

That being said, it really is getting to the point where I need to do something. I really don't want to have a kid here...carrying a baby stroller down flights of subway stairs isn't my idea of a good time. Maybe I should just throw caution to the wind, move to FL and open up a bait shop. Mullet, anyone? Worms?

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:26 am

Southbay Ampworks wrote:....

Still glad the wife makes six figures, though...

There

Tone Slinger · Post by **Tone Slinger** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 3:04 pm

Me to Mac. I dont think its a matter of money, its HOW you make it. I just cant bring myself to waste my time doing something that I dont enjoy. It IS funny though, how most of us musician type dudes here, all seem to have/attract women who are the bread winner's. I do not have interests, I have passions. Screw the corporate ladder, and selling property to comanies who put 50 houses where only 20 should be.