has anyone here ever... (1 Viewer)

[Mark Schermerhorn]

...just quit your job to travel or do volunteer work for 6 months to a year? I've been thinking about this for several years, back to when I was in college too (it would most likely be volunteer work). I guess working full time til I retire seems...really boring, even though I basically like my job and it pays well (I'm an electrical engineer). The only thing I worry about is finding a job when I "return" from whatever I was doing. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Doug_H]

Mark
About 4 years ago I was at a point where work had run me into the ground. I went out an bought a bass boat and hit the water here in Texas for 6 months.
when I decided to it was time to find a job I did so with high energy and a clear mind. It was the best thing I ever did for myself.
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The Mischievous Rogue Strikes Again! The Humble Hanson Theater

 

[Jay H]

Mark, how long have you worked there, if you still like your job and you have some kind of tenure (i,e. they still like you) have you thought about taking a "leave of absence"?
BTW, good for you, I think time off for such a good purpose is great. Let us know how it works out.
Jay
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HUGBEES! Link Removed
Rider in the 2001 Alaska AIDS Vaccine Ride
Wanna Link Removed

 

[Mark Schermerhorn]

Jay, I've been there a little over a year, starting not too long after I graduated from college in May of last year. I've considered a LOA, I haven't asked anyone because if I do this it won't be for another 1 - 2 years, most likely. The longest LOA I know of that someone pulled off here is 2 months, and I know of another person who just quit to write a novel, which he figured would take him a year.
In the meantime I have to decide if I'm going to buy a house and a few other major decisions...fortunatly none of them involve women at the moment...hehe

 

[Luc]

Mark,
We all love to take some time off. How many of us haven't thought about taking 6-12mo off to travel or do something that interest us. But honestly, many of us can't afford to. Do consider this if you decide to take some time off: when you reapply for a job, your resume will have 1yr of working experience after college and six months of something. This six months of something will be very important in the eyes of the employer. If they see that you're worked only a year after college and goofed off for 6 months, they could think you're unstable.
When it comes down to it, I would say can you afford to do this.

 

[SteveGon]

I wish I could afford to take that kind of time off! I'm so tired of the grind that it's gotten to the point where I wish aliens would kidnap me! Take me away!
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He thought on homeland, the big timber, the air thin and chill all the year long. Tulip poplars so big through the trunk they put you in mind of locomotives set on end. He thought of getting home and building him a cabin on Cold Mountain so high that not a soul but the nighthawks passing across the clouds in autumn could hear his sad cry. Of living a life so quiet he would not need ears. And if Ada would go with him, there might be the hope, so far off in the distance he did not even really see it, that in time his despair might be honed off to a point so fine and thin that it would be nearly the same as vanishing.
-- Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain

 

[nousername]

Mark,
If by volunteer work you mean helping the poor, doing missionary work, etc., then I say, "Do it!" Doing so will make you more grounded as a person and will make you realize what life's true priorities are.

 

[Ryan Wright]

quote: I wish aliens would kidnap me! [/quote]
You miss them, don't you? It must be hard, being out of contact with your own species for so long...

EDIT: Hey!! This was my 1000th post, and my first pot-shot at Christou! Oh hell! I just re-read this, and you're not Christou, you're Steve someone else. Damnit! Well, I feel like an idiot... I really thought you were Christou. Shows how much attention I pay to things. OK, now maybe I should just erase this post alltogether? I would if it wasn't lucky #1000. Damn.

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-Ryan ( http://www.ryanwright.com )
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
[Edited last by Ryan Wright on October 05, 2001 at 12:32 PM]

 

[Jay H]

Calgon, take me away!!!
Actually, I know alot of people working in my company who took a 6-7 month sabbatical, its called "Lucent" and "Motorola"

Now a whole flock of them are back...
Jay
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HUGBEES! Link Removed
Rider in the 2001 Alaska AIDS Vaccine Ride
Wanna Link Removed
[Edited last by Jay H on October 05, 2001 at 01:22 PM]

 

[Holadem]

If by volunteer work you mean helping the poor, doing missionary work, etc., then I say, "Do it!" Doing so will make you more grounded as a person and will make you realize what life's true priorities are.

Don't do it! You might realize HT is NOT one of them!

--
Holadem

 

[Mark Schermerhorn]

hahaha....Holadem...yeah, I already knew that it wasn't a high priority. I have a certain amount of guilt over spending so much on stuff that is "just for fun". But I really love music, so the 5k I'll drop over the next two years on stereo equipment will be worth it, even if it is ludicrus that it would take someone from one of the poorest countries in the world all their earnings for 15 years to buy it themselves.
But yes, things like this are a lot of the reason I'd want to do go do volunteer work with poor people. Even if I try to not be materialistic, everything in this country tells you too be. A nice shot of reality in the arm would do me good.

 

[LarryDavenport]

I threatened to quit my job today if I didn't get all the Mariner playoff /championship/world series games off (I almost never take a vacation).
I got the time off!

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These chicks know how to party! - MoJo JoJo

 

[Steve Christou]

Right Ryan! Taking the name of Christou in vain are we, trying to sneak up on me huh? Whats that aliens quip hmmm, taking potshots at moi, and on your 1000th post too, tsk tsk, I am deeply offended, and have asked the mods to quickly bury this thread before I lose my composure, any more species jibes at my expense and I sic Eric Scott on you!

POSTED BY SPECIES 8472.

 

[Eric Scott]

Whats that aliens quip hmmm

Ryan, Talking about the aliens is more risky than talking about the Mods.
The Mods can delete your Account, but the aliens delete your whole damned ... emm ... Membership!
Think of it this way, what would the HTF be if it didn’t have a single member? They removed mine for 2 days. It didn’t bother my wife (she’s thinks she’s a nun) but trust me on this, it’s very painful, after one day your ears start oozing, stuffs running out your nose…it’s messy and it hurts!

 

[Steve Christou]

Thats it Eric, get him boy, great post, started losing consistency near the end though, in fact the last couple of lines were pretty unintelligible, but never mind I got the gist of your post, its nearly perfect apart from the first few lines and the last few lines, and I like the unexpected plot twists in the second paragraph, yep a well thought out post, almost.
Coherency? Who needs it?.

 

[Ryan Wright]

but the aliens delete your whole damned ... emm ... Membership!

Ouch.

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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.