Originally posted by SheriaVa: WOOHOO Susan! Great news! Keeping fingers crossed for you. As a person who has a 15-minute commute, I know how much stress I do NOT have because I'm not sitting on the highway in a mile-long string of cars on the beltway twice a day. I wish you the best in getting closer to home!
And as a person who has an hour commute I understand how much stress you are under. That is one of the MAJOR things I am looking forward to when we move back to Indiana.
Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4278 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
Two things somewhat related to my career goal, which is retirement:
1. A coworker gave me a card today for a financial advisor she and her husband met with this week. She is a specialist in Federal employee benefits issues. My coworker says the advisor is VERY expensive but that she is willing to meet the needs of her clients. Even though I have a financial advisor, he isn't a specialist in Fed stuff so I think a visit to this specialist might be a good idea.
2. While it isn't necessarily related to me getting MYSELF ready to retire, I have taken advantage of a rare quiet time in my work last week and this week to bang out some procedures on how various functions in my unit work. This is something I started a year or so ago but was never able to finish because of that special project that had me so stressed out last year. I have been able to make a substantial amount of progress just since last week and that makes me feel a bit calmer about having my ducks in a row before I retire...if that makes any sense.
Rest of Summer Goals: 1. Exercise-Cardio: Min. 2-3 walking or DVD cardio workouts per week. 2. Exercise-Weights/Toning: Min. 1 weight plus 1 toning workout per week. 3. Food: Get those veggie servings back up to where they were! 4. Behavior: Start reducing sweets now that the automatic after-meal response is better.
Posts: 7219 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
WOOHOO Susan! Great news! Keeping fingers crossed for you. As a person who has a 15-minute commute, I know how much stress I do NOT have because I'm not sitting on the highway in a mile-long string of cars on the beltway twice a day. I wish you the best in getting closer to home!
Rest of Summer Goals: 1. Exercise-Cardio: Min. 2-3 walking or DVD cardio workouts per week. 2. Exercise-Weights/Toning: Min. 1 weight plus 1 toning workout per week. 3. Food: Get those veggie servings back up to where they were! 4. Behavior: Start reducing sweets now that the automatic after-meal response is better.
Posts: 7219 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Oh boy oh boy oh boy....I have a phone interview on Friday!
First, a little background. While I'm mostly happy in my job, I have been hating the hour-long commute almost since Day One. I'd also like to be closer to home to have more chance to be involved at DS's school. So I've been job-hunting, but only half-heartedly, for a while.
Last fall, I saw a Monster.com job for a nearly perfect match of an opportunity at a large company headquartered about 10-15 minutes' drive from home. I talked to the recruiter and had a really good phone interview with the department head. But at the end of the call, he told me they had already made an offer to someone! Seems I came late to the process -- the Monster post had been up for about a week when I applied. I was encouraged that they still wanted to talk to me, but nothing came of it.
Just last week, I saw another opening at the same company. Not quite so perfect a match, but still an interesting opportunity, so I applied again. And the recruiter called! She remembered talking to me last year, and we have another phone interview scheduled for Friday.
So now I'm all in a whirl. Need to calm down and stay out of the kitchen! Not sure if it would be reward-eating or stress-eating, but either way it wouldn't be a good thing to do.
To be employable in the civil engineering field at all, I need a few more classes where I am now in the next two or three semesters. Scheduling is still a major problem, hence why I was up at the university yesterday. I figured I could take classes that would count where I am now (no questions asked) and at the Univ. (since they're their classes).
Well, this seems like the direction to go. Get these classes, get in the field and go from there. When you are looking for new positions, let their educational reimbursement be part of your search criteria. Big companies like mine offer thousands of dollars a year in educational reimbursement so they are out there and I would think in engineering it would be common. If at all possible, I'd go ahead and take them at the U just to assure they'd count for my bachelors. I agree to search out as many financial aid options as you can but do think that with an engineering degree, student loans are not a bad choice. No use spending money that won't get you to your ultimate destination just because it's what you can afford to pay as you go. The associates was a good strategy to see how you like the field but unless you have any doubts about your aptitude/affinity for the field, I'd bail on it and get on with the full degree since so little of it is going to ultimately transfer.
The difference is in the programs. The one I'm in now is an associates in civil engineering technology (related but not a professional engineering program) and the money isn't bad on an associates level, but it won't allow me to get into what I want to do down the road. I need the professional engineering degree (which allows me to sit for the professional engineers license exam) for what I really want to do.
I knew that the change was inevitable, but I thought I'd get more transferrable credits where I am now. As it is, I have to get As in the few classes that WILL transfer in order for them to count since they're not calculus based. (Physics will be the big achievement to get the A in.)
To be employable in the civil engineering field at all, I need a few more classes where I am now in the next two or three semesters. Scheduling is still a major problem, hence why I was up at the university yesterday. I figured I could take classes that would count where I am now (no questions asked) and at the Univ. (since they're their classes).
Cathy, thanks for the ideas. I'll check them out.
Life is like a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs, but the curves, spirals, loops and corkscrews are what make life interesting.
CG: Transferring to another school might be your only answer, and yes you will loose some of the credits in the transfer. It amazes me that even between state universities, which should be connected and organized in their credit system, credits sometimes don't cross over. But the good news is, they can't take the knowledge that you gained.
There is money out there for students like you...google financial aid for non-trad students, and there are many organizations and gov't plans that give money to students changing careers. Grants, scholarships, etc...not just loans. Give it a try, it can't hurt.
It's never too late to get it right.
Posts: 3455 | Location: Central USA | Registered: March 11, 2004
Wow, Laura, that's a huge bummer. Tell me a little more about how this will work. What does the program you are in now prepare you for vs. what the university program will prepare you for?
I'll assume for this post it is a jr position in the field vs. a more senior position. If that is the case, do you have a sense yet if employers in this field will have education subsidies to help you pay for the degree once you are employed by them? If so, do you think you really need to complete this program to get your foot in the door or do you think you could pick up a few more courses (like the ones that will transfer) and get in the door and switch with their money to the university program?
Also, what is the income potential with the university degree vs. what you can earn now &/or with the less expensive program? If you are going to see a substantial increase in income potential, it might be worth it to consider a student loan to cover the difference in expense.
Finally, is there another less expensive university option? Online? State school?
I'm in between a rock and a hard place. After sitting down with an adviser at the university I wanted to transfer to eventually, I have a choice to make. Most of my classes that I am taking (or will have to take) where I am currently studying will not transfer.
Moving to the university will cost me a ton of extra money (four times as much per class as I'm paying now). I can't figure out if I should put a lot of time and money into the program I'm in now, or if I should just bite the bullet and move to the other school, which will eventually leave me in a better position to do what I really want.
The obvious answer is to move (if I'm not going to settle), but the cost is a huge problem. I'm paying as I go, and not eligible for any grants as I already have a higher education degree.
I can take a few more classes where I am that will transfer, but there aren't too many left.
<Banging head against the wall...>
Life is like a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs, but the curves, spirals, loops and corkscrews are what make life interesting.
"D" I will check that out....we have a CASA program, it's a children's advocate group that works with the regular court system. Yep I was bummed, I think more about NOT getting an interview. But after thinking about it, this gal is really PERFECT for the job, she's been involved in the program for 6 years or so...and that helps. I ran into her mom at my WW meeting today, and that was a little interesting. But I'll live. After 16 years, just the process was an experience. And you are right, this shoulder and the two knees aren't going to be easy, there goes my summer. So maybe it is the best thing for me. And there is always Wallyworld and Micky D's. )
It's never too late to get it right.
Posts: 3455 | Location: Central USA | Registered: March 11, 2004
Cathy, if you've posted that you already do this, I apologize, but does your state have a guardian ad litum program? The one in Florida is very active; I imagine there's a need for such services all across the country. Don't know if you'd be interested in volunteering for something like that, but figured I could mention it.
Challenge Goals: *10 minutes of unplanned exercise five times a week *Gym time twice a week *Socialize at least once every two weeks.
Hugs from me too Cathy. Maybe this is the universe's way to have you focus on your knees and shoulders first... Hopefully the right job will be waiting for you when you are doing with your surgeries and PT.
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
Just an update on my job seeking. Teen court hired a 23 year old young woman, who will be perfect. Honestly, she will be. She is a good friend of my sons and she has been involved in the system for many years (how many can a 23 year old be, oops there goes my ages showing) I was bummed when I read it, but not really. I was disappointed, but the experience showed me that I can do it. But right now I feel as if all I could do being almost 55 is wipe tables at Micky D's or open doors at WM....oh, well.
It's never too late to get it right.
Posts: 3455 | Location: Central USA | Registered: March 11, 2004
I'm kind of at a crossroads.....It looks like my job here at big energy corp may become permanent. and Bob has planted a seed that I can't quite shake and thats I need to take this year for me. The extra income from my freelance work is nice, but I'm to the point where I hate doing it. I want my time to be mine. I want to focus on working out and doing healthy things. When I started exercising last fall, I seriously considered learning yoga and becoming a certified instructor - I'm not sure if that is what I want in the long run, but I really feel like God is telling me to focus on myself more than I have been - to be still and quiet and figure out what I want to do. I believe that all the stuff with Bob's dad and my mom is part of what is bringing this to a head. And even Bob told me at the beginning of the year that I need some time for myself. Maybe he is seeing something that I can't.
There are projects of my own that I want to work on. They do have the potential to bring in income, and I could do them on my terms and deadlines. Anyhoo.... I've got to make a decision and soon. Need to sit down and figure this all out.
Well, I am looking for another job...been doing so for a while. I have not had a lot of time to look since I am working. I want to get out of sales, and have been looking at getting a degree in library science. However, in the meanwhile my current job as a custom decorator (selling draperies in the home) is getting tiring....I work in very bad parts of town, and my DH gets very nervous when I go to work. However, it can be soo annoying!
I have had some interviews, but they have all turned out bust.One I went on for another blind/drapery company looked promising and it would get me off of the road most of the time and off of commission - they paid hourly. But they took almost two months from the initial interview to the call I got today "we decided not to add anymore positions at this time, as production is not high enough". Hmmm...maybe they should have thought about this prior to wasting mine and other's time doing job interviews! Plus the slowness was amazing to me.
I also interviewed within my own department for a district admin type position. I was told by my manager that he did not realize that I had to be in my position for two years prior to being considered for any other position such as I was applying for. I do wonder...if I was an external applicant with the qualifications, I maybe would have gotten hired! I guess they do not like to promote from within.
Oh well, back to the drawing board!
Robin
Formerly "Robinbebe"
Posts: 420 | Location: SE Michigan | Registered: August 19, 2004
I'm totally excited...my physics teacher okayed me taking a calculus class independent study over the summer. I really didn't think she would (and neither did my current math teacher).
I also am working on setting up a meeting at my local university so that I can really get an understanding of what will and won't transfer down the road. I'm so excited that things seem to be heading on the upside. But I have a feeling my checkbook is going to be a bit more unhappy.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Coaster Girl,
Life is like a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs, but the curves, spirals, loops and corkscrews are what make life interesting.
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