so...

i started this gig at "science" magazine, and my inside bros will tell you... i LOVE it! i think it's so awesome! and i've been this mercenary in the work world, while trying to find an office where i felt comfortable for a long, long time. right? this place is cool. basically i read stuff for a living, and for at least a few years i've been reading proposals, and i hate it... and science is this preeminent journal in the scientific world, i love working on their stuff, it's really fascinating sheesh, day in and day out. a lot of it i don't understand. but that's part of the beauty of it, instead of immersing myself in boring-ass proposals all day long i'm reading about... robotic salamanders and their role in the evolution of life from the sea to the land! giant planet migration and the possilibility that earthlike planets with the possibility to sustain life might exist throughout the universe! research into female autism that might provide hope for millions of women worldwide!

but!

the pay sucks! and i had this great offer come up to work a proposal for the military that pays twice as well! all i would have to do would be to work for a couple of weeks at this military job, okay? and i worked it before, it's a really good gig, good people, also interesting work, but no temp-to-hire prospects, and no real interest on my part for a temp-to-hire even if one were to come up. BUT.... the pay is literally twice as good as the "science" magazine gig. and, i bet if i just told the folks at science i was busy for the couple of weeks it took to get through the private sector gig it would all be cooll. but if i'm wrong all my hopes of ever working for science go down the drain.

what? should? i? do?  :\'( :o ???

I think you should ask the Science Magazine gig if you could leave for a bit first. If they say no, then come back and I'll tell you more. If they say yes, then go for the military thing for sure!

... If you come across any Robotic Llamas, please tell me.

If you have an alternate source of income other than your Science gig, you should consider sticking with Science if you want that to be a part of your career rather than with the other job. 

Although one wonders if you would be allowed to do both concurrently...you'd have to give more details as to the logistics of both jobs, like, are you allowed to work at home or must you be on site?

Although one wonders if you would be allowed to do both concurrently...you'd have to give more details as to the logistics of both jobs, like, are you allowed to work at home or must you be on site?


What he said.

i have to be on site for both gigs. there won't be any time sharing. i've been agonizing over an email to marty, my hookup for the military job, for like an hour and i've got nothing. i really don't wanna lose this connection but i seriously don't wanna lose the science gig either.

gawd! i hate this! she sent me this email, i was hoping it would say something like, "naw, part time is cool, this gig is gonna ramp up anyway," but instead she sez, "what should i tell miguel?" (our contact over at the military sub.)

:-\\ :-\\ :-\\ :-\\ :-\\ :-\\ :-\\ :-\\ :-\\ :-\\ :-\\

fudge.

and just so you know, the original didn't say fudge.

If you stayed at your Science gig, will you still be able to feed yourself?  Will they give you 24 hours to respond such that you can find out whether you can take time off of Science and thus take the military gig?  Will the military shun you forever if you don't do this gig right the F now?

Ultimately, thou must be happy.

Here's the dealio:

You are a single-ish male with no true responsibilities, which means you should be able to subsist on about $25-30K (roughly) a year.  If you are making this much with Science and whatever else it is you're doing, and you are happy, you should stick with it.  However, if you are paying child support or getting ready to father 20 illegitimate children, the higher paying job may be for you...

Methinks we may need more details.

If you stayed at your Science gig, will you still be able to feed yourself?  Will they give you 24 hours to respond such that you can find out whether you can take time off of Science and thus take the military gig?  Will the military shun you forever if you don't do this gig right the F now?

Ultimately, thou must be happy.
that's messed up, too, cuz i actually sorta like the military gig too. they do translations for troops on the field, and truth be told, that's good work -- if i was helping build cluster bombs that'd be one thing but this is like, hiring native afghans to accompany US troops out in the field and, jesus, if you're gonna work the system from the inside what's better than that?

GAWD. THIS IS MAKING ME CRAZY. i'm so used to sitting around getting drunk all day long. i'm SO no equipped to select between two potentially excellent career prospects.

*folds hands before face* what what would kim richards do? what would kim richards do? what would kim richards do? deliver me, kim richards.
,

Here's the dealio:

You are a single-ish male with no true responsibilities, which means you should be able to subsist on about $25-30K (roughly) a year.  If you are making this much with Science and whatever else it is you're doing, and you are happy, you should stick with it.  However, if you are paying child support or getting ready to father 20 illegitimate children, the higher paying job may be for you...

Methinks we may need more details.
well, the other aspect of it is, the science gig might be a mirage. a lot of times these temp gigs, they say, oh, we hire a lot of full time people, but they basically tell the suckers that so that they'll show up for the cut rates. and if i let go of a good army gig for that, i'll be pissed.

Your position at Sciencemag is pretty much permanent right?  (after probationary periods etc)  So keep at that and then wait for another military gig to come along.  In this day and age, a steady job is good and you never know if you can get a job after a temp position fizzles out...


well, the other aspect of it is, the science gig might be a mirage. a lot of times these temp gigs, they say, oh, we hire a lot of full time people, but they basically tell the suckers that so that they'll show up for the cut rates. and if i let go of a good army gig for that, i'll be pissed.


Now if that's the case, and you go into the Army gig, and then have nothing to show for it after the two week period is up, would you also be pissed off?  :-\\

dawg. i'm so obviously not going to fix this tonight. let me go ahead and sleep on it.

and by "sleep on it," i mean, lie and stare at the ceiling until four a.m., and then struggle through work tomorrow. you so don't envy me.

I'd ask if I can take a leave of absence from Science for two weeks and then come back as long as they can guarantee a position will be waiting for you when the time comes.

Whatever happens, have fun with the career ;)

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5m2va9FFHVsB0VajzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NDgyNWN0BHNlYwNwcm9m/SIG=14a970uns/EXP=1171438895/**http%3A//www.maricopa.edu/opsp/Data%2520Analysis%2520Course/activities/Let's%2520make%2520a%2520Deal._files/image001.jpg  Hopefully you'll figure out a way to have both. If you ask for time off, they may grant it. Is the work you do for the science mag gig done by someone else that will pick up the slack while you're gone? The money is tempting & I'd say do it as long as the risk of losing your current job is very very minimal. You'd hate to go for (Door #2) and end up losing the sure thing. Weigh out the pros & cons and follow your heart. I've always felt that sometimes you have to make your own breaks and if that means fudging the truth a little, well, you can be forgiven for that and if you do fudge it, keep it a secret  8).  WWKRD?

I so understand you.
A few weeks ago i was in a similar situation,i had to decide if i would keep working at an office or if i would take this dance teaching opportunity. I chose the dancing,even though i will be making close to half of what i would at the office. The thing is this way i will a)be doing what i love, b)have more flexible hours and more free time.
From my experience,it's just not worth it to make more money and be miserable at work,for awhile it can be a necessity but if you can choose you have to do what you like best. Plus it's really true what Rice said,if you're single and kid free now it's your chance to do what you want.

I'm sure it'll work out either way,don't stress too much,worrying can make a person sick :(

well, the other aspect of it is, the science gig might be a mirage. a lot of times these temp gigs, they say, oh, we hire a lot of full time people, but they basically tell the suckers that so that they'll show up for the cut rates. and if i let go of a good army gig for that, i'll be pissed.


If it's a mirage, then you're imagining that you're working there!?

How about you toss a coin?

I am all about doing what makes you happy.  Money comes and money goes, but happiness is one of those things that you need to grab onto when you have it.  What if you went to the science people and explained your position?  You could say "I'm really really happy here, but I have the potential to make twice as much for two weeks."  Would they be cool with that?  Would they respect your honesty, or would they just say "fine, go, and don't let the door hit you in the ass?"

so i had to get on the horn and basically talk everybody down but i came up with a compromise where everybody's happy.

and it looks like there might be an ed assistant job at AAAS so i'm gonna look into that in a little while. :)

So you got both jobs and have a third one lined up?  Or did I read wrong?

Either way, big ups ;)

no no. well, sorta, actually. i had to talk to marty over at TCS and engineer when i would be switching from science to tcs, i'm leaving science earlier than they wanted but they're all right with it, we're already really ahead on the workload.

and yeah, there's allegedly an opening but i have a funny feeling they filled it and that's why i was there in the first place, to provide a cushion while they train the new chick. and they just haven't taken down the ad yet.

http://www.aaas.org/careercenter/employmentataaas/ed_asst_1518.shtml

but it also got me thinking: i'm always down on this city but there are a LOT of associations out here with editorial positions. motion picture association of america, for instance.

As long as whatever you do continues to generate income so you can do as you will ;)

that's actually what i'm trying to get out of. proposal work... SUCKS. doing something cool kinda opened my eyes that work doesn't have to suck. it just PROBABLY has to suck.

I thought you had a masters or a PhD or something.  Doesn't that mean you can teach peoples?

tried that. hate it.

tried that. hate it.


Don't blame ya.