Lubbock, Texas is one of many places that can safely be considered to not be technologically advanced. Job opportunities in a technical field, such as system administrators, programmers, and the like are few and far between.
So, employers tend to be somewhat ... hardnosed, I guess. I've heard several of my supervisors make statements along the lines of "I understand his concerns, but what's he going to do? It's not like he's going to quit and find another job around here."
Pathetic.
What they seem to forget is that I am not in that boat. I was a programmer, then obtained my law degree and practiced as an attorney for about 5 years, and am now working as a system administrator. By choice. I made the conscious decision to leave the legal field and re-enter the computer field, because I absolutely love working with computers. But I hate rubbing elbows with assholes, bureaucrats and employers who are convinced they have the upper hand in all situations.
I can just as easily "unmake" my decision. I put a pencil to it the other day, and I figure that I could quit my job, re-open my practice, and completely replace my current income within 3 - 5 months. Within a year, I could almost double my current income.
I think I'm going to voice this the next time one my leaders spouts off. I really want to see the looks on their faces when they realize what they have apparently forgotten: I have a safety net. I'm here because I chose to be here. Not because I had nowhere else to turn. And when it comes to the terms of my employment, I don't have to eat whatever scraps they choose to throw my way.
Posted from exitwound.org, comment here.