Does all work suck?

[otrstf]

Ours is a very flat management structure, so lateral is possible.  We have workers, first line supers and the chief; all those jobs have the same skills set, and other  than personality issues, anyone can move into any of the positions.  I hate managing people, so I've avoided moving into a full-time supervisor position, preferring to be a temp project lead (both pay the same!).  I mainly want to get out from under an annoying supervisor. 
We have a large pool of part-time, quasi retired workers who come in to fill shifts, so I could eventually move over to that if I avoid burning my bridges first.  Some of those guys make more than I do with overtime; and as their average age is 67, there are constant openings. 

We (only slightly) joke that if we could hire zombies for those positions, we would.

[Databits]

I work at home, which sounds nice and is awesome for like the first month... then it just ends up being a nightmare blend of work and home life.  No longer being able to "not be at work" or "be at home" sort of blows, especially after roughly 4 years of doing it.  My boss wonders why we ask for an office, and this is the reason.  Both me and my friend who works for the same guy have come to a realization that we're far more productive when we're in an office environment than when we're at home.  Why?  No movies, games, dog to throw a ball for, or significantly more things that are more interesting than working to do around.  Come on, we're the company lead programmers.

Even the new guys hired we seem to end up either rewriting their shit or telling them how to fix it (my friend things both the new guys are "stupid").  My bosses explanation to me is I should be mentoring them, as they're where I was 2 years ago doing this shit... nevermind the fact they're paid the same as I am NOW.  So why should I train people who aren't just unfamiliar with our system, but quite literally don't understand programming as well as they think they do, while being paid the same amount as them?

To that I have simply two words: Fuck That! (sorry Xeph)

When it comes right down to it, I already know I can find other contracts getting paid AT LEAST $35/hr around here, which is a lot more than I make working for him.  But he's like any typical boss, can't see differences in skill and worth for people, and unless the new guys REALLY screw up he can't tell which ones suck.  Despite we can report to him and he more or less just ignores it.  Then he does nothing more lately than bitch about how long people like me take working on a task such as fixing certain bugs in our order system.  How do I explain that it wouldn't take me so long if I didn't have to keep rewriting the new guys shitty code???

[Xepher]

I can't help but think of the song Code Monkey. :-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_wd9Qf0IE

And yeah, working at home doesn't work too well for me either, for the same reasons you said... no separation between "work" and "not work" and you never get that feeling of freedom at the end of the day when it's time to go home.

[Lei]

Super interested in this. I've been in school in a co-operative program for the last 2.5 years, about to enter into an 8 month work term. I'm just beginning to realize that as much technical skill as I do have, I can't live without social interaction. I've done two work terms before this, one as a Software Test Specialist and as an Internal Developer and I have to say that while the job at the second place was much more interesting, the lack of social people sucked platypus eggs. At least as a Software Test Specialist, my team was crazy and I just loved coming to work to do stupid stuff.

I still miss waitressing, just because every day brought in new customers and stories and situations. I waitressed for 2 years in high school and loved it.

[Xepher]

Well, I've decided to move across country and get a new job somewhere. I still don't know where or what, but I need to do it within 30 days. I'm outside of Seattle right now, looking for where I might like to live. It's looking to be Washington state somewhere, and then I'll find a job shortly after (even if it's serving food) since I have to. I'll let you know how it turns out this go 'round. :-)

[dkgalaxy]

Xepher, you should show a picture of what you look like in real life

[Gwyn]

Don't do it xeph, if he's anything like me he's just going to print the picture and affix it to a papermachie rendition of your likeness!

And that's just creepy.

[Xepher]

Challenge Accepted!

[dkgalaxy]

Don't do it xeph, if he's anything like me he's just going to print the picture and affix it to a papermachie rendition of your likeness!

And that's just creepy.

Creepy and curiosity are two completely different things.