I found this in CNN today.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/workl...als/index.html

For me it's really accurate about where I am right now. Nearing 40 and re-thinking my career and definition of success. And I thought I was the only one!

Does anyone else identify with this?

__________________

Not sure any of that is really me. But when have I ever done things normally?

__________________
~Happiness is a large family~

Sadly, being 26, I can identify with the 30's section, more than my own! I am not the type of person to jump from job to job, and explore my options that way; I am more of a "take on more responsibility and different types of tasks" in order to learn more about my career--chemical engineering. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE where I work, who I work with, and feel comfortable and stable here, and feel there is so much room to grow here, I have no interest in leaving any time soon. In fact, most of the people I graduated college with are still working where they started, minus 3 or 4 people. Maybe it's just the area which we entered, it's very stable here, and most people ended up in the same situation i did, with plenty of room to grow! I definitely am not yet to the point of re-evaluating my career choices, so I can't identify with the 40s yet.

Yes...
I am 42 and definately trying to decide on another career. I love my job, but it is wearing on me (welder/fabricator) I'm too young to have all these aches and pains from putting my body through h**l from lifting heavy material, and working outside half the day(cold, hot, raining,etc) and standing, kneeling and laying on concrete all day.

Thanks for the article. I'm 36 and my husband is 33 and so many things I see kind of implies that you should have it made (for lack of a better word) in your 30's. Which we don't! this article in more in line with where we are right now.

Me?? I'm sorry if I offended you.

It's just that the area in which I live (gulf coast=full of refineries, chemical plants, consulting firms, etc....)is a goldmine if you choose to do what I chose. Plus, it's just that kind of career, that the bottom of the "totem pole" isn't really too much of a bottom, so to speak. does that make sense? The potential someone has in my line of work is endless (not including the money) which is why I chose it. I wanted a career that would allow me to continue (always) to move up on the ladder of things (it goes back to my atheletic days, of ALWAYS wanting to be better and better, etc). I know not everyone has that same idea, and make other choices with their goals in life and what not and that there are plenty of NEEDED jobs that just don't get the recognition they should (aka teachers!!!), I wasn't trying to demean anyone else. I'm sorry if that's the way I came off!!

Chopey Oh no you didn't offend me at all! I wasn't even referring to what you wrote! I think it is great when you can get everything together in your 20's more power to you! You worked hard for you degree and you deserve whatever success you can get from it. I was referring more to television shows, mass media that tends to protray you as being old by the time you hit 32 and being a complete failure if you're not driving a $50,000 car and taking world wide trips every couple of months!

Both my husband and I are college educated but we didn't take the direct approach with it -- more of an around about way so to speak. It took a lot longer and cost us a lot more and sometimes I get down about it but we still did it! We now have two kids. A house. My husband has a great job that he loves and that has a wonderful future involved. So it all works out in the end.

So no, please, don't think if anything I said above was directed towards you! It wasn't even a tiny bit!

Ok melsb, i was just checking! I never intend to hurt anyone's feelings, and it's sometimes hard to "read" what someone means by what they type on here!
Thank you for clearing it up!
I do know what you mean though, about those types of young people, I am DEFINITELY not that type!! lol. Just because we have "our act together" so to speak, doesn't mean we live frivolously, by any means!! Hell, my house didn't even cost that much! lololol....
I want to retire fairly young and enjoy my older years, so we are TRYING to be responsible (key word: try..haha) with money and "get ahead of the game" with retirement and all so we can live the way we want, and not be on the same kind of tight budget most of our older relatives are on....we have the opportunities, so we are trying to grab them and run!!
Thanks for the encouragement, it really does mean alot!!

Oh hec I am going to be in the twentys section and jump streight to mid life crises. I have yet to start a career. It isn't a priority for me and as I am mostly through my 20s I spent 2 years in college another 2 years looking for a job in my filed. 2 years in a dead end data entry position that got me no where. The last year as a SAHM. My goals have another baby or two, go back for my masters early 30s and by mid 30s start a different career path. Hey everyone does it a little differently sure there are trends but I am happy right now with Organizing a moms group. I feel the benfit to this is I am building a huge network. When I do re-enter the workforce I will not be without the contacts in the community to get me a decent position

__________________
Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

Ember15 - just a quick question but how do you organize your Mom's group? Perhaps you could make a different thread for this as it is off topic from the orginal post.