Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Does Anybody Out there have a JOB?

Sometimes I think Ned and I are the only Mormon people who blog who also go to work for other people for money doing something other than lawyering or teaching.

I've always worked. I get up when I'd rather sleep and then commute (or not) to the office. I clock in and put on my headset to start the day. I write reports and SQL stored procedures and install software for customers over the internet and solve the tough technical problems that other people can't and occasionally, if I'm not going to be on the phone, listen to Live365. I need to get in my 40 hours a week, and I'm not allowed to work overtime, and I always have too much work to do and then, when I'm done, I clock out and start a different kind of work.

In my free time, I try to do some writing and I play stupid computer games to relax.

Do all the Mormon blogging university professors already have tenure? Have all the blogging Mormon lawyers already made partner? How do you invest any time in your own spiritual growth when there's no time to even BREATHE? Is the reason nobody writes about work/life balance because nobody is actually working?

16 comments:

Clark Goble said...

I make gourmet chocolate from rare beans. Does that count?

The Sinister Porpoise said...

Strangely, this quesion wasn't directed at the Outer Blogness people...

Ann said...

I understand taking a "blogging break." I take a 30 minute lunch break (I also work from home now) and that gives me just enough time to eat and maybe respond. I get two fifteen minute breaks during which I get up and walk around and DON'T do stuff on the computer. I find it far, far too easy to fall into the internet and lose track of time, so I try to stay off during the day. Except at lunchtime.

Clark, do you market your product? Do you maintain a web store? Do you have a sales force? Who keeps your books from the sales?

I think the Outer Blogness people all work in IT. Working in IT is really working.

Clark Goble said...

I'll be keeping the books. (I still need to finish up some Python/SQL scripts to do the tracking.)

Our website is here although we're not selling until late September.

NFlanders said...

I think the heavy-duty blogging community will probably always be skewed towards those people who have a lot of flexible time at work.

I used to read and blog for hours during the workday and then work late just to make up the time. Now that I can't read or comment from work, I feel like I am completely on the outside. All the interesting conversations happen between 9 and 5.

Anonymous said...

DH and I are both self employed work from homers. For a while we were really struggling with a decision about the direction we wanted to take our IT oriented company (take advantage of an offered buyout or move forward), so instead of dealing with the problem, I spent TONS of time commenting on the bloggernaccle. Wise business decision, I know. Eventually we had to get back to work however, so I now rarely have time to comment or participate.

Occasionally, looking at how prolific some of the commenters are, I'm a little flabbergasted by how much time some of the working folks seem to have to comment. Do they really feel they are putting in an honest day's work when they are spending what must be hours and hours commenting and debating? Who knows...

Stephen said...

I've got a job where I work 8:30-5:30 M-F, no week-ends, no late nights, and I get an hour off each day for lunch.

I live six miles from the office and usually come home for lunch. I blog a little at lunch, and usually late at night or on week-ends when my wife is working (she does hospital work).

So yes, I'm a lawyer, but at fifty, I've traded making "real" money for being able to walk my six-year-old to school every morning and seeing my family at nights and on the week-ends.

I still don't understand how the rest of them find time to blog. I've been cutting back because I just don't have time -- and when my wife is home I'd much rather be talking with her.

You've got me, though I thought all of you IT guys had plenty of free time. ;)

Ann said...

Wow, Clark. I thought you were talking about a hobby. Wow. Too cool for words. I hope you find a nice market and make a pile of money.

Is it OK to blog on the boss's dime, even when the work environment is lax?

Full disclosure: in a previous job/life, I was not so diligent about not blogging during the work day. Perhaps my long, desperate stint of unemployment made me more conscientious. Or, more likely, it made me more desperate to keep the job I have.

m, I hear you. I mostly find Mormon stuff really boring these days. I'm running out of ways to waste time on the computer that I find interesting. I even find myself turning on occasion to those hard square things with paper in them. "Books," I think they're called.

Anonymous said...

A lot of jobs have time where you're twiddling your fingers. For instance I often make brief comments while waiting for code to compile. I don't see anything wrong with that. My substantial writing I do in the evening - typically just before bed.

Anonymous said...

(That last one was me, Clark - I don't know why it is posting as anonymous)

I should also note that some people read/write faster than others. i.e. these folks may not be spending as much time as you think.

Stephen said...

http://www.amanochocolate.com/

Neat, until I developed a chocolate allergy I was headed that way myself.

Anonymous said...

Where I live, the lds laywers are well respected by everyone except those who actually retain them for legal counsel. Maybe that helps explain the vast amount of free time.

Mary Siever said...

im works outside the home and nope he's not a lawyer or a teacher. He's asset manager at a university in one of the faculties.

I work too. Do I get paid for it? No. Do I leave home? No. But yes, I have a job. I dont' really get much free time though.

Mary Siever said...

uh that was supposed to be "Kim" not,"im". Sorry.

Tom Grover said...

I have several jobs. I manage apartments, work with people with disabilities and host a talk radio show.

Surprisingly, reading the blogs and online newspapers is a BIG part of my job as a talk radio host. Lots of good topics germenate from my online reading. Oddly, because it is a part of my job and is an obligation, occasionally I don't feel like doing my usual daily online reading (though this is admittedly rare).

annegb said...

I want your job, Clark. Can I send you my address and you can send me some? Just for friends, you know.

I love knowing all these lawyers on the blog. I have somebody to call when I shoot somebody.