All,

At the age of 38, after twenty years working in corporaterica (nice term,
btw) as a computer operator/administrator/trainer, etc. I went 'back' to
college. I earned a B.S. in the life sciences so that I would be qualified
to work in a nature center at 1/3 my previous salary. When I embarked on
that plan it was feasible...I was married and my cushy 'computer' income
wasn't needed in order for us to maintain our lifestyle (which was
nice...but definitely not extravagant).

Several months after I graduated, I decided to divorce my husband. I had
been unable to find nature center work, so I moved to a new state where I
felt I had a better chance to find a job. I did find that job, and for 2.5
years I subsidized my meager salary with the proceeds from the divorce
settlement. I have a ten year old car, I cannot afford to have the gum
surgery I need, I cannot afford to take a vacation. I am a middle-aged,
single woman who has no one to rely on financially other than myself.

I left the nature center job (for reasons that have nothing to do with the
salary) and began doing office temp work to support myself while I looked
for another nature center position. I'm doing database administration at a
major international corporation. They want to hire me permanently, at a
salary that would allow me to do repairs to my house, start a fund for a new
car, etc. They have great medical benefits that would allow me to have my
gums treated. The job has been posted internally for two weeks, which means
if no qualified internal candidates apply, I will be offered it in two
weeks. I like the job and I like the people I work with.

I'm so torn...between wanting to lead an independent and secure life (and
yes, have a little fun) and doing work that I find meaningful,
important...the feeling that I as an individual can influence the
perceptions, values and behaviors of others. My nature center work gave me
all those intangibles. But I haven't been able to find another nature center
job (they're harder to find than museum jobs).

So...last call, folks, it looks as if in two weeks I will have to decide
about the database admin job. If anyone out there needs an employee who can
care for animals, create signage (in-house), do exhibit development, *and*
design computer based multi-media exhibits (Mac and PC platforms) and
websites, please email me. I'm looking in SE Florida (where I'm living), but
I'm willing to relocate to Connecticut or Rhode Island.

Oh, one more thing. The two most infuriating (and insincere sounding)
statements I know are, "Are you having a bad day?" and "Oh, I was just
teasing (kidding, fooling) you."

>kaching!< (Ringing up my 2 cents worth.)

Rhea Tannenbaum
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http://pages.prodigy.net/rheat1/doghaikus/doghaikus.htm
Dog haikus. A poetic tribute to the domesticated dog.
-----Original Message-----
From: Indigo Nights <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, April 12, 1999 8:08 PM
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Paying for College


>Thank you for asking, but yesterday wasn't a bad day.  It was just that
>the sentiments expressed in the two messages stepped on a nerve in my
>pinky toe.
>