( NFR ) Just curious what everyone does for a livin...
I work for a large insurance company as a claims adjuster. I settle people's Bodily Injury (aka Personal Injury) claims and make liability decisions. If you're my insured, you think I'm great (because I clean up the mess you've created). If you're not, your opinions about me could go either way. The job is salary, so I work about 50-55 hours per week and get 2 weeks paid vacation. However, I have a flexible schedule and can fish any day I want to in my territory. My territory is from Walla Walla to Moses Lake to Republic and over to Winthrop and over to Snoqualmie Pass to Yakima and back to Walla Walla. So, I'm basically covering most of Eastern WA. I like to set early or late appointments so that I can fish during the day. I like my territory, the weather, and the depressed economy that allows me to buy more for my money. These things are fun for right now..
I'm pretty sure that I've picked a dead-end career path. My intent out of college in 1999 was to get into law school and practice Agricultural Law. I'm doing legal-related work, but not sure that Personal Injury law is my "calling." If I were to work in the insurance industry for the rest of my like, I'd have at least one divorce, like everyone else in my profession. Personal Injury is a lot of work, and a lot of negativity. Though the company offers good benefits, the monthly paycheck is enough to swallow my pride and wonder, what the hell am I doing here?
Prior to claims, I did a 2 year legal internship for an attorney in Seattle. He had a simple practice, a good wife, and a decent home in the middle of Queen Anne and after 20 years of working 6 days a week as a sole-practitioner, he now has a condo in Palm Springs that he visits each month and will retire to. He is no Perkins-Coie (huge west Coast law firm), nor did he want to be. He is an honest man, and he set an example of a fine attorney. Since that internship, I have first hand exposure to the day-to-day workings of Personal Injury law firms, and fully believe that these attorneys are too smart to be doing this kind of work. Everyday, I see Personal Injury attorneys who take really weak cases because they're in debt from the 100K loan from law school they're still paying off.
I have always had this dream of being a small to medium-sized town Mayor (like the evil one on Patrick Swayze's "Roadhouse")}(. However, in order to become a "fan favorite" to win an election, I have to be successful first. Nobody votes for "Joe Schmoe." That's a problem. Politician don't make jack shit for pay, and most live off of the income earned through their prior jobs. I need some direction and think about this often.
Sparse
Streams are made for the wise man to contemplate and fools to pass by.
(Sir Izaak Walton)