For the success stories.

how did you do it?

college?

art?

plumber?

for anyone providing for themselves, getting by on their own, how did you get to that level and whats life like now? is it what you expected? did shit fall into place or was it luck? what are you going to do now sit back in your cubicle and wait for retirement? or search for more opportunities to spark your life up financially, socially, or anything. sure you dont care, but it may be something good to discuss, even though a majority of us are struggling.

:confused:

when i was in high school, i was so sure that i would become an artist of some sort; doing art all day and getting paid for it...

8 years later, i'm in an office sitting behind a computer doing not-so creative work for dvd's. it's the price i pay for dropping out of art school, painting more and not getting my degree. the pay is ok, i get more than enough internet time, but my mind is stagnant. i know it in the back of my mind, but i am so comfortable, that i don't want to change it.

and i don't want to go back to school full-time either because, knowing me, i'll end up dropping out again. i tend to do that when it gets too expensive.

but everybody has their own standard of success. i got a job, a husband who loves me, and i am surrounded by people who care about my well-being. i guess i am successful.

I for one sometimes wish I would have went with a different career than art. Work is work...it sucks...but trying to be creative on demand when you aren't feeling it...really sucks. I've thought about getting into the technical side of my job and leaving the creativity for shit I care about.

Originally posted by slave_one

when i was in high school, i was so sure that i would become an artist of some sort; doing art all day and getting paid for it...

 

8 years later, i'm in an office sitting behind a computer doing not-so creative work for dvd's. it's the price i pay for dropping out of art school, painting more and not getting my degree. the pay is ok, i get more than enough internet time, but my mind is stagnant. i know it in the back of my mind, but i am so comfortable, that i don't want to change it.

 

and i don't want to go back to school full-time either because, knowing me, i'll end up dropping out again. i tend to do that when it gets too expensive.

 

but everybody has their own standard of success. i got a job, a husband who loves me, and i am surrounded by people who care about my well-being. i guess i am successful.

sounds like your pretty happy.

what kind of work do you do on the dvd's if you dont mind me asking...

Originally posted by SteveAustin

I for one sometimes wish I would have went with a different career than art. Work is work...it sucks...but trying to be creative on demand when you aren't feeling it...really sucks. I've thought about getting into the technical side of my job and leaving the creativity for shit I care about.

this is real shit. that has to be taken into consideration, the on demand not feeling it shit. i feel you. what do you do if you dont mind me asking, if you do i understand.

graphic design.

there are days when it can be really fucking cool and others where I just want to jump on a plane and move away.

edit:

your work environment and the people you work with has a lot to do with it as well. they are constantly changing and what was once a really coool gig can turn to complete shit.

some days I wish I was a postman.

you get super union treatment, fresh air,

you get a uniform so you dont have to dress up...

and if dirty movies have taught me anything,

it's that there's always a lonely housewife who's hot and willing.

^^ plus you get plenty of cardiovascular exercise and can catch tags all over your route

catching tags is good..... but lonely and willing housewives are better.

tagging them would be the best.

That's funny because I was seriously just saying the other day how I want to be a postman.

and you work for the government and there wouldnt be any downsizing and you can do it high and you can steal shit that people leave out on their front porch

how did you do it? worked worked experience

college? yes graduated last year.

art? well i went to art school for 4 years and decided that it wasnt for me and dropped out and pursued another career

plumber? i can hire one.

for anyone providing for themselves, getting by on their own, how did you get to that level and whats life like now?

i moved out of the house with my current boyfriend when i was 18. we didnt know what the fuck to do. so basically we worked our way up little by little. believe me, we had it hard first. we didnt even live in an apartment. it was hard. i had to travel really far to work at a retail store that i have been working in for years. eventually, i got better jobs and worked my way up.

we're still working our way up but we have it so much better than before. we're doing so much better than other people, we worry about money but who doesnt? we're still young.

is it what you expected? fuck no.

did shit fall into place or was it luck? everything fell into place.

what are you going to do now sit back in your cubicle and wait for retirement? no. i want to go back to school and start all over again and get a BA in art history. i might be able to do that (if time allows me to do so). and i dont have a cubicle, i have an office. oooooo la la! :)

i'm doing fine..

but it took a hell of a lot of sacrifice to get here.

managed to scrape through college while working full time (no debts, plus a side career as a chef/pastry chef), while painting (sold a few, been in a few shows, fucked up plenty of private property), and while getting messed up constantly.. i still get high too much but all the other shit is basically over.

the job i have now is pretty much as good as it could get for me right now. i participate in medical research, so although i don't get paid very much, my job has a big application to the world at large and a contribution to the body of knowledge shared by humanity. i've also been lucky enough to get published a few times, so now there's more than just my rap sheet and a lot of graffiti to prove to the world i existed..

i live alone and love it, i've got plenty of dough, i'm single with no children and i come and go as i please

so, i did it by watching my spending habits and keeping them controlled, figuring out what i really enjoyed, and what i enjoyed enough to do as a job..and prioritizing accordingly

i screwed some of those priorities up a bit, but it turned out ok..

college? Bachelorette of Science

art? still going strong on the canvas, legal, and illegal tips..i will not work in Art because the shit is my therapy and can't be destroyed by deadlines, demands, and the 9-5 grind

plumber? i consider myself a rennaissance woman, i can handle light duty plumbing jobs..

i don't know what i expected. i probably thought i'd end up with a family by now, but i'm not dissappointed that hasn't happened.

it's not luck at all.

it was hard work.

(i was born into the lower class)

from here, i'm continuing with art (wholecar better get done this year) and travelling the world..i've gotta get more done in asia and i want to go to south america. getting rich might be nice but i'm not out for money right now..i could be later with my degree, i'd just have to get out of research

i might also go back to school and buy a house.

good thread

the people i know had there shit just fall into place, my mates a plumber with his dad and is minted, another one had his dads mate take him on as a trainee doing block paving, now he can make £240 just for one sundays work.

i tried to do somthing but got kicked out of college, now im just looking for an apprenticeship while i work a bum job giving me enough to pay the rent and get so fucked at the weekend i forget mondays gonna come again.

another friend got 2.4 million compensation but he has to apply for anything over his weekly allowance so it aint all that.

im lost in life but it will all work out one day. i do need to start husling more in the job world and move up the ladder already. its time.

hmm....

I'm doing quite nicely thank you.

The job pays very well and it's a pleasure.

I'm having a serious case of 'wanderlust'

where I almost want to cash in the RSP and

just move to someplace totally different.

I kid my friends about becoming a postman,

but I know I'd be kicking my ass if I left this gig.

I try not to define sucess that way though.

Just like !@#$%? seems to look at it, FREEDOM

is the best thing to have. If your bills are paid

and your extra cash/time goes into supporting

interesting and exciting hobbies, great for you.

I just cant imgine being 'house-poor'.

I know a few people who bought houses in the

200-300k range with good intrest rates only to have the

rate change and now they owe $500 more per month.

They havea super nice house, but cant afford to rent a movie?

That's the exact opposite of the freedom that I use to define success.

Originally posted by <KEY3>

I just cant imgine being 'house-poor'.

I know a few people who bought houses in the

200-300k range with good intrest rates only to have the

rate change and now they owe $500 more per month.

They havea super nice house, but cant afford to rent a movie?

That's the exact opposite of the freedom that I use to define success.

I'm easy enough to please. I don't want a big house, fancy car, all that luxury stuff. As long as I can afford to enjoy my life, I'll consider it a success.....

thanks for the responses keep em coming.

i should note...

i responded because I consider myself a success, but i am quite sure a large part of the society i live in (america) would not.

success for me depends on personal satisfaction and happiness, and clearly right now a lot of personal freedom is needed for me to have the kind of lifestyle i really enjoy

fitting society's defintion of success (money, power, family) isn't one of my goals in life.

but i feel i've fit my own.

well yeah....

I think that having driving a range dripping with 'ice'

is really only satisfying for like 1% of the population.

For some dumb reason people aspire to achieve what wont make them happy.

One of my friends said to me the other day:

"The way I see it, if a few million dollars can't make you happy then you've got mental problems."

i'll come back in this thread about 10yrs down the line and i have my PhD in Anthropology.

Studying primates or forensics.

Until then, i have an apt. with my boyfriend which is quite nice and live very close to my family which is also quite nice. Love is in abundance 'round these parts.

On the flip side, my life is pretty damn hectic. Work + school leaves me with little free time.

Retirement? Ha. Even when i'm finished with school wayyyy down the line, i know i'll still have some kind of crazy goals. I'm not the type of person who just sits around and is lazy. I'm very curious and like to learn everything i can. And when each miniscule curiosity is quenched, they spit out little micobits of success. I think it can come about in varying levels. From very huge (graduating and whatnot) to very little (winning a game of chess).

reply submitted to put thread on 1st page.