What is it with all the 20-something drones?

[Luna]

Do some kind of volunteer work, if you want experience.  Most such groups wont turn people away, and you can get some kind of resume which proves you know more than how to wash dishes.

If there are any such places nearby, naturally.

This.  It's better than nothing, honestly.

[LMNO]

What Cain said. Volunteer, freelance, take online classes. Build up experience. Or you might find that volunteering is more worthwhile, and you can start working there.

[LMNO]

Also, full disclosure: I started working for THE MAN by temping a courier job, hauling documents back n forth. When I was 32. I transferred to document processing, and just kept proving how competent I was.

Keep in mind, all jobs I had before that had NO resume boosting experience.

So, there's always a shot.

[Triple Zero]

What's really interesting is how many people feel the need to point out that THEY aren't drones, when nobody here would assume they are.

So, it goes from "Tucson and Hamilton have this problem, and it can be inferred that it exists elsewhere" to "I had to walk 40 miles to work as a jackhammer bit in the salt mines, uphill both ways in a snowstorm, to pay for my degree, and I spent 10 years living in a paper bag in the gutter, but through grit and determination, I have accidentally the Horatio Alger."

I wonder what part of the human psyche drives that?

I dunno, I was thinking more from the point of view that I'm still on the edge of being a drone. I really do have to just keep throwing myself forward for fear of stopping or even sinking.

This. It's something I worry about quite often. I am fully aware that (living in the Netherlands, growing up in a family that's doing pretty well) I'm in a fucking lucky position. And I can't really say I'm not a "drone" (or risk becoming one) until I actually accomplish some shit to balance out that lucky head-start. Currently all I have is that realization, and the desire.

[Luna]

What's really interesting is how many people feel the need to point out that THEY aren't drones, when nobody here would assume they are.

So, it goes from "Tucson and Hamilton have this problem, and it can be inferred that it exists elsewhere" to "I had to walk 40 miles to work as a jackhammer bit in the salt mines, uphill both ways in a snowstorm, to pay for my degree, and I spent 10 years living in a paper bag in the gutter, but through grit and determination, I have accidentally the Horatio Alger."

I wonder what part of the human psyche drives that?

I dunno, I was thinking more from the point of view that I'm still on the edge of being a drone. I really do have to just keep throwing myself forward for fear of stopping or even sinking.

This. It's something I worry about quite often. I am fully aware that (living in the Netherlands, growing up in a family that's doing pretty well) I'm in a fucking lucky position. And I can't really say I'm not a "drone" (or risk becoming one) until I actually accomplish some shit to balance out that lucky head-start. Currently all I have is that realization, and the desire.

Well, are you doing SOMETHING with your life?  School?  Work?  Anything other than sitting on your ass all day playing video games?

[Adios]

What's really interesting is how many people feel the need to point out that THEY aren't drones, when nobody here would assume they are.

So, it goes from "Tucson and Hamilton have this problem, and it can be inferred that it exists elsewhere" to "I had to walk 40 miles to work as a jackhammer bit in the salt mines, uphill both ways in a snowstorm, to pay for my degree, and I spent 10 years living in a paper bag in the gutter, but through grit and determination, I have accidentally the Horatio Alger."

I wonder what part of the human psyche drives that?

I dunno, I was thinking more from the point of view that I'm still on the edge of being a drone. I really do have to just keep throwing myself forward for fear of stopping or even sinking.

This. It's something I worry about quite often. I am fully aware that (living in the Netherlands, growing up in a family that's doing pretty well) I'm in a fucking lucky position. And I can't really say I'm not a "drone" (or risk becoming one) until I actually accomplish some shit to balance out that lucky head-start. Currently all I have is that realization, and the desire.

Hell, all you have to do is participate in life.

[Jasper]

The AI in video games was too good, so I quit in favor of real life.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The current songs of Lady GaGa... Katy Perry... et al... are NOT helping in this matter.

I'm not sure I'm hearing what you're hearing in Lady GaGa. Every song and video of hers I've seen is a commentary on something massively fucked-up. Even Boys Boys Boys.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Plus, as you've said TGRR, you don't want to be the 40-year-old at the club.


Well, I do, but that's because I have the wrong values. 






Plus I have a lot of clubs populated by my peer/age group.

Once I lose all my weight, I'm going to find a fucking club like that, because, and I don't care if this cougars me out, I LOVE to dance.  I fucking LOVE to dance.  And clubs are about the only way I can do this without feeling foolish.  So I'd love to find those 40-and-over places without looking fucking ridiculoso and go for it.

Once I lose all my weight.

Dancing is a GREAT way to lose weight. Plus you'll look hot shakin' it on the dance floor.

[Jenne]

Thanks, Guys, for the confidence--I need to find someone to go with, I guess. 

And Sita, volunteer in your son's PTA.  And I'd be willing to bet THAT networking will get you a job.  Because anymore, it's not who you are and what you do but who you know.  Getting a job seems easier and more likely if you are familiar with those offering it to you.  People like hiring known entities these days.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Do some kind of volunteer work, if you want experience.  Most such groups wont turn people away, and you can get some kind of resume which proves you know more than how to wash dishes.

If there are any such places nearby, naturally.

This! And if you work hard as a volunteer for six months or so, they also serve as a reference.

[Triple Zero]

Well, are you doing SOMETHING with your life?  School?  Work?  Anything other than sitting on your ass all day playing video games?

Well, I don't play video games. School: I got a bachelor's degree in Computational Science. Then, I got completely stuck in my Master's. Probably should have stopped sooner, but I didn't realize something was wrong. Stupid, because the fact that every trimester, with 100% motivation "this time I'll pull through", I only passed half the courses--It wasn't the level, I was just as smart as my peers, I just didn't have the energy*  to do all of them in that time. Anyway at some point my student funding ran out. I got a job at an IT company, only 16 hours a week cause I needed to finish my Masters, right? Only thing left was my final research thesis thing. But it didn't quite work out like that. Those 16 hours turned out to completely exhaust me for the rest of the week, unable to even do household tasks. Within two months I got panic attacks and burned out. I was a wreck. I've been working to recover from that ever since. In the mean time I did a few freelance webdesign jobs (which took me way too long) and started at another IT webdesign company, slowly, first 6h a week, then 12, then 18--more panic attacks, that was too much. I'm working on myself, therapy (again, fucking lucky to live in a socialist country), some worked better than other, the last one really helps, it actually changes me and I believe I could easily do the 18h now. Right now, I just started doing volunteer work, though. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do next, our socialism comes with a fuckload of bureaucracy and if I'd take a job right now, they'll assume I'm just fine and take away the safety net. And maybe I'm up for that, but maybe I'll crash down again and then I'm fucked (read:family to the rescue). So, right now, volunteer work it is, cause otherwise, yeah I'd be sitting on my ass. See my thread in High Weirdness for what I'm doing currently.

(*or something like that, it's a lot like Nigel's "sitting on a chair" example in the Madness thread, that description really resonated)

Sorry for the TMI, but that's my life right now. I think I'll be fine, because many many years ago, when I was 20, I got the slight feeling something was Wrong (but I didn't take it serious enough), however I vowed to myself I'd keep looking and never EVER give up until I fix it, somehow. A drone wouldn't do that, right? So yeah, even if I'm being a leech on society right now, at least I'll have that.

[Luna]

Nah, Trip.

You may currently be a drain, but volunteer work is important, SOMEBODY has to do it...  And you're working on fixing your shit.

If my humble opinion matters at all, I call "Not Drone."

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Nah, Trip.

You may currently be a drain, but volunteer work is important, SOMEBODY has to do it...  And you're working on fixing your shit.

If my humble opinion matters at all, I call "Not Drone."

Volunteer work is extremely important, and I really respect people who do it in between jobs to avoid stagnating or feeling like a drain on society. Because, when you're volunteering, you may not be getting paid directly for your contributions, but you're contributing directly. Plus, again, keeps you out of that chair, and it looks great on a resume.

[Triple Zero]

Yeah. Although, see my thread in High Weirdness. It's not exactly the most humanitarian helping-people-out kind of stuff. I also looked into that, this one organisation, called Humanitas, is seriously awesome in what they do, but their regular-hours stuff is really heavy. I don't think it would be wise for me to become a "buddy" for a terminally ill person, or a disabled person. But it's so damn beautiful work, so maybe I'm going to see again if there's maybe something I can do anyway. They also have one-off jobs. Because working at this online fringe magazine thing is hella fun (and I'm going to continue doing that), I don't really feel it's much for the benefit of society.