Rodent Regatta

”If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”

Henry David Thoreau
Motivational Quotes of the Day

The Ten Most Overpaid Jobs In the U.S. and every selection belongs on the list. Were it expanded to an even dozen, we’d add most entertainers and 99 of the lawyers.

By now, surely, you see that this weblog is about the rat race or the hamster wheel that too often occupies our time. I’ve said before that so many people drive to a workplace they detest thinking about their dreams. Arriving there, they hang those dreams on the coathook in the back seat and go to work.

At the end of the day, they return to their cars, reclaim their dreams while driving home only to collapse into a chair and sedate their minds with television or worse.

There are ways out. There are tools for getting out. Here’s a great little hint from The Occupational Adventure (sm) Blog.

For those who are facing a career or job change, I’d suggest starting with an indentification of your own personality profile, skills and passions. A couple of ways to get this information are described here. You can also turn to the ever-useful What Color Is Your Parachute? for tools that will uncover this kind of information.

If you’re interested in becoming an expert in a field, use Ed Horrell’s books and weekly emails. They are tops at teaching you how to begin writing, speaking and offering consulting advice in a field of your choosing.

I’d also recommend Dan Miller’s excellent 48 Days to the Work You Love web site and materials. These are particularly useful to those who definitely want to go to work for someone else.

Po Bronson’s book is less a workbook and more a thought-provoking analysis of how others faced the decision described as What Should I Do With My Life?

”Went to the Shiner Circus on Saturday. Or rather: Cirque de SoLame. Oh, I shouldnt be so critical, as my mom always said; I did have fun, and clapped enthusiastically, but it didnt really feel like a circus. It felt like Vegas Lite.”

James Lileks
The Bleat
October 20, 2003