On Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:03:47 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 3/2/2013 2:54 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
Not quite. I retired in 1983, but didn't know it. I had just been
laid off from an engineering position and decided that engineering
management and my abrasive personality were mutually exclusive. Since
then, I've experimented with numerous businesses and professions, with
the usual wide variations in success. Unfortunately, I'm getting
sufficient old and tired that such changes and product ideas are not
going to work well in the future.

There comes a time in a mans life where he becomes so intolerant of
being in the employ of actinic sphincters that the he fears life in
prison for stomping the asshole until he quits twitching. I've had to
hide my crowbars whenever some of them got around me so I decided the
risk was too great and abandoned the corporate world for a life of
independent contracting. ^_^
TDD

Sorry, but I was somewhat ambiguous. My phrase "that engineering
management and my abrasive personality were mutually exclusive" refers
to me, not corporate management. At the time, I had been functioning
simultaneously as both an engineer and a manager. I soon realized
that I had to choose one or the other. Since my personality tends to
**** off everyone within range, I chose engineer, where prickly
personalities are common. In effect, I refused promotion, which was
at the time considered a capital crime. When the economy took a dive,
and the first round of layoffs occurred, I was one of the first to be
laid off.

I did the independent contractor, consultant, and hired gun thing for
a while, but didn't like all the travel that was required. I also
seemed to find situations and products that were beyond redemption or
salvage. In several cases, I was setup for a failure, and then
dutifully blamed when I failed. I had made a pile of money on stock
options and speculation, so I was able to loaf while I decided what to
do next.

I floundered around between 1983 and mid 1986, continuing to do
consulting but also building up the repair biz. I was about to setup
a local consultants exchange, when my father settled the issue by
having a severe stroke. I found myself running his lingerie
manufacturing business for several years until it could be sold and
commuting back and forth between Santa Cruz and Smog Angeles
approximately twice per month. I don't want to get into details here.
Incidentally, I am still on good terms with all of my former
employers. I had plenty of disagreements with them, but none of them
were ever allowed to become personal. It was quite common to engage
in heated technical arguments with them, followed by a calm lunch
discussion over politics, sports, or other non-work related interests.
After lunch, the arguments would resume.

I find it odd that you would pass judgment on your employers. It's
not nice to bite the hand that feeds you. I have worked for crooks,
liars, politicians, and marginal incompetents. I have been on good
relations with all of them. If you cannot get along with even your
worst enemy for the achievement of a common goal, you're doing
something wrong. Even the worst employer can be trained.


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558