Reading POWF's journal

I've been working full-time for about two years now. I'm only 20 yrs old. I've been saving some money, spending some money..I just bought a new car. You know, the usual shit young people do when they have money.

Recently I have decided that office life isn't for me. The repetive actions I go through everyday, the menapausal women surrounding me (taking out all their fustrations of being old on me!), the stale air of a climate controlled enviorment..it makes me miserable. Some people love this atmosphere, they thrive on office politics and try to control every co-worker in site only because they have no control over their OWN lives. Yep, I've had enough.

So I've decided to go to college, to major in Early Childhood Education so I can become a teacher. I figured I could go to school at night (the college is about 2 miles from my office) and in about 5 yrs have my Masters. I rethought that idea many times and came to the conclusion "Fuck my job, I want to go during the day." So I spoke with my manager and got the OK to work partime 3 days a week. On those two days I have off I can go to school.

Before I made this decision to work part-time, I consulted everyone I knew...except of course my Father (the typical disgruntaled work horse, doomed forever to stay in the same position and get the same pay). Everyone I spoke with thought it was a great idea. Afterall, I am only 20 yrs old, why am I putting up with the drudgery of office politics at such a young age?

About 10 minutes ago I dropped the bomb on Pops. First words out of his mouth, "I think you are fucking stupid". Ouch. He belives I am unable to go to school and take 12 credits. He wants me to stay working full time and take about 6 credits at night. At that rate my two year associates degree will be a 4 year nightmare. My father thinks I will fall behind on my bills and go into debt. Its not like I've got a fucking mortgage and 3 mouths to feed. COME ON ALREADY! Its not like I'm 40 yrs old and dropping my life asking to move back in w/Mom & Dad to go back to college.

The next words out of his mouth are, "I am your Father, I know best. You cannot do this, you won't be able to handle 12 credits." What the fuck do you think I am? Do you think I have 47 chromosomes???Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot handle. I think you are dictating to me what YOU would not be able to do.

So in the end I got this out of him, "Do what you want." Ok, well we all know what I want to do. But not having his support and hearing him say he does'nt think I can do it really hurts me. I've been out of highschool for only 2 1/2 years. I don't think thats too much time. Maybe if I'de been out 20 yrs. I could understand him thinking I cannot handle it.

To put this into a little more prespective. My mother has been unemployed and on Workers Comp for about a year now. She hurt herself while working as a lunch aide at my old highschoool. She does not want to go back there. She has also decided to attend college. Full time. In the day time. 12 credits. While she works part time at a local arts & crafts store. How come hes isn't breathing fire down her back? Should'nt our roles be switched around? Why is he telling me I cannot suceed? Is he taking out his anger and fustration about my mother on me? I mean, she's been out of highschool for over 30 years.

Bottom line is, I'm going to do what I want. I'm working part time and going to school. Its my life, not his. And I'm not going to let his negative energy rain on my parade!

We should of brought a bag of rocks....

Hi, I just read your post and I'm laughing hysterically. Not only do I think you're funny, but I think you're right. So screw what anyone else says, you have to do what's right for you. When I was in college from '93 through '97 getting my bachelor's degree in Business Administration, I worked 40 to 50 hours a week, in two part-time jobs and took 16 (quarterly) units, which is full time. I was going insane, but I handled it and everything worked out fine. Everything worthwhile is NOT easy, I think that's how life is in general, but the last thing you need when you're trying to reach your goals is negative freaking attitudes surrounding you, telling you that you will fail, and it's even worse when it comes from your family. My mom was exactly like that and I proved her very wrong. I was almost MORE determined to succeed because so many people would talk shit and behaved as if they had the ability to fore tell the future. Screw that, I proved them all wrong. Do what you NEED to do and what you feel is right for you.