February 20, 2003

I just quit my horrible day job.

All I can think about is:

1. that I can now finally ask my office crush out on a date, and
2. that our relationship will perforce be short-lived, because soon I will starve to death.

Even dead of starvation, though, I will still be ahead of the game, because I will no longer have to spend hours a day transcribing tapes of interviews in which people say things like this:

“Yeah, as I told you, the problem is that, seriously, I mean, here, we are a very vanilla house. We don’t do a lot of–the mandates we’re working on are basically global government bonds and currency, so there’s not much that we do in terms of structured credit and derivatives. Even, as I told you, futures are mainly used to hedge some positions or to implement continuing duration strategies, but not as an important distinction or asset class. So, to be frank, I don’t really—I think you should probably talk—did you talk to my colleagues in New York on the derivatives side?”

How the hell did I do this job for a year and a half without LOSING MY FUCKING MIND?

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12 Responses to I just quit my horrible

  1. michelle says:

    congrats – that takes nerve.

    good luck. does it help to say you did the right thing?

    Reply
  2. Tin Man says:

    Holy schmokes. That’s awesome. I wish I could do the same.

    And given the state of the economy, there will probably be about 1,000 people lining up to replace you…

    Go office crush go!

    Reply
  3. uberchick says:

    congrats, not on the future starvation but canning the nasty job. welcome to the world of idleness. 😉

    Reply
  4. PatCH says:

    Well, that’s the thing about fixed income securities. They’re invested mainly these days by vanilla clients, who are interested in principal conservation–especially, say, insurance clients who have gain/loss constraints and tons of tax implications. So yeah, sure, a lot of them invest in boring stuff like treasuries, munis and investment-grade corporates and asset-backeds. And yes, most people would care less for using derivatives like futures for speculation, and use them instead for hedging and duration management. They’re just too risky.

    Uh…

    Congrats on quitting. Fuck, I’d quit, too.

    Reply
  5. Todd says:

    There seems to be a rash of this going on these days.

    Congrats. I hope you find a much less mind numbing way of supporting yourself.

    *smooches*

    Reply
  6. angelo says:

    *GASP*

    You did what?

    Plane tickets to San Francisco don’t grow on trees you know.

    I feel as neglected as a wife whose husband never informed her that he’d be trading in her poodle for a more aggressive, fetch-me-the-paper boxer, and she, bright-eyed and full of hope one morning, finds that Princess has been replaced by Killer.

    Thanks, Faustus, thanks.

    Reply
  7. elisabeth says:

    Bloody hell, I don’t know how you lasted that long. Back when I was temping for a tv company, I did audio transcription for a week and couldn’t take it. It was for a history programme, so I had to describe sounds, i.e.

    03:12:01:01 sound of walking through bushes
    03:13:03:04 sounds of bird singing
    03:15:35.06 local guide talking in french (unintelligible)

    Good luck. I’m sure there’s something better out there for you…

    Reply
  8. david grey says:

    Good for you! I fully support quitting your job. I did last summer. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done. You will be amazed at how many opportunities and options will present themselves now. Congratulations on your courage.

    david

    Reply
  9. Buni says:

    There comes a time in everyone’s work life where they just think to themselves, “Sod this mate”, you’ve just had yours dear.

    I’ve walked out of SO many jobs, especially when I was at university! I agree with David, let the opportunities roll.

    Reply
  10. Akasha says:

    Ooo.. yes, that takes courage.. ! I totally believe everything happens for a reason.. there will be a better job waiting for you out there.. if not that, you will die thin. 😉 😉

    Reply
  11. JW says:

    This is the job you wanted me to take when I move to New York? Of course, since Suburbia, Ohio offers . . . oh . . . NOTHING, then transcribing bland greedspeak actually sounds fairly appetizing!

    Reply
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