In a recent comment, "J" posed this question:
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actress. I enjoyed acting and loved being on stage. My mom had been an opera singer. Her advice? If you want to go into show business, learn how to type.
She wasn't trying to be discouraging. She was just trying to convey the reality that 1) it's hard to find work in the arts, and 2) even if you do, it probably won't pay the bills. Her advice was good. I knew that most actors, whether working or not, were waiting tables in L.A. or New York. She sang in the opera chorus but also did her share of typing.
After my mom died, my step-mom (to be) offered even better advice when I headed off to college: study accounting. I still thought I might dabble in drama, but quickly learned that accounting suited my desire for stability and security. I never took even one drama class in college.
Accounting did send me off to a 22-year career in finance that was indeed stable and secure. I worked for only two companies during that time, the most recent one for nearly 18 years. By the time I grew tired of my job, my career had provided me the luxury of options: I could continue with my current job, look for a new one, or retire.
When I faced this decision, I didn't even consider working somewhere else. If I was going to continue in finance, I knew I would never find a better job with a better environment or better people. It was more than just a job, it was my family.
It's the career I didn't want anymore. And now, in my retirement, I'm indulging that creative side that I haven't nurtured for years. Just like when I was a kid, I love being on stage, only now that stage is a blog.
"I don't know of any finance professional leaving corporate life before 55. The environment can be addictive and people tend to hit their stride during 40-50. What made you decide to retire early versus taking a long break and then finding a new job?"It's a good question, and one that I had to think about.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actress. I enjoyed acting and loved being on stage. My mom had been an opera singer. Her advice? If you want to go into show business, learn how to type.
She wasn't trying to be discouraging. She was just trying to convey the reality that 1) it's hard to find work in the arts, and 2) even if you do, it probably won't pay the bills. Her advice was good. I knew that most actors, whether working or not, were waiting tables in L.A. or New York. She sang in the opera chorus but also did her share of typing.
After my mom died, my step-mom (to be) offered even better advice when I headed off to college: study accounting. I still thought I might dabble in drama, but quickly learned that accounting suited my desire for stability and security. I never took even one drama class in college.
Accounting did send me off to a 22-year career in finance that was indeed stable and secure. I worked for only two companies during that time, the most recent one for nearly 18 years. By the time I grew tired of my job, my career had provided me the luxury of options: I could continue with my current job, look for a new one, or retire.
When I faced this decision, I didn't even consider working somewhere else. If I was going to continue in finance, I knew I would never find a better job with a better environment or better people. It was more than just a job, it was my family.
It's the career I didn't want anymore. And now, in my retirement, I'm indulging that creative side that I haven't nurtured for years. Just like when I was a kid, I love being on stage, only now that stage is a blog.
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All right, I'll be the first to ask (in jest): how much of this blog is you, and how much of this is a screenplay? ;-\
Posted by: Steve Austin | May 27, 2008 at 07:24 AM
I like to think of it more like sit-down comedy.
Posted by: Retired Syd | May 27, 2008 at 09:23 AM
So Syd...Would you like to do some acting in a community theater or such???
You would be great!!!!
I hope you say YES!
Sara
Posted by: Sara | May 27, 2008 at 12:21 PM
I wish it were that simple for me. I dislike the structure that corporate brings and can't seem to find an environment I can thrive in.
I've been at my current job for almost a year and I've already started scouting my next move.
I wonder if it is a generational thing? Ms. Trunk talks about that a lot.
Perhaps my mother ruined me by telling me I could be all I want to be and that I should do something I love. Maybe she should have said accounting.
Posted by: Nicole | May 28, 2008 at 11:00 AM
This is how I think, too. I'm a teacher, and I like teaching well enough to continue with it, but it's not my dream job. When I think of all the perks, though (built-in vacation time, fabulous pension, great benefits, etc.) I can't imagine doing anything different, but in reality, I also can't imagine doing this until I'm 60. Early retirement it is, then, and that's what we're shooting for, too.
Posted by: Sarah | May 30, 2008 at 03:16 PM