Hobby. I write software for a living.

I must have dozed off. How did music come up?

Well field trips are all about culture too..... :D

When I was a kid we use to go to the museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. I remember it was fantastic. And they had a captured U-Boat. Big stone lions out front. Great memories.

Where? What kind?

The opportunity I'm considering is a software craftsmanship apprenticeship at 8th Light.

Java mostly with some C++. I work on a major statistical software package.

Well, then I can guess which one that is. Color me impressed.

Our Pete is wicked smaht! :)

:blush:

Libertyville is very nice, and you don't want to live in Waukegan anyway. Libertyville has a lot of "small-town" feel to it, with a single main street with restaurants and shops, even a movie theater. If you're working in Libertyville, find an apartment nearby and you're all set. You should be able to find a nice place within five or ten miles. Waukegan has gone downhill quite a bit in the last 10 years, it's still a good 10 or 15 minute drive to Libertyville, and there are plenty of better options closer.

I grew up in Barrington.

Okay, so this has been dredged up again. The company I turned down in March has come knocking at my door again. It's a pretty prestigious company and it will be a very fulfilling job.

If I can scrape together enough pennies, I'm going to come out for a week in October or November to check things out in person, both the office environment and places to live.

It's hell deciding what I want to do. Stay here in my comfortable dead-end job that gives me plenty of room to play around in the shop or pop off for a killer career move that will limit the shop play (likely just because of where I'll need to live). Honestly, I'm going to burn out in the types of job I've had so far in my career. I need to either take this or continue pushing for a stark career change (i.e., starving artist).

If they are head-hunting you, they should wear the cost of your trial visit.

You must be good at whatever it is. Not a lot of people are having jobs chase them, nowadays.

This is a very good position to be in.

But of course you have to decide what standard of living you want.

In my experience, it's easier to work hard and focus on work/career when you are young. When you get older, families start to play into it, and you are going to want to be leaving at 5pm to be home with the family.

Get a lawyer to read your contract very carefully. Make sure that you are in the driving seat. Don't be drawn by the $.

Thanks for the reminder. I made that mistake when I took that short-lived job in Portland. Total waste of time.

Money isn't the primary motivator. In fact, it's probably 4th or 5th on the list. I've got fairly low capital requirements. I'm going for fulfillment and work-life balance.