What did you grow up to be?

[Boots]

You can easily explain away the resume gap. Other people have taken time away to take care of elderly parents, grandparents, and babies. It shouldn't be held against you.

 

[Crystal]

You can easily explain away the resume gap. Other people have taken time away to take care of elderly parents, grandparents, and babies. It shouldn't be held against you.

Well I suppose technically it's employment history as I did get certified as a caregiver and draw a...very small wage, but yeah, hopefully I can use that to fill in the gap.

 

[shortkut]

You can easily explain away the resume gap. Other people have taken time away to take care of elderly parents, grandparents, and babies. It shouldn't be held against you.

Also it sounded like @Kat was offering @Crystal a job

 

[Raine]

It's funny, when I was younger I did actually use GW on one resume as a fluffed out piece of job experience . Didn't help, I didn't get that job, but ah well

Hah, been there. I wasn't a Moderator for GW, I was a Community Manager! It wasn't enthusiast press fluff pieces, I was a News Editor and Contributor to a now-defunct but formerly very large website! I didn't just tinker with and fix up the consoles for family and friends; oh no, I was a self-employed electronics repairperson! ...Honestly I probably could've just left it at that last one and been alright. Or probably just not have given them a resume at all and just turned up as a warm body. It was for a shitty smartphone/device repair job. Which I got, and it fucking sucked, but hey. You win some, you lose some.

I would agree that explaining being a caretaker should be sufficient for prospective interviewers though. Honest too, which is a plus and something I'm always paranoid about because I ain't got a good poker face.

Also, relevant:

 

[Crystal]

Hah, been there. I wasn't a Moderator for GW, I was a Community Manager! It wasn't enthusiast press fluff pieces, I was a News Editor and Contributor to a now-defunct but formerly very large website! I didn't just tinker with and fix up the consoles for family and friends; oh no, I was a self-employed electronics repairperson! ...Honestly I probably could've just left it at that last one and been alright. Or probably just not have given them a resume at all and just turned up as a warm body. It was for a shitty smartphone/device repair job. Which I got, and it fucking sucked, but hey. You win some, you lose some.

That's how you do it! Fluff that resume

I would agree that explaining being a caretaker should be sufficient for prospective interviewers though. Honest too, which is a plus and something I'm always paranoid about because I ain't got a good poker face.

I have massive issues with anxiety, so I don't lie very well lol

Also, relevant:

lol, I remember this one, we just lost Fry's Electronics down here...maybe I was a district manager there... hmm...

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

tall

 

[A Slightly New Used Server]

tall

I thought you were born a giant

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

i was never born, I have always been

 

[Crystal]

i was never born, I have always been

You're galactic computer?

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

I am a fembot... living in a manbot's manputer's world.

 

[A Slightly New Used Server]

We all grew up to quote Futurama.

 

[Requiem]

I used to be a bit bitter about how my life was going but I've come to appreciate having a bit of an interesting life. I grew up to be a felon, been a logger, did a lot of boxing, finally FINISHED growing up, went back to finish college and now I work as a licensed therapist. Still in school, continuing my education, and grabbing certificates. Things are more stable now, but I still hit up the local punk scene if I want a good time like the old days

 

[Madden_07]

I have an associates in business management and currently work for a multi-national law firm supporting their IT needs at different trials they have. I also do a lot of their in house project management for their new office IT planning. I get to travel to new cities a few times a month and since I dont really have any dependents it's pretty neat getting to see the world on someone else's dime.

My background is originally in sales and when I tell people I made the switch to IT they look at me like I'm crazy.

 

[Crystal]

I am a fembot... living in a manbot's manputer's world.

Hon, you don't know the half of it

 

[Crystal]

We all grew up to quote Futurama.

Life well spent!

 

[Mark]

I grew up to become an admin on a video game forum that happens to be filled with the same people from the same forum I was an admin at 20 years ago. That’s lamer than being the admin on a meme page that reposts other people’s memes.

I also grew up to be an upholsterer, then an auto parts technician, then an upholsterer again, then a repo man, then a senior recovery agent which is the same thing with more words and more papers, then a senior recovery agent/manager at another company where I had trained hundreds of agents in several states over the course of several years, and then I become an asset recovery consultant which is basically a guy that looks at license plate reader data, map data, and social media/online data to locate individuals that field agents can’t locate. I’ve also done the typical working class warehouse work, contractor work, landscaping, and sold weed.

Variety. The spice of the working class. I’ve learned a lot over the years, though. I like doing different stuff, and I like being able to fix/create stuff.

I got into computers as a teen, obviously, but I never had an interest in sitting behind a desk all night. The closest I ever came was sitting behind a computer and desk on wheels.

 

[Kat]

Also it sounded like @Kat was offering @Crystal a job

I assume she's not looking currently, but we're almost always hiring and I'd give her an interview if she wanted whenever she's ready.

I've heard places only care about resume gaps because they're concerned you were in jail. I've never seen an interviewer ask about them, personally. If you can sound like you know what you're talking about, you'll be fine.

My background is originally in sales and when I tell people I made the switch to IT they look at me like I'm crazy.

I'm shit at sales and it hurts me in my job. I bet if you're both technical and good at sales, it opens a lot of doors. It's always beneficial to be able to sell people on things.

which is basically a guy that looks at license plate reader data

Err, that's publicly available?

 

[Crystal]

I grew up to become an admin on a video game forum that happens to be filled with the same people from the same forum I was an admin at 20 years ago. That’s lamer than being the admin on a meme page that reposts other people’s memes.

Some of us aren't even the same people...

I assume she's not looking currently, but we're almost always hiring and I'd give her an interview if she wanted whenever she's ready.

I am and I'm not at the same time, looking for work, but I have a 24/7 commitment that keeps me busy and therefore makes me not an ideal candidate. Yet I don't know when that commitment ends, so I want to keep my options open for the inevitable.

I've heard places only care about resume gaps because they're concerned you were in jail.

I mean, weren't we all for a good 2 years there? lol. Joking, of course, jail is no laughing matter, but it sure felt like we were locked up at times during the pandemic.

I've never seen an interviewer ask about them, personally. If you can sound like you know what you're talking about, you'll be fine.

My problem is I can know all there is to know about a subject, I will ALWAYS freeze in an interview. Social anxiety kicks in and the feeling of being on the spot overtakes every logical bone in my being and I just can't get words out. It was so awkward doing my first few interviews, how I managed to get hired is beyond me.

 

[Mark]

Err, that's publicly available?

Absolutely not. I have access to a database. I can make a thread explaining how all of that works later on, but for your curiosity now… it’s basically privately owned data. Repo companies are granted access in most states to utilize LPR technology. Sounds fishy, right? Because it IS. The data we collected, under the pretense of building a database for potential repossessions and to locate specific vehicles nationwide through that same database. Essentially… say you pack up and move to Maryland with your car up for repo, those Oregon plates will still alert here and a repo agent will take your car. I’ve taken cars registered in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Alberta.

In exchange for access to that technology, that database becomes accessible by local, state, and federal law-enforcement as necessary. The vast majority of Amber Alert incidents that are resolved by license plate reader technology are because of data collected by repo agents. In some cities, we outnumber the police in terms of the amount of LPR units. Some departments can only afford 5-10 LPR units… a law-enforcement quality version (hardwired, high-speed lens, bolted-on to body) will set a department back $40k brand new. Repo companies? Banks pay them. Their pockets are FAT.

 

[Mark]

Some of us aren't even the same people...

Soul’s still the same, dude. That’s the advantage of “meeting” people online, the face, name, gender doesn’t matter. How they interact with you is what matters, and you’ve been the same genuine shithead the whole time.

My problem is I can know all there is to know about a subject, I will ALWAYS freeze in an interview. Social anxiety kicks in and the feeling of being on the spot overtakes every logical bone in my being and I just can't get words out. It was so awkward doing my first few interviews, how I managed to get hired is beyond me.

Look at it like anything else… your first few attempts are gonna suck. You’ve gotta hit your groove, and that’s not gonna happen until you’ve fallen and busted your ass a few times. Each time you bomb an interview, you learn something. You’ll get it, just don’t be too hard on yourself. That’s how most people get anxious… they psyche themselves out because they know they’ve bombed before. Fake it til you make it, you miss all the shots you don’t take, blah blah blah. It’s not bullshit. It’s GENERALIZED bullshit that’s TRUE. It’s kinda like when your parents say “you’ll understand when you’re older” and then you think you do… and then something happens and THEN you think you know… and then something ELSE happens and then you think you finally got it… and then you get hit with a shovel by some little old lady crossing the street one day. Shit is wild, but as long as you hang in there and don’t give up, you’ll be alright.

 

[Crystal]

Soul’s still the same, dude. That’s the advantage of “meeting” people online, the face, name, gender doesn’t matter. How they interact with you is what matters, and you’ve been the same genuine shithead the whole time.

I try to be me, hopefully that hasn't changed too much.

Look at it like anything else… your first few attempts are gonna suck. You’ve gotta hit your groove, and that’s not gonna happen until you’ve fallen and busted your ass a few times. Each time you bomb an interview, you learn something. You’ll get it, just don’t be too hard on yourself. That’s how most people get anxious… they psyche themselves out because they know they’ve bombed before. Fake it til you make it, you miss all the shots you don’t take, blah blah blah. It’s not bullshit. It’s GENERALIZED bullshit that’s TRUE. It’s kinda like when your parents say “you’ll understand when you’re older” and then you think you do… and then something happens and THEN you think you know… and then something ELSE happens and then you think you finally got it… and then you get hit with a shovel by some little old lady crossing the street one day. Shit is wild, but as long as you hang in there and don’t give up, you’ll be alright.

Yeah, this part is all logical and I absolutely agree with it, but it's something to do with my brain. I get really bad social anxiety to the point I can barely pick up a takeaway if there are more than 2 or 3 people inside at the time. I just plain can't do it. It's the same with interviews, and it was the same when I used to take tests in school. I would get so horrifically shaken that I couldn't respond.

 

[Mark]

I try to be me, hopefully that hasn't changed too much.

Yeah, this part is all logical and I absolutely agree with it, but it's something to do with my brain. I get really bad social anxiety to the point I can barely pick up a takeaway if there are more than 2 or 3 people inside at the time. I just plain can't do it. It's the same with interviews, and it was the same when I used to take tests in school. I would get so horrifically shaken that I couldn't respond.

Have you considered getting stoned? All jokes aside, the right strain could do wonders for that. Anyone else that smokes for their anxiety can vouch for it. It’s SO much better than the pharmaceutical shit and the Russian roulette you’d play with that.

 

[shortkut]

My problem is I can know all there is to know about a subject, I will ALWAYS freeze in an interview. Social anxiety kicks in and the feeling of being on the spot overtakes every logical bone in my being and I just can't get words out. It was so awkward doing my first few interviews, how I managed to get hired is beyond me.

I’ve always had my best interviews when I didn’t care or already assumed I wouldn’t get a position. Each time I either made it to the next round of interviews or got the job.

A lot of companies are not looking for someone with the most knowledge on a topic, but someone with just enough knowledge and a good enough personality to work with the rest of the team. You can always train someone up in terms of skill and knowledge, but you can’t train someone to be a team player.

You don’t need to worry about remember every detail. Also, a good interviewer can tell when you are nervous/anxious and can look beyond that

 

[Crystal]

Have you considered getting stoned? All jokes aside, the right strain could do wonders for that. Anyone else that smokes for their anxiety can vouch for it. It’s SO much better than the pharmaceutical shit and the Russian roulette you’d play with that.

I'm on so many prescriptions right now I have no idea how that would react to any of it. Tried some different things, but it all made me feel paranoid, so...meh...

 

[Kat]

I am and I'm not at the same time, looking for work, but I have a 24/7 commitment that keeps me busy and therefore makes me not an ideal candidate.

Well I can send you the job posting if you want. I'd just have to get a link from our recruiter on Monday. It does come with an expectation of working 40 hours a week and generally attending one check-in a day, but otherwise it's flexible. I know you don't want to do SQL though.

My problem is I can know all there is to know about a subject, I will ALWAYS freeze in an interview. Social anxiety kicks in and the feeling of being on the spot overtakes every logical bone in my being and I just can't get words out. It was so awkward doing my first few interviews, how I managed to get hired is beyond me.

That's literally everyone I've ever interviewed for a technical position! It's so difficult because everyone freezes up on even the simplest questions. I'm dreadful at them myself. I do my best to work for people I already know so they won't try to seriously interview me, because it is the worst.

Repo companies are granted access in most states to utilize LPR technology. Sounds fishy, right? Because it IS.

Wow, I had no idea. I guess if you're driving on public roads then you technically have no expectation of privacy, but that still feels so weird and intrusive.

 

[Crystal]

I’ve always had my best interviews when I didn’t care or already assumed I wouldn’t get a position. Each time I either made it to the next round of interviews or got the job.

I always assume I'm never going to get it, but I can't stop that anxiety.

A lot of companies are not looking for someone with the most knowledge on a topic, but someone with just enough knowledge and a good enough personality to work with the rest of the team. You can always train someone up in terms of skill and knowledge, but you can’t train someone to be a team player.

You don’t need to worry about remember every detail. Also, a good interviewer can tell when you are nervous/anxious and can look beyond that

Yeah, I'm sure they can tell, just would like to make it not happen, lol.

Well I can send you the job posting if you want. I'd just have to get a link from our recruiter on Monday. It does come with an expectation of working 40 hours a week and generally attending one check-in a day, but otherwise it's flexible. I know you don't want to do SQL though.

Yeah, the SQL part would be my problem, lol, so no worries, but I do appreciate it!

That's literally everyone I've ever interviewed for a technical position! It's so difficult because everyone freezes up on even the simplest questions. I'm dreadful at them myself. I do my best to work for people I already know so they won't try to seriously interview me, because it is the worst.

True, a lot of people freeze, guess I just need to get lucky and find the one interviewing that gets it

 

[Mark]

I'm on so many prescriptions right now I have no idea how that would react to any of it. Tried some different things, but it all made me feel paranoid, so...meh...

That’s a valid concern, because cannabis can cause adverse effects like anxiety on its own, or combined with medications. If you ever get to a point where you’re weening yourself off of any anti-depressants or benzodiazepines, I’d definitely suggest looking into the medical benefits and trying it on its own. I’ve went the Xanax route before, and cannabis absolutely blows it out of the water in terms of efficacy, with minimal side effects… I’d much rather hear about you getting a tummy ache from eating too much than you falling into a dark hole because benzos got a grip on you. That shit is dangerous.

Wow, I had no idea. I guess if you're driving on public roads then you technically have no expectation of privacy, but that still feels so weird and intrusive.

That’s essentially it, coupled with the fact that you don’t own your license plate… you “lease” it from the state annually or whatever the registration period is, or in the case of states like California, the vehicle is assigned it… but the state still owns it.

 

[Crystal]

That’s a valid concern, because cannabis can cause adverse effects like anxiety on its own, or combined with medications. If you ever get to a point where you’re weening yourself off of any anti-depressants or benzodiazepines, I’d definitely suggest looking into the medical benefits and trying it on its own. I’ve went the Xanax route before, and cannabis absolutely blows it out of the water in terms of efficacy, with minimal side effects… I’d much rather hear about you getting a tummy ache from eating too much than you falling into a dark hole because benzos got a grip on you. That shit is dangerous.

It'll be a while before that's doable, imo. They've got me on everything from fluoxetine to clonodine to armodafonil to try and keep me in check. Uppers, downers and everything in between.

 

[canadaguy]

I’ve taken cars registered in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Alberta.

Alberta being on this list does not shock me one bit.

On the topic of this thread, still plugging along the same place as back in the day. 17 years now.

My company is malting, processing barley into malt and selling to breweries/distilleries etc. There are definitely perks in this industry. Primarily I work in customer reporting/COA, but also have a hand in R&D and product development. Pandemic didn't hit us as hard as we thought it may, but post pandemic hasn't fired up as much as we thought it would either.

 

[Mark]

Alberta being on this list does not shock me one bit.

I’ve gotten more Alberta registered vehicles than some American states… so I guess they do a thing there with their bills.

 

[canadaguy]

I’ve gotten more Alberta registered vehicles than some American states… so I guess they do a thing there with their bills.

How many are lifted Dodge Rams (bonus points for Black ones)

 

[Holly]

I went to college and got a BS in Information Technology but never used it. I am currently a stay at home mom. Jobs I've held include Geek Squad Agent (both in-store and online support), bank teller, and various customer service/retail positions.

I didn't use my degree because to get a job in that field locally requires some sort of military connection which I lack. And I had no certs and was too broke and too scared to go looking in more promising areas. While my career prospects have currently flopped I'm not unhappy with where I am. I am fortunate enough that I am not burdened by loans and I get to watch my daughter grow up. We played with her wooden blocks today.

 

[Quagmire]

I teach high school math.

 

[Fire Queen]

I teach high school math.

hell yeah high school teacher squad!

 

[Quagmire]

hell yeah high school teacher squad!

What do you teach?

 

[Tommy Boy]

Before I became inactive on the forums in 2008, I was in college for pre-nursing. After a bunch of BS and failures and whatnot, I finally became a nurse in 2013 and it quite literally ruined my life. I couldn't do it. Like, I COULD do the work, but I didn't have it in me to do it. I have a serious problem with the long-term care industry. I couldn't get myself to work in that field, and I couldn't fathom staying in school for my RN. Far too many of my classmates that did not deserve to pass, didn't know the material, or were straight up not caregiver material, were passed through so my school could retain its accreditation status. It made me sick knowing a girl who cheated her entire way through school passed with flying colors, and they knew, and didn't care. I did a few weeks in a facility and had far too many patients die, not nearly enough help from CNAs, and my mental health was fleeting. I bailed at the end of 2013 and never went back. I stopped renewing my license, got depressed, and was certain I was fucked.

I worked retail in high school and during college to have spending money, so I ended up going to work for a former boss at PacSun, a clothing store that used to be beachy/surfy that turned to urban streetwear after it downsized in 2005. I started working there in 2014 and eventually became the store manager there. I was pretty content but not really able to save money or do anything besides work, but in my bubble everything felt fine. The same guy who hired me (an actual friend) had me do something illegal during one Black Friday, and I was fired for it. Truly this time I thought I had no where else to turn now that retail wasn't an option. I was fired in February 2020. So, as I'm thinking I'm the biggest piece of shit ever and I have nowhere else to turn except surviving on this small unemployment check, fucking COVID happens and now everyone is in the same boat as me. Not to mention I was suffering from a substance abuse problem that started after nursing school that I carried until now.

Honestly, COVID saved my life. Ironic, right? But it really did. Because of COVID, my unemployment checks ballooned to $950/week, and since I wasn't leaving the house or doing anything, I saved it all. I was able to save up for a security deposit and first/last for an apartment in NYC, so I pulled the trigger and did it. By far, it was the best decision I have ever made. I kicked the pills, started riding bikes every day, and got into the film industry doing payroll. I worked on a few TV shows (Wu Tang: An American Saga on Hulu) and one major film (Smile, by Paramount) before landing my current gig: Payroll Accountant & Coordinator for Condé Nast. Basically, any YouTube video you see from Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, GQ Sports, Self, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, GQ, The New Yorker, Allure, Wired, Teen Vogue, Pitchfork, Ars Technica, Them - the crew and hosts are onboarded and paid by me. I don't work with the print side of things. I have an office in the World Trade Center that is optional for me to go to, so I prefer to stay home and work on my own machine. I am very lucky and fortunate for this to have happened to me. Before moving to NYC, I have zero experience in payroll besides the tasks I would have to do at PacSun, so I do consider luck to be a huge factor for me.

SMILE is streaming for free on Amazon Prime Movies if anyone wants to skip to the credits and see my name, but I am still upset they called me Tom instead of Tommy.

 

[Fire Queen]

What do you teach?

im in the social studies department, so mainly american history. coming from a school that is sorely lacking in qualified math teachers let me just say thanks for being one lol

also @Tommy Boy it makes sense that the king of making funny youtube videos in 2005-06 would be basically funding them 20 years later. grats on turning your life around--maybe one day you'll add fireman to the resumé

 

[Quagmire]

im in the social studies department, so mainly american history. coming from a school that is sorely lacking in qualified math teachers let me just say thanks for being one lol

also @Tommy Boy it makes sense that the king of making funny youtube videos in 2005-06 would be basically funding them 20 years later. grats on turning your life around--maybe one day you'll add fireman to the resumé

I love history, I thought about getting a minor in history so I could also teach it, but the amount of reading and writing on top of a very difficult and time consuming math degree and having to work, I didn't try to pull it off

 

[Mark]

How many are lifted Dodge Rams (bonus points for Black ones)

Don’t make me check over a decade of records… I can safely say that they were all trucks, though. Apparently Canadian plates get pulled over real quick here.

I teach high school math.

Nice, good on you for stepping up and being a teacher these days. Y’all don’t get enough credit.

[Snip snip]

Dude, that is an impressive recovery story. Good on you for pulling it together and getting things back on track.

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

words

Big props getting through all that. I'm glad you found a better place after all that and hope for continued success!

 

[Crazy Jamie]

I'm a barrister, which are the lawyers in the UK who wear wigs and gowns. I don't wear mine very often at all though, because the areas of law that I practise in don't usually require it. I'm pretty sure it was reasonably well known on the forums that I was studying law and/or wanted to be a lawyer/barrister, and that's what happened. I was called to the Bar about 15 years ago.

A more recent development is that I became a part time judge when I was 33, which is pretty young. The irony is that a lot of lawyers want to be part time judges, but it usually takes quite a lot of applications and quite a few years before the vast majority are successful. I've got good friends who are extremely capable lawyers that have been applying for a long time and still haven't become judges. But I never wanted to be a judge. I just threw in a last minute application on a bit of a whim, and got it first time. The problem was that that appointment clashed with my practice as a barrister (I was a judge in a particular court which I also did specialist hearings in as a barrister, and I couldn't do both), so I moved on from it after about four years.

As it happens, I really enjoyed being a judge, so in anticipation of resigning from that role I applied for two more, one on the same level as I was on but in a different type of court, and one at a higher level. That higher level one was a massive long shot. If you get that role you receive a royal warrant signed by the King, and virtually no one gets it in their 30s. But I ended up getting both roles, which was (and still is) a really big deal. I'm actually training for that role at the moment (I'm on a residential course) and I have quite a lot more to do, but in November I will be sitting in that role as a pretty senior part time judge for the first time, and the imposter syndrome is very real. It's incredibly exciting though. I don't want to be a full time judge yet, but getting three different part time judicial roles before I'm 40 potentially opens the door to be becoming a very senior full time judge in future depending on how the next ten years or so pan out, and depending on what I want to do. But yeah, fair to say things are going well.

 

[Crazy Jamie]

Story

Got to agree with what others have said. That is a hell of a journey, but I'm really glad in you've come out the other side in a much better place. You should be really proud of yourself.

 

[shortkut]

I'm a barrister, which are the lawyers in the UK who wear wigs and gowns. I don't wear mine very often at all though, because the areas of law that I practise in don't usually require it. I'm pretty sure it was reasonably well known on the forums that I was studying law and/or wanted to be a lawyer/barrister, and that's what happened. I was called to the Bar about 15 years ago.

A more recent development is that I became a part time judge when I was 33, which is pretty young. The irony is that a lot of lawyers want to be part time judges, but it usually takes quite a lot of applications and quite a few years before the vast majority are successful. I've got good friends who are extremely capable lawyers that have been applying for a long time and still haven't become judges. But I never wanted to be a judge. I just threw in a last minute application on a bit of a whim, and got it first time. The problem was that that appointment clashed with my practice as a barrister (I was a judge in a particular court which I also did specialist hearings in as a barrister, and I couldn't do both), so I moved on from it after about four years.

As it happens, I really enjoyed being a judge, so in anticipation of resigning from that role I applied for two more, one on the same level as I was on but in a different type of court, and one at a higher level. That higher level one was a massive long shot. If you get that role you receive a royal warrant signed by the King, and virtually no one gets it in their 30s. But I ended up getting both roles, which was (and still is) a really big deal. I'm actually training for that role at the moment (I'm on a residential course) and I have quite a lot more to do, but in November I will be sitting in that role as a pretty senior part time judge for the first time, and the imposter syndrome is very real. It's incredibly exciting though. I don't want to be a full time judge yet, but getting three different part time judicial roles before I'm 40 potentially opens the door to be becoming a very senior full time judge in future depending on how the next ten years or so pan out, and depending on what I want to do. But yeah, fair to say things are going well.

Massive congratulations but at the same time, hearing you succeed doesn’t surprise me in the slightest

Lifetime movie

You’ve been through some tough times and you’ve managed to pull yourself out. That alone is incredibly impressive. You should be very proud of yourself

 

[Mark]

Hear ye hear ye

Holy shit, dude. That’s incredible, congratulations. I bet you get quite a few side eyes from your counterparts for moving up so quickly, but you have to know what you’re doing… On that note… does this mean the GWC is in for a resurgence? You could be the Honorable Judge of Stuff here.

Edit - @shortkut …this mofo really said “Lifetime movie” in Tommy’s quote. I’m done.

 

[Crazy Jamie]

Holy shit, dude. That’s incredible, congratulations. I bet you get quite a few side eyes from your counterparts for moving up so quickly, but you have to know what you’re doing… On that note… does this mean the GWC is in for a resurgence? You could be the Honorable Judge of Stuff here.

I feel like we're all mostly too wise and reasonable to have any use for a Court on this version of GW, but if that changes I'm game.

 

[Mark]

I feel like we're all mostly too wise and reasonable to have any use for a Court on this version of GW, but if that changes I'm game.

Oh I would be in absolute favor of having a court just for shits and giggles. Cole charges Alu with Sucking in the 1st degree. shortkut offers no competent defense for the allegations. Settlement awarded to the plaintiff.
*wig flip*

 

[canadaguy]

Don’t make me check over a decade of records… I can safely say that they were all trucks, though. Apparently Canadian plates get pulled over real quick here.

Yeah that definitely checks out.

 

[canadaguy]

Before I became inactive on the forums in 2008, I was in college for pre-nursing. After a bunch of BS and failures and whatnot, I finally became a nurse in 2013 and it quite literally ruined my life. I couldn't do it. Like, I COULD do the work, but I didn't have it in me to do it. I have a serious problem with the long-term care industry. I couldn't get myself to work in that field, and I couldn't fathom staying in school for my RN. Far too many of my classmates that did not deserve to pass, didn't know the material, or were straight up not caregiver material, were passed through so my school could retain its accreditation status. It made me sick knowing a girl who cheated her entire way through school passed with flying colors, and they knew, and didn't care. I did a few weeks in a facility and had far too many patients die, not nearly enough help from CNAs, and my mental health was fleeting. I bailed at the end of 2013 and never went back. I stopped renewing my license, got depressed, and was certain I was fucked.

I worked retail in high school and during college to have spending money, so I ended up going to work for a former boss at PacSun, a clothing store that used to be beachy/surfy that turned to urban streetwear after it downsized in 2005. I started working there in 2014 and eventually became the store manager there. I was pretty content but not really able to save money or do anything besides work, but in my bubble everything felt fine. The same guy who hired me (an actual friend) had me do something illegal during one Black Friday, and I was fired for it. Truly this time I thought I had no where else to turn now that retail wasn't an option. I was fired in February 2020. So, as I'm thinking I'm the biggest piece of shit ever and I have nowhere else to turn except surviving on this small unemployment check, fucking COVID happens and now everyone is in the same boat as me. Not to mention I was suffering from a substance abuse problem that started after nursing school that I carried until now.

Honestly, COVID saved my life. Ironic, right? But it really did. Because of COVID, my unemployment checks ballooned to $950/week, and since I wasn't leaving the house or doing anything, I saved it all. I was able to save up for a security deposit and first/last for an apartment in NYC, so I pulled the trigger and did it. By far, it was the best decision I have ever made. I kicked the pills, started riding bikes every day, and got into the film industry doing payroll. I worked on a few TV shows (Wu Tang: An American Saga on Hulu) and one major film (Smile, by Paramount) before landing my current gig: Payroll Accountant & Coordinator for Condé Nast. Basically, any YouTube video you see from Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, GQ Sports, Self, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, GQ, The New Yorker, Allure, Wired, Teen Vogue, Pitchfork, Ars Technica, Them - the crew and hosts are onboarded and paid by me. I don't work with the print side of things. I have an office in the World Trade Center that is optional for me to go to, so I prefer to stay home and work on my own machine. I am very lucky and fortunate for this to have happened to me. Before moving to NYC, I have zero experience in payroll besides the tasks I would have to do at PacSun, so I do consider luck to be a huge factor for me.

SMILE is streaming for free on Amazon Prime Movies if anyone wants to skip to the credits and see my name, but I am still upset they called me Tom instead of Tommy.

I remember when you graduated from your nursing school, and always wondered why it didn't seem to pan out for you. Glad you've turned things around. I wouldn't have guessed in a million years you end up in payroll for media like that though lol.

On a side note, do you still make signatures? I want one.

 

[Crystal]

Before I became inactive on the forums in 2008, I was in college for pre-nursing. After a bunch of BS and failures and whatnot, I finally became a nurse in 2013 and it quite literally ruined my life. I couldn't do it. Like, I COULD do the work, but I didn't have it in me to do it. I have a serious problem with the long-term care industry. I couldn't get myself to work in that field, and I couldn't fathom staying in school for my RN. Far too many of my classmates that did not deserve to pass, didn't know the material, or were straight up not caregiver material, were passed through so my school could retain its accreditation status. It made me sick knowing a girl who cheated her entire way through school passed with flying colors, and they knew, and didn't care. I did a few weeks in a facility and had far too many patients die, not nearly enough help from CNAs, and my mental health was fleeting. I bailed at the end of 2013 and never went back. I stopped renewing my license, got depressed, and was certain I was fucked.

I worked retail in high school and during college to have spending money, so I ended up going to work for a former boss at PacSun, a clothing store that used to be beachy/surfy that turned to urban streetwear after it downsized in 2005. I started working there in 2014 and eventually became the store manager there. I was pretty content but not really able to save money or do anything besides work, but in my bubble everything felt fine. The same guy who hired me (an actual friend) had me do something illegal during one Black Friday, and I was fired for it. Truly this time I thought I had no where else to turn now that retail wasn't an option. I was fired in February 2020. So, as I'm thinking I'm the biggest piece of shit ever and I have nowhere else to turn except surviving on this small unemployment check, fucking COVID happens and now everyone is in the same boat as me. Not to mention I was suffering from a substance abuse problem that started after nursing school that I carried until now.

Honestly, COVID saved my life. Ironic, right? But it really did. Because of COVID, my unemployment checks ballooned to $950/week, and since I wasn't leaving the house or doing anything, I saved it all. I was able to save up for a security deposit and first/last for an apartment in NYC, so I pulled the trigger and did it. By far, it was the best decision I have ever made. I kicked the pills, started riding bikes every day, and got into the film industry doing payroll. I worked on a few TV shows (Wu Tang: An American Saga on Hulu) and one major film (Smile, by Paramount) before landing my current gig: Payroll Accountant & Coordinator for Condé Nast. Basically, any YouTube video you see from Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, GQ Sports, Self, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, GQ, The New Yorker, Allure, Wired, Teen Vogue, Pitchfork, Ars Technica, Them - the crew and hosts are onboarded and paid by me. I don't work with the print side of things. I have an office in the World Trade Center that is optional for me to go to, so I prefer to stay home and work on my own machine. I am very lucky and fortunate for this to have happened to me. Before moving to NYC, I have zero experience in payroll besides the tasks I would have to do at PacSun, so I do consider luck to be a huge factor for me.

SMILE is streaming for free on Amazon Prime Movies if anyone wants to skip to the credits and see my name, but I am still upset they called me Tom instead of Tommy.

Wow, congrats on getting your life turned around on track @Tommy Boy, that's amazing! Keep on pushing, you clearly were meant to do awesome things!

I'm a barrister, which are the lawyers in the UK who wear wigs and gowns. I don't wear mine very often at all though, because the areas of law that I practise in don't usually require it. I'm pretty sure it was reasonably well known on the forums that I was studying law and/or wanted to be a lawyer/barrister, and that's what happened. I was called to the Bar about 15 years ago.

A more recent development is that I became a part time judge when I was 33, which is pretty young. The irony is that a lot of lawyers want to be part time judges, but it usually takes quite a lot of applications and quite a few years before the vast majority are successful. I've got good friends who are extremely capable lawyers that have been applying for a long time and still haven't become judges. But I never wanted to be a judge. I just threw in a last minute application on a bit of a whim, and got it first time. The problem was that that appointment clashed with my practice as a barrister (I was a judge in a particular court which I also did specialist hearings in as a barrister, and I couldn't do both), so I moved on from it after about four years.

As it happens, I really enjoyed being a judge, so in anticipation of resigning from that role I applied for two more, one on the same level as I was on but in a different type of court, and one at a higher level. That higher level one was a massive long shot. If you get that role you receive a royal warrant signed by the King, and virtually no one gets it in their 30s. But I ended up getting both roles, which was (and still is) a really big deal. I'm actually training for that role at the moment (I'm on a residential course) and I have quite a lot more to do, but in November I will be sitting in that role as a pretty senior part time judge for the first time, and the imposter syndrome is very real. It's incredibly exciting though. I don't want to be a full time judge yet, but getting three different part time judicial roles before I'm 40 potentially opens the door to be becoming a very senior full time judge in future depending on how the next ten years or so pan out, and depending on what I want to do. But yeah, fair to say things are going well.

I knew you became a barrister, but had no idea about the judge side of things, wow!! Congratulations on that, that's a big thing! Certainly seems you've set yourself up for one amazing career!

 

[Tommy Boy]

Thank you everyone for the kind words, I really appreciate anyone taking the time to say something.

I remember when you graduated from your nursing school, and always wondered why it didn't seem to pan out for you. Glad you've turned things around. I wouldn't have guessed in a million years you end up in payroll for media like that though lol.

I wasn't really public about my failures for obvious reasons, but mostly I didn't want my family to know. I kept it quite personal, but I would tell anyone who asked me directly. It was a weird time in life, for sure. Trust me, I wouldn't have guessed this to be my end result, either.

On a side note, do you still make signatures? I want one.

Oh boy I haven't really messed with photo manipulation since my 20s. Didn't I make you a signature that just said "canadaguy" with a meat tenderizer? Why is this the only thing I can think of? lmao

I wanted to make my signature on here the traditional @VashTheStampede format, but couldn't find one single screenshot of it.