# Its a hard life



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

My wife is a manger at her company. She had a supervisor that is taking a week off as she is having trouble coping with her daughter turning 16. Her daughter who is valedictorian, top athlete in her sports and pretty much a perfect model of a student.
How do these people get this far in life.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> My wife is a manger at her company. She had a supervisor that is taking a week off as she is having trouble coping with her daughter turning 16. Her daughter who is valedictorian, top athlete in her sports and pretty much a perfect model of a student.
> How do these people get this far in life.


Sounds pretty rough alright.


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## tdotrob (Feb 24, 2019)

maybe she is too embarrassed to say the real reason she needs the time off?


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

maybe don't worry about it?


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## tdotrob (Feb 24, 2019)

vadsy said:


> maybe don't worry about it?


Crazy talk. It’s all our business now.


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## StratCat (Dec 30, 2013)

Maybe there’s more than what meets the eye, and that which is not visible is concerning.

Maybe “somebody noticed the daughter (sic) wasn't acting quite right” (lyrics from a song of my Son’s band) and the mother is putting family ahead of her job.


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## SG-Rocker (Dec 30, 2007)

The daughter sounds a high functioning, high performing individual. Running at that level for extended periods can take a toll. 

Sounds like mom needs to put aside being a manager for a bit to focus on the mom gig. No shame in that whatsoever.

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

If one looks up "perfectionism" in a psychology research search engine, what tends to come up more than anything else is anorexia.

Sometimes people ARE highly accomplished at an early age without having underlying pathologies. Being able to focus and not be easily distracted, coupled with high verbal ability, will get you VERY far (conversely, jails are chock full of folks with impulse-control difficulties and low verbal ability). But that said, pursuit of achievement for achievement's sake in a relentless fashion, rather than out of sheer interest/curiosity, is usually a marker of something darker underneath.

How do people get that far in life? Sheer dumb luck.

But as far as we know, the supervisor may simply be coping with a kid who'd love a sweet 16 but can't have anything normal at present, and the mother is trying to plan out something approaching normal.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

I love how we pretend to know what’s going on in people’s lives.
None of anyone’s business.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

guitarman2 said:


> My wife is a manger at her company. She had a supervisor that is taking a week off as she is having trouble coping with her daughter turning 16. Her daughter who is valedictorian, top athlete in her sports and pretty much a perfect model of a student.
> How do these people get this far in life.


she's a manager. that _probably_ tells you all you need to know


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

You artfully neglected to mention if the supervisor is a midget - @Always12AM could probably explain the situation.


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## terminalvertigo (Jun 12, 2010)

Did you ask to speak to the manager?


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

cheezyridr said:


> she's a manager. that _probably_ tells you all you need to know



Union man.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

guitarman2 said:


> How do these people get this far in life.


horse shoe up the *ss
had lotsa family money to start with ...
well to do family got her a good position thru friends ...


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

mhammer said:


> But as far as we know, the supervisor may simply be coping with a kid who'd love a sweet 16 but can't have anything normal at present, and the mother is trying to plan out something approaching normal.


or something outrageously over the top and wants the week to arrange it all?


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

those with $$$ don't have to deal with the real world or rules ....
just book a big cottage on a lake and have everyone fly in .... pocket change these days , right ?
( lotsa pilots available these days, with little to do )


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## tdotrob (Feb 24, 2019)

Or none of the above and this thread is getting weird af.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

As long as she has vacation time coming to her or she qualifies for time off, what fucking difference does it make WHY she takes that time?

Entirely too many people with their noses in other people’s business.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

JBFairthorne said:


> As long as she has vacation time coming to her or she qualifies for time off, what fucking difference does it make WHY she takes that time?
> 
> Entirely too many people with their noses in other people’s business.


Coincides with my complaint of way too many mind readers. Bet if everyone commenting here was ascribed with multiple personality traits, without being asked first, they wouldn't be all that receptive. But I don't know that for sure, cause I don't read minds.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

keto said:


> But I don't know that for sure, cause I don't read minds.


I see you're married too.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

tdotrob said:


> Or none of the above and this thread is getting weird af.


no kidding. 

guitarman spilling his wife's work drama from his sunny deck strumming his many Martins. Milkman looking to get on the judgment train but don't say anything about that. hammer already somehow diagnosed the poor girl as anorexic. oldjoat dialled a 900 number and just randomly started belting out the rambles..., sir,_sir! you called us to get you off, we can't work with any of this and we're the professionals. _

take it easy guys, get off the dope, go outside


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

gotta ruin my day huh ? 
I can't find any kids to chase off my lawn


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## numb41 (Jul 13, 2009)

vadsy said:


> no kidding.
> 
> guitarman spilling his wife's work drama from his sunny deck strumming his many Martins. Milkman looking to get on the judgment train but don't say anything about that. hammer already somehow diagnosed the poor girl as anorexic. oldjoat dialled a 900 number and just randomly started belting out the rambles..., sir,_sir! you called us to get you off, we can't work with any of this and we're the professionals. _
> 
> take it easy guys, get off the dope, go outside


On a GUITAR FORUM nonetheless.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

numb41 said:


> On a GUITAR FORUM nonetheless.


lady wants to take time off and WE will NOT allow it! lol

everyone lazy but us. chirping away about it all and how we would do it on a guitar forum, probably using paid company time

is this what Facebook is like? I've never been but I imagine it's just gossip and boxed Chardonnay in the afternoon,.,. or brunch-ish


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## numb41 (Jul 13, 2009)

Not on there either. My kids say Facebook is for old people.


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## tdotrob (Feb 24, 2019)

I’m taking a week off work to do ..........whatever I want..... fight me. 

But seriously, I already feel guilty knowing how little I’ve ever worked to get to my position and Monica L’ing my way to the top, although it seems I over estimated how hard it would be to reach my career goal of cashier at Pet Smart


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

vadsy said:


> no kidding.
> 
> guitarman spilling his wife's work drama from his sunny deck strumming his many Martins. Milkman looking to get on the judgment train but don't say anything about that. hammer already somehow diagnosed the poor girl as anorexic. oldjoat dialled a 900 number and just randomly started belting out the rambles..., sir,_sir! you called us to get you off, we can't work with any of this and we're the professionals. _
> 
> take it easy guys, get off the dope, go outside


I agree. But I will also note guitarman's statement "_having trouble coping_ with her daughter turning 16." My own point is that we can easily think that some folks have an easy life because they are moderately accomplished (at least more than ourselves), but have no idea what really goes on in their lives.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

while I was a "worker" and I said I needed a week off ( for any reason other than dying ) 
the private company would say "NO , we can't spare you right now "
"but, I'll take vacation time .... Sorry, do that and you can start collecting EI on Monday,
what do you think this is , the civil service ? "

so yeah, some folks have privilege.

BTW , this is in the open mic section ... thoughts and views are discussed ... political stuff is off limits , just keep things civil.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

oldjoat said:


> while I was a "worker" and I said I needed a week off ( for any reason other than dying )
> the private company would say "NO , we can't spare you right now "
> "but, I'll take vacation time .... Sorry, do that and you can start collecting EI on Monday,
> what do you think this is , the civil service ? "
> ...


I am by no means looking for a fight, just to point out a few random things that strike me odd in this thread.

how does you having a poop employer matter to this lady taking time off? I don't know if I'd jump on the privilege wagon just yet. plus we don't really have a ton of info.

and yea, keep it civil. maybe keep the Monica L talk out of it


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

vadsy said:


> I am by no means looking for a fight


didn't take as such 
I'll take your advice and remove it ... it was a low blow.


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## tdotrob (Feb 24, 2019)

oldjoat said:


> while I was a "worker" and I said I needed a week off ( for any reason other than dying )
> the private company would say "NO , we can't spare you right now "
> "but, I'll take vacation time .... Sorry, do that and you can start collecting EI on Monday,
> what do you think this is , the civil service ? "
> ...


Ya let’s get back to that! Hopefully they can bring back the company store as well.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

sigh ... and debtor's prisons...

most workers today in the private sector have a hard time getting time off unless it is really urgent ( medical )
companies have to try to keep to schedules and are running with just enough staff to get the job done .
(they can't afford to carry the deadwood)

and not every shop is unionized with paid benefits.

yes , still, some companies are better than others.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

oldjoat said:


> sigh ... and debtor's prisons...


true, I guess. dependant on choices you make



oldjoat said:


> most workers today in the private sector have a hard time getting time off unless it is really urgent ( medical )


not true



oldjoat said:


> companies have to try to keep to schedules and are running with just enough staff to get the job done .


true



oldjoat said:


> and not every shop is unionized with paid benefits.


true but it isn't necessary to be in order to have time off and paid benefits



oldjoat said:


> yes , still, some companies are better than others.


true


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Normally I would assume that the supervisor is being dramatic.

But I know that right now a lot of weird things are happening in peoples lives and families.

I can see how it would be difficult to put 15 years of effort into forging an all star child and then a pandemic hits which probably takes a toll on the kid academically and eliminates sports ultimately annihilating the value of of the kids social equity.

I am in university and I have always had ADHD and it’s been tricky to keep up with others who are skilled at sitting still and working in spaces with a ton of noise and distraction as well as managing time and forcing myself to spend years reading and writing bullshit and pretending to be a liberal in order to get through classes without being shredded by profs.

But this year I am smoking everyone because for the first time in my entire life, I can sit in the silence and convenience of my own home and do things in the way that work best for me..

All of the all stars and socialites who normally excel in an atypical learning environment are experiencing for the first time, what it’s like to be doing school in an environment that isn’t aligned with their aptitude etc.

One could also imagine how much more of a toll any fuck up would take in the eyes of a parent who thinks that their child is a prodigy.

Another likely scenario that I would suspect is possible is how hard it is for anyone to imagine a future in the current state of things.

I read an article about acute vs generalized stress.
Acute stress helps us get shit done and defend ourselves from threats. Generalized stress like living in a pandemic where there is no real end in sight or clear direction as to how any of our moves are going to get in front of variants has a really negative impact on our brain function.

What I’m saying is that it would be brutal to be the parent of a teenager right now and imagining how shitty their lives are going to be and how much it would suck to lose these years of their life if not the remainder of their lives to waiting out a scientific anomaly.

My final suspicion is that the supervisor also has a 22 year old who is a super hot midget that was also a star child until she turned 16 and then took a turn for the worse. The propensity for enchantment and magic finally took a hold of her and led her down a path that resulted in her beginning a Tolkien style quest fuelled by opioids and exotic dancing / wrestling.

Anything is possible really.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

.. don't forget the lack of comic cons but the needs to cosplay


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## DC23 (Mar 28, 2014)

Problems don't go away with money, the problems just change. How people display themselves and their world can often be very different than how they perceive themselves and their world.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

I'll agree that there's likely far more going on than what they're saying. There's probably some kind of legitimate health problem occurring.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

What I’m getting from this thread is that it might be useful to try boxed wine during the pandemic rather than lug all them fuckin bottles to the garbage and risk contracting the Lucky 19 on the way.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

guitarman2 said:


> Union man.


 fair enough attempt, as far as making your point goes. however, here is why i italicized the word probably. i certainly realize that making a statement like that about someone i don't know has very little real cred on it's face for obvious reasons. here comes the part where i say _however_... and then follow it with defense of myself being a "union man".

who among us doesn't know more than one person who manages or even owns a company, and yet regularly make decisions that are so dumb as to defy understanding? it's no accident or luck that those people ended up where they are. 
it's probable that the woman likes to control things because it makes her feel necessary. her daughter becoming an adult means she won't be controlling that daughter's life much longer, and she finds that unsettling.

as for myself being a union man? that i am, in the sense that i am a man, who is a member of a trade union. 
but as for what it implies, to say i am a union man, i would offer a caveat. i was merit shop for 25 years. when i moved to canada, industrial construction in toronto is largely controlled by trade unions. that meant, if i wanted to work, being union was my best shot. while being part of the union there, i came to like not having to sell myself to a new employer every time i was laid off at the end of a project. the hall took care of that. i am notorious here in our local, for being a very vocal conservative. i hate most of the politics unions support, and i do what i can to red pill others i work with. 
when elections happen, they make sure to keep me in a place where i won't be able to talk to anyone about to cast a ballot. the ironic thing about that is, they still made me a steward.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Wardo said:


> What I’m getting from this thread is that it might be useful to try boxed wine during the pandemic rather than lug all them fuckin bottles to the garbage and risk contracting the Lucky 19 on the way.


I've had some surprisingly decent boxed wine.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

cheezyridr said:


> fair enough attempt, as far as making your point goes. however, here is why i italicized the word probably. i certainly realize that making a statement like that about someone i don't know has very little real cred on it's face for obvious reasons. here comes the part where i say _however_... and then follow it with defense of myself being a "union man".
> 
> who among us doesn't know more than one person who manages or even owns a company, and yet regularly make decisions that are so dumb as to defy understanding? it's no accident or luck that those people ended up where they are.


I work in a union environment (thank god not in the union my self) and I 've talked to a couple of people out in the plant who are more sick of the lazy sludge they have to carry more than the problems they have with management. 
Me, I've never been in a union and have worked dam hard for everything I got.


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

I took a vacation day the other week to play xbox with my sisters boyfriend.


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## Stephenlouis (Jun 24, 2019)

guitarman2 said:


> My wife is a manger at her company. She had a supervisor that is taking a week off as she is having trouble coping with her daughter turning 16. Her daughter who is valedictorian, top athlete in her sports and pretty much a perfect model of a student.
> How do these people get this far in life.


Not sure what is going on in her personal life, but lots of them do it through hard work and education. Some scratch up from so much adversity, they break down, hopefully only for a while. Some, like me, have it handed to them. ( I did do the education) I'm grateful and aware though.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

butterknucket said:


> I've had some surprisingly decent boxed wine.


Having Italian friends with a stocked cold cellar of homemade is nice too.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

laristotle said:


> Having Italian friends with a stocked cold cellar of homemade is nice too.


My dad had open heart surgery years ago, so he has to keep his blood very thin. He found out about an Italian guy in Woodbridge who was selling home made wine, and ended up buying it by the case from the guy for several years. It actually wasn't bad, and soon several family members got in on it as well. 

One night my then brother-in-law and I went to town on a stash he bought and it didn't end well for me.....


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## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

When I initially read the OP, before I read one single reply, I took it as: "When did we stop being able to balance work/home/play"? 

I read an article on LinkedIn recently about (I'm paraphrasing) "_... we need to stop glorifying the long days and 60+hr work weeks and celebrate our life away from our jobs_". Or something to that affect. I get that, and I agree with that. But I don't think this is *that*. 
I'm creeping in on the big 5-0. Growing up in the 70's & 80's as "new Canadians" we did not have much of a network. Both of my parents worked outside of the home. Factory jobs where they really could be replaced quickly. "You don't want to work?? That guy/girl will". In order for my parents to keep a roof over our heads, food in our fridge, clothes on our backs, they went to work. Every day. And my sister & I, learned how to take care of ourselves. (I wasn't that young. Maybe 10, my sister 12). My mom got us up, we did the rest. Washed, brushed, clothed, ate, bus. We understood it as our roles. Consciously or not. That was our life. (Incidentally, I would not trust any of my many, many, many nieces & nephews to do any of that at 12. They'd be lost) 
My mother did not take a week off work when my sister turned 16. There was no need. WTF?!?!?! Why?? What needs to happen?? As mentioned, I don't know them, but it seems odd to me. Additionally, I did not take a week off work when either of my kids turned 16. Neither did their mother. Their day was recognized as a "bigger" day, or milestone birthday. It was celebrated accordingly. 

When my sister turned 16, my parents went to work, we both went to school. And, apples to apples... my sister was a high functioning student. Made life hell for me if I got the same teachers after she'd had them... but a different story for a different thread. 

I believe that was the spirit of the initial post. People share all kinds of stuff here. Some really personal, some random, some deep, some juvenile. I think they were expressing their disbelief of the need to take a week off to organize, or cope with something so mundane. 

My $0.02


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

laristotle said:


> Having *Italian friends* with a stocked cold cellar of homemade is nice too.


That might actually be someone we both know.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

oldjoat said:


> those with $$$ don't have to deal with the real world or rules ....
> just book a big cottage on a lake and have everyone fly in .... pocket change these days , right ?
> ( lotsa pilots available these days, with little to do )


Even better if you can get the owner of a large corporation to pay for it. Hey, all those freezers weren't free, ya know.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

SWLABR said:


> When I initially read the OP, before I read one single reply, I took it as: "When did we stop being able to balance work/home/play"?
> 
> I read an article on LinkedIn recently about (I'm paraphrasing) "_... we need to stop glorifying the long days and 60+hr work weeks and celebrate our life away from our jobs_". Or something to that affect. I get that, and I agree with that. But I don't think this is *that*.
> I'm creeping in on the big 5-0. Growing up in the 70's & 80's as "new Canadians" we did not have much of a network. Both of my parents worked outside of the home. Factory jobs where they really could be replaced quickly. "You don't want to work?? That guy/girl will". In order for my parents to keep a roof over our heads, food in our fridge, clothes on our backs, they went to work. Every day. And my sister & I, learned how to take care of ourselves. (I wasn't that young. Maybe 10, my sister 12). My mom got us up, we did the rest. Washed, brushed, clothed, ate, bus. We understood it as our roles. Consciously or not. That was our life. (Incidentally, I would not trust any of my many, many, many nieces & nephews to do any of that at 12. They'd be lost)
> ...


A wonderful book I read and reviewed some 20 odd years back, characterized the issue of work/life balance as revolving around the workplace semiotics of "competence and commitment". In other words, what sorts of behaviours at work symbolize and demonstrate to coworkers and management that you "know what you're doing" and will do what it takes to get the job done. The authors of the book took the view that much of what is treated as "symbolic" in many workplaces really stems from a post-war view of male work and workers, much of which rested quite firmly on having wives to pick up any slack required; basically "Mad Men" on steroids. They also noted this as part of the "glass ceiling", since the typical behaviours that fit this template tended to preclude women; you can't display "commitment" by sticking around for those 5:00PM or Saturday-morning meetings if you're the one expected to pick up or deliver the kids and prepare dinner.

In any event, not an explanation of the central character in the OP, just a passing note.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

SWLABR said:


> When I initially read the OP, before I read one single reply, I took it as: "When did we stop being able to balance work/home/play"?
> 
> I read an article on LinkedIn recently about (I'm paraphrasing) "_... we need to stop glorifying the long days and 60+hr work weeks and celebrate our life away from our jobs_". Or something to that affect. I get that, and I agree with that. But I don't think this is *that*.
> I'm creeping in on the big 5-0. Growing up in the 70's & 80's as "new Canadians" we did not have much of a network. Both of my parents worked outside of the home. Factory jobs where they really could be replaced quickly. "You don't want to work?? That guy/girl will". In order for my parents to keep a roof over our heads, food in our fridge, clothes on our backs, they went to work. Every day. And my sister & I, learned how to take care of ourselves. (I wasn't that young. Maybe 10, my sister 12). My mom got us up, we did the rest. Washed, brushed, clothed, ate, bus. We understood it as our roles. Consciously or not. That was our life. (Incidentally, I would not trust any of my many, many, many nieces & nephews to do any of that at 12. They'd be lost)
> ...


when I turned 16, my 2 best friends came over, snuck a mickey of gin in with them, we drank, puked, and the next day I went to write my 365. That was literally it.
I still hate the smell of gin to this day.


back to the op, I think the manager hasnt shared everything.

I also think a lot of ppl overestimate the happiness you can derive from money.
Money makes money problems go away, but it doesnt make all problems go away. people with money still have kids that die of leukemia or OD, loveless marriages, bad relationships with parents etc. It just looks better to us bc they have a nice house and cars. Surface appearances.

trust me, that feeling you get from a nice house and car wears off quickly. And its like a drug. you get desensitized by it, and need to have more and more to get that "high' again. Its why rich people sometimes seem so greedy/cheap/obsessed with material things. theyre looking for some fullfillment in stuff that will never bring it.


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## tdotrob (Feb 24, 2019)

Diablo said:


> when I turned 16, my 2 best friends came over, snuck a mickey of gin in with them, we drank, puked, and the next day I went to write my 365. That was literally it.
> I still hate the smell of gin to this day.
> 
> 
> ...


This 100%

10 years ago I walked away from a very high paying job because my kids were getting to an age where they wanted more from me in terms of time and involvement and where we lived for that job did not provide enough opportunity for their growing interests and overall as a family were kind of in a rut and not really that happy.

Took a huge pay cut in a totally different industry but allowed us to relocate and work more consistent hours with plenty of time available for my boys and family. We had to really get creative to cut down expenses and adjust our spending/saving habits but my boys were happier and have done well since. We’ve never looked back and thought man I wish we were still making that kind of dough and our little family is happy and closer than ever.

Id rather have the time for my family over money and possessions any day.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

guitarman2 said:


> My wife is a manger at her company. She had a supervisor that is taking a week off as she is having trouble coping with her daughter turning 16. Her daughter who is valedictorian, top athlete in her sports and pretty much a perfect model of a student.
> How do these people get this far in life.


It's possible something traumatic happened at 16 to this person, and their daughter turning 16 is very upsetting?
That's about as plausible as:

she needs a week off to plan the Sweet16 party
she can't cope with her daughter being 16
she needs a week to spend with her daughter before she travels to live with her new husband back in 《fill in random city/country 》
could be more possibilities... without knowing this person at all...it's all speculation


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

tdotrob said:


> Id rather have the time for my family over money and possessions any day.


keeping the roof over head and food on the table keeps most people under the thumb of companies.
once the mortgage is finally paid off, it is nice to wake up one day , realize that the company that depends on you

REALLY depends on YOU.

and that rat race is not what you want anymore ...

then the only logical thing to do ( the next time they give you the "ultimatum" ) is to call their bluff.
accept their dismissal, on the spot, with an "OK then, I'm fired " .
turn around then walk .... best feeling in the world ... then watch as their company scrambles and later dies.

(priceless) the gaping mouths , bewildered looks , puffed out faces waiting to have a heart attack .
and all they see afterwards is the fading tail lights.

worked in many shops/jobs ... some unionized and some not
some absolutely fantastic bosses and others I wouldn't attempt to use the brakes if they stepped out in front of me.

in the end , remember , the only person looking out for your well being and career is YOU.
the only person that can make you happy / unhappy is YOU.

_if you ain't happy in your job, you're in the wrong job._


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

we all want to be comfortable and not on the brink of homelessness, but if youve ever thought "if only I had money, I'd be happy" ask yourself this: has Donald Trump ever seemed happy?

when it comes to true joy, the animal world has us beat...give a puppy or kitten a toy and it plays with so much joy. But is it miserable without it? no. its still pretty happy as long as its basic needs are met.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

butterknucket said:


> My dad had open heart surgery years ago, so he has to keep his blood very thin. He found out about an Italian guy in Woodbridge who was selling home made wine, and ended up buying it by the case from the guy for several years. It actually wasn't bad, and soon several family members got in on it as well.
> 
> One night my then brother-in-law and I went to town on a stash he bought and it didn't end well for me.....


Back in the late 60's, myself and two other underaged friends (bass player and drummer) talked a younger friend who's father made homemade wine into sneaking out a large bottle of wine from his fathers wine barrel. The 3 of us jumped in the car and headed out of town into the country to drink it. After the the first swally, we soon realized it had turned to vinegar. The bass player was the only one that kept drinking.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Diablo said:


> we all want to be comfortable and not on the brink of homelessness, but if youve ever thought "if only I had money, I'd be happy" ask yourself this: has Donald Trump ever seemed happy?
> 
> when it comes to true joy, the animal world has us beat...give a puppy or kitten a toy and it plays with so much joy. But is it miserable without it? no. its still pretty happy as long as its basic needs are met.


No amount of money can buy you good health, especially if it's declining.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

tomee2 said:


> It's possible something traumatic happened at 16 to this person, and their daughter turning 16 is very upsetting?
> That's about as plausible as:
> 
> she needs a week off to plan the Sweet16 party
> ...


I think "need to take a week off for my daughters Sweet 16.." is code for "my daughters pregnant and we're going to the clinic."





bad joke, sorry.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Guitar101 said:


> Back in the late 60's, myself and two other underaged friends (bass player and drummer) talked a younger friend who's father made homemade wine into sneaking out a large bottle of wine from his fathers wine barrel. The 3 of us jumped in the car and headed out of town into the country to drink it. After the the first swally, we soon realized it had turned to vinegar. The bass player was the only one that kept drinking.


When I was about 12, my cousin and I went strolling through the stands after an Ottawa Rough Riders game in search of abandoned programs. My dad only ever gave me money for an endzone bleacher seat, a hot dog, and a bus ticket home after the game, so buying a program was out of our reach. As we're going through the stands, my cousin finds a 6-pack of what looks like Coca-Cola. The stuff looked a little light brown for Coke, but the bottles were clearly Coke bottles, and the caps seemed pristine, so it looked legit. We picked up the case by the handle and searched for a decommissioned snack stand, where we knew the cooler (now locked) would have a bottle-cap remover in the corner. We each opened a bottle, took a swig...and both of us immediately spit it out. Someone had obviously tried to sneak booze into the game, disguised as a soft drink.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

What did you think was going to happen when deciding to have children,... just get on with it.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Diablo said:


> ... is code for "my daughters pregnant and we're going to the clinic.


The most plausible explanation so far.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

...because a teenage pregnancy can be completely resolved in a week.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

JBFairthorne said:


> ...because a teenage pregnancy can be completely resolved in a week.


no, but it can ruffle some feathers and get the op some attention


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