Price
 

It is important to take stock of the cost your "happiness" demands. One day you might regret not being more proactive in regards to being an advocate for your own self preservation.

Listening to others and learning about their perspective and opinions might burst your bubble of happiness but it also might get you to think about your future.

SkyHigh

Older Self
 

In our youth most of us here were idealistic and held similar attitudes or else we would not have let ourselves be tricked into this profession in the first place. I am here to appeal to the 40 year old in you that will come into being in the future. And, that guy needs money, stability and time at home.

All of us are destined to become our parents one day. There is benefit, reason and purpose to the 9 to 5 life.

SkyHigh

Sugar mamas
 

Rich parents, sugar mamas and "understanding" wives do not justify calling a flying career a profession. It is a working hobby unless you actually have to rely on the income it produces and live by the standard it provides.


Wives can only be understanding to the picture of the profession that the husband presents. Years later living the truth is not nearly so much fun for those left at home. People marry so that they can live a life together and to work on common goals (example: raising children). Being gone for more than half the year and then to have your days off while everyone else is at school or work is not living a life "with" your family ans leaves your spouse as a single parent.

SkyHigh

Stress and Happiness
 

In college I worked for several years as a convenience store clerk. During my shift I would read Flying Magazine and dream about being a rich airline pilot draped in hot and cold running chicks. Working as a clerk was almost like sitting in my own living room. I watched TV, did homework, read and slept. Occasionally a customer would come in. Mostly it was my friends and girls who would stop by to visit and flirt while pretending to shop.

Ten years later I received my first tax statement as a regional airline pilot. It was the same as what I made while working at the gas station, but I was not nearly as happy. As a pilot I had a huge stress load. I was lonely and tired all the time. My life was about line checks, grumpy captains, early get ups and stressing out over what kind of life hit I was going to take when the bid awards came out. There were few single girls about and my friends at that time were pilots as well and it was difficult to get together due to the highly scheduled chaos of an airline pilots life.

As a pilot in training I had a Delta Airlines DC-10 captain tell me that eh envied this old timer who lived in a bar in Billings Montana that he would frequent on layovers. The old man would come out of a back room where he also lived and sweep and wipe down the bar. By his slow movements and slight grin it was obvious that he had little stress and mostly did exactly what he wanted on his days off. By comparison this Delta captain had angry wives, ex-wives and girlfriends to deal with. He was late on paying his bills and had check airmen who were on his tail. In four bars his life was difficult, lonely and miserable while this lowly old man who only had a mop and broom in his command was able to mop in peace and happiness.

Looking back I was much happier during my time at the convenience store than I was as an airline pilot. I hoped that it would get better but it really didn't. At the time I thought that the Delta captain was crazy. Years later I began to understand.


SkyHigh

Point is that there is no magic formula for happiness, or any given set of circumstances that guarantee it. My attorney bother-in-law is seeing a shrink, taking anxiety, BP meds and Ambien just to keep going and recently had a burst blood vessel in his eye due to the stress in the court room. He has none of the burdens on his shoulders that you endlessly bemoan regarding flying for a living, yet he is far less happy than many of the "common" laborers that dig ditches for 20K a year. All the money in the world and he'll likely have no retirement because he will have assumed room temperature by then. It has far more to do with the individual than what he or she does or has. I've been through the career ringer (five carriers), and if I had quit when you did perhaps I'd be bitter as well...who knows. Now I work half the year and it's never been better...best part time job I've ever had. Having (for the time being at least) recently beat prostate cancer (yet another life trial) I am yet again reaping the benefits of not giving up, wringing my hands and running around telling other they should be miserable. I'd rather accentuate the possibilities of achievement rather than basque in the misery of resignation...but that's me.

Whatever makes you feel good, or justify feeling bad I suppose. Rock on Wayne!

Studies have shown, that even people who win the lottery, though they experience a spike in "happiness", after 2-3 months they go back to their "normal state of happiness"

On a side note note it is the satisfaction you get from your career and your personal relationships with people that have the largest influence on a persons "happiness"

fact is, I would rather be miserable with money then without ;)

Im happy........

thats because your Daddys little girl, and you don't pay any bills ;)

Besides, your a half-way decent looking female, life is probably a lot easier...........

Sorry mighty wise man, your just another on my list of guys who have layed advice out on the table for me, thanks but no thanks brother, i do look out for myself, hance no kids of my own yet and no complaints at this point and i do just fine in planning ahead.

I appreciate the effort son, but thanks anyways :D

Oh no you didn't......... and PS I am cut off.. I pay a lot of bills smarty

and half-way decent... that is real nice too