Corporate Thru-Hikers

[justingk]

Man, I can't wait.

That's the problem, I guess.

I work for a relatively large company. Day in, day out, I deal with lower-middle management's mistakes, and them trying to snake out of their responsibilities or pass the buck to us salespeople. Thankfully, my ability to perform well at my job as well as voraciously document has protected me.

But it's getting a bit hard to mask the contempt for the 9-to-5 (or 6, 7, 8 o'clock) job, and the piles of B.S. that management tries to lay on me, when it's not my fault.

I've *got* to keep it together so I don't burn bridges. Anyone dealing with this, or dealt with it in the past?

44 days until notice...

[SGT Rock]

Leave a kidnapping note on your desk and scoot.

[Reid]

I deal with it alot. Responsibility and authority. The ones who have authority to make descions rarely take responsibility for the outcome. I work a 24/7 type of job, haven't slept since 2003 and often consider sucker punching my boss. If you've ever seen that movie true lies when arnold is riding in the car with his wife's supposed lover and he has this daydream about rocking that dudes world with a backhand then you can maybe relate to what my jobs like.

[jnanagardener]

Don't forget to have them forward your last pay check to your first mail drop! Best of luck to you...

[schraderdc]

I've *got* to keep it together so I don't burn bridges. Anyone dealing with this, or dealt with it in the past?

Though self employed, I find myself struggling with the same issue. I realized that I was a 'short timer' when I called the opposing party "a little b**ch" at a settlement conference. I am wound WAY too tight.

Wave when you pass me - I am starting 27 Feb - I will be the short fat bald man who looks lost....

[Lone Wolf]

Man, I can't wait.

That's the problem, I guess.

I work for a relatively large company. Day in, day out, I deal with lower-middle management's mistakes, and them trying to snake out of their responsibilities or pass the buck to us salespeople. Thankfully, my ability to perform well at my job as well as voraciously document has protected me.

But it's getting a bit hard to mask the contempt for the 9-to-5 (or 6, 7, 8 o'clock) job, and the piles of B.S. that management tries to lay on me, when it's not my fault.

I've *got* to keep it together so I don't burn bridges. Anyone dealing with this, or dealt with it in the past?

44 days until notice...

thru-hiking is a job for most

[A-Train]

thru-hiking is a job for most

Wolf is right; the monotony of your working schedule is exactly what you need to adhere to to make it from GA to ME. Luckily, many find this trip more fun than grind.

Fortunately you won't have to put up with the ineptitude of others that you speak of in the workplace. The nice part about the trail is that you generally decide who you hike and hang with.

[Bronk]

Keep your mouth shut long enough to take the money and run...then never look back.

[Seeker]

Man, I can't wait.

That's the problem, I guess.

I work for a relatively large company. Day in, day out, I deal with lower-middle management's mistakes, and them trying to snake out of their responsibilities or pass the buck to us salespeople. Thankfully, my ability to perform well at my job as well as voraciously document has protected me.

But it's getting a bit hard to mask the contempt for the 9-to-5 (or 6, 7, 8 o'clock) job, and the piles of B.S. that management tries to lay on me, when it's not my fault.

I've *got* to keep it together so I don't burn bridges. Anyone dealing with this, or dealt with it in the past?

44 days until notice...

what you describe is the daily heroic ordeal of countless people... you're still young... eventually, you realize that's why it's called 'work', that you don't have a choice, and that you might as well accept it. i've had a succession of poor bosses over the years, interspersed with people i'd work for again at half price... learn from them both, so that when you do get a chance to move up, you know how to treat people... another trick is to live as far below your means as you can, so that when you do need to backhand someone, you can walk away from a job without being an economic hostage and can take a lower paying job with a better boss. i did that 2 decembers ago... took a cut, suffered for a little while, but my primary customer screamed for me to come back... so i recently did, for a different contractor, at a MUCH higher salary... it was worth the pain... (however, i understand your industry and skill set may be different).

[sasquatch2014]

It is never to early to start to line up those that will be willing write you references. Also see what your companies policy is about re-hire as well as what info will they give out from HR when a prospective employer calls to check info you give on an application.

Large companies spend so much time trying not to get sued that in many cases the only thing that they will give out are the facts of when you were hired the position that you held and your date that you left. I know that was the way that it was for the company that I worked for 10 yrs. As a manager I was only to give out the phone number to the HR department and direct all call there. To this day I still have a few of my old sales reps that worked for me that use me as a reference. Now that I am not working for the company i am glad to help them when I can.

As others said the trail will be your job soon enough. Approach it with the same dedication you would a 8-5 job and you will be doing great. There is a flip side to that. Don't forget that in any job you need time off. I am up in NY almost to CT and I see a number of hikers, mainly NoBo's, who are sick of the trail and thinking of leaving the trail. I ask them when was their last true zero not a Nearo but a real honest, don't spend all day running errands, type of zero. For a lot of folks when they get to where I am they have just crossed a few hundred miles of the least challenging and awe inspiring miles of the whole trail. Anything can become taxing even the trail. Make sure to take your "Vacation" days as you earn them.

Give me a shout when you reach Pawling if you need a hand or just want to throw down in the yard and watch Office Space and laugh at the reality of the work place.

[Helios]

Leave a kidnapping note on your desk and scoot.

I second this motion!

[Maddog]

Though self employed, I find myself struggling with the same issue. I realized that I was a 'short timer' when I called the opposing party "a little b**ch" at a settlement conference. I am wound WAY too tight.

Wave when you pass me - I am starting 27 Feb - I will be the short fat bald man who looks lost....

im leaving on the 28th...good luck...see ya on the trail!

[TEXMAN]

As a recent retiree and AT hiker this is what I discovered.

When I had a government job where the bosses were not there to help but only to protect their own skin I hated the JOB .... and spent much time complaining to and listening to other workers complain about the boss

On the trail I found that I did a lot of self talk while hiking alone and GUESS WHAT

The person I was complaining about was the same one who was doing the listening.....me!!!

On the trail I am the boss.

O.M. River

[srestrepo]

Give me a shout when you reach Pawling if you need a hand or just want to throw down in the yard and watch Office Space and laugh at the reality of the work place.

mind if i take you up on this sasquatch... i dont need to thru hike though do i?

Listen, i know where you're coming from in terms of working for corporate america. often times there are so many rules and guidelines and redtape that it prevents even the most well intentioned of individuals to progress...

i envy that you've been presented with the opportunity so i'll live vicariously through the thru hikers of this and all years to come until i can get myself on the trail. just know that there are better AND worse days to come. the trail isn't always going to be that refuge from the ring of a cell phone or that never ending stream of e-mails that YOU imagined it to be.

take it one step at a time and enjoy yourself. remember you're out there to get away from it all and enjoy.

[Brian (aka Skippy)]

Man, I can't wait.

But it's getting a bit hard to mask the contempt for the 9-to-5 (or 6, 7, 8 o'clock) job, and the piles of B.S. that management tries to lay on me, when it's not my fault.

44 days until notice...

I'm in the same boat as you my friend. I'm 29 and leaving the corporate stream. 65 days! Anchors away! Men were meant for more than fluorescent lighting! We were made for adventure, not cuff-links! We were made for beards, not Starbucks!! We have butt hair for specific reasons...We are MEN...we don't need seat warmers!

My favorite word these days..."Gumption".

"It takes a lot of gumption to quit a high paying job".

[JustaTouron]

You retiring for good or are you going to need to find employment in 5 months?

If the former it doesn't matter. If the latter, you are gonna need a damn good reference from your employer when you go looking for another job after quiting to on an extended vacation. And leave on good terms you might be able to get your job back there.

[DAJA]

what you describe is the daily heroic ordeal of countless people... you're still young... eventually, you realize that's why it's called 'work', that you don't have a choice, and that you might as well accept it.

I gotta disagree here. Of course you have a choice, in fact you have many choices.. It's a matter of what your willing to sacrifice.

I'm young and learned young that working the 9-5 grind (more like 7- whenever you accomplish enough to make those above you look good) is a dead end scheme that ultimately only benifits a select few..

You can continue to slog away until freedom 55 or 65 retiring on a fixed income or you can start while your young to enact a plan that gives you freedom today...

Again we all have choices, it's a matter of sacrifice.. For me, the work a day grind was a sacrifice I was not willing to make for the next 30yrs, so I walked away..

Best choice I ever made... My only stress now is figuring out what to do with the extra eggs and vege's from my homestead, and deciding which of my hobbies I feel like pursuing each day... Life is truely great!

[Lumberjack2003]

But it's getting a bit hard to mask the contempt for the 9-to-5 (or 6, 7, 8 o'clock) job, and the piles of B.S. that management tries to lay on me, when it's not my fault.

I've *got* to keep it together so I don't burn bridges. Anyone dealing with this, or dealt with it in the past?

44 days until notice...

Reading your message really brought back memories for me. I was working for 2 guys. One was good but never in the office and the other was a PIMA (pain in my @ss) and always in the office. He's the one I was so looking forward to giving my notice to and to tell him off. Instead I did the right thing and gave it to the good guy over a couple of beers.

The way I kept calm as I was waiting to give my notice was to bring a small piece of gear to the office and leave it where I could see it. Mine was a tiny compass.

[Jack - Straw]

Word of warning, I only hiked last year from Springer to Erwin but it was enough for me to appreciate a different lifestyle. I re entered the corporate work place when I got back and I dread it day in and day out now. Pre hike it wasn't that bad. Those 300 Miles changed me, or maybe it is a turning 40 thing, who the f*** knows! Jack Straw

[Chomp09]

Justingk, I was in your shoes before I left to sobo this past summer. I was tired of the corporate world and feeling like I was investing myself into a company that saw me as nothing more than a number.

In the time leading up to my departure, I played the game- gave lots of notice, told anyone who'd listen that it wasn't the company but the opportunity to follow a personal dream, and played nice right up through the last day.

I left believing that there was something better out there for me and I probably wouldn't be back to that company and my time on the trail only solidified this idea. However, now that I'm home, those connections and solid recommendations are paving the way to my new job and I'm thankful for that.

All I'm saying is that it never hurts to leave on a good note. Best of luck to you on your hike!