Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Do You Have Friends Like This? [Vanity]
Pharmboy | 11-16-12 | Me

Posted on 11/16/2012 2:26:29 PM PST by Pharmboy

I have had these friends for years...they are retired state workers, currently employed teachers, and people who work for universities. I enjoy their company (so long as we stay away from politics) and do stuff together.

BUT...they really piss me off...why? Because they chose their job pathway to security and very circumscribed work hours. No overtime. No weekends.

Yet...YET...they constantly bitch about people with wealth who have worked for it. Took a chance, and achieve success.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Society; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: socialism; vanity
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last
If I would say this to them, we would cease to be friends. But, they are getting close.
1 posted on 11/16/2012 2:26:35 PM PST by Pharmboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
I used to have a couple of friends like you have described....
2 posted on 11/16/2012 2:29:34 PM PST by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

I stick to set hours because I haven’t slept well in 13 years, and I’m already exhausted when I wake up. If I had flexible positions in which I could spend some hours of overtime on a computer, then I’d be all over it.

Endocrine disease sucks, because it’s not always something you can see.


3 posted on 11/16/2012 2:29:43 PM PST by wastedyears (I don't want to live on this planet anymore.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

“....socialism has never worked anywhere, your going to find that out”

...is all you have to say to them, if they respond like a child, so be it. Find new friends you can depend on.


4 posted on 11/16/2012 2:33:16 PM PST by Doogle ((USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

Say it to them. If they can’t stand the criticism you are better off with new friends.


5 posted on 11/16/2012 2:33:58 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Why is the government more concerned about protecting a microbe on Mars than an unborn baby here?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wastedyears
Yeah, sometimes there are circumstances that can interfere with one's ability to adhere to a flexible schedule and so on so we need to have more info before we can pass judgement. I know myself, most likely I have Asperger's, I had tests as a kid, parents were worried I was autistic so looking at my records, I think I'd be a prime candidate to be an "Aspie." Changing schedules to me is like taking a car and going from 3rd gear and slamming it into 1st. I generally can adapt but it is tough.

Still I see the point being made but there are extenuating circumstances too.
6 posted on 11/16/2012 2:36:37 PM PST by Nowhere Man (Whitey, I miss you so much. Take care, pretty girl. (4-15-2001 - 10-12-2012))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

I am a newly retired state worker living frugally on a very modest pension. I am the opposite of what you describe (probably because I was not an instructor or administrator). I actually was very much looking forward to retirement to get away from the liberalism of the place, LOL.


7 posted on 11/16/2012 2:37:11 PM PST by mancini
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
Economically speaking, there are only two types of people: Producers and Non Producers.

ALL government employees are, by definition, Non Producers, people who have never produced a whit of the products or services necessary to sustain an ethical society or civilization.

Your friends are acting exactly in accordance with their position, lifelong looting slackers

Why do you expect them to act differently?

8 posted on 11/16/2012 2:37:28 PM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

I have a cousin that works part time at Western Michigan university. She wants to be hired full time so she can get the 5 hours per week paid time for workouts in the gym.


9 posted on 11/16/2012 2:38:08 PM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

However, I do see your point, there are those that expect everything for free, those that voted for Obama. BTW, I got into it with a friend I’ve known since I was 6 in 1972, 40 years, where we unfriended each other because of this election and how we see things.


10 posted on 11/16/2012 2:39:26 PM PST by Nowhere Man (Whitey, I miss you so much. Take care, pretty girl. (4-15-2001 - 10-12-2012))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy
Welcome to Omerika!
11 posted on 11/16/2012 2:39:40 PM PST by Darteaus94025
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

I taught English literature at a university until I finally retired at 70 (to build my retirement funds up a bit more). I did it because it was what I wanted to do. It would have been nice to be rich, but I certainly never complained about it.

I was somewhat handicapped because I think my salary would have been quite a bit higher if I hadn’t been known as the department conservative, even though I published more than my share. But I certainly never blamed my friends in business, who were richer than me.

It was enough to live on, and even put numerous kids through college, though I’m in debt for the last of them. But I had seen people who worked at jobs they hated when I was younger, and I was determined to do something I could really enjoy.

Plus great vacations, although not enough money to do much with them. Still, even that was better than some of my friends who got two weeks off a year and barely relaxed into the swing of vacation before they had to go back to work again.

Do what you choose to do in life, and don’t complain about it. Envy is stupid.


12 posted on 11/16/2012 2:39:58 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Navy Patriot

The makers and the takers.


13 posted on 11/16/2012 2:41:08 PM PST by Darteaus94025
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

I don’t understand how you could be friends with them anyway. Liberalism runs through all areas of their life. Not sure what part you’re able to get along with and enjoy. I say find your own kind of friends where you can talk about everything. Life is too short to waste it on obama voters.


14 posted on 11/16/2012 2:43:13 PM PST by presently no screen name
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

To add a P.S. to my comment above, to those who think employees of the “state” don’t think much of capitalism and hard work, there are plenty of state employees who have worked hard and think the more successful in our society should be applauded.


15 posted on 11/16/2012 2:43:29 PM PST by mancini
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wastedyears

If you snore in your sleep, get a sleep study done of you have not already done so. I was suffering from sleep apnea and feeling tired all the time.


16 posted on 11/16/2012 2:46:06 PM PST by taxcontrol
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

Actually, believe it or not, I encounter the reverse more often. Blue collar types who bitch endlessly about the salaries of white collars.

Long story, but my wife lost her job early in the year. Here we are 8 months later after a couple of temporary assignments and she’s gainfully employed at 115% of her previous salary in a corporation with a wage ceiling twice as high as her previous job. I can’t begin to relate the amount of sour grapes I’ve heard from blue collar friends who’ve been unemployed for much longer.


17 posted on 11/16/2012 2:56:21 PM PST by Melas (u)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

Stop suffering fools gladly sticking their hands in your pockets.

My tolerance levels have dropped dramatically.


18 posted on 11/16/2012 2:57:07 PM PST by libertarian27 (Check my profile page for the FReeper Online Cookbook 2011)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pharmboy

There are people who, no matter what job they take or who they work for, will try and do as little as possible while complaining as much as possible. From the sound of it, your friends fall into this group.

There is nothing you can do that will make them happy. And no changes to their workload or finances will ever make them happy. Kvetching is their default setting, and nobody can change that except them.

I was astonished to find out that my brother has joined that group. He isn’t a government employee, but you should hear the way he rages against conservatives all of a sudden!!


19 posted on 11/16/2012 3:00:36 PM PST by Ellendra (http://www.ustrendy.com/ellendra-nauriel/portfolio/18423/concealed-couture/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: taxcontrol
I work for a University, but I am in Texas so we still know hard work and capitalism. However here in Dallas the Unions just drove Hostess Twinkies into chapter 7 rather than take a pay cut. I find a large amount of people mostly Democrat, blue collar and a fair amount of smart people including Conservatives have no clue about economics and money. I have personal conservative friends who are pay check to pay check have new cars, RVs and no savings. It is out of control. I actually learned a lot of this in high school, I guess we only teach cultural things now.
20 posted on 11/16/2012 3:00:55 PM PST by pwatson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson