This is entirely on me and my vagueness as to why I found this mildly infuriating, but I’m really intrigued by the variety of takes you all have shared. I say this as a compliment!

I’ve been working in higher education for too long, probably because I like the work, and the ability to exist in a forum where I can think creatively while influencing the future for good (as if goodness still exists, but I digress). So I guess you can say I care about my work. Hate the place. Hate the system Like the work.

The most infuriating part exists well ahead of this particular email from the Dean of Students (whom holds their recently defended Ed.D from where they work). Education from this private university is not worth the money or time, especially when they don’t honor the education received from themselves for themselves. Because private and the _ reality of it all_ (I suppose), promotion only exists in who you blow. I have three degrees, and am actively working on my PhD, with over two decades employed by the university, having received the highest honor an employee can receive from their time and performance at the university (a revered award akin to outstanding achievement), and am just universally liked (their words, not mine). So when I was passed for promotion when the longstanding department head retired, I was advised it was because the guy who got it had an Ed.D and I only had a Master’s (in org leadership, from where we work). So I’d at least fall in line as number 2, I was advised. Nope. New guy gave it to his buddy who he shares the same countertops at home with. This buddy, with the countertops, and fewer years with the university, has but a high school diploma from the local HS. Their families hangout on the holidays. It’s not just the countertops.

The particular human embodiment of AI slop who penned the prose in my post is another example of wrong peg, wrong hole. Placed in the position because of their relationship to another employee, and skirted through the Ed.D program at work with unusual ease and speed, this is how we present ourselves to our money. Then when enrollment drops, we’re quick to point to “nationwide trends” instead of “we provide education so void of value, we don’t even care when we have people with our own pinnacle tier of education producing word art regardless of platform or messaging service to the students (read money ) while at the same time neglecting to promote proven effort and skill into leadership positions of those also with educations from the university.”

That’s the mildly infuriating part, for me at least. 😬

Has nothing to do with the actually training. That’s annual formality stuff for just about all employed Americans.

Man, remember when shuttle disasters ranked up there with the worst news possible? Simpler times.

This image proves both evolution from ape to man, and devolution from man to ape. Not seeing any “alpha” in it though. Must have been a tree dweller.

Ol’ JD rolls up to the pearly gates.

Bible God: So, couches?
JD: You betcha! Bible God: C’mon in, my man!

Just a jizzy awful mess up there.

As it should!

Maga meat is deported immigrants. Sounds crazy, but wasn’t long ago they were telling the world Ohioans were “eating the pets.”

He’s had to have eaten at least one child post rape, right? I mean, that’s his modus operandi.

Also, never met a golfer I could tolerate for more than 20 seconds. Mini golf is where the real ones play.

It won’t solve the problem, but after a nearby skunk spraying, I found placing one dryer sheet in each of my hvac intakes (with the filter) freshens everything up for a few days.

There’s no way anyone would have guessed from my basic-ass comment, but I’ve lived most of my life with trauma from childhood sexual abuse. And with fucking kids being en vogue worldwide at the moment, my triggers have been woooo boy. Sorry to shit on your duo, just differing perspectives.

Props for admitting he was wrong. A “fool,” sure, but still feels kinda light on the self-disrespect for the content of some of their lyrics. I don’t recall “going with the flow” to include pedophilia. Necrophilia, on the other hand, totally going with the flow.

Despite never having a pet until Critter, Mr. Barker’s closing sentiments to every show were enough for me to know the importance.

This will sound crazy, but I’ve found sitting up straight, back aligned with the seat helps reduce my time… grinding levels.

I’m looking to transition to an educator role with the PhD. It would be a bump of maybe $20k-$25k. I never imagined making six figures, and I grew up in a fake rich family (crippling debt), so anything above $80k would be mind-blowing. The faculty position would require more “work,” but it would probably be more rewarding.

I am both these. Happy(ish), yet unsatisfied. But I think I’m unsatisfied because my brain insists on holding me to a level of excellence I cannot exhibit let alone maintain.

You’ll love this. Two years ago on the last cycle of promotions after our long time director finally retired, I was set to advance from an assistant director to a director role. This would either have been the primary CIO position, or a second in charge role. Well, the CIO position was given to a guy the former boss had been priming for the role (god fearing, white, christian) for no good reason aside from him having a PhD. Fine, earned, I suppose. Well that should certainly align me for the second in charge seeing as I have the next highest level of education completed (three degrees: AS, BS, MS). ~screeching brakes~ NOPE! The new director instead promotes his best buddy to director over me. Nepotism, not fine, but it exists. Here’s the kicker, the guy he promoted not only has fewer years with our employer, his highest level of completed education is high school. That’s right. It’s all in who you blow. (they drive matching Subarus)

Immediate reply is probably, “Why are you still there?”

If I’m working towards a PhD I am too smart to waste my life working a boring job

Best compliment I’ve received in what seems to be a lifetime. Unfortunately, the boring job provides the means to earn the PhD. So I would need to stick it out at least another 3.5 years. Allowing time for absurdities, I’m giving myself until age 52 to complete it. Need a deadline or I’ll just chip away at it forever.

Yep, sorry about that. I was trying to make this sound as unrelated to my actual situation as possible when I originally posted. Gave up the ghost on that almost immediately. WV eastern panhandle is where I’m located. Work in VA. On the edge of what they call the DMV (Delaware, Maryland, VA). Yes, they omit the omnipresent WV lurking just alongside big money northern VA in the colloquialism. Our area has just as many people commuting to DC for six figures, as we have folks living in squalor. It’s definitely WV up in here, but maybe a little shinier.

Soldering. I have two kits. From the little I’ve watched online, I’ve learned my father soldered incorrectly his entire life. Flux? Never heard of the guy. I have three dualsense controllers with drift, and three sets of replacement sticks. Requires soldering. Everything ready to go, no motivation to do any of it.

You’re focusing too much on what you are supposed to do and too little on what you could be doing.

Absolutely, but man is it a hard habit to break. Obviously one I’m struggling to break myself. I literally have a text note stating “Do what you want and do it for fun” on my phone’s lock screen and home screen. I’m trying my best to change my way of thinking about all of this, and rather lean into a "fuck it, it’s a paycheck, (most) everyone needs one, use all the money for fun and live deliciously because at least in my inevitable end, it will all just go to some charity.

I am looking for advice, and yes, this is totally my current situation.

Yeah, I’m cringing a bit at my “virtually unlimited” comment. For this situation, I’m currently sitting on roughly 500 hours of PTO medical leave.