One of the few from 2005
As I am going through photos for my various books that I want to put together, I open each of the Lightroom catalogs as I am ready to start making selections for that particular book. I’ve already completed the book for 2004. I moved onto 2005, opened the catalog, and saw that I had only 47 photos! At first I thought that it was a mistake. I MUST have misplaced them. Must have. Then I remembered: I had done a blog entry back on 2007 about this same topic, or close it. In summary, that was the year from hell for work. I worked about 60 hours per week for nearly 2 solid years, June 2004 – June 2006.
I quit in the first week of June, 2006 and took 5 months off. I was seriously burned out. They tried diligently to get me to stay or to give them a timeframe as to when I would return and they would keep my job open for me. No!!! I told them that I didn’t know when I would be coming back and, if I came back to the bank, it wouldn’t be to that group or anywhere in the investment bank. Been there! Done that! Almost got the ulcer! 
As I had only 47 photos, taken in two separate outings, both short vacations to Seabrook Island, SC, there will be no 2005 book, as it would be woefully short. My time in 2005 was spent watching the sun rise or set out of the large glass windows on the 13th floor of Hearst Tower. What a waste of life that was. When I left that job, I vowed never again to work like that and I have not. That was a huge turning point for me with respect to how I view a “job”. From then on, it became simply a way to get money for the things that I like to do. I never was a career man, but I got swept up in trying to make ridiculous deadlines, etc. It was the investment bank way! Grind! Grind! Grind! Everyone did it and it was expected.
As I look through the photos from 2006, I found it hard to winnow down the number of photos to under 100. I finally got down to 68, so far. I had so many that I really liked. I was everywhere. I was at the beach, the mountains, the zoo (several times), I was LIVING!
Since that time, I’ve not put the camera down for any reason, and I don’t intend to. It was a good lesson, one that I most certainly don’t want to repeat!
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15 Responses to “2005 – A noticeable gap”
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I both laughed and cried reading your post this morning as I’ve also been in the same place you were. What I considered a career was only depleting my spirit and soul. I lost the precious opportunity to be a better husband and father because of my value to the company. This line brought the tears, “I was LIVING”. Man, am I glad we’re living and using our cameras to visually present the world we now see.
Thanks, Monte. Although life has shown me quite a few things in the years since 2005, I’ve never put my camera down again. Sure, there were times when I felt like it, but I didn’t, and I’m glad. Two things that I can count on: My love of photography and my buddy, Hobbs, who will adorn the cover of the 2006 book.
As a note, Monte: I changed the post a little bit and added the front cover image of my 2006 book.
This is good stuff. I hope to never feel that way about work, and in fact I hope that I would never let that happen, but it’s easy to get sucked in. For the 9 months that I was out of work in 2009 we did more running around and traveling than we had ever done. We did it on a budget, and I suppose that prudent financial management might have dictated that I sit at home and feel sorry for myself, but I saw it as an opportunity and grabbed it.
Life is all about balance, and I’ve managed to figure out a balance between work and my real life and it seems to work OK. I get a lot of the “must be nice” comments from friends and co-workers that have different priorities, but we’ve made good choices over the years and it’s great to have a little flexibility now.
I like the idea of doing these book projects and have been “meaning to” try a Blurb book for a while. Maybe this will give me the motivation to do my own, and we can compare next time we get together for a photo walk.
Looking back, it’s hard for me to believe that I let that happen, but as you say, I got sucked in. It just happened … I was sleepwalking. I made the choice to do this and paid the price. It was a learning experience.
I like the fact that you did a lot of traveling while you had your time off of work. I would imagine that more people could do that if they made choices, ahead of time, about their lifestyle. I plan another hiatus very soon, perhaps a leave of absence for a while. It was a fun thing to do, a much needed thing to do.
As for the books, I’m enjoying the trip back down memory lane, looking at the photos and creating the books. I can’t wait to get on of them in my hands. Hopefully that will happen in the next couple of weeks. I’ll most certainly let you know.
Hey, glad you added the cover shot…very nice!
Paul, good to read that you have taken something positive out of that hard lesson. So many others do not dare to question their lifestyle and their employers politics and simply get crushed, but you not only survived but also quit the treadmill. Without doubt the right step.
Thanks, Marcus. It was an eye opening experience. I’ve changed jobs a few times since then, mostly because of layoffs and such, as the job market is still shaky; however, the first question that I ask, when offered the opportunity to do so is: How many hours per week do you work?
I turned down a well-paying ‘opportunity’ early last year during a job hunt. It paid a lot more than I’m making now, some $20,000 more, but they wanted, nay, expected, a minimum of 55 – 60 hours per week, preferably more because they were worked in a ‘dynamic, exciting, and fast-paced’ environment. Buzz words for hell hole sweat shop!
The choice of either working a job that entailed long hours and short weekends or no job at all would be easy for me: I’ll take that job any day. You have to remember that this is a very personal choice, but those of us who grew up in households that never had any discretionary spending money but with a good work ethic have a strong need to work. I envy the ability of others (like yourself) to land on your feet gracefully after a job loss. It not only shows that you live in an area with employment opportunities but also have marketable skills that are in demand.
I like the cover of the 2006 book!
The choice here was not whether or not to work, period, but more of the choice of sticking with a job, blindly, that was obviously not conducive to my doing other things besides work. At that time, the market was pretty decent and I could have left and gone to the bank down the street, but I didn’t. I stayed and endured. My choice. That ended up being a learning experience.
Now, on the other hand, when I lost my job in May of 2008, I searched Charlotte far and wide until the end of July and found nothing. I couldn’t even get a phone call returned. Eventually, I took a job in Charleston, SC, 210 miles south. I drove down every Sunday and returned every Friday, for 19 months until the market recovered. However, this time, I made sure that I made time to use my camera! Choices.
As for the book, thank you! Hobbs like’s it too. He’s kind of vain that way!
There’s a big difference between giving 100% to a 40-hour a week job and a situation where you kill yourself working huge hours with no time off. I’m very glad to have the former and hope I never have to take the latter. I don’t have time for more work!
Nice message in this post Paul. I am not one to kill myself over a job either, and I suppose I feel fortunate that I can say that. The corporate world is getting to me lately and has me thinking a lot about how much longer I want to stick it out.
I did work like that because I had a boss who wouldn’t take no for an answer. That boss was…Me. I had no one to blame but myself. I was passionate about my work and stayed laser-focused for many years. I look back at those years and wonder how I survived.
Not surprisingly, I am crazy about that book cover. Just irresistible.
By the way, on other blogs, I have seen the mention about getting your camera back. Congratulations. It should be fun to enjoy the “new camera”.
Well, with age, hopefully comes wisdom! I hope that I learned my lesson.
I rather like that cover myself, Anita. I just hope that he doesn’t think that he’ll be on the over of every book. Of course, you know I need to comb the archives and make a book just for him!
This is a must. Mr. Hobbs’ very own book. I am betting that you have enough photos to choose only the best and still have more than enough for an impressive volume.