<p>Actually, I have no problem with my dentist. The hygenist, on the other hand…yikes. She always asks me if I have flossed regularly. Sometimes I think she inflicts more pain based on my response. I think next time I will tell her that I have regularly flossed twice a day and see what she does.</p>
<p>I’ve been thinking about this. I like being a pharmacist at the local hospital. I didn’t pick the career for money and the pay increases through the years never made me happier. I am very grateful I can pay for son’s college. I also loved being a waitress at Disneyland and a secretary in a medical clinic. I don’t know what I would do if I ever landed some place I hate.</p>
<p>fundingfather,</p>
<p>In my case, I AM the sole wage earner, although not by choice; my spouse fell ill when our kids were small and has never been able to work. As a result, our standard of living is fine (bills are paid, no debt, able to save) but certainly not what it would have been. If I had been really lucky, I guess, my heart would have led me to a lucrative career that makes me feel not just grateful and appreciative, but genuinely engaged and deeply fulfilled–the sort of feelings the OP had in mind. But I am who I am. I was called down a different road, and at this point I just feel lucky to live comfortably while doing what feels natural and right. I don’t get to live broadly (or as broadly as I once thought I would) but I do get to live deeply–and for me that’s what works.</p>
<p>Oh, one more thing. I love my dentist–a very cool guy who loves his job!</p>
<p>Hmm, all of the folks in my dentist’s office seem very happy and friendly, too! (Maybe it’s the 4 day work week?)</p>
<p>I have the security of knowing that I can - and have - support my family if needed - and wound still do what I do best - no change in direction here at all - and for the same reasons that I stated above.</p>
<p>There have been times in my life that my career has been the only active one in our household - I am proud of the fact that I can support us if needed - tho not to the same level as we live with a 2 wage earning situation. But I would not change a thing.</p>
<p>Dentists are aligned with a great philosophy: The Tooth shall set you free.</p>
<p>After college I worked for the county health dept in various programs: lead poisoning screening, immunizations, and the most fun place of all: The VD clinic (back when everything had a cure) because of the wild variety of characters I encountered everyday, the idealism of the other young people I worked with, and because it got me interested in medicine.<br>
I ended up becoming an Ob-Gyn. I have dropped Ob and concentrate on what I love most: surgery. I get to cut and sew and help people and listed to cool music and learn new techniques and ideas from other interesting surgeons. I can forget, in the OR, the hassles of insurance companies, malpractice, and patients that like to whine, because I am absorbed in my craft. Time goes by completely unnoticed, hours even. I am lucky to be able to teach residents and inspire them to love surgery as I do!</p>
<p>Fundingfather, I am a single parent and the primary wage earner. I wouldn’t say “sole” since my ex is supposed to pay child support - but the amount he pays me currently is about 15% of what I make. </p>
<p>I am self employed doing things that would take a long time to explain, but I can work mostly from home, and because of the combination of responsibilities my work is always interesting & there is always something new to learn. I am also working in an international context, so even though I am usually working from my living room, I’m interacting with people all over the globe via the internet. I do get to travel from time to time to meet some of these people - so the work has its perks. I earn way less than I could in theory with the career I was educated for - law - but I actually make more than I did for most of the time I practiced law because the big bucks don’t go to part-time lawyers. I figured out 22 years ago that full time law practice and parenting didn’t mix so well. So I opted for part time law practice for about a dozen years, and then shifted to something which was less stressful and would allow me to work from home. </p>
<p>I make enough to support myself and my kids. We need financial aid for college, but I can manage the EFC part. I own the house I live in. I have been in and out of debt, but I have never been unable to manage or pay for anything I truly needed or wanted, for myself or my kids.</p>
<p>I set my own hours most of the time for my work. I have a very small amount of “busy work” and boring stuff that needs to be done regularly, but most of my work is interesting and allows me to express myself creatively. </p>
<p>So yes - I have work that I love and wouldn’t trade for anything, at least while I am raising kids, and I can support a family on what I make. My job is not some sort of hobby I do while a spouse bears the brunt of everything.</p>
<p>I am a single wage earner for my son and I and I wouldn’t change my work for anything…maybe location now that I can. But not right away.</p>