Good day Rpalland,

I feel bad for you as I to have had this happen to me. You leave a place that pays so little but the people are fine and fun to be around and you love the work only to find you make more money but the atmosphere is awful and you can't be around it another day.

I wish you all the best in your life's choices. I can say that it could be worse.

My neighbor is a photographer and has worked freelance for many years now. He was hired by a magazine from Italy to do American photo-shoots but was not actually paid. They would send him a credit card for the expenses of travel and lodging but after 2 years of promises they stopped communicating with him entirely! He slaved for these guys thinking that in the end he would have a real career and good money as they promised upon seeing his work. He showed me the magazines and none of them have his name showing credit for his work. He said that it bothered him at first but thought that it would change as he did more work for them.

We all need to chase our dreams and be smart about it. But it sounds like you have seen the place you work at now for what it is and you know what you had before. Good luck.