Oh no! Sorry that getting through your payroll/tax stuff left you feeling poor! That's not good!

I didn't read the one minute manager - was it good? I tend to shy away from management books, since management sounds sort of boring to me .

And you know, I think I'd need less work-life balance if I had something work-related that I could be really passionate about. If I were say... writing movies, I don't know that I'd need as much time away. I like the idea of having something that you're so passionate about... it doesn't feel like work. I love the idea. But I've been "loving the idea" for like, 20 years, and am not any closer to actually figuring out how to implement it. At this point, I'm not sure I have the time/energy left for a passionate career like that

I really relate to what you said about achieving, but not wanting to be responsible for other people achieving! Of course, that's part of what feels crazy to me about my current situation - I *want* to work! And, I'm smart - and do *good* work. Why the heck won't my boss let me work?!?!?!? Is there any universe where this makes sense? It makes me feel like I'm living in some bizarre alternate reality!

What's up with your "almost completed" projects? They sound really close to being done... is there something holding you back from just putting some time on your calendar and knocking one or two of them out? I bet the feeling of getting them done and launched would be really great, plus I'm assuming they could help bring in some cash?

And, yeah... I should be doing some kind of freelancing. I think I'm scared that as soon as I start something, I'll suddenly be inundated with work from the day job, and I don't want to give up my free time for more work. Maybe that's crazy though, maybe if I started freelancing I'd start to feel a bit more competent again, make some more money, and eventually be able to just freelance...

re: How these places stay in business, oh Hvert... this is such a *huge* huge huge big company. Trust me, you know who they are and if you have any kind of stock index fund, you own shares of them. You might even have services with them! I don't think it's the company, per se... (although it seems to be way too bloated with middle-management), I think it's my boss. And I have no idea how nobody seems to pick up on the fact that he's a terrible manager. I think he's personable, and he's doing a lot of individual work for HIS boss, and his boss is happy about that. What I can't understand is how, at his boss' level, they're supposedly turning away projects because "we don't have the bandwidth/resources"! That's just crazy and sad.

Martin Lukes sounds funny, and no, I had never heard of it! I'll have to see if I can find it online...

Anyway, it's Monday and I'm tired and bored. I've started a Coursera class on gamification that I should go watch... but I'm seriously considering curling up in bed and watching DVRed episodes of "Intervention"

Hope your Monday isn't awful!