Inner City Pressure

No matter how you value things, and irrespective of how that value system differs from society's value system, there are certain thing you just have to do in life. Not because people expect it or because it's the right thing to do but rather because it's actually what you need to do to live. Mediocrity isn't as bad as it sounds.

For example, in my life the things I value are people, God / YHVH, wisdom and knowledge, standard of living, music and having fun. Society however paints a different picture. The general consensus is that we should be striving to push ourselves forward, gaining as much wealth as possible so as to ensure security, and we should trust only ourselves because we are the only people we can rely on day in and day out. The easiest way to push yourself forward while achieving these things is by having a career we can focus on and build into. But the truth is that I don't value a career.

I do however value a standard of living. I want to eat reasonably well, drink good coffee and bourbon, wear neat clothes, live in a well equipped and good looking home, enjoy entertainment over weekends with friends and have enough money to buy things I want. Clearly if I work in an average retail shop for the rest of my life that won't happen. Having said that, I don't really value a career enough to sacrifice for it, especially if it isn't necessary.

So where is all of this coming from? Well, at the moment I'm faced with quite a problem. I have potentially got two jobs lined up. The first will be working in a music shop selling drumming equipment, which I think would be great for now but doesn't really have much of a sustainable future other than me moving into some sort of management position which probably won't pay much anyway. The second is more of a career, potentially receiving training to become an Air Traffic Controller [ATC].

The pros for the job as an ATC are fairly clear. Higher pay, lifetime career option and international accreditation. The cons however are that I would have to sign a 5 year contract with the company which says that they can place me in any position at any airport around the country without warning or any compensation. So they can decide that I need to move to Upington, or Joburg, or George without consulting me or any required forewarning. The other thing is that I don't want to get into a job I end up hating and having to stay in it for 5 years. That would suck. The other thing is that the job requires shift work, all year round.

The pros of working at the music shop are less responsibility, easy and relaxed environment, I can stay in the city, set and easier hours and I would be around musical instruments all the time. It also keeps me in the music industry which is where I have been working for the last year or so, and I'd get to meet international bands when the shop supplies their gear for tour etc. The cons are that I would have lower pay, less possibility of career development, it may be seen as a job that is not respected and would often have to work on Saturdays.

I have no idea which one is likely to open up for me, or which one I'm going to pursue, but all I can do right now is wait and see. It's killing me, but it's all I can do.