Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Good Afternoon Lodge.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

I'm late to the conversation, but want to comment.

I think every individual needs to figure out what is right for them. While my grades weren't great my first year of college (since I had no idea how to study), transitioning at community college wouldn't have helped me. I took an Econ class at CC one summer and it was as easy (maybe easier) than my high school classes. Nothing about community college would have prepared me for UofM.
For me, going straight to a 4 year college was the right move.



I only applied to 3 colleges. I knew I wanted to go to UofM. Maryland was my back up, and Virginia Tech interested me. I considered applying to Penn State, but decided to keep the application money, 'cause I knew Michigan is where I really wanted to be. I consider Michigan's Engineering program a prestige school (others here can argue what they want). Once you have industry experience, where you went to school doesn't matter as much, but I do believe my UofM diploma helped secure those first few jobs, and even still, it looks nice on the resume.

I was spoiled enough that mommy and daddy paid the tab. When my brother started college my mom, who had worked part time as a substitute teacher, got a full time job and her entire salary paid for college. 8 straight years of out of state tuition between my brother and I. I recognize that I'm fortunate, and I think if I were footing my own bill, I probably would have gone to Maryland and saved some money (I'm cheap as hel). But, had I gone to Maryland my life would be entirely different. I'd have a different engineering degree (Maryland doesn't have my major). I would probably have a completely different career due to the different degree. I wouldn't be a hockey fan. I wouldn't know all you wonderful people. I'd have different friends. I might still live in my hick hometown, or worse, DC suburbs.


In the past decade the only raises I've received were by finding a new job. That, and it's difficult to be loyal to a company when few seem to be loyal to their employees.

There is the difference. Some of the kids I talk to have applied to colleges simply because their parents have decided that is what they should do. Keeping up with the Jones' on a grand scale. Kids applying to 10 different places not because it will meet the need but so they can say they got in (or in many cases they do not, wasting $ that could have been used to pay for actual schooling). The amount of marketing that goes on not related to academics is atrocious.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

There is the difference. Some of the kids I talk to have applied to colleges simply because their parents have decided that is what they should do. Keeping up with the Jones' on a grand scale. Kids applying to 10 different places not because it will meet the need but so they can say they got in (or in many cases they do not, wasting $ that could have been used to pay for actual schooling). The amount of marketing that goes on not related to academics is atrocious.

To an extent that was me too. My dad was the real driver (acting on advice from Bill O'Reilly of all people) but we both knew college had to be the move for me. I'm too much of a wimp and a klutz for most blue collar work, so I knew that was out.

Applied to Tech and Sparty, got accepted by both, chose Tech because I liked the smaller campus and scenery.

 

[Scarlet]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

I've been with this company for 16+ years. The first six I was in one of the business units. I then moved to a corporate department. The move was lateral - it was the same grade level so not a promotion. After being in this department for about four or five years, I got a grade level promotion, it meant a bit of a raise. Each grade level has a salary range, to allow you to grow. I'm close to topping out of this range. I will either have to accept no merit raises or try to find another position here a grade level up. There isn't any opportunity (that I'm aware of) on this team to do that, but the potential is there somewhere else in the company. Once the Olympics are over this year, I'm not sure what my job will entail. We've had a few reorgs within this group (I've mentioned them here). My role has changed somewhat and once the Games are over and this year-long office tour ends, I wonder what I will be doing. I've gotten a bit disillusioned with my manager and while I love what I'm currently doing, I'm not sure if I can continue to do it. I hope I can, but I'm not sure.

Problem is, this company pays pretty well. At least I think so. I know others that think it does not. If I were to find a similar position elsewhere, it could easily be paid 30% less than what I make now. Not sure if I'm willing to make a cut like that. I'm not sure what I would want to do or where I would want to do it. There are several people that work here that are long timers. I've become one of them it appears. The newer people on my team are all young and go-getters. I feel somewhat out of place now. That being said, I know of several people within the company who know my value and what I can do. It's an awkward position. I've chosen not to worry too much about it till later in the year.

 

[hockeyplayer1015]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Just hit 5 years with my company. We've received raises every year, some better than others. Of course, my company/industry doesn't really fit the common business mold so to speak.

As for college, I only applied to 1. Basically knew I would get in, so there wasn't really much risk. The maritime schools are kinda weird, there are like 7 state schools, plus the USMMA federal school. Most state schools offer in-state/in-region tuition to students from states without a maritime school, so those would have been much more expensive.

My parents footed the school bill, but I saved them about 40-50% of the cost through grants/scholarships and also had tuition covered through a program with the state Congress (got appointed by my assemblyman).

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

I'm not sure what would have benefited me as far as college went. I went to Prep school, but I only took a handful of finals because if you had above a 90% average for the year and above a 94% for the 4th quarter and less than 7 days of absence, you were deemed to have a good enough handle on the material to not need the final. I didn't have to study a lot in high school either. I did have quite a bit of writing, which I enjoyed and was good at. I think being the smartest for so long was a detriment as that was definitely not the case when I went to BU. I really struggled in the sciences for 3 semester before finally giving up and majoring in the humanities and social sciences and thus giving up my lifelong dream of going to med school. I had worked in a hospital in high school, so I'm not sure a gap year would have been helpful. My parents paid for my school with student loans in my name, so I have 6 figures (paid down to 5 at this point) in student debt for degrees that I don't use. It's hard for me to judge my second experience in college (nursing school) because I was 10 years older when I started, paying for it on my own, and incredibly motivated.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

I'm not sure what would have benefited me as far as college went. I went to Prep school, but I only took a handful of finals because if you had above a 90% average for the year and above a 94% for the 4th quarter and less than 7 days of absence, you were deemed to have a good enough handle on the material to not need the final. I didn't have to study a lot in high school either. I did have quite a bit of writing, which I enjoyed and was good at. I think being the smartest for so long was a detriment as that was definitely not the case when I went to BU. I really struggled in the sciences for 3 semester before finally giving up and majoring in the humanities and social sciences and thus giving up my lifelong dream of going to med school. I had worked in a hospital in high school, so I'm not sure a gap year would have been helpful. My parents paid for my school with student loans in my name, so I have 6 figures (paid down to 5 at this point) in student debt for degrees that I don't use. It's hard for me to judge my second experience in college (nursing school) because I was 10 years older when I started, paying for it on my own, and incredibly motivated.

I have the equivalent of a photographic memory for anything I hear. Since HS was mostly lecture, I never studied. Didn't need to. I also was a good writer so did fairly well with little effort in the non-science classes. College was a bit of culture shock. They didn't cover everything in the reading. I do not retain what I read half as well as what I hear. That meant I actually had to exert myself. If I got below a 3.5 after Frosh yr I was out. Class of 90 was ?33 when we graduated. Second time around I was also in a different place. Less BS classes and more stuff I cared about. (Nursing theory was not one of those things but thankfully I took that the summer before I matriculated.)

After 30 yrs in Nursing I can't write a complete sentence and my grammar is abominable!

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

My company pays ok, but their retirement plan (until recent changes, but I have such a big base from the past) was awesome. Not exactly sure how it works now, I just know I get money and still can't contribute. However, in the past, I was getting 19-22% gross income per year invested, even during the recession. I know the current plan is very close to that, but not QUITE that good.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

mookie shoulda gone into porn.

have yet to find a job that didn't bore the hell outta mookie.

truthfully, mookie should have been born a prince!

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

There's an awful lot of beeching about salary and pay here, but it's significantly more than I made at the last place, so I don't know if it's competitive or not. It's definitely not what they're paying in Boston, but we're outside of Boston, so I'm sure that the scale is different. The top pay is about 22$/hr more than I make, so I have room to grow, but the raises are abysmal, so I'm not sure I'd ever realistically get near the cap. Now they're talking about market adjustment (we rec'd merit raises of up to 2%) in October, but, of course, it's dependent on how the hospital does financially. Very tough to hear this coming from the CNO who makes ~$500,000. I don't mean to begrudge her the money, but the bigwigs are making an awful lot and not in touch with what is going on in the actual hospital.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

There's an awful lot of beeching about salary and pay here, but it's significantly more than I made at the last place, so I don't know if it's competitive or not. It's definitely not what they're paying in Boston, but we're outside of Boston, so I'm sure that the scale is different. The top pay is about 22$/hr more than I make, so I have room to grow, but the raises are abysmal, so I'm not sure I'd ever realistically get near the cap. Now they're talking about market adjustment (we rec'd merit raises of up to 2%) in October, but, of course, it's dependent on how the hospital does financially. Very tough to hear this coming from the CNO who makes ~$500,000. I don't mean to begrudge her the money, but the bigwigs are making an awful lot and not in touch with what is going on in the actual hospital.

3% is about my industry's standard. Given the metrics, I'm almost maxed out, but then I get some sort of lump bonus per year, so I basically become salaried. It's really messed up.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

3% is about my industry's standard. Given the metrics, I'm almost maxed out, but then I get some sort of lump bonus per year, so I basically become salaried. It's really messed up.

They use lump bonus here as well once you hit the cap. There is talk that with the market increase the cap may move higher, but we'll see.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

They use lump bonus here as well once you hit the cap. There is talk that with the market increase the cap may move higher, but we'll see.

As long as I can live the lifestyle I'm living, fine with me. Money isn't a priority with me. It's happiness.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

As long as I can live the lifestyle I'm living, fine with me. Money isn't a priority with me. It's happiness.

Agreed to a degree. I'd like enough to pay my bills and loans so that I can retire at a reasonable age, but being happy is probably second in importance.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Agreed to a degree. I'd like enough to pay my bills and loans so that I can retire at a reasonable age, but being happy is probably second in importance.

Your first part, I have that (minus loans; I owe nobody, and I like to keep it that way). 2nd part, I'm on track; I do like to work, so I will work until I can't anymore. So happiness is the deciding factor in my case.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Your first part, I have that (minus loans; I owe nobody, and I like to keep it that way). 2nd part, I'm on track; I do like to work, so I will work until I can't anymore. So happiness is the deciding factor in my case.

I just have student loans and my car payment. When I bought the Mini, I set a hard limit as to what my payment would be per month and didn't spend more - I came in 30$ under per month. I have 1 credit card that I'm paying off and have room to spare in case of emergency. Have paid off 2 different bills this year and am rolling the money that I had used to pay those bills to pay down my credit card to a tiny amount and to pay off my student loans one at a time. (I have retirement payment and a deposit into savings both auto-deducted from each paycheck and put away).

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

I just have student loans and my car payment. When I bought the Mini, I set a hard limit as to what my payment would be per month and didn't spend more - I came in 30$ under per month. I have 1 credit card that I'm paying off and have room to spare in case of emergency. Have paid off 2 different bills this year and am rolling the money that I had used to pay those bills to pay down my credit card to a tiny amount and to pay off my student loans one at a time. (I have retirement payment and a deposit into savings both auto-deducted from each paycheck and put away).

I did that when I bought my Jeep. Smart move.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Good morning to tLodge!

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Good Morning, MEUSA!


Good Morning to the rest of tLodge!

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Good morning to tLodge!

Good Morning, MEUSA!
Good Morning to the rest of tLodge!

Good morning, Mark and Ralph!