Coffee talk.

Took a much-needed coffee break with a friend at work today. At some point we were talking about alternate careers, and I commented that several of my friends around our age were also in this weird state of wanting to do something more meaningful, more valuable, with their life than sit in a cubicle all day filling out TPS reports.

The conversation took an interesting turn - was it just our generation who was going through this phase? We couldn't think of many folks from other generations who were going through the same identity crisis. Was it because we were children of the flower power generation, currently (and by choice) living in Peace Love and Happiness, California? Did it have anything to do with the dot com bust, where all those creative souls were left jobless and looking for something more substantial out of life? (Peace Corps applications shot up during that time, for example.) Is it a result of the information age - cable TV and high-speed internet lets us see opportunities we would never have been able to glimpse before?*

My parents certainly didn't go through this phase. But my parents are now both retired. Could that be it? I see how happy and carefree they are, and I'm jealous?

Whatever the reason, I've started a mental list of careers I'd like to pursue. None involve pointy-headed bosses, mindless conference calls or powerpoint presentations. Interested parties should inquire within. Let's open up a restaurant in Santa Fe.

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* A conversation with another friend later in the day led to discussion about this show. Yeah, I do acknowledge that I could have it a whole lot worse.