I hate my job with a passion uncontested

kicky, in addition to the ideas already given, see about training in your field. You said before that your skills may be deteriorating, and that the company won't pay for something unless it's related. Well, aren't graphics classes related to your job? Hell, it's worth a shot. You won't know unless you ask.

If you can't get them to pay for it, see what they will pay for. Even if it's mainly banking and stuff, perhaps there's something of interest or at least something that will help move you towards your future goals. E. g. if you want to get a Master's of Fine Arts, perhaps you need a math class (helfino, I'm just makin' this up as I go along) or something. Anyway, the idea I have is to squeeze whatever you can out of them in the next 11 months. It won't make you feel too much better (sorry), but it'll be a productive use of your time.

Even if you don't want to stick it out for another year, you may have to, given the jobs situation out there, so make the most of the time. I'm with you, man; I've been there, done that, and I know how it feels.

Thanks, jespah, I really appreciate that. I think I might be able to work something out to squeeze a little bit of training out of them, now that you mention it.

Since this is a money money money company, graphics is like the appendix of the body that is JPMorgan. I'm surprised we even get invited to meetings around here.

However, my boss might be persuaded to pay for some kind of graphics-related course or two by diverting some small amount of our departmental funds, but I know for a fact that the tuition reimbursement program is only for pointy-headed finance nerds.

Good idea Jespah. I'll look into that.

Hey, kick -- you get the hell away from their at lunch, right? One of the worst things you can do is stay in an office you hate over your lunch break...

patiodog, I get paid an extra hour everyday if I skip lunch, and I need it, so, no, I never get out of here except during little smoke breaks. I know, that's bad, but I need to pile up the dough as much as possible.

kickycan- In life there is always a trade off. Do you absolutely need that money? If taking an hour break will make the job more bearable, isn't it worth losing the extra money that you would make?

Ouch. Though paying New York rent, that hour-a-day can add up. What about one or two lunches off a week, and make sure it's worth it?

I have thought a lot about that, and I think in a year from now, that extra several thousand dollars is going to help me out. Of course, I'm like a ticking time bomb right now, but I think I can hack it for just one more horrible year.

A'ight. I guess it's gotta be crack and hookers, then.

He he he. I will take that idea under consideration though. Maybe a lunch hour here and there wouldn't be a completely crazy idea.

I haven't read the other comments yet, so this may have already been suggested, but I would imagine what it would be like if your co-workers were instantly transmitted to the vacuum of space.

Send me their e-mail addresses and I will spit fire at them. I'm loaded and ready after today.

Are you absolutely, 100%, hooked on vesting, kicky?
And if you are, why?

Two of my jobs since graduation have been grinding hells. But, they gave me what I wanted. A house where I can live with my dogs. So, I kept pix of the dogs and the backyard at my desk to remind me why I was staying even though I hated the very air in those places.

If vesting is going to lead to something you really really want, focus on that. (at the first of the hellholes i survived, people regularly walked out days before vesting - they just couldn't bear it another 20 hours)

Take courses, swim, walk, breathe. Focus on things other than work. I always like to swim when badly stressed - I can't swim when I'm thinking - I'm too busy remembering to breathe, kick, stroke, breathe, kick, stroke, ...

ehbeth, I have no idea what I am going to do as a next move, but I am thinking of starting my own business as one of the options. That leads me to believe that I will need every penny I can save. Plus, since I don't want to walk out of here in a huff and just end up with another job in another hell-hole, paying less in all likelihood, I am going to take my time and really try to find something to do that I don't hate. I can't just leave without anything else, so I might as well work, make a real plan, and then leave next summer. I think it's the practical thing to do. If I can stand it. I know It will be torture being here for the next year, but I've already wasted five years, so what's one more?

Focusing on other things is a good idea though. I am trying to do that. I'm taking an Italian class this summer, and I am going to try to find other outlets. Thanks.

Eva, thanks. I'll get a list together for you. It's going to be a long one.

I could contest your feelings about work. I was employed at a place doing fairly interesting research (though repetative) and the my friggin' supervisor decides that she's in charge of the company and starts to make up rules. Guess what? I was breaking everyone of them!! I began to wait for the train in the morning and every time it showed up I thought (unbidden), "Here is the 7.05am train to HELL!". It got so I was just fantasising about giving her a back-hander everytime she stood behind me. In the end I just had to say "F@ck it" and gave them a week's notice.

The joke was on me, coz I then did some contract work that was great and then took on full-time work at a place where the boss was such a micro-managing psycho that the other one looked good!!

I started to fantasise about killing my boss - Christ, how I hated her (and still do) - they got 8 hours notice that time.

Wow, I guess it's true that misery loves company, because that story really cheered me up! I'm not the only one who has had fantasies about killing people! Yay!

<trying to think of a discreet marker for you to see that you're there while you're planning>

Actually, my boss is pretty good to us, but the place is so unorganized that whenever one of our "clients" has a complaint about what a f*cked up job we did for them, I keep quiet, but inside I'm saying, "I agree completely." I hate being associated with incompetence.