ESCHATIC

I have to stop doing this. I know that reading about other people's success boils my blood and flares my competitive instinct, so why do I continue to do so? I suppose it is to remind myself what I'm doing here. This isn't a fucking picnic, its a balls-out bare-knuckle brawl. Dress accordingly.

I just finished reading about someone else's success landing their dream job at Microsoft. It pisses me off knowing that I'm still here. Why haven't I moved on? Let's find out.

I've been in the industry for almost eight months now. In that time I've manged to save dangerously little money. I've accepted this as the cost of indulging myself after the five years of poverty it took to earn my Bachelor's degree. However, all of my spending has increased the risk of a job change. I have no emergency fund to fall back upon. That eight months represents the sum of my professional experience, and thats remarkably less than the experience requirement placed upon most available positions. These facts don't justify avoiding the search for a more satisfying job though. I need to inject that effort with a dose of initiative.

They aren't the only things holding me back either. I've slacked off my personal studies dramatically over the last eight months. I think that's what really gets under my skin. Anytime I read about someone else's hard work and success in my field I can feel my ego bleeding. It fucking hurts.

There is just one solution to all of this. With the recent correction of certain information regarding my employment agreement, I can rethink my plan for the next eight months. They may well shape up to be some of most fruitful months of my life.

Eight months to stockpile cash, decide upon a specialization, extend my knowledge, and track down the next move in my career. It sounds so long.

Or maybe I'm just blind. I decided to break out the employment agreement under which I'm currently bound in order to refresh my memory. I've walked around wondering whether a required sixty day notice before quitting was normal in the industry. I mean, it sounds pretty messed up. Thirty days would be understandable, but sixty?! Come on! Well it turns out that I must have been drunk the first time I read the agreement. Its actually a thirty day notice that is required, so that's reasonable.

Also, I read back over the IP agreement and I now think that it may not be as serious as I first thought. If it says what I think it says (I am not a lawyer, but I'll certainly seek the counsel of one before doing anything stupid) then the only way the company has any claim over my inventions is if I work on them at work, use company facilities, property, or services, or if the invention is directly inspired by my work for the company. Well, actually its a bit more involved than that, but thats the summary. It sounds like any work that I do on my own time that has nothing to do with the company or the company's business is mine to keep. Of course, if I ever reach the point that I'm actually contesting the company's claim on one of my inventions, then I'm probably up shit creek anyhow. Its just good to know that they may not necessarily own everything that I touch.

So, with these two revelations, I can rethink some of my strategies for the next twelve months. Let's see, how would it be best to time a move to a better market?