Viewing Thread:
"So what did you do today?"

You know the score. Wake up, go to work/school. Talk about games/tv shows/movies and then went home, played a game/read a book and went to bed.
That used to be me as well, until I started taking an interest in the world around me. Getting involved in protest, civil disobedience, writing to MPs, trying to do something to change what I percieve to be an unjust, corrupt, inherently stupid society.
I've had endless arguments on here with people about war/politics/life and then it hit me.

I realised that there was no point discussing how to change life with people over the internet. Especially arguing moralistic issues with people that do nothing except write messages and preen like self-satisfied peacocks.

And I was just as bad.
I've raged against stupidity/television/illiteracy amongst young users with txt speak/general monginess of most people/lack of interest in the world.
And I went home to read/play video games and that was about it.
Come to work, post crap here about why the world sucks, smoke and tell rubbish jokes.
And then it hit me.
Despite my words here, despite arguing with Bell etc about how to change this planet, despite writing to try and affect change around me, trying to bring immoral and unjust situations to people's attentions, I still come to work, drink my coffee, smoke and stare out of the window.
And then it hit me.
I wasn't actually doing anything to change my world.

So I did. I carefully considered everything around me. My values, what I percieved as an idiot morass of people not interested in anything except their own homes. People stupid enough to read The Daily Mail and actually believe the hateful scaremongering they read inside. People stupid enough to think immigration is actually an issue instead of a smokescreen designed to keep you frightened and locked inside watching Eastenders.

I reached a point in my life, a convergence of emotions that forced me to re-evaluate my life. How I see things, what I believe in, how I feel about the things around me.
And it didn't sit well with me.
Despite my passion, despite my morals, despite my beliefs, I come to a nice boring job, create marketing presentations and sell stuff.
I sell things people don't need to make more money for people to spend on themselves.
That is not the way I wish to live my life, I cannot allow myself to wallow in self-important comfortableness, surrounded with nice shiny things and pontificate about the world around me.

It didn't feel right, I couldn't balance being aware of things wrong around me, yet continue to pursue my nice comfortable life and, ultimately, do nothing to affect change.

So what did I do yesterday?
I quit my job.
Handed my notice in and made choices that will make me feel like a better person.
I quit my boring, stupid marketing job and I'm going to teacher-training college to teach English.
I can't just sit by and watch this world deteriorate into a mindless scrum of tv-obsessed me-monkeys that think Shakespeare is "crap innit", think txt speak is acceptable, have no idea who Keats is, are unaware of the power of words and language.

I want to try, even if just one kid, to get them to realise they have entire worlds of imagination and passion inside them if they want to access it.
I want to get across to people that life is more than television/mortgages/soap operas/pop idol/heat magazine/tony blair.

I may fall on my ass, I may get tired of trying to do something positive but goddamnit, at least I'm going to try to do something.
I don't want a job where I sell useless products to people, I dont want a job that doesn't challenge me in any aspect whatsoever.
I don't want to argue morals with people that are unwilling to put their thoughts into action.

I've quit my nice job after 3 and a half years and, instead, I'm going to be a teacher.
Today is one of the most frightning/exciting days I can remember.
4 weeks left of meaningless work, then 2 years+ of learning/exams before I can tell myself that, finally, I'm doing more than trying to convince other people that there is more out there.

May be the best thing I've ever done, may be the biggest mistake I've ever made.
I'll let you know when I come out the other side. But one thing I do know?
I've had enough of sitting on my ass preaching about trying to change the world instead of actually getting out there and doing it.

There it is.

> Everyone seems in a good mood, so let me buck the trend by being as
> low as low can be...only got two more performances to do, and I'm
> kinda gutted cos this is the best show I've ever been involved in. Ah
> well...

Nice to see someone else is in the same type of mood. I got the knockback from a games company yesterday (They wanted me, but I couldn't accept the miniscule starting salary) and am currently: -

1) totally unmotiviated. Can't be bothered even looking at 3d code
2) bored
3) ready to slap the next user that asks me how to fix a problem I've shown them how to fix 100 times before
4) depressed as I now realise I'll never do what I've always wanted to do.
5) looking forward to another 35 years in business computing.

*sigh*

Goatboy wrote:
> Tell 'em it was me or something.
> Hell, it's not like I can fired anymore!
>
> *realisation slowly dawns in Goatboy's mind*
> It's...not...like...they...can...fire...me...anymore?....
>
> Oooooh boy, am I gonna have some fun

Heh. They CAN arrest you however, so none of that going postal stuff, 'kay?

Everyone seems in a good mood, so let me buck the trend by being as low as low can be...only got two more performances to do, and I'm kinda gutted cos this is the best show I've ever been involved in. Ah well...

Goatboy wrote:
> The sagacious one wrote:
> And I just realised where I've heard the phrase
> "so what did you do today?" before. Them there teaching
> recruitment ads. How uncanny!
> ---
>
> Not really, that was the point.
> I dont just randomnly throw words together, there is a point to them.

Exactly what my point is/was. You coped a lot of flack for using that, when it was a ready made soundbite with relevance to the post in general. Maybe my use of ! has been misconstrued. Twas meant to be ironic.

Mofo!

Insane Bartender wrote:
> Unbeliever wrote:
> I'm not. Had a despicable day yesterday when it was discovered there
> was a fraud on a client's account and I was indirectly responsible.
>
>
> Eep. First thing you do in any situation like that is feverishly
> search for anyone else you can implicate for "indirect
> culpability".

I concur. There is honour to be found in being dishonourable and devious. They'll probably promote you if can stitch up your line manager or the bloke who wheels around the sandwiches every day at 11am.

The sagacious one wrote:
And I just realised where I've heard the phrase
> "so what did you do today?" before. Them there teaching
> recruitment ads. How uncanny!
---

Not really, that was the point.
As was the typical "So Timmy, what did you do today?" question parents ask their kids before they stick them in front of the idiot-box with a burger

I dont just randomnly throw words together, there is a point to them.

Goatboy wrote:

> Sorry for getting outraged yesterday as well, was just a weird weird
> day all round.

Twas the best thread I've read. Everyone lost the plot and general mayhem ensued. And I just realised where I've heard the phrase "so what did you do today?" before. Them there teaching recruitment ads. How uncanny!

I still find it surprising how passionate and furious and sometimes demented people get on this site. I wish I wasn't so detached and apathetic at times. I think it's something to do with allowing "humour" to be my outlet, in the odd funny post I produce.

You can't beat knocking one out at your desk, every so often.

Tell 'em it was me or something.
Hell, it's not like I can fired anymore!

*realisation slowly dawns in Goatboy's mind*
It's...not...like...they...can...fire...me...anymore?....

Oooooh boy, am I gonna have some fun

I've tried. I've blamed the computer system. But it's not enough.

Oh well. I shall sit here and wait for my impending doom like a murderer on death row who's had his last appeal turned down at the eleventh hour and is on his way to the chair.

Unbeliever wrote:
> I'm not. Had a despicable day yesterday when it was discovered there
> was a fraud on a client's account and I was indirectly responsible.


Eep. First thing you do in any situation like that is feverishly search for anyone else you can implicate for "indirect culpability".

Unbeliever wrote:
Please ensure you don't become the
> latter and turn into a bitter hateful lunatic.
---

Not like now then