ML> Mate, if you don't know what to do now I suggest start 
 ML> forming some dreams. Avoid being defined by your work. 
 ML> People who say "I wouldn't know what to do on my day 
 ML> off" (or time in lieu, paid leave etc.) have absolutely 
 ML> NFI. They might as well get a Second Life account or 
 ML> some rope and a chair.

My dream since I was 12 years old has been to run a software company.  With
the company I'm at now, I've almost reached that goal but my real goal is
to start one from scratch and grow it.  Since I don't have a real plan, it
hasn't happened yet. I don't think I'll ever be completely happy with my
life until I at least try. Even if it crashes and burns.  To me work isn't
such a horrible thing like it is for you. I love work.  I used to program a
lot before I worked professionally. Now I do it at work for money, and come
home and study things related to programming that I'm interested in and
that I can use at work.  It's a hobby.  If I had enough money to retire at
40, meaning house paid off, nice car paid off, lots of money in the bank,
AND I had not yet tried to start a software company than I would consider
doing it.  I enjoy it.  I'm fully aware of the stresses involved, I live
them every day.  It's not so stressful when you are organized.  Something
else I'd love to do is travel all over the world.  Live in different
countries for 6 months at a time.


 ML> Were they awarded as part of an employee plan ? or did 
 ML> you actually buy those shares -- good grief if the 
 ML> latter.

Wow you really don't like Sun.  I paid for their stocks because I love
their software, their hardware, and what they are doing.

 ML> Yeah. The whole vertical scaling thing. Until your big 
 ML> server dies and there's no failover ... Sorry. I'm a 
 ML> big cynic.

Ok you so don't like Sun.  You can have failover with IBM serverS or Sun
serverS, except I prefer Sun servers. Not everyone is an idiot like you may
think.


 ML> Man. You mean that 401k ponzi scam your government runs ?
 ML> You need to be more active than that.

No, I live in Canada. We have something called Registered Retirement
Savings Plan.  Any money you put into it, you get 100% of your income tax
paid on those dollars back.  The money inside of the RRSP can be stocks,
mutual funds, bonds, etc... Money you make inside of your RRSP is tax free,
and you can reinvest it over and over.  You pay tax on the money as you
withdraw it so you only take out a bit every month when you retire.   I own
a number of mutual funds and stocks inside of my RRSP and they are doing
quite well. Over 20% gains last year.


ttyl
Ryan


--- Maximus 3.01