Wednesday, October 26, 2011

This Is the Part Where I Tell You I'm A Cutter and You Tell Me How To Fix Everything

I'm not really a crier. I've cried a handful of times in my adult life, mostly during episodes of Desperate Housewives and one time to make TBA stop arguing with me and hug me. Usually, I express my feelings of profound sadness through eating fatty foods or just going to bed. So it is surprising, even to me, that I came home from work today, sat in the corner of my room, and cried.

I realize it's a little bit early to be having an existential crisis being that I'm still young and there is still time to make sweeping life changes. But the very root of my frustration is that extenuating factors will keep me from making these sweeping life changes and I'm going to have to live the life I'm leading now for the next 30 years until I turn into an old gay person / cease to exist in society's eyes.

I'm adjusting poorly the real world. I can't even explain how disappointed I am in myself for choosing subsequently easier majors until I settled on one that would lead me down this career path that [I am just now realizing?] is going to drive me fucking insane. Maybe it's just the company I work for, which seems to be relegated to the smaller and more remedial projects. Maybe it's the project itself, which is indeed small in scope and remedial. Or maybe it's my boss, who can only explain concepts while making motions like he's throwing a football, and still does a shit poor job of it. 

But I'm trapped. If I leave before a year, every company on the face of the planet will think I have some form of professional leprosy. I also have to study my ass off for the next six months to finish my CPA exam or I owe my company the $3000 they paid for the useless study courses. After one year, I could always move to another company, go to law school, or maybe get my MBA. But will these things really make my life better, or provide more of the same problems? What I really want to do is start my own food truck. I do not have the capital for that.

More than my professional problems, I'm affected by personal ones. I'm lonely. My friends have scattered to far flung places like London and Seoul and Arlington. I used to eat every meal, do every workout, and drink every drink with a friend. Now, I find myself doing all those things alone. I have too many nights of quiet desperation where I don't do anything but evaluate and reevaluate my life. Just like saying a word over and over makes it lose its meaning, thinking about my professional and personal goals on an hourly basis makes them seem so much farther away and wholly unattainable.

Recently I've been thinking about TBA a lot. We did this whole awkward social tango where I successfully ignored him for about a month after our break up and then he texted me out of the blue and asked "Are we seriously never talking again?" so I relented and we talked for about a day and then he started ignoring me. I'm not sure if he was just doing that to gain the upper hand and have the last say but that's what happened. I'm pretty sure he's sitting somewhere, stroking his four cats, blissfully aware that I miss him and I am utterly incapable of starting a new relationship because every guy I go out with either doesn't remind me enough of him or reminds me too much of him.

It feels good to get some of my feelings out on virtual paper even though emoting online doesn't make anything go away. Realistically, all I can do is hold fast and try to make good life decisions. But inwardly I worry that the natural flow of "wise" life decisions is going to keep taking me further from the things I really want.

8 comments:

yoshi said...

You will get past it. I never went to college and can't relate from switching from a university setting to a corporate one. But I can relate to no longer having close friends ... well close. And I can relate to having to put in time to achieve some arbitrary goal (e.g. bar exam) to move on.

Just push through it.

Toby said...

I'm not a doctor. But I think you're experiencing the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. It's normal to worry about the things you're worrying about. But it's not normal for such worries to be all-consuming and debilitating. It's not normal and it's not necessary. I recommend seeing a doctor as soon as possible. It's the best decision I ever made. I also recommend reading "The Velvet Rage" by Alan Downs. Actually, I command you to read that book.

anapestic said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TED said...

I think most people have trouble transitioning from college to the working life. You're not alone in that, and most people struggle in their twenties. Try to maintain a little perspective, and remember a few things:

1. The CPA exam is not that hard, and passing it usually means some sort of bonus, and an immediate and significant increase in your marketability.

2. A year is not such a long time to have to stay at a job, and you are learning valuable things, even if the most valuable thing is only how to avoid working for the wrong people the next time.

3. You can save and otherwise get the capital for a food truck, if that's what you really want to do.

4. You can make new friends.

By the way, in your situation, if you get your CPA and stay where you are for two years, you can probably get a lot more money by going to another firm at that time.

Hetero-Challenged said...

At least you have a job.

fan of casey said...

Pass the CPA exam first, then get enough hours/experience to get your CPA license, then quit if you have to. As others have said, you'll be more marketable and have opportunities in the field if you so choose. Get some additional business experience, maybe working for a small business where you get to see/do more financial areas that with a big company where everyone has to specialize. Then armed with this knowledge, consider the food truck dream. Being your own boss will have rewards but it will be hard work and others will be depending on you.

PS: I'm a CPA so I know the work won't be for everyone but use it as stepping stone to chase your dreams.

dccised said...

Toby: I definitely think I have and anxiety disorder. Help.

TED/Casey: Can one of you tutor me or something? Help.

TED said...

Sadly, it has been far too long since I passed the exam for me to be of any help to you whatsoever. We have a joke in the profession that CPA stands for "couldn't pass again." Actually, that's one of the funnier CPA jokes, which gives you some idea of what you're up against.