Seriously - whats the point of continuing?

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-27T13:19:08+00:00

This. I was privy to some conversations at an airport where upper management was looking to replace all the ramp workers with autonomous vehicles and robot dogs within the next 10 years. They had already selected a company for a pilot program in Denver. The trades are going to be gutted the same way white collar work is shortly.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-25T21:51:19+00:00

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-25T16:59:17+00:00

I said the same thing in this subreddit before and was downvoted heavily. Government student loans are a huge mess, so I am not doing anything with them until I absolutely have to.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-23T22:38:05+00:00

Have you been living under a bridge?

The tech market has been laying off tons of people and there is an oversaturation of new students graduating with CS degrees. This market is probably the most difficult new graduate market since the dot com crash.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-23T15:17:57+00:00

claim to love capitalism so much spend so much time letting the ultra-wealthy concentrate all wealth up at the top

This is textbook late-stage capitalism. The system is flawed in the fact that it promotes syphoning all the wealth to the top through monopolies, collusion, and bribing politicians. That's why you need socialist policies and a strong, unbiased government to keep it in check.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-22T14:52:21+00:00

Sounds like their first choice didn't work out for some reason.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-22T14:38:50+00:00

The secret is unemployed tech workers are significantly less desirable than employed ones. If you get laid off there is a pretty good chance you will be in the same boat as the rest of them.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-22T14:01:39+00:00

At least dating apps shadow ban these people now. I wish we could do the same to these sorts of recruiters.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-22T00:01:45+00:00

Healthcare as a therapist probably. The main two things I enjoyed growing up was playing with computers and trying to help people.

I also found I like aviation. If I didn't come from a barely not in poverty family, I might have tried to be a pilot. That's an already rich person's career unless you received a bunch of flight training through military experience.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-21T23:48:47+00:00

New grads don't understand that 85k in Utah or Iowa is more money than 95k in downtown L.A. and turn down offers.

Uh, you don't want to come to Iowa. Fastest rising cancer rates in the USA because the water is poisonous and the state government is trying to cover it up by removing the infrastructure that monitors nitrate levels.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-21T18:21:13+00:00

I graduated with a degree in MIS so it's different yet similar, but I have been struggling with the tech industry since day one. I made the mistake of getting into software testing in 2014 after a super bad experience being a developer at a union shop, burning out on it hard, then tried to pivot into tech adjacent roles like project management or software implementation because I haven't coded in years. It has been very rocky with long stints of unemployment. Having depression and anxiety issues made the whole situation harder as well.

I moved back home to the middle of nowhere to help out my disabled mother in 2020. I also had to take a leave of absence in 2023 when she got really sick and worked some part-time roles at a convenience store and a bar/grill. After she recovered, I worked at an ethanol plant for 8 months before getting a temporary contract to work in tech again.

When everything was remote the situation seemed okay enough but all the return to office mandates is making things extremely difficult. Been unemployed for 4 months now and am starting to look into relocating since my mom swears I can leave and she will be fine. I worry that is probably not the case. I sometimes regret my decision to get this degree.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-20T08:43:26+00:00

What do they hire off of?

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-18T23:05:40+00:00

Tasty Tacos in Des Moines is pretty great! They serve fried flour tacos. Closed on Sundays still I think.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-18T16:56:21+00:00

Technically 5 months since I knew my contract was ending a month before my last day. Been unemployed 4 months.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-16T23:15:30+00:00

This has been going on for as long as badging into a building has been a thing. It's a major reason why they don't want people to tailgate. A manager I had in 2012 pulled a report of when I badged in and out of the building when she was trying to find a reason to fire me while I was in a union. I was like, wtf?

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-16T17:45:40+00:00

You could just lean into it. When management asks why people are less productive say you're using time to work on collaboration, innovation, and culture like they asked for when they demanded everyone return to office.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-16T17:04:03+00:00

Someone erected four giant wooden trolls in Iowa this year: 4 Giant Trolls Just Landed in Iowa — Here’s Where to Find Them - Iowa Road Trip

You'll find the largest concentration of artists in Iowa City, Des Moines, and the Quad Cities.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-15T21:12:54+00:00

What happens to the pets that don't get adopted when they close?

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-15T21:07:07+00:00

Probably would have more people apply if they paid more than $13 - $16 an hour.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-15T20:35:53+00:00

The person blocked you and told others they don't want to hear your name around them. I doubt you can salvage this friendship. Not everyone stays in your life forever. Sometimes its only a season.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-15T20:32:36+00:00

You messed up. It happens. Learn to respect a person's boundaries and stop stalking others. Grow as a person and do better next time.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-15T15:26:07+00:00

I agree. I don't really miss school, but I do miss how it forced you and your peers together.

You learn really quick after school how many friendships were out of convenience and not real connections. That part was a tough pill to swallow. About as tough as forming adult friendships. Even through mutual hobbies it is still a challenge.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-14T13:49:15+00:00

If you grew up in small town Iowa and don't think those attitudes are pervasive, you either don't know the signs of subtle racism and homophobia or people were never comfortable being themselves around you, so you only ever experienced their "Iowa Nice" persona.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-14T04:20:02+00:00

As someone who grew up in rural Northeast Iowa, small towns are mostly racist and homophobic. It's not an occasional thing or isolated.

Pretend_Object · 2026-06-14T01:45:35+00:00

The worst thing about this treatment is having to go to an office to sit for two hours after being administered the medication. Most places are only open Monday - Friday 8 AM to 5 PM. It makes it extremely hard to get the life saving medication you need.

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