job vs self employment

[daveT]

After last months disaster, and spending a week killing a computer virus, I am in a reflective mood today.

^That is a terrible start.

So, how does The Lounge pay it's bills? I would think that the majority of posters here are self-employed. I know, for example that Katy Seagull and Blarg have jobs.

To keep this discussion going both ways, has anyone who is employed now ever been self-employed?

And for those who are self-employed, have you ever tried re-joining the work-force?

Why do you chose to have a job or not have a job? And what is/ was your last job. What sealed your desire to never work for someone again?

My story:

My last full time job was in 1999. I had two full-time jobs, but I quit the one and was working strictly at the Improv. I was lucky enough to pay for a two bedroom apartment at the time. I asked for one of two things: to be transfered over to serving, or for a raise. Well, the manager didn't think to well of me, so she gave me a raise of 25 cents.

I decided I had enough of this, and got a "job" as a bike messenger. This job spoiled any resolve to work again. The concept of it was too perfect. We were paid on a parcel basis. If I worked harder than the idiot working for 10 years, then I got paid more. If I wanted to have a beer for lunch, I couldn't get fired. I was an independant contractor, essentially working for myself. I want to take a week off from work? They couldn't stop me.

After working like this for the next two years, I surely couldn't find a job anymore. I did have two jobs since then, but they were very temporary.

I began my career doing free-lance writing and art (I know, very hard to believe I write). That didn't go as well as I liked. I moved to Miami to open a music publishing company. That tanked. I started street performing. I later learned how to build. It is a decision I regret, but whatever, I am a descent carpenter. I never had a job, I always worked as an apprentice or on my own. I then went on to do extra work, and now I play poker (hard to believe, I know).

I did attempt to find full-time employment earlier this year. I applied to Apple One, Kelly, et. al. and was rejected by all of them. I know how to use all of the programs and I type pretty darn fast, I explained, but they wouldn't have it. I couldn't send them a resume. I couldn't explain that I haven't had a job for nearly a decade, although I am not thirty yet.

The final judgement on employment is this: I am unemployable. I can't put together a resume. The biggest proof is that in my short working career, I was fired from over 20 jobs. With my lack of stability in the job market, I will never be hired for a job that guarantees a living wage. I would never trade this for the instability of working on my own, where at least I earn considerably more than minimum wage.

I feel better now.

I know that this a poorly written post. I hope that some of the responses will help it out.