NO ONE TO TELL YOUR TROUBLES TO?? GET THEM OFF YOUR CHEST HERE. WE PROMISE TO LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND.

I think relocation might be the way to go, then, if you can swing it. Maybe start investigating some cities you might like, and poke around there a bit? Perhaps a trip or two to a place that looks promising, before committing, just to get a feel for the area?

I have experience working in both the public and private sector. The problem is, my parents have connections to various charities, law/policy firms, and government agencies - ALL of which are heavily, heavily involved on the "wrong" side of the issue as I see it.

Just to give a couple (private and public) examples:

1) an employment law firm in town here advocates loosening restrictions on the type of background checks employers can perform on potential employees. I, on the other hand, am a very big believer in the idea that once a person has served their sentence, that person has repaid his/her debt to society, and shouldn't be (unreasonably) harassed thereafter... I would have to be a foot-soldier in championing this cause basically...

2) the FBI would almost certainly like me. I'm in good shape, have no record, and my parents were both FBI themselves. But I have heard a lot about police tactics and a LOT of other funny business that goes on in that agency to make me turn my tail and run...

So, what I have done for the last two years is work for an environmental law firm, and I really like that work. And no, it wasn't Greenpeace or anything like that. This law firm represented a lot of different people - industries accused of polluting, environmental groups accusing industries of polluting, individual people pollutingand everything in between. I like that work because it exposes me to a bunch of things in the world, I learn a lot, but mostly because I've helped quite a few people in the time I have worked there. People of all types, so there's a balance there that's respectable (despite lawyers' best efforts to make their profession less respectable, of course).

That's the work I would like to do - but unfortunately, the ground is shrinking beneath my feet. The firm I work for laid one of its attorneys off last summer, and that seems to be the typical direction most firms nationwide are going... :(

But I'm sorry I went into a little speech lol. You might not have been going in the direction I went at all... :) If you disagree about my "beliefs" that's fine, I'm more just interested in getting any practical advice I can get (and also to vent).

Thank you, my pleasure, DF.

How do you let a best friend go?
Here's my story, please bear with me, it's painfull

One of my best friends left us last week, but not in the way you would think. He told me in not so many words that he is leaving and I will most likely never see him again......

This person had been molested as a child, beaten, ridiculed and persecuted for his parents beliefs as well as living in the "hood" his entire young adulthood. To say that he did what it took to survive would be an understatement of the highest degree. This person was so afraid to tell me of his child/ young adulthood and what he had to do, that he though I would be scared of him and this among all other things weighed very heavy on him. Of course I never felt any fear of this person as he was/ is the most gentle, caring and emotional person that I had ever met. Me and my family accepted him with all of his warts and damage in hopes of helping him see that with love and light, anything can be overcome.

While playing in our band, he and the replacement bass player, hooked up and seemed as though they were going for the long haul and I had never seen him so happy. They bought a house and lived together for 8 years. She decided one day that he wasn't taking care of her the way she felt that she needed to be and left for another man. This was the final straw for this person as throughout his life he had been jilted, screwed, and left high and dry over and over again.

In the smoking thread, I wrote of our last night together and when I say It was tough to hang out knowing he was leaving, that is an understatement....

David, if you are out there, just remember that we love you and we are still here for you.....

How did David leave you?

Thanks for jumping in to assist. DF

I'm having an affair at work. I've never done anything like this before. I dont know how to feel about it.

Yea. im a dick, prolly. And stupid. I have been lonely in my relationship for soo long. It is sexless, but my so is a good friend and I love her.

I feel alive with this new girl. I thought I was too old for that. I havent had sex in years despite being in a committed relationship.

Im probably going to ruin everything.
Im going to continue anyway. Maybe I want everything to come apart????