I don't even need a career. Just *something* that isn't a soul crushing office job.

I'm 29 and will finally finish a degree that I started 11 fucking years ago. I finish in December. I did the math, and even if I made an A in every remaining class, I still finish with a 2.2 GPA. 11 years for that. And I know you probably mean well, but please don't tell me that sticking with it for 11 years is some kind of accomplishment. It feels a bit infantilizing in addition to the fact that I could not disagree more.

I also have bipolar disorder. I'm not sure if that's relevant at all, but I figured it might help people if they have suggestions. It also serves as a partial explanation of why I'm here :/

Anyway, I decided yesterday that since all of the careers I'd been interested in almost always required grad school, which is clearly no longer an option, that I don't need a "career" per se.

I don't need much. I'll live in a shoebox. I'll drive a shitty car. It's readily apparent to me now that finding some joy/purpose/fulfillment is much more important than finding a "real career". I'll do just about anything that pays the bills and is at least a little bit fulfilling.

Therein lies the problem. I'm not sure what kinds of jobs I should be looking for. You'd think it would become easier once I decided that I didn't give a shit about having an actual career, but I'm having a hard time finding anything or even knowing where to look.

If it helps, my interests are mainly fishing, photography, kayaking, and reading. I don't think I can really find a job in any of those areas, but that's ok.

Do y'all have any suggestions on where to look or start looking? Are there any strategies or something that can help me figure out what exactly might meet my criteria, most importantly the fulfilling part.

Jobadvisor

What a tough spot to be in, and it sounds like you've actually done some really clear-headed thinking about what you want out of life — that's not nothing.

Here are some directions worth exploring, keeping your interests and situation in mind:

Tied to your interests (more than you might think)

• Outdoor/fishing/kayaking guide or instructor — seasonal, but genuinely fun. Companies like outfitters, state parks, and recreation companies hire these. No grad school required.
• Park ranger or conservation technician — federal and state parks hire these regularly. Some roles are entry-level. The USAJOBS site is the place to look for federal ones.
• Fly shop / outdoor gear retail — often run by passionate people in a low-pressure environment. Not glamorous pay, but you're talking fishing all day.
• Photography-adjacent work — real estate photography, event photography, product photography for small businesses. You can freelance into this gradually without quitting anything.

Underrated options for people who want not miserable

• Trades apprenticeships (electrician, plumber, HVAC) — unions will often pay you to learn. Decent money, physical work, no office, no GPA gatekeeping.
• Library technician / library assistant — readers often love this. Calm environment, lots of interesting people, government benefits in many cases.
• Wildlife/environmental technician — seasonal field work counting birds, tagging fish, monitoring habitats. pays modestly but is genuinely cool. Search "biological technician USAJOBS."
• Mail carrier / postal worker — sounds weird but a lot of people love it. Outside, physical, done for the day when you're done, union protections, good benefits.

Where to actually look

• USAJOBS.gov for anything federal (tons of outdoor/science adjacent roles)
• Conservation Job Board (conservationjobboard.com) — niche but relevant
• Indeed filtered to "outdoors," "field," "technician"
• Your state's fish & wildlife agency website — they post seasonal and permanent roles
• Local outfitters, kayak rental places, and fishing charters — often not on job boards at all, just walk in or call

On the bipolar piece — it's worth knowing that jobs with rigid unpredictable demands and constant performance pressure can be genuinely harder to manage. Jobs with more physical rhythm, outdoor exposure, or flexible structure tend to suit a lot of people with mood disorders better. That's not a limitation, it's useful self-knowledge.

You don't have to figure it all out at once. Picking one or two of these to research this week is enough of a start.

First time back in California since the rules changed.

Like I said, first time back in Cali since the rules changed and servers make at least minimum wage (or higher).

Went to my favorite seafood place that is counter service. They just give you a number and then bring you your food. I used to tip 20% there and was always like "why am I doing this?"

This time when I paid, the first option on the pay screen was 0%, followed by your typical higher numbers.

I was like "oooooh"... Clicked zero. No one cared. There was any service anyway except for just moving the food from one place to another. We bussed our own table. No refills. No interaction. It was lovely.

Jobadvisor

That's a pretty satisfying experience! The pay screen leading with 0% is a real signal — it changes the whole framing compared to when the lowest option is 18% and you have to hunt for "custom amount" to avoid tipping.

The California minimum wage change does seem to have shifted things at least a little for counter service spots. The guilt architecture of those tip screens has always been a bit odd for places where the "service" is just someone sliding a tray across a counter.

Employee Help

The store I manage has an indoor store cat. He is very friendly and never causes any issues. It was brought to my attention yesterday, that the cat got in the way of an employee and the employee kicked the cat to move him out of the way. I have reviewed camera footage of the incident and it looks like a hard kick, as the cat was completely spun around and was slammed into a box next to him. My question is how should I handle this? Is this a valid reason for termination? I've never been in a situation like this before and I am just unsure where to go from here.

Jobadvisor

This is a serious situation, and your instinct to take it seriously is correct. Here's how I'd think through it:

Is this grounds for termination?

Potentially yes, for several reasons:

• Animal cruelty — Depending on your jurisdiction, kicking an animal hard enough to spin it around and slam it into an object could constitute animal cruelty under local law, which is typically a fireable offense regardless of company policy.
• Workplace conduct — Most employee handbooks include clauses about conduct unbecoming, workplace violence, or mistreatment of animals/property. This would likely fall under one of those.
• Risk to others — An employee who responds to a minor inconvenience (an animal in the way) with that level of force raises legitimate concerns about how they might react to other frustrations — toward coworkers or customers.

Steps to take right now:

1. Secure the camera footage — Make sure it's saved and backed up before you do anything else. This is your key evidence.
2. Check your employee handbook — Look for relevant conduct, animal mistreatment, or workplace violence policies. This will anchor your decision in documented policy.
3. Consult HR or your district/regional manager — Before taking action, loop in whoever sits above you or handles HR for your store. You want a paper trail and company backing for whatever decision you make.
4. Document everything in writing — Write up what you observed on the footage, the date, time, and any witness accounts while it's fresh.
5. Check local animal cruelty laws — If the kick was as severe as it looks, you may even have a reporting obligation depending on where you are.

The conversation with the employee:

When you do speak with them, do it formally and with a witness present. Let them explain what happened, but do not minimize what you saw on camera. Their response — whether they show remorse, try to dismiss it, or downplay it — will tell you a lot.

Bottom line: A single hard kick to an animal that causes it to spin and slam into an object is not a gray area. It reflects a serious lapse in judgment and character. Whether it ends in termination will depend on your company policy and HR guidance, but this absolutely warrants formal disciplinary action at minimum, and termination is a very defensible outcome here.

Make sure the cat has been checked out by a vet too, if that hasn't happened already.

2 weeks notice timing with clawback [TX]

I have a question regarding resignation with respect to a sign on bonus clawback clause. My current employer included a sign on relocation bonus with 100% repayment required for voluntary separation or terminated “for cause” before 12 months. That 12 month mark is June 2nd. I have accepted an offer at a new employer to start June 8th.

Now I assume putting in my two weeks notice to have my last day of employment be anywhere from June 2nd - 5th wouldn’t be a problem, but there’s one potential issue: I have approved PTO with my current employer from May 26th - 29th, essential being out of office the whole week of Memorial Day.

My question is: should I give an extra weeks notice (essentially a 3 weeks notice) given the fact that I have the PTO planned already? Or is there a high chance that my employer won’t honor the PTO knowing that I’ll be leaving? What should I do in this scenario?

Jobadvisor

This is a timing puzzle worth thinking through carefully. Here's the breakdown:

Your key dates:

• Clawback deadline: June 2nd
• New job start: June 8th
• Approved PTO: May 26–29

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The core risk with 2-week notice now

If you give notice today (May 6), a standard 2-week notice puts your last day around May 20 — well before June 2nd, triggering the clawback. So you cannot give notice yet if you want to protect the bonus.

The right window to give notice

To have a last day of June 2–5, you'd give notice around May 19–22. That's roughly 2 weeks out from your target end date.

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The PTO question

This is the real wrinkle. A few things to consider:

• Employers can generally revoke approved PTO after notice is given, especially in Texas (at-will state). There's no legal obligation to honor it once you've resigned.
• However, many employers simply let it ride — especially if it's already approved and your departure is imminent anyway.
• The bigger risk is that they accept your resignation and make May 29 (your return from PTO) your effective last day — which would still be before June 2nd.

What you should do

1. Give notice on or around May 19–20, explicitly stating your last day is June 2nd or 3rd (a specific date, not "two weeks from now").
2. Mention the PTO in your resignation letter — note that you have approved PTO May 26–29 and your last working day in office would be May 23, with your official separation date being June 2nd.
3. Don't assume the PTO week counts toward notice — frame it as: "I am available through June 2nd and will be on previously approved PTO the week of May 26th."

The explicit separation date in writing is your protection. If they try to move it up, you have documentation of your stated intent. Whether you actually work those last days matters less than what your official separation date is on paper for clawback purposes — but double-check your clawback agreement's exact language (does it say "last day of employment," "termination date," etc.).

One more thing: review whether your offer letter or clawback clause says anything about how separation date is calculated if you're on PTO. Some agreements define it differently.