Does it ever concern you that we could be making more doing bartending?

You could make a lot more money taking your clothes off as a stripper or working as an escort than you could as a nurse. They are a lot of jobs that pay better than nursing, and require less schooling. Most happen to be in the sex industry, and many people prefer not to go that route. Being a bartender is not as glamorus as it is made out to be in the movies. My friend is a bartender and I hear all his stories. I prefer the nursing field and didn't get into it to make a lot of money. As my nursing instructor use to tell us "don't go into nursing if you want to make a lot of money, it;s not gonna happen."

Right, there are tons of jobs out there that pay better than nursing. Jobs that don't require college degrees or even brains for that matter. Being a bartender might be fun, I don't doubt that. And tips are great, of course. If you're all about the money, go for it.

But when I'm driving home after a hard nursing shift, I feel so personally satisfied and proud of myself that I can't imagine wanting to do something like tend bar instead. So what if they make a few more bucks? I save lives.

Beat that.

I would hate for you to give up your career. Can you possibly relocate?

Good luck to you.

I retain more dignity and self-respect as a nurse than i did as a bartender. Tips happened (a gamble on whether they were great or not), but half the time you'd get some jerk who would tell you what they wanted you to do for that dollar (hell, no amount of money would make me do that, i'm not a *****). Or that jerk would think they had the right to slap you on the butt when you walked away (that happened once, that person got "iced" as he got escorted out the door, and added to the banned list). I think of things like that, and i can't get over where people get this idea that that kind of job is fun, glamorous as TV, etc.

At least when someone shouts an obsence suggestion or touches me inappropriately at this job, they can be slapped with a sexual harrassment violation. The odds of that in a bar are minimal.

One word followed by an explanation: Telos.

Telos is the antonym of Sin. Sin is literally a reference to aiming an arrow: it is 'missing the mark'.

Telos is: 'aiming for and making the mark.'

Your own personal telos is that thing that you were destined to be: the aim of your mark on yourself and the world.

There are lots of jobs that I could make more money at and possibly even be better at.

But none would leave the mark on the world that I would wish to imprint.

In the end, a job isn't about money. A job is about where you want to spend 1/3rd of your life and how you want all of that precious time, which is worth far more than money, to be invested.

So no, it doesn't bother me a bit that I could make more money doing any number of mundane things.

My telos, my aim, is higher than that. I hope yours is too.

(As an aside, ever notice that bartenders are all cute or handsome 20 somethings? Being a bartender would be more money now - but what are you going to do in 10 yrs when you are replaced by a 10 yrs younger version of yourself? In nursing, 10 yrs from now, you'll be MORE in demand because of your experience.)

~faith,

Timothy.

Yes, and 10 years down the road, with the "baby boomer" generation retiring nurses will REALLY be in demand. I thought about becoming a bartender in the past but the idea of babysitting beligurant*, loud, and out of control drunks 40 hours a week lost its appeal quick.

Right, there are tons of jobs out there that pay better than nursing. Jobs that don't require college degrees or even brains for that matter. Being a bartender might be fun, I don't doubt that. And tips are great, of course. If you're all about the money, go for it.

But when I'm driving home after a hard nursing shift, I feel so personally satisfied and proud of myself that I can't imagine wanting to do something like tend bar instead. So what if they make a few more bucks? I save lives.

Beat that.

I completely agree with this--what kind of satisfaction would you get watching people get more and more drunk and obnoxious as the night goes on? I mean sure there would be some great stories to tell, but is it really worth it? Up all night in a place that's so smoky the air is blue...

I couldn't work as a prostitute. I still have some pride, dignity, and self-worth left.

I worked as a bartender and nurse for about 15 years!! You could do both. Finally left bartending there were no medical benefits, sick days, vacation time,etc..With 2 kids needed benies. Suppose its a slow nite bartending and you don't make to much? It's not consistent,( more fun for sure than nursing!! )Got nursing job 24 yrs ago, 24 hrs with full benefits!!!Been there ever since, pay then was 7.50 a hr. now up to 25.00 an hr. Bartending not reliable no benefits!!!