Part of getting that degree is proving you can deal with this exact bullshit. Everyone knows you don't learn shit in school about the subject matter. The only purpose is to prove you have the stamina to withstand the bullshit. And hey, if you have some talent remaining after being bludgeoned by dudgeon, then you may make a living at it. Eventually. Wow. This really hit home for me. I'm from a hardware/software development background, and currently working in a sales/marketing role. I see what the market needs, and the products/features the salespeople need from development, to be able to win in the market and make their BMW payments. And I see what development is actually building, and how it has absolutely no relation to what sales needs to fill the customer's requirements and get them to sign the bottom line. And I understand why both sides are doing what they are doing, and I see how they think they are saying the same things, but are actually talking about completely different things. I visualize everyone sitting around the table on a stack of books. The books are that person's history, frame of reference, and where they are going. So when words come out of their mouth, I see all the back-story to their thinking. Only, I'm the only person in the room that can see the stack of books everyone is sitting on. They can't see the other person's stack of books, because the conference room table is in the way. And, 3 months later, a new product/feature is released, and sales/marketing is completely baffled about how they are supposed to sell this to their customers. Of course, I am involved in many conversations over the 3 months, because both sides value my history and experience. So I try to massage what Sales is expecting, and the direction Product Development is going, so the delta between the two is less when the product is released... but it doesn't make a lot of difference. --- In other news that is directly related, I don't really do much at work any more. I got my raise and promotion and a new manager and the only other person I worked with a lot was just fired for sexual harassment, when he put his arm over a coworkers' shoulders at a going-away party for another coworker, and then let his hand rest on her massive breast. In front of everyone. While drunk. Not "him" at all. Totally out of character. But ... an undeniable case of harassment, seen by everyone, and so he's gone. Now I'm back to being a largely unmanaged Independent Contributor, with a hands-off manager, and no real work on my plate. Making lots of travel plans for next year. Selling my motorcycle. Buying another one. Working on getting a new, epic, mascot costume made for my favorite rugby team. Finishing up the wills for my wife and I, that we were supposed to finish 2 years ago. Keeping a close eye on my dog as she ages, and making sure she is comfortable, loved, and happy in her waning years. My wife and I have "leveled-up" again, in our love. Dunno why, or how it happened, but we both felt it the other day... we now loved each other "more" than the previous day. We got weepy and smooched and then went about our day. It's kinda a lotta wonderful. Life, man. It's a helluva thing. "...everybody knows their one thing, and they know it well, and they know it exactly this way and if you step out, you're an infidel..."