"Keep on rocking in the free world"

there's too much confusion.  i can't get no relief.  business men they drink my wine.  plowmen dig my earth.

Only precious few can garner the prosperity
It makes us walk with renewed confidence
We've got a place to go when we die
And the architect resides right here

Not much of a recession in my area. Things have been going pretty damn steady these last few years.

Favorite version? Dave Matthews band, Jimi Hendrix, or Bob Dilan?

Grateful Dead

into "Wharf Rat"

I prefer the Bear McCreary version from Battlestar Galactica.

And you run and you run
To catch up with the sun
But it's sinking

Racing around
To come up behind you again

I feel you say Xenakis,

     I'm one of those who fell behind in career progression, in terms of pay I fell back to my intern pay once re hired.  Lets lay it out, lets be candidly honest about this situation. 1st recession hits everyone gets laid off, except for the skeleton crew vital to staying in business, along with a ton of b.s. artists.  Some time later some get hired back.  We are slowly accepting our new place, enduring.  The highest standards are still expected from us, though getting paid a lot less. That doesn't include everyone, some people kept their pre recession wages and some well deserved. Lots of companies took a pay cut.  Though id be very happy if i was making this "cut pay" salary. 

In terms of how to get out of this situation? These Lay off cycles are bound to happen again and again.  Like  a Tsunami, employers want to start fresh wipe the slate clean sometimes.  If we are being used? Then we should also gain from this business relationship.  Id get more detailed but I know employers scour through archinect.  Long story short.  The only way out of, and up is to move on to whats next, because internally there is no movement except maybe out, or down.

have a good week

"Fairness? you want fairness - try being successful" - One place I used to work at wants me to come back for $20/hr in SF as a 1099 - this all I get for a M.arch and 5 years of solid BIM experience? - fair it is.

As a 1099 employee you deserve $40 an hour. Tell them I said so. 

My 1099 co-workers are getting $30 - do I have a Target painted on my head that says - 50% off all Revit modeling?

People are takers.  As long as you work for others they will take all they can get and give as little as possible. 

If you're waiting for something to happen, you're doing it wrong. 

Xenakis,

Do you have dependants? If not, ever consider moving elsewhere? These forums seem to confirm that the Bay Area is a pretty brutal market for young architects to earn a living and live comfortably.  How much is a view the Golden Gate Bridge worth for you to continue compromising your career and standard of living?  I know countless young professionals that have moved to less glamorous markets and are getting on with it just fine. Would you happen to identify with this guy's experience by any chance? 

I live cheaply in North Oakland - thats how I can pull it off - Only high paid programmers at Twitter, Linkedin, Google , etc  and others can live in SF.

by this guys experience do you mean prodding Christians to advocate against tattoos?

It's pretty hard to be positive about this career - esp when I just got a tax bill for $35,000 that resulted from my underpaid 20/hr 1099 job and they want me to come back

any jobs in China - I need to pay IRS right away

The recession is over for many - but for me, it never ends - I need a real job that pays what I am worth not what they can get away with - I really should snitch on this firm to the IRS - 3 years 1099? - it will destroy my career - 

China meh.  Go to Mexico.  It's experiencing a boom from what I hear.