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[Victor_c3]

222. Chemist for the federal government

More specifically, I work for the department of treasury and test the purity of our nation's gold, silver, platinum, and other precious metals.

I find the conspiracy theories about the government not actually owning any gold hilarious. I can't go into detail, but I've seen huge piles of gold bars and I can assure you that it is real. Well, actually, that is my job to assure you that it is real...

Before that I worked for Amazon.com as a production manager in one of their shipping facilities. That job sucked the life out of me, but it really opened my eyes to what the working class is all about. I had a lot of leftover mental issues from my career before that and the stress of my job at Amazon did a number on me and further exacerbated them. I'm surprised I made it there as long as I did, but I worked there for 1 year, 10 months, and 2 days.

Before that, I did some time in the Army. I planned on making it a career, but life had other plans for me. I was an Infantry Officer for 5.5 years and I got out in 2007. I loved the Army and the people I served with. I didn't like the war so much, but that is what the Army is all about. It is kind of weird. Although I abhor the war and I hated my time in Iraq, if I could I'd drop everything and go back and do a patrol in Iraq, I'd do it in a heartbeat. As miserable and as awful as it was, I miss the feeling of the pistol grip of my rifle in my hand, the sense of danger of not knowing what is going to happen next, and the pure adrenaline of being shot at. The brutality and harshness of life as an Infantryman is something that I find very luring.

I just feel so out of place and a like I'm a complete fake driving my kids around and going to work like a schmuck. I have a great job, I make decent money, I love my kids, and I'm really starting to get financially comfortable, but the life I have now just doesn't feel right to me. Being in Iraq and being an Infantryman did. I just feel empty and shallow now and I look at myself and I see that I'm just a shadow of what I used to be - and I'm only 33 years old.

So it goes.