I have a couple of jobs; this is about the one that pays the bills:
The mission: I had worked many years in the upscale food sector, and had grown weary of providing yet another luxury to people swimming in luxury. This job fixes disabled people up with technologies that can transform their lives. It felt like a better way to spend my time and energies.
The environment: A shop loaded with cool tools as my own personal playground. Relative autonomy. Solitude when I want it. Dedicated coworkers.
And I thought that as a state employee, I would enjoy relative job security, pension and other old-school benefits. But then came the Great Recession, and I now work for the shakiest state in the union. The budget vultures circle constantly overhead.