It's interesting this thread got resurrected - I am the thread starter, and I have to say I take back what I said I was taking back. That's the problem with my boss, he's very inconsistent. I can never predict how he's going to react. Sometimes he makes me feel like crap and sometimes it goes okay. I hate that. I can't stand feeling ambivalent toward someone. I want to either like them or not.

Anway, I too learned the grass is not always greener (nor the money) on the other side. I contacted my former employer, and while I expected him to tell me to go to the underworld I complimented him on his hardworking staff and how he himself works just as hard as his staff and how much I missed that. This was the boss with the bad yelling temper. He said it was a nice thing to say and a surprise. One thing lead to another and I ended up asking him if he had any work. He said had I asked four weeks earlier, I could've had my old job back! This was 11 months after resigning! What awful timing!!! He also said there's not much hiring in this economy right now, which I can see, so I guess I will stay put. But even my daughters said to me, just last night, maybe the new programmer will quit and I can go back! At least I have a place I want to go back to, and the door is open for someday.

The problem I am having now is the rigid schedule here. I have to work 7:30 to 4:30. Any hours out is time off. I have children, an elderly mother, and I live 38 miles away from my office. I've missed time because of weather and school closing early, student of the month awards, an interview, I just came down with the flu, etc. I don't even know how I'm going to get my daughter started with an orthodontist. My boss doesn't allow working at home or in the office if you're alone. (Recall that he doesn't even work here). So I have used up all three days of my personal time and gone into vacation days. Then he emails me last Friday that he hopes I am putting in extra work to get my project back on track. Can you imagine! He said extra work isn't allowed, now he's asking me to do it. Unbelievable.