On 12/15/2020 8:06 PM, between "Charles Pierson - August Abolins":

I may not know everything involved in research science, but it's doubtful that it's all cushy either.

What exactly to do you perceive to be hard work for a research scientist?

One fellow who comes to my mind when hear the term research is the astronomer and "professional" student, Clifford Stoll (of Cuckoo's Egg fame). The guy is totally immersed into his projects like an enthusiastic child. He's amazing.

Sure, someone like him would spend dedicated hours and energy for his work - but it is cushy wrt pay, since it is predictable and consistent.

The only thing that would make my work cushy would be a take-home salary that is fixed and that I can depend on week to week. Everything else about it I enjoy (except the bookkeeping work - and yes, I do that myself too). But by comparison, a research job would be cushy.

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On 16 Dec 2020, August Abolins said the following...

What exactly to do you perceive to be hard work for a research scientist?

One fellow who comes to my mind when hear the term research is the astronomer and "professional" student, Clifford Stoll (of Cuckoo's Egg fame). The guy is totally immersed into his projects like an
enthusiastic child. He's amazing.

Sure, someone like him would spend dedicated hours and energy for his
work - but it is cushy wrt pay, since it is predictable and consistent.

The only thing that would make my work cushy would be a take-home salary that is fixed and that I can depend on week to week. Everything else about it I enjoy (except the bookkeeping work - and yes, I do that
myself too). But by comparison, a research job would be cushy.

You do realize that you basically said that you and your research scientist example are basically in the same situation? Consistent pay and doing things you enjoy?

Research science, depending on what's being researched, if obviously less physically demanding than other career paths, but it can be mentally
demanding.

I would guess in your work, you have to research your clientele. You track
what types of books or what authors your customers buy, and figure out what upcoming releases the are likely to be interested in.

I'm not sure of the particulars of dealing with publishing houses, but
you might have to figure lot quantities or minimum quantities of a book you need to order, and compare that to how many you anticipate selling, and how many that will leave on your shelves, suseptible to inventory tax. For
example, if two or three people show interest in an upcoming release, but you have to order 50 or 100 copies from the publisher, does it make business
sense for you tto order that book? Can you return unsold copies, and how much does that cost you if you can>

i'm oversimplifying, but that's what I see as a comparison to a part of your job, and at least a part of what reasearch scientists do.

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On 12/16/2020 4:56 AM, between "Charles Pierson - August Abolins":

The only thing that would make my work cushy would be a take-home salary that is fixed and that I can depend on week to week. Everything else about it I enjoy (except the bookkeeping work - and yes, I do that myself too). But by comparison, a research job would be cushy.

You do realize that you basically said that you and your research scientist example are basically in the same situation? Consistent pay and doing things you enjoy?

My bad. I meant to communicate "The only thing that would make my work cushy would be IF I HAD a take-home salary that is fixed and that I can depend on week to week."

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You do realize that you basically said that you and your research scient example are basically in the same situation? Consistent pay and doing t you enjoy?

My bad. I meant to communicate "The only thing that would make my work cushy would be IF I HAD a take-home salary that is fixed and that I can depend on week to week."

That makes sense. Your job still sounds pretty cushy to me. But we probably have different standards for what cushy is.

Doing something I enjoy would be pretty cushy to me.

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On 12/16/2020 7:57 AM, between "Charles Pierson - August Abolins":

My bad. I meant to communicate "The only thing that would make my work cushy would be IF I HAD a take-home salary that is fixed and that I can depend on week to week."

That makes sense. Your job still sounds pretty cushy to me. But we probably have different standards for what cushy is.

Based on what you wrote about what you thought my work entailed, you missed a few other things. I'll elaborate (albiet briefly) in that message.

Doing something I enjoy would be pretty cushy to me.

If that something is a "job" that pays a fixed salary, then that would be a nice start for the comfortable/cushy category - yes.

We're talking about work.

Anyway.. I think this is veering off topic.

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On 12/16/2020 4:56 AM, between "Charles Pierson - August Abolins":

Research science, depending on what's being researched, if obviously less physically demanding than other career paths, but it can be mentally demanding.

I would guess in your work, you have to research your clientele. You track what types of books or what authors your customers buy, and figure out what upcoming releases the are likely to be interested in.

You make it sound that I just sit around all day studying sales data! ;)

I'm not sure of the particulars of dealing with publishing houses, but
you might have to figure lot quantities or minimum quantities of a book you need to order, and compare that to how many you anticipate selling, and how many that will leave on your shelves, suseptible to inventory tax. For example, if two or three people show interest in an upcoming release, but you have to order 50 or 100 copies from the publisher, does it make business sense for you tto order that book? Can you return unsold copies, and how much does that cost you if you can>

That's less than 1/4 of whatever else there is to do. In addition to the research I need to do, you missed, accounting, bookkeeping, marketing, sales, advertising, promotions, in-store assistance and recommendations, repairs, cleaning, deliveries, and a few more things - all that and I cannot guarantee what $'s I take home at the end of the day. Not cushy.

i'm oversimplifying, but that's what I see as a comparison to a part of your job, and at least a part of what reasearch scientists do.

Good. You have confirmed that they have far less to worry about whilst securing steady pay. Seems to me that they have it very cushy! ;)

Anyway.. discussing my biz is probably way off topic for this place.

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