They're not. Have been through the same thing as a creative person.

art school to office here too. my colleagues mostly talk about new diets they will fail at a few days later. and running. in your 30s if you are white and without kids you are supposed to post lots of running photos on facebook. who cares? you are at work to fund your life, not to make friends. i just ignore them and spin in my desk chair and post on here, mostly about tits.

I'm also an office worker and have been for many years. Don't buy into the hype. Like every other workplace, people who work in offices feel like they need to fit into the culture they work in. When I started working downtown, I had dreams of meeting friends after work for drinks and appies and hanging out downtown all the time. Then I realized that what I really wanted to do was go home to my condo in the suburbs and leave downtown behind until I had to return to it the next day. Sure, lots of people at work live downtown and talk about the newest and hottest restaurants and I used to care. Now I don't. Earn your living wage and live your life as you wish. Everyone else is still trying to figure out that all the BS doesn't really matter.

RUN! Run for your life and don't look back.

Also, the trades are a good option if you want to earn a decent living without the soul destroying bit.

Who wants to get married or have a career _ever_? Both things are religious slavery---matrimony on the one hand, vocation on the other. Both have too much church in them for any real agnostic, to say nothing of atheist, to go in for them. Both represent a sort of slavish devotion to an idol, the sort of thing that sucks the life right out of you. But now you have money, so, you know, I am sure you will find things to spend it on, and therefore become addicted to those things, which is the whole point to having money---to find things to spend it on.

So, enjoy your time in the Machine! It will give you lots of money, in exchange for your time, which is immeasurable value. But, then, who wants all the time in the world when they can sell themselves off on the installment plan?

Lots of people feel they don't fit in where they work. Just stay true to yourself.

It sounds like you work with fairly conservative people. When I was 25-35, hardly any of my office peers were married. They were, however, beginning their careers. Nothing wrong with developing your career. Overall though if you don't feel like you fit into your office culture, maybe find a more arty office where you'll find more like-minded people? It's the people that make the job enjoyable.

Yup, its horrible all right,. If you don't feel like a zombie yet you will soon! Keep looking for something you love and figure out how much you need to earn to live your type of lifestyle!

Not all offices are the same. I work for a non-profit with awesome people. The money is shit but I feel like I am doing worthwhile work.

I would KILL to be where you are now. I'm in my thirties, I have a B.A., but all I can get hired to do is push a broom. Companies won't give any training and now I'm in a frigging classroom again for an accounting program. I would love to work in an office. Clean, quiet, dignified, and well-paying. You have no idea how lucky you are, as many of us are still doing low paying manual labor in our 30's. Can we trade??