21, M. I graduated college this year with a level 8 in Engineering from DCU. Currently working in an entry level position in an office, 9-5. I'm finding the transition into 9-5 very difficult. I've lost a big goal and driver in my life (always working towards grad) and am now feeling like a cog in the machine with no sense of purpose. My job is objectively quite good for a graduate role, but I can't help thinking how I'm not really doing anything useful and the work itself is quite mundane.

I find myself daydreaming throughout the day about a more exciting career. Mostly Defence Forces or Guards. The idea of being called out somewhere, working with the community, or even just directly helping others is very appealing to me. I imagine there's a great sense of purpose there. Something that I'm really lacking right now.

I know there's plenty of other roles in my industry that aren't office work, but I'm quite disenfranchised with engineering as a whole right now. I'd really like to help people and have a "cooler" job with a sense of purpose. I also know there's paperwork involved in the guards, but it's better than 100% paperwork.

TLDR: Newly qualified engineer. Hate my office job. Looking for a uniform and sense of purpose.

Inspired by another post I read about the same topic.

I was collecting a prescription of antibiotics last week.

I have a feeling this pharmacy operates on the philosophy of "make them wait extra time so they might peruse and spend money on other shit"

(A former employee of a Cara pharmacy told me this was implemented in that chain by their Dragons Den owner Ramona Nicholas - so it's alleged)

Anyway, what really surprised me was when I got to counter to collect it, the lady asked me if I would be getting any probiotics along with that. I was surprised that they'd try to upsell me on a discretionary and non essential product not on my prescription, when I'm just there to collect a prescription and didn't ask about getting anything extra.

I noticed on the prescription sticker there was an extra sticker with the message "this pharmacist recommends x brand probiotic with this prescription of y"

I get that it's within their rights as a business to try to upsell their wares like a MacDonalds. But here I sensed a kind of shameless money-grubbing you'd expect to see in a ruthless consumer environment like the US.

No doubt that these upsell tactics bamboozle enough gullible people into spending money unnecessarily in the name of "healthcare", but let's face it, it's not about healthcare it's about money grabbing.

I'm sure people will defend the pharmacy here saying they're giving healthcare advice as per their discipline, and it's their right to upsell, but it's the first time I've seen a simple prescription collection turn into a marketing ploy.

I suppose it's just the way we're going isn't it?

Was in Tesco Portlaoise today. Discovered they were charging €8 for a large bottle of Listerine so thought feck that, and decided to go to Dealz instead.

When I went to leave the store empty handed I tried exiting through a lane between 2 tills. One of the staff members closed a rope barrier between right where we were walking in front of us and told us we need to exit visa security desk at front of store.

Found this ridiculous but continued to the exit at the front. There, we found a closed barrier (the entrance barriers are only one way) and no staff or security there to let us out of the store. Then we had to go back, navigate the busy store to find a staff member to open the barrier to let us leave, all because we weren't buying anything.

I understand they want to tackle loss prevention with their stock but this is absolutely insane to me. It put me off going back.

Anyone else faced this? What's everyone thoughts?

Just went to check our voters registration for this election.

I have been removed from the register but my husband has not. We have both been in the same house and moved over here at the same time. We also registered at the same time.

They won’t let me register online “during an election cycle” either.

I just advise you give the voters register a check if you’re planning on voting.

Voters.ie

Does anyone else get the pressure/Management staff disappointment when you decline to go to a Christmas party or events when the company is pushing for this "company family" vibe to be achieved ?

I am medtech sector with 500 employees, and it is great place to work but like that, I do my hours and any external events I always decline due to personal reasons, Young family, and it is a long commune home (1+ hour) but always get asked to forget it come out and it seems like they dont really care about my personal situation. Plus i have always seen these events as extension of work and not really fun.

Am i wrong to decline the events or should i be try get out and put the effort in ?. Does anyone else feel push to create this fake company family vibe

For any parents who have to take your sick child to this hospital, be sure to settle your bill before you leave (ie if you don't have a medical card). Because if you don't, they'll send the debt collectors after you!

On the recommendation of a GP, we took our child to get checked out in Connolly over the summer. All was ok, in and out in a hour, doctor was not concerned etc. That was that - no mention of charge or anything like that.

Then this week, we got a letter from a debt collection agency! Connolly had never rang, emailed or sent a letter or anything like that. But they sent the debt collectors after us (URGENT NOTICE) for €75. What a country!

I just read something on here basically saying "my partner earns so much more but wants everything split 50/50 blah blah".

It got me wondering how most Irish couples that living together do things. Me and my partner basically do the following : I pay the mortgage, all insurances, property tax, money off the bills all from my account. My partner will look after everything child related, all the miscellaneous things I wouldn't think of. But we consider our two wages as our combined wage, with money for ourselves for the normal individual stuff people obviously buy.

If one month she needs €400 more than me, then she spends it, it wouldn't be "I'm owed €400". Once I've money for a few drinks with friends I don't care.

Friends of ours, married with two kids, consider their wages their own. Everything is 50/50, so much so that on nights out he's actually said to me "I've fuck all money, she's paying for me tonight" and being serious about it.

So which type of "money sharing" do my most couples in Ireland do?