Work is, well, where you make it. What's the sayong? "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity?"
Case in point ...
Several years back I worked a job where the GC seemed to have his act together - despite our getting a 'cease and desist' order
(The simple repair just kept growing and growing - and a neighbor complained that we had no permit).
Well, it seems that two of my 'mini-mart' customers have projects in the planning stage - and are having trouble finding a GC. The guy they had been using is a stereotype of the bad GC - and others, even in these lean times, weren't returning calls.
Well - take notes for the next time a GC tries to push you around - I was able to get this GC together with my two (separate) customers today. When the jobs happen, it's fair to say that I'll have an opportunity to show my worth to this GC, complimenting the EC he usually uses.
On a side note, it's quite interesting the subtle changes in my attitudes since I went "solo." A year from now, my own mother won't recognize me. Yet, especially in tight times, you can either sit back and feel sorry for yourself - or take the initiative.
I suppose that's the crux of the difference between an employee and an entrepraneur. As a one-man business, as my current job comes to a close, I'm running around looking for the next job. This is a somewhat different outlook than, say, expecting to punch the timeclock tomorrow morning.