[quasi]

I just started reading this thread, I think a lot of what you're feeling is felt by so many.

The examples you posted about your boss, I deal with the same thing on the daily, I'm more about trying to build long term relationships because that's what I've found to work best to get me work and win projects later.

My boss tries to squeeze everyone, a few months ago we lost one client we've done some very profitable work for over the last few years because my boss was being a greedy prick on changes and not working with them, they want nothing to do with us, they took away a project they were going to award me and removed us from their bidders list.

We have another project we're working on, just started its probably a year long project. He's on holiday's and asks me to put in a change for him well he's away (He's pming this project) which is fine but he tells me the hours he wants me to charge them. I start arguing with him that we can't charge that, it's ridiculous, probably 4x what it's worth. He tells me to put it through anyway, I'm like fuck ok. Next day my phone starts blowing up, questions what's going on here why is this so high? A day later my email blows up from one of the higher ups for the this contractor that I've built a relationship with, I think his words were "this is fucking bullshit". I have to tow the company line and try and defend it hating fucking life and pissed off I got put in this position to begin with.

Sometimes I get bored at work and like you I really don't have any more movement I'm at the top of where I can get to other than taking my bosses job which isn't coming available anytime soon. I think about leaving and trying something else but they pay me well, let me work from home and let me pick what I want to work on, it's so hard to leave.

I had an opportunity 3 years ago to go out on my own with the perfect partner and turned it down, I think that decision is the one that I'll always wonder what if.