Yes, I have been in a similar situation. I work in a technical field, but it has no programming involved. I have offered to minimally create a website for our company, but they say "What do we need that for?" Perhaps they don't want to buy a small server upon which to place said website, but then they are willing enough to hire it out elsewhere, and pay rather significantly. They have stuck me with a rather tedious and monotonous task (repetitious) which bores me, but they do pay me, as you have said, fairly well and on time every month. I have made them a database which could be implemented throughout the company with a bare minimum of training, but, though they've talked about it a time or two, have simply never "gotten 'round to it." I feel I wasted my time on it (a few weeks' worth of work).

I was on the verge of quitting, just to find something more fulfilling elsewhere. But then I found a "second job" (volunteer work) which pays nothing but which allows me to put my creative skills to good use. I am now employing my Perl coding skills for the benefit of a translation center which is working on cross-language, cross-platform computer programs that will make textual materials available in a variety of formats to a broad base of people.

This has kept me very busy, but it has been rewarding. Helping others can make one feel useful and successful in a way nothing else can. If you would like to help in some useful programming projects, putting your Perl skills and creative talent to good use, I am sure that some here could provide you with some suggestions, as I could also.

Many people, like you suggested, probably don't understand why you would be dissatisfied with having such a "comfortable" situation. But there is more to life than mere comfort, and there is a restlessness of heart that is harder to bear than other problems sometimes. For me, volunteering on these non-profit projects has given me the sense of fulfillment that I was looking for.

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