The 58-year-old CFO who sat next to me on the plane from Austin to San Jose now works in Victoria, Texas, even though his family is in El Paso. When a Mexican company bought his former employer he was eventually canned, after 23 years with the company. As he put it, there's not much demand these days for 58-year-old accountants. But he's happy to have a job, even though it is 670 miles from home.

While waiting for our flight back to San Jose a group of young engineers and marketing types were talking about how the long hours away from home were taking a toll on their relationships with their children. Tough times indeed.

One of the women at our meeting in Austin said her husband had gotten out of the oil business and gone back to school to get his teaching certificate. He now teaches children with special needs, a job he describes as the most satisfying he's ever had.

When I was having lunch in the cafeteria at the local junior college I sat down next to a gent from Taiwan who was also taking classes. He came to the States in the early '70s, was a hotshot analog designer with a Silicon Valley semiconductor company and later managed a design group.

A few years ago, convinced he had become a stranger to his young daughter, he tossed in the towel. The endless long hours and time away from home had taken their toll. Since he had done well in real estate he decided to do it full-time, eventually opening his own shop and adding a mortgage business along the way. Still a relatively young man, he is taking a breather, trying to figure out what to do next. He's tired of golf?

Changing careers can be a satisfying experience. And for an increasing number of Americans there may be no choice.

When Frank isn't trying to figure out his next move he can be reached at fburge@cmp.com.