Interesting thread Life Is Too Short. I too worked part time in the early 1980's to late 1980's in my own self employed business in order to pioneer for 3 years in the early 1980's. As a young man in his 20's I bought into the GB 's BS line - hook, line, and sinker. ( So don't feel bad Xanthippe - you weren't the only one that bought into the false promises of the WT Society ) .
However by 1989 when I turned 30 years old I started questioning the " generation " theory in my own private thoughts without sharing it out loud to my then JW wife as I feared she would rat me out to elders and I'd lose all my family at that time. My children were still very young at that time. I felt 75 years had passed since 1914 and nothing had happened. No " Armageddon," no " Great tribulation ", no nothing. I had been told I'd never have children in " this system " but here I was a 30 year old dad with 3 young children in " this system " working my ass off to pay bills while my then JW wife still pioneered and spent $ 25,000 racking up credit card debt ( for which in 1998 I had to file bankruptcy on when we divorced that year ) .
By 1989 I had stopped " reaching out " for any " positions " and was just in spiritual " cruise control " waiting to see what, if anything, would happen. And that's how I basically played it until I finally exited the Witnesses in 2003. Was briefly DFed in 1998 to 2002 but only came back to the organization due to being SCARED back by the 2001 9-11 attacks. Kicked in my cult mindset thinking " Armageddon " was happening.
Been out since 2003 and I've never been happier. Freedom of mind is a precious thing to possess ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper