Work

The good news alluded to elsewhere: beginning last Tuesday, I am employed, full time.   As an added bonus, my job does not make me fear for my emotional health.   Who knew I could be so excited about making coffee for a vaguely cultish high end chain, the very face of yuppified globalization?   Fifteen year old me would be ashamed.

I have this problem which sometimes ends up being an advantage:  I am unable to emotionally divest myself from anything.   When I've worked retail before, I was forever infuriated by my supervisor's short sighted, lackadaisical attitude about the importance of meeting our customers' craft supply needs with sufficient gusto.   So, it will be nice to work for a company which takes the idea of quality seriously, both in terms of the product it delivers and it's dealings with customers and "partners", as we employees are known. 

Menial tasks are some of the most satisfying paid labor I have ever done.  I worked at a factory for a year and adored it, came home every night physically drained, sure, but singing and bubbly.  Friends my age, especially the clever ones who have recently graduated from college, are struggling now to figure out their employment situation.  Not that I'm not struggling, god knows I can't stay in one place for very long, but I've been happy doing lots of different types of work, is it arrogant to think I know something they don't? 

I wrote a sentence of which I was particularly proud some weeks back:  Circumstances have exhausted their power to degrade me.  We are expected to construct an identity from our employment, and when you have been told your whole life how smart you are, when you know you are smart, when you have the degree, even, you want a job title that impresses people as much as the sentence: I went to college at fifteen.  My first thought on being involuntarily institutionalized all those years ago was, "Well, now I'll never be President."   I made peace then with the idea that all my credit in the straight world was squandered, and I haven't gotten addicted to respect since.  It's not low self esteem so much as a peace inside me I wish I could bottle and distribute.  You really don't need those people to approve, it really doesn't matter whether acquaintances are impressed.  A job, your interactions with strangers, your parent's support or lack thereof, authority figure's opinions: none of these has the power to give or take away dignity.  You have it in your spine or you don't.

Comments

[Bakerina]

Here's another sentence to be proud of, or at least a fragment of it; "I was forever infuriated by my supervisor's short sighted, lackadaisical attitude about the importance of meeting our customers' craft supply needs with sufficient gusto." I cannot tell you how much I love this. :)

I do admire the peace you've made with the work that you do, and have done. I keep telling myself that I continue to be a desk monkey because it funds the book I'm writing, and that's true, but it was much easier to be a desk monkey when I was writing the business plan for the bakery that was going to get me out of the office. In general I'm fine with my desk-monkey-by-day, researcher-of-silly-egg-based-arcana-by night, but every once in a while I hear someone make an offhand comment about how they don't want to end up as "just a 35-year-old administrative assistant," and even though I know I shouldn't take it personally, I always do. So much for the wisdom that is supposed to come with age. ;)

[yellojkt]

There are lots of days I wish I could go back to Wendy's and put the Salad Bar Superstar pin back on. Barista (is that the official title or are there different roles?) looks like it's a lot harder than it sounds. I thank Gof frequently that I do not have direct contact with the public.

[Erin]

Congratulations on being site of the day! Hello from Michele's!

I believe that sometimes the most intellegent people find the most joy in menial tasks. I think sometimes it allows a satisfactions ones mind does not usually give!

Congratulations on the new job. If it makes you happy, that is all that matters!

Have a great day!

[Veronika]

Hello. Michele sent me. Congratulations on your new job!

[mar]

Double congratulations: on being site of the day and on your new job. Being in peace and content with yourself is all that counts. Have a very nice day!

[mar]

I forgot to mention that Michele sent me! I had my master's at age 23 and now, over 20 years later, I am staying at home and not working. I have learned to find motivation and happiness in , call them, simple things in life. They can also be rewarding to your own self. When I hear my husband telling me about his office, I am glad I don't have a boss to deal with...

[jane]

From my own experiences & those I've learned about, it doesn't matter what it is you're doing, or how much you're making. What matters is that you enjoy what you're doing. You most definately would be an asset to any company with your positive attitude.
Michele sent me. :)

[Sarcasmom]

Congratulations on being the site of the day at Michele's. It doesn't matter what you do to earn a living. If you can be happy and fullfilled doing it then you are one step ahead of most people. I had that once. I miss it now.

[Karen]

Congrats on being site of the day and on the new job. Greetings from Wisconsin...

[kenju]

Michele sent me; congratulations on being the site of the day. A job well done can give inner satisfaction like nothing else. When you know you are doing the best that you can and helping others in the process, that is the basis for contentment in life. There is much dignity in that.

[terrilynn]

Good morning from Michele's and congratulations on your new job. You have a great attitude.

[Oreo]

Hey. Here from Michele's. Congrats!! As long as you're enjoing it who cares what anyone else thinks!! Great blog, I'll be back.

['mouse]

Nobody sent me. You attracted me all on your own with the strength of your observation and intellect.

I'm glad you've found something to keep your hands busy and keep you engaged with people.

I don't look down on any work. Were it not for a long chain of circumstances, I would probably still be digging ditches. And I loved that work -- and still do when I'm doing it for myself on the weekends. (Quick check for unreasonable grunge under the fingernails before my client meetings later today.)

What I'm saying is, it's great you can enjoy where you are, doing this a while. When you move on, I wish you the best too -- I think you have lots and lots to try and there's no single "right" answer. One thing I can tell, your observing things and thinking about them/reporting on them is one of your highest callings.

[Free to Be]

Hello from Michele.

You're right about the dignity.

[WebKittyn]

Hello, Michele sent me!

Congratulations on site of the day and the new job.

[Keb]

Congrats on the job and being the site of the day. Michele sent me!

[indigo]

Hello, Michele sent me! Congrats on being the Site of the Day. :-)

[Jennifer]

Hello! Here via Michele!
Congrats on being the Site of the Day! :)

[rashbre]

An interesting and well written post which also shows your strong and positive outlook.

And 'Hello, Michele sent me'!

[Marcia]

There is much wisdom in your post. Hope the new job goes well!

(Visiting from Michele's)

[Shannon]

Hi! Michele sent me ~
hope you have a great day....

[Christi]

Hello from Michele

[Diana]

Congrats on being the site of the day...glad to hear about the job...TTYL

[Plumkrazzee]

Good for you!! Here from Michele's...

[Janey]

I'm speechless. You've just put into words what I've felt for a very long time. I'm happy to "meet" someone else that feels the same! Oh, and hi, Michele sent me :-)