I’m really ambivalent about this whole job thing.
On one hand, I like not having to go to work. I have enough trouble getting my homework done as it is, tack on another 20-30 hours a week at some restaurant and it’ll be hellish. Of course, if I can make a habit out of getting up before noon, that would help.
And I’m not even sure if I can get a job. I left the Spirit under less than ideal conditions (okay, I walked off with 4 days left in my notice period) and I’m not sure what they’re saying about me. But I’m also going to school and I can’t think of too many potential employers that would pick someone going to school over someone with no schedule restrictions.
But I would really like to have a source of fresh money. I’ll be fine for this school year (I think) I have one more chunk of student loan money coming, but I hafta pay spring term’s tuition out of that, too.
I’m really hoping I’ll be able to find a maintenance job after my first year of school. I chose to study facilities maintenance pretty arbitrarily. I was looking through a three ring binder at a job counselor’s office and I saw that maintenance had a 1 year certificate, which meant I would only be down for nine months. Cool, right? But then I looked at the Employment Department’s website and it says: ” those with an associate degree have a competitive advantage in this labor market”. Well, fuck.
For one, an associate’s degree. Are you serious? An associate’s degree is considered good here? I despaired of my potential coworkers and admittedly there are no intellectual giants in any of my classes but they’re not entirely the roughneck dumbasses I expected. In fact, in my refrigeration class this past week we started actually doing hands on stuff and I completely had to revise my opinion of two guys. They’re installers now (I know an HVAC installer and it’s a shitty job, service is where the action and money’s at) and I didn’t think much of them. But they were super helpful to their classmates who didn’t have as much experience. Including me. Very cool.
Secondly, that’s two fucking years, man. I don’t want to be schlepping at mom’s house for two years!!! That’s why I really, REALLY hope I can get a job after the first year. The classes are at night for that very reason.
But (sigh)I’ll have to get my driver’s license. I really, really would rather not. I know how to drive, I mean, I’ve driven before but I fucking hated it. I’m way too distrustful of my fellow man to enjoy driving. Sure, that guy’s supposed to yield, but how do I fucking know he’s gonna? Plus, my ability to judge distances isn’t that hot.
Anyhoo, as apprehensive as I am about this project, it’s really exciting to be learning something useful. I mean, the ability to manage a filing system is useful (as anyone who’s ever lost a file can tell you) but no one fucking cares. When I’m done with this and start getting certifications I’ll be able to do stuff. Like recharge someone’s air conditioner or fridge. And once I get an electrical license (which will likely be a few years since the electrician’s union runs the state electrical board and writes the rules to make it really hard to get licenses without being in the union) I’ll be able to legally and to code wire in lighting fixtures and switches and stuff. And welding! There’s a welding class I can take. I really want to be able to weld. To me that’s like the ultimate practical skill. I can make two pieces of metal into one. Bitch! :-)
I’ve spent so much of my working life doing, just, shit. To be able to do stuff. I’m stoked.
I just hope I don’t have to wait two years to resume a life.
Now, if I could talk about Gray’s Anatomy a bit more (like I really talk about much else) can I say George is a fucking rockstar? He gets some of the greatest lines (and now he’s Burke’s guy!).
Cristina (referring to Burke): “He’s seen me naked a thousand times”
George (exiting the restroom into the coed locker room): “Bad, bad images in my head.” and he cowers and covers his head as he says it. Funny and sweet and, oh, poor George, he’s so never going to hook up with Meredith.