Ok, i'm going to ruminate a bit so dont mind me. I just read this book called "Nickel and Dimed, On (Not) Getting By in America," by Barbara Ehrenreich. Basically she left her life and got low paying jobs in a few places to see how people get by when working at Wal-Mart for instance, is their only means of providing food and a home for themselves. I'll spare you the symantics because you can just read the book, it was really good and an easy read. I finished it in a few hours and i dont consider myself the fastest reader.
However, this book touched on many things that i've been thinking about a lot lately; especially because a good portion of what was in the book is staring me right in the face.
Most of these low paying jobs (food service, retail, service industry, etc) are my only options right now as a means to pay some bills and eat until i get something else doing what i want to do. Living in the French Quarter means i'll probably wind up in some sort of Food Service/bar for now.
Aside from all the other issues adressed by the book, my personal problem lies in how many of these places operate, and my absurdly rigid system of beliefs, "morals," and principles. I will not wear a corny uniform. I will not take my piercings out. Even though i dont do drugs anymore, i absolutely refuse to work at a place that tests for drugs. I will not feign loyalty to some corporate entity, brand, or CEO that cares less about me. I will not do anything more than the absolute minimum work required to 'earn' my meager pay because i will not be compensated. In the same vein, I will not take initiatives to do something extra to cut costs, make things run more efficiently, sell more products, or anything that only accomplishes saving some fat old executive somewhere sitting on his ass money or making them richer in the hopes that at my 6 month review i get an extra fucking quarter an hour, if they even care. And no matter how hard i try, i cannot be nice to the customers that are annoying.
Yay! Rah rah rah! Noise is a stand up guy! He sticks to his convictions. He won't let the ravages of Corporate America alter him in any way! Good for him! Stand tall brother! And all that shit. But where is this getting me if i'm fucking broke and can't eat, let alone afford car insurance, gas, student loans, credit card bills, and the gambit of other expenses that are a part of being alive and Noise. Not that i'm quite at that point, i'm not starving (I am hungry, but Sintantrix is making dinner as i write this.) But what am i accomplishing if it gets to the point where i have to break my convictions to get by? Does that mean i've lost? Does it mean they broke me, corporate america is too strong and it's no use fighting it? Does it mean i'm weak and couldn't do it on my own terms? Does it mean i'm too picky and should just deal with it? Stop being such a utopianistic whiney bitch? What does it mean, pray tell?
This should only be a temporary thing, so i keep telling myself. Just get a dumb job to feed me until i get a job where i utilize my degree and skills and make money and myself happy. But therein lies my other source of frustration. College has only, in my humble opinion, come back to hurt me. If i use the resume that i have now (college + pretty decent jobs that i've had + 1 internship), i'm overqualified for these stupid jobs, which are the only ones available to me right now. And the one internship i've had and my other experience doesnt seem to be enough to actually get me a paying job at a recording studio. (i'm not even getting into the fact that starting pay for a college grad in studio production as an asst. engineer is minimum wage. That's a whole 'nother dillema to deal with another time.)
On the other hand, if i were to "dumb down" my resume, i dont have enough "experience" in retail (thats less than 5 1/2 years ago) or any experience in foodservice to get the lame jobs. I'm not trying to trivialize what these people do by calling them lame, so if you're a waitress dont be offended. I'm not saying it's not hard work but, it doesn't take a fucking dual degree brain surgeon/rocket scientist, and a ten year aprenticeship to figure out what most of these jobs need me to do. I highly doubt my lack of experience deems me incapable of doing what i'm told and getting the job done. Not to mention that a lot of the more "corporate" places act like i should be sooooo greatful that they gave me a job that pays under $7 an hour to be treated like a child. So what i gather is I'm over qualified for most jobs available to me, and under qualified/too inexperienced for all the rest. What gives? It's not like i expect life to be easy and things be handed to me, but this is just stupid.
Sorry to chew your ears off. I don't really need or want moral support. I'm just curious what, if any thoughts you guys might have on the subject; get some different points of view. Have a good night
However, this book touched on many things that i've been thinking about a lot lately; especially because a good portion of what was in the book is staring me right in the face.
Most of these low paying jobs (food service, retail, service industry, etc) are my only options right now as a means to pay some bills and eat until i get something else doing what i want to do. Living in the French Quarter means i'll probably wind up in some sort of Food Service/bar for now.
Aside from all the other issues adressed by the book, my personal problem lies in how many of these places operate, and my absurdly rigid system of beliefs, "morals," and principles. I will not wear a corny uniform. I will not take my piercings out. Even though i dont do drugs anymore, i absolutely refuse to work at a place that tests for drugs. I will not feign loyalty to some corporate entity, brand, or CEO that cares less about me. I will not do anything more than the absolute minimum work required to 'earn' my meager pay because i will not be compensated. In the same vein, I will not take initiatives to do something extra to cut costs, make things run more efficiently, sell more products, or anything that only accomplishes saving some fat old executive somewhere sitting on his ass money or making them richer in the hopes that at my 6 month review i get an extra fucking quarter an hour, if they even care. And no matter how hard i try, i cannot be nice to the customers that are annoying.
Yay! Rah rah rah! Noise is a stand up guy! He sticks to his convictions. He won't let the ravages of Corporate America alter him in any way! Good for him! Stand tall brother! And all that shit. But where is this getting me if i'm fucking broke and can't eat, let alone afford car insurance, gas, student loans, credit card bills, and the gambit of other expenses that are a part of being alive and Noise. Not that i'm quite at that point, i'm not starving (I am hungry, but Sintantrix is making dinner as i write this.) But what am i accomplishing if it gets to the point where i have to break my convictions to get by? Does that mean i've lost? Does it mean they broke me, corporate america is too strong and it's no use fighting it? Does it mean i'm weak and couldn't do it on my own terms? Does it mean i'm too picky and should just deal with it? Stop being such a utopianistic whiney bitch? What does it mean, pray tell?
This should only be a temporary thing, so i keep telling myself. Just get a dumb job to feed me until i get a job where i utilize my degree and skills and make money and myself happy. But therein lies my other source of frustration. College has only, in my humble opinion, come back to hurt me. If i use the resume that i have now (college + pretty decent jobs that i've had + 1 internship), i'm overqualified for these stupid jobs, which are the only ones available to me right now. And the one internship i've had and my other experience doesnt seem to be enough to actually get me a paying job at a recording studio. (i'm not even getting into the fact that starting pay for a college grad in studio production as an asst. engineer is minimum wage. That's a whole 'nother dillema to deal with another time.)
On the other hand, if i were to "dumb down" my resume, i dont have enough "experience" in retail (thats less than 5 1/2 years ago) or any experience in foodservice to get the lame jobs. I'm not trying to trivialize what these people do by calling them lame, so if you're a waitress dont be offended. I'm not saying it's not hard work but, it doesn't take a fucking dual degree brain surgeon/rocket scientist, and a ten year aprenticeship to figure out what most of these jobs need me to do. I highly doubt my lack of experience deems me incapable of doing what i'm told and getting the job done. Not to mention that a lot of the more "corporate" places act like i should be sooooo greatful that they gave me a job that pays under $7 an hour to be treated like a child. So what i gather is I'm over qualified for most jobs available to me, and under qualified/too inexperienced for all the rest. What gives? It's not like i expect life to be easy and things be handed to me, but this is just stupid.
Sorry to chew your ears off. I don't really need or want moral support. I'm just curious what, if any thoughts you guys might have on the subject; get some different points of view. Have a good night
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My suggestion, call a temp agency. They can place you in an appropriate job, hopefully at least in your field of expertise. AND, even if you're only making minimum wage there, at least you're doing it somewhere where you can hopefully get a foot in the door and rise to the top, at something you like.
I completely ♥ you. Take care of yourself, and call me and say hi soon. Kiss Bubby and Bianca for me.
xoxoxo
im sorry that you are too smart for the world.. good thing there are people like arachne out there to understand your plight and give you constuctive feedback.. its nice for me to have a break