Well, it's been a long, strange employment trip here in Pennsylvania at times. Since arriving here with a job in August, I've since had that job end and then had the humiliating experience of temping for four months for, frankly a bunch of assholes, to temping here and there for people that were nice, but not quite nice enough to pay me higher than slave wages, offer me insurance or give me tasks that even remotely spoke to my "extensive" abilities. (okay, I can spell really well..)
That has all come to a happy and abrupt end, thank God. Mississippi was starting to look good again after months of rejection letters and making $10 an hour.
As of last Monday, I started a job at a company I will keep secret (those of you that know me know, so that's all that's important), and as of this Monday, I was promoted...with a raise...and, ta, da...medical benefits (!!) to the position of proofreader, and yes, the last time I checked, that was something I have experience in.
After learning of my promotion on Friday, I seriously had the best drive home I've had in months, thinking about how frustrating and discouraging this whole experience had been thus far.
I came here to work for John Kerry, who by the way, in an ironic little twist, didn't offer health insurance. Notice no one mentioned that in any campaign ads promoting his hopeless ass, and he can stick it right in his ear for that the more and more I've considered it.
It actually turned me into quite the hypocrite, extolling his virtues and advocating health insurance for all, when the people working their asses off for him couldn't go to a doctor without paying $100+..trust me, I know. I had strep throat a week before the campaign, and I had to pay about $140. Thank God, the doctor took pity on me and gave me sample pills, or I shudder to think how much it would've been.
Miraculously, since August, that's the only time I had to go to the doctor sans insurance. Let's forget the fact that I'm pretty certain I'm allergic to every pollen-producing plant in Pennsylvania, my eyes have been watering since March and should've had shots months ago, that was a luxury I couldn't afford.
Anyway, as documented at various times on this very blog, I was really, really discouraged about my career situation and starting to labor under the impression that something was intrinsically wrong with me, or there really was something to that whole "North vs. South" thing.
So, anyway, my point is, I am making more money than I ever have, which is kinda sad, and puts into pretty sharp focus how much professional time I wasted in Mississippi, I have insurance and can actually go and get new glasses that I've needed for about 3 years now and had never had vision insurance to cover it, and if I want to break both legs, I can go ahead and do that, and not have to pay too much for it..Score!
So, simply put, I am happy, and that's a pretty good feeling. I'd forgotten what it felt like to not hang your head when someone asked you what you did for a living.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Friday, May 06, 2005
Fox Force Five joke
Well, it's been a whole two weeks since I've updated my poor little blog. I know that everyone has been inconsolable since then, so to anyone who's been upset, I apologize. Also, please know that I am not yet that full of myself, and I'm totally kidding.
I wish I could say that I've been living such a fabulously, action-packed life in the big city that it's kept me from the daily musings that I started in January.
That has not so much been the case.
The most fun I've had recently involved waking up at 11 a.m. on a Saturday to attend a 4-hour beer tasting, replete with a band that played "Sweet Home Alabama," obviously, just for me. Yeah, that sounds oh, so, chic, I know, but it put a smile on my face.
No, sadly, I was just given a different temporary employment assignment that did not let me gaze fixated on the computer screen wondering what porn sites I could get away with looking at..(again, kidding)
I have had a rough week, involving sleep deprivation, and on one night, something called a growler of beer, so if this jumps around, I apologize, but I like to think that my semi-incoherent posts are the ones that have that certain "je ne sais quoi."
The other day I was having a conversation with someone who frequently describes me as a "kooky liberal," and I thought about how vastly less liberal I have become in the last 5-7 years.
I was a self-described "feminazi" when I was in high school and early college and can remember berated a certain whipped boyfriend when he deigned to open doors for me. What a self-important idiot I was. I could turn anything into an inequality issue and Lord have mercy on whoever had the temerity to argue with me, and these would degenerate into near-screaming matches with me vowing never to hang out with whoever had offended me again.
What a long, strange trip it's been. You would think that having worked for a political campaign, I would've become more indoctrinated toward that particular viewpoint, but I honestly think it was the absolute best thing I could've done in terms of expanding my horizons and being open toward opinions that differ from mine.
I will likely never vote Republican. I can't say it for sure, though, and that's something I never thought that I would even consider.
I am now able to truly listen to others' opinions and even if I don't agree, carry on an intelligent two-sided conversation that generally doesn't end with my stomping away and calling someone a poopy-head or whatever brilliant attack I used to come up with when someone incensed me so badly just for not agreeing with me.
And I prefer it this way. I left Mississippi because I wanted to experience things that I had never experienced before, and whatever other things I set out to do and haven't accomplished, I have and continue to achieve that, and I feel pretty good about that.
I remember having a conversation in Mississippi when I was on one of about 4 "farewell bar tours" before I left that I think serves as a good reminder as to how far I've come.
I was in a certain bar I enjoyed having the occasional cocktail and witty banter in before I left, and I happened to meet a guy who worked for a local state representative. I was flirting with him a little, trying to use a little "leaving town mojo" someone had told me to take advantage of, and then he lowered the boom about who he worked for, and I proudly proclaimed, "Well, I'm moving to Pennsylvania to work for John Kerry," and off we went.
Before the night was over, the bartender had declared me wholeheartedly unpatriotic, as well as the skanky barmaid, and this guy and I, while perhaps still flirting, were at complete odds with each other, and I was frankly disgusted with myself for still flirting with him. I was at the bar well after closing time while poor Ellen waited in the car for me, thinking that I couldn't possibly argue with all of those people for much longer. Wow, was she wrong. I was practically thrown out of the bar and told that I was probably going to hell for working for John Kerry, or at the very least, people "like me," would be sorry for not agreeing with the war.
So, clearly, I've had some experiences a little different than that since leaving, and I don't think it's just because of the difference in ideologies here. I think I've become a lot more open to finding out why people think the way they do, rather than immediately lashing out at them for not thinking the way I do.
And there's not a thing wrong with that.
I wish I could say that I've been living such a fabulously, action-packed life in the big city that it's kept me from the daily musings that I started in January.
That has not so much been the case.
The most fun I've had recently involved waking up at 11 a.m. on a Saturday to attend a 4-hour beer tasting, replete with a band that played "Sweet Home Alabama," obviously, just for me. Yeah, that sounds oh, so, chic, I know, but it put a smile on my face.
No, sadly, I was just given a different temporary employment assignment that did not let me gaze fixated on the computer screen wondering what porn sites I could get away with looking at..(again, kidding)
I have had a rough week, involving sleep deprivation, and on one night, something called a growler of beer, so if this jumps around, I apologize, but I like to think that my semi-incoherent posts are the ones that have that certain "je ne sais quoi."
The other day I was having a conversation with someone who frequently describes me as a "kooky liberal," and I thought about how vastly less liberal I have become in the last 5-7 years.
I was a self-described "feminazi" when I was in high school and early college and can remember berated a certain whipped boyfriend when he deigned to open doors for me. What a self-important idiot I was. I could turn anything into an inequality issue and Lord have mercy on whoever had the temerity to argue with me, and these would degenerate into near-screaming matches with me vowing never to hang out with whoever had offended me again.
What a long, strange trip it's been. You would think that having worked for a political campaign, I would've become more indoctrinated toward that particular viewpoint, but I honestly think it was the absolute best thing I could've done in terms of expanding my horizons and being open toward opinions that differ from mine.
I will likely never vote Republican. I can't say it for sure, though, and that's something I never thought that I would even consider.
I am now able to truly listen to others' opinions and even if I don't agree, carry on an intelligent two-sided conversation that generally doesn't end with my stomping away and calling someone a poopy-head or whatever brilliant attack I used to come up with when someone incensed me so badly just for not agreeing with me.
And I prefer it this way. I left Mississippi because I wanted to experience things that I had never experienced before, and whatever other things I set out to do and haven't accomplished, I have and continue to achieve that, and I feel pretty good about that.
I remember having a conversation in Mississippi when I was on one of about 4 "farewell bar tours" before I left that I think serves as a good reminder as to how far I've come.
I was in a certain bar I enjoyed having the occasional cocktail and witty banter in before I left, and I happened to meet a guy who worked for a local state representative. I was flirting with him a little, trying to use a little "leaving town mojo" someone had told me to take advantage of, and then he lowered the boom about who he worked for, and I proudly proclaimed, "Well, I'm moving to Pennsylvania to work for John Kerry," and off we went.
Before the night was over, the bartender had declared me wholeheartedly unpatriotic, as well as the skanky barmaid, and this guy and I, while perhaps still flirting, were at complete odds with each other, and I was frankly disgusted with myself for still flirting with him. I was at the bar well after closing time while poor Ellen waited in the car for me, thinking that I couldn't possibly argue with all of those people for much longer. Wow, was she wrong. I was practically thrown out of the bar and told that I was probably going to hell for working for John Kerry, or at the very least, people "like me," would be sorry for not agreeing with the war.
So, clearly, I've had some experiences a little different than that since leaving, and I don't think it's just because of the difference in ideologies here. I think I've become a lot more open to finding out why people think the way they do, rather than immediately lashing out at them for not thinking the way I do.
And there's not a thing wrong with that.
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