Sunday, August 01, 2004
get ready, because this is going to be long. and not funny this time.
see, I have this thing about working. on a day that I'm working, (at 5 o'clock,) I generally don't relax, because hey! usually, when work isn't difficult and trying, it's hell. I definately don't enjoy, but I sure-as-hell need the money. and so, I do it. it's normally not that bad... but when it's bad, it's really bad. and so, needless to say, on a day that i have to work, that very idea is in the back of my mind. this is why I like to take the days off on which i have relaxing and / or important events, (i.e. camping, races, parties, etc.) i love to take the day off, so that I can completely enjoy every moment and relax, without having to worry.
my mom however, dissaproves of this idea entirely. she argues that working "not only assists me financially, but instills a responsability in me and also prepares me for the "real world," in which work is a constant factor." hm. yes. right.
I do agree with this, trust me, I do. this is my second summer of working, and it is a generally beneficial experience. this certain case, however, crosses the line.
as you all know, the marathon by the sea is an extremely important event for me. it is what I train for (during an 8-month period,) and it is what I envision when I think of "running accomplishments." it is a race in which I feel good about myself, in shape, and most of all, happy. this is something that makes me feel incredibly healthy, and it is especially fun, and so needless to say it's a major event for me and something I very much look forward to every summer.
as it is so important to me, I thought it would be wise to take the day off, as to ensure that I could participate and fully enjoy the MBTS. I casually mentioned this to my mom. she reacted with disdain, claiming that it would be "stupid and immature" to take time off for a mere running event, and that running takes the "topmost priority in your life right now." I disagreed, but decided I'd humour her and take no time off.
generally, my shifts are only evening shifts, therefore at 5 o'clock until close, which is generally around 10 o'clock. in the past month and a half, these are the shifts I've been getting. the only shifts.
however, seeing as to how I'm a little on the slow side at work, (because i'm un-motivated to work there, and I basically don't give a flying fuck,) I didn't realize that Sunday was Race Day. I had to go in for 8. (oh dear.) when I arrived home, I told my mom my schedule, and while telling her my Sunday shift, she gasped. I then found out.
I reacted like a psychopath, I must say. I freaked, I screamed, I was shocked. and although it's still extremely possible that someone else can work my shift, I'm amazingly depressed. it's because I realized to what point work affects me. not only do i dread it... it scares me. and everyone tells me, "find a new job!" and "why do you work?" a) i'm quitting in early september. I doubt that I'll find a job in which I'll work for that length of time. b) I work because I need the money. desperately. if you didn't know, I'm going to France next year, and I'm also getting driver's training soon, and on top of this i have to pay for this random surgery next year and after I graduate, i'm going to be moving on to a little something called "university." what do all these things have in common? that's right. money.
and so, yeah. I'm just down. please don't think i'm a mind-sucking depress-o maniac who just wants to be sad all the time. trust me, if there's anything i dislike the most, it's lingering on the past and bad things. but this is really awful... 8 months of intense training cannot result in nothing. that's absolutely insane. and so, i hope that i can get the day off. with all of my heart. and if I don't, I'll die. if I'm in a bad mood in the next little while... you know why. thank you.
-joel
see, I have this thing about working. on a day that I'm working, (at 5 o'clock,) I generally don't relax, because hey! usually, when work isn't difficult and trying, it's hell. I definately don't enjoy, but I sure-as-hell need the money. and so, I do it. it's normally not that bad... but when it's bad, it's really bad. and so, needless to say, on a day that i have to work, that very idea is in the back of my mind. this is why I like to take the days off on which i have relaxing and / or important events, (i.e. camping, races, parties, etc.) i love to take the day off, so that I can completely enjoy every moment and relax, without having to worry.
my mom however, dissaproves of this idea entirely. she argues that working "not only assists me financially, but instills a responsability in me and also prepares me for the "real world," in which work is a constant factor." hm. yes. right.
I do agree with this, trust me, I do. this is my second summer of working, and it is a generally beneficial experience. this certain case, however, crosses the line.
as you all know, the marathon by the sea is an extremely important event for me. it is what I train for (during an 8-month period,) and it is what I envision when I think of "running accomplishments." it is a race in which I feel good about myself, in shape, and most of all, happy. this is something that makes me feel incredibly healthy, and it is especially fun, and so needless to say it's a major event for me and something I very much look forward to every summer.
as it is so important to me, I thought it would be wise to take the day off, as to ensure that I could participate and fully enjoy the MBTS. I casually mentioned this to my mom. she reacted with disdain, claiming that it would be "stupid and immature" to take time off for a mere running event, and that running takes the "topmost priority in your life right now." I disagreed, but decided I'd humour her and take no time off.
generally, my shifts are only evening shifts, therefore at 5 o'clock until close, which is generally around 10 o'clock. in the past month and a half, these are the shifts I've been getting. the only shifts.
however, seeing as to how I'm a little on the slow side at work, (because i'm un-motivated to work there, and I basically don't give a flying fuck,) I didn't realize that Sunday was Race Day. I had to go in for 8. (oh dear.) when I arrived home, I told my mom my schedule, and while telling her my Sunday shift, she gasped. I then found out.
I reacted like a psychopath, I must say. I freaked, I screamed, I was shocked. and although it's still extremely possible that someone else can work my shift, I'm amazingly depressed. it's because I realized to what point work affects me. not only do i dread it... it scares me. and everyone tells me, "find a new job!" and "why do you work?" a) i'm quitting in early september. I doubt that I'll find a job in which I'll work for that length of time. b) I work because I need the money. desperately. if you didn't know, I'm going to France next year, and I'm also getting driver's training soon, and on top of this i have to pay for this random surgery next year and after I graduate, i'm going to be moving on to a little something called "university." what do all these things have in common? that's right. money.
and so, yeah. I'm just down. please don't think i'm a mind-sucking depress-o maniac who just wants to be sad all the time. trust me, if there's anything i dislike the most, it's lingering on the past and bad things. but this is really awful... 8 months of intense training cannot result in nothing. that's absolutely insane. and so, i hope that i can get the day off. with all of my heart. and if I don't, I'll die. if I'm in a bad mood in the next little while... you know why. thank you.
-joel
Comments:
Hun,
Tell your mom to shuve it. From someone older and wiser, from someone who almost has her parents fully trained when it comes to certain aspects. You're responsable enough to find yourself a job, and you're responsable enough to decide when you want to take a day off. The results effect you, not her. You lack the finances that you would have earned that day. Not here. Joel, you're 17, live for the now. You can deal with work being the main factor in your life when you graduate from univeristy and have to settle down in your new furnished house with your wife and kids, when you have more important things to deal with. And when taking a day off work determines if your phone bill will be cut off for the month. But for now, when your 17 and your just dealing with a summer job, take the damn day off. And if it helps, stop mentioning to your mom, then when she catches on to the fact that every day off you have randomly lands on a day when you have some other activity, just look at her and say "damn...coincidence" smile, and walk away
Check ya later darling
-Ama
Post a Comment
Tell your mom to shuve it. From someone older and wiser, from someone who almost has her parents fully trained when it comes to certain aspects. You're responsable enough to find yourself a job, and you're responsable enough to decide when you want to take a day off. The results effect you, not her. You lack the finances that you would have earned that day. Not here. Joel, you're 17, live for the now. You can deal with work being the main factor in your life when you graduate from univeristy and have to settle down in your new furnished house with your wife and kids, when you have more important things to deal with. And when taking a day off work determines if your phone bill will be cut off for the month. But for now, when your 17 and your just dealing with a summer job, take the damn day off. And if it helps, stop mentioning to your mom, then when she catches on to the fact that every day off you have randomly lands on a day when you have some other activity, just look at her and say "damn...coincidence" smile, and walk away
Check ya later darling
-Ama
