Pseudotherapy

They made me an offer. Not enough money. Shaking with trepidation, I counter-offered. They agreed, too fast, which probably means they were prepared to go even higher. But I accepted, happy to be offered the highest salary I’ve ever gotten. Happy and relieved to be able to stay.

As long as they don’t find out about the cool million I embezzled at a previous job, I’m good to go. My first day on the Incognotorious Inc. payroll should be October 29th.

Can I get a woo hoo?!?!

[tags]Employment, not making bank but I can see one from here[/tags]

It’s not that I’ve been slacking. Fatigue has been derailing my ability to finish anything I’m not getting paid to do (a problem which is being addressed). I’ve started numerous posts over the past week, but wiped out before completing them. Were they promising beginnings, or just random thoughts with nowhere else to go?

10/8: Last night I had a bunch of weird dreams. A creepy guy with a gray face and very black hair was in every dream. He’d be lurking in a crowd, or watching from a corner or something. No expression, just a creepy, cold stare. Every single dream. I wonder what that means?

10/11: There are twenty people in the section of the building I work in. One of our clients sent us a FIVE-POUND box of See’s Candy on Monday. Three days later, it is completely gone. I had possibly the yummiest piece of candy in the whole box — a block of almond paste covered with dark chocolate. Nirvana.

10/12: Remember the little Nikon Coolpix camera we recently acquired? Yeah, it sucked. We gave it back (he wanted us to pay him $50 if we decided to keep it). WAY too much shutter lag for me, and the pics weren’t up to my standards, even for a point-&-shoot. That’s the bad news. The good news is: Tonight, after numerous unsuccessful attempts, I FINALLY won an ebay auction for the baby camera I really wanted!!! Thank you, ebay Bid Assistant! I could never have done it without you (I know, because I tried). I am now the happy owner of a Canon PowerShot SD700 IS, mint condition, still in the original box with all the accessories. It’s a couple of versions older than Juli’s new little gem, but actually gets higher ratings and better reviews. I’m so excited!

10/13: So, I’ve got this idea for a meme-thing for Halloween. Not a meme as in Q&A, but a meme as in Blog Crush Day, Self-Love Day, that kind of meme. I think it’s going to be called Behind The Mask: Who’s That Blogger? I told Hilly about it, and she thinks it’s a great idea. It would be a general concept which bloggers could interpret in many different ways …

10/14: I have got to do something about my stamina  — or rather, lack thereof. Lately by the time Saturday arrives, I’m too exhausted to do anything but veg in front of the TV all weekend (or sleep). And it’s not as if I’m a bricklayer or anything. I work in an office, sitting at a desk for nine hours a day (yes, I usually eat lunch at my desk). I think maybe that’s part of the problem  — no exercise. I need to set an alarm to make myself get up and take a short walk every two or three hours. And I need to be more conscientious about what I’m “fueling” my body with. I’m propping myself up with caffeine and sugar, and when I crash, it’s not a pretty sight.

[tags]Bad dreams, fatigue, overworked and underpaid, fed up with self-neglect![/tags]

I?had a discussion with a family member yesterday about my job. I was telling her how incredibly busy I am at work now, and how stressed?I sometimes get ? occasionally even to the point of tears (of frustration, in private). She said, “Oh, that’s too bad. You used to love this job so much.”

The thing is, I still do. It’s true that with my new duties, I have three times as much work as I used to, and (so far) am not making any more money. It’s true that when I first started working at Incognotorious Inc., my duties were so simple I didn’t even have to think about them, while now if I were to let my thoughts wander even briefly, I might mess up a million-dollar contract. And it’s true that I often leave work feeling utterly exhausted. But I still love my job. I’m still happy to walk through that door every damn day.

That got me to thinking about just what makes the difference between a good job and a bad job. For me, it’s all about liking what I do. Nothing at all to do with how tough or easy it may be. There’s got to be that fun factor. The easiest, highest-paying job in the world would still be a bad job if I hated what I was doing (i.e., cleaning Port-A-Potties for $50 an hour). And there also has to be challenge involved. I hate boredom. My brain is the only part of my body that craves exercise. You know, it’s one thing to doze off at your desk because you were up playing?Marry, Date Or Dump??until 3 a.m.; it’s another altogether if it’s because sorting the office mail is stultifyingly boring. If you want to keep me happy, you’ve got to keep me challenged.

That’s exactly why I’m actually much happier here now ? because I have to stay on my toes. I love having to research things, and weigh pros and cons, and yes, even do math in the process of completing my duties. I love knowing sometimes that really is a million-dollar deal on my desk. I love having such responsibilities. And?I really love leaving work every day with such a feeling of accomplishment. I’ll love it even more when I’m permanent, and a temp agency isn’t getting half my salary!!!? :grin:

What about you? What’s your definition of a good job? And is the one you have good or bad? What do you love about it, and what do you wish was different?

Two announcements:

First, I am FINALLY being hired as a permanent employee by Incognotorious Inc.!!! After the disappointment of last Friday, I told my bosses that I HAVE to have a permanent job by the end of October ? if not here, then somewhere else. I meant it, too. I guess it brought them to their senses, because Monday morning I was informed that they’d been given approval by the main office to begin the hiring process with me. I’ve already completed the first two steps, and should be “official” within two to three weeks. I’m incredibly relieved that I’m not going to have to leave this job/company I’ve come to love so much.

Second, yesterday Pseudotherapy was the Blog Crush of the Day over at Citizen of the Month! Yes, I know pretty much everyone else already has been, but when a blogger I admire singles me out, it’s a big thrill for me. By the way, Amanda, it’s your turn today ? congratulations!

[tags]Temp work, getting hired, Neilochka, amandarin[/tags]

From: hilly@work.com
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 8:24 AM
To: sj@work.com
Subject: Cell Phone Love

Why do you keep calling and hanging up on me? LOL!

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From: sj@work.com
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 8:32 AM
To: hilly@work.com
Subject: RE: Cell Phone Love

WHAT?!?! I don’t even have the cell phone today. Bret does!!!

Damn it, that’s using up our expensive minutes!!!!!!

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From: hilly@work.com
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 8:33 AM
To: sj@work.com
Subject: RE: Cell Phone Love

He must be accidentally hitting it with his something or other!

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From: sj@work.com
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 8:35 AM
To: hilly@work.com
Subject: RE: Cell Phone Love

Yeah, well it BETTER be accidentally!!! ;)

* * *

When I called Bret and told him to take the cell phone out of his pocket and why, his response was, “Well, it does have a mind of its own.” He was not talking about the phone.

[tags]Cell phones, email[/tags]