I've spent 19 months, more then a year and a half, of my life living in a situation that has been... humbling, to say the least. Since late December of 2011, I've been unemployed, or nearly so; the 12 or so hours a week I get working at Retail Hell barely qualifies as an actual job, and I don't count it as such.
In that time, I've filled out 927 applications, sent my resume to countless companies, temp agencies, and online job sites. And in all that time, I can count on one hand how many interviews or call backs I've received. I've acquired plenty of rejection letters, however; there are few things in this world more soul-crushing as a rejection letter from a prospective job.
Well, that's all done and over with. I've finally landed a really good job. And with that job comes the lifestyle upgrade that I've been yearning for for longer than I care to think about.
Getting to this point has been an ever present goal of mine since I first moved to Seattle; The idea was to get a good job, get my own place, a car, and start living like a grown up. Sadly, it hasn't worked out like that, as much as I've tried. As of today, I'm still living with family, have no means of transportation beyond the public kind, and I feel very much like a 30 year old child.
Now that I've reached this very important first step, I find myself experiencing a strange phenomenon I like to call "New Employment Syndrome" or "I Ain't Broke No Mo'!" It comes in three steps.
Step 1: Paradigm Shift
It starts out with a strange disassociation from your normal mode of thinking. In my case, I had to actually sit and contemplate just what had happened, and what the end results would mean. I've been poor and broke for a very long time now, and the prospect of not being in that state is so foreign that I can scarcely believe it. As it stands, I've just now come to accept that it isn't a fluke.
 |
| "Did someone say Fluke?" |
This entry level position offers excellent pay, flexibility for pursuit of my educational goals, paid vacations, benefits, and plenty of opportunity for advancement should I choose it. As someone who has spent their entire adult life working retail and low paying positions, this is naturally surreal. Even now, days after the fact, I'm having a hard time adjusting to it.
Step 2: Toys!
Followed closely behind the first step is the realization that I'll have money to buy things! That is one of the goals of working in this consumerist society we live in today, right? Working hard so that you can go out and spend your hard earned money on shit you don't need.
Naturally, I've never had the luxury to just splurge on useless toys. I still won't, despite my unrealistic excitement, but I've taken a step in the right direction. I can now (or soon will be) able to buy some of the stuff I've wanted for a while but haven't had the means to get. Things such as:
~ The materials to build a kick ass gaming pc.
~ A PS3; I can *finally* play The Last of Us. And Kingdom Hearts 1.5 comes out in September...
~ A vehicle or some sort.
~ Real vacations to exotic locals! I've always wanted to travel. Now I can actually save my money and take a long, relaxing trip and not worry about how much money I'm not making while I vacation.
~ Books. I have so many books on my "must read" list. Now I can actually buy all those books. And read them. Read them so HARD.
~ Savings. I can actually save money for the rainy day that is always just over the horizon; I live in Seattle, after all. Plenty of rain.
Excuse me while I wipe the droll from my chin...
Step 3: Oh Shit, Responsibility?!
Now that it's the day before orientation and job training, I've hit the last step. The step where I realize that all this money and benefits comes with the expectation that I'll actually work. And worse, perform my job well. Fuck, there goes my wood.
Even worse, it comes with nerves. The job requires a lot of multitasking, combined with a secure knowledge of the computer system, *and* I have to talk on the phone with real life doctors on a regular basis. Um, gulp. Now I get to experience the nervous tension that comes with learning a bunch of new skills, in addition to the pressure to perform well in front of my direct supervisor, who will be training me for the entirety of August. Again, gulp.
Damn, I guess there really *aren't* any free lunches
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