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happy birthday to me.
By briantologist | September 2, 2006
So, yes. I turned 31 the Friday before last. I got a temp job for my birthday. It pays better than any job I’ve had before, which in a way is completely ridiculous because it’s also quite possibly the least meaningful job I’ve ever had. But you know what? For the kind of money they’re throwing at me*, I’m pretty comfortable leaving the meaningful stuff at home.
Plus it’s kind of liberating, in a way, to not be plagued by the feeling that I’m not doing as much as I could be with my job, which happened pretty much constantly with my last job, with which I was not doing even one-fifteenth as much as I could have. I am absolutely doing as much as I can with this job, and it is absolutely within my abilities, and I don’t want to brag too much here, but I think I may have impressed my boss, and I’m pretty sure the only time that happened at my old job was when I walked home during the employee appreciation picnic, did some whiskey shots, and then walked back to the employee appreciation picnic. (It was like a block from my apartment. I mean, I was kind of obligated to.)
And yeah, so also I have to be there at 8:30 every morning, and d’you know how early you have to wake up to get to the Loop from our house by that time? Early, is how early. And I have absolutely no reason to bitch, as there are literally dozens of people in the Chicagoland area who have to get up earlier and travel further in worse conditions than I do. Still, seriously, morning = no good. But yes, job = good. So, yes. I’m 31 and employed. End of transmission.
* — Seriously, I’m an English lit major, people! I am not supposed to be making this kind of money! Those of you with, how you say, “useful” degrees can ignore my pathetic slightly-better-than-crappy salary, but for reals, I’m kind of freaking out.
Topics: Hoo!, Stuff | 14 Comments »
September 2nd, 2006 at 8:13 pm
Happy birthday Brian. And congratulations on not being a drain on society anymore. Or, at least, less so.
September 3rd, 2006 at 8:31 am
Happy Birthday! And also, yeah, I know what you mean. I was completely impressed with my high school teacher salary. How sad is that? (As a side note, I stopped being impressed when one yearly raise caused my scientist husband to go from making substantially less to substantially more than me.)
September 3rd, 2006 at 11:31 am
the best part is when you go Perm you get to make more cos the agency won’t be getting a cut every check!
September 3rd, 2006 at 12:20 pm
Stupid scientists and their useful degrees. BUT CAN THEY EXPLICATE? (Answer: probably, yes.)
September 3rd, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Happy birthday!
I suppose if you were straight out of college it would be a different story, but when we relocated for my husband’s job, I scored a temp job and was shocked by how much I loved the lack of personal investment and how it was absolutely no blow to my pride in any way whatsoever.
September 3rd, 2006 at 10:18 pm
I was really happy with my new job until you had to get all “Bragging Rights” on the pay. Now I’m thinking about maybe getting on Access.
September 3rd, 2006 at 11:58 pm
Happy Fuggin’ Birthday, Mr. Tologist. And congrats on baggin’ the big money temp job. We all knew that Tulsa was holding you back from realizing your full earning potential. Enjoy conquering Chicago before the ripe ol’ age of 32.
September 5th, 2006 at 4:38 am
Happy Birthday Brian and congrats on the job and the $$. My husband and I were watching the Back to School with 90210 marathon last night and I kept thinking “what would Byrneunit think about Donna’s shiny teddy bear belly shirt?”. Thanks for making 90210 more fun to watch.
September 5th, 2006 at 7:19 am
I’m an English lit major who would love a cushy temp job like that. What’re you doing? I’m just curious. You don’t have to give up the name of the Co. or anything, but I’d like to know how society is using us generic English majors these days. I used to be a tech writer until India stole my job. Twice.
September 5th, 2006 at 9:34 am
So…happy belated birthday… and gratz on the job thingy. :)
September 5th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
I’m proofreading at an ad agency. Fortunately it’s harder for India to siphon off these English-as-a-first-language jobs. As long as you’re obsessive about fonts and punctuation, I highly recommend it.
September 6th, 2006 at 11:58 am
Happy birthday, congratulations, GUNTORIOUS!!!
September 6th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
wow. I’m older than you. But you? Have a kid. Trippy.
September 7th, 2006 at 10:47 am
WOW. Thanks for the info. I would love to get a gig like that, but I live in cowtown Colorado where all of our jobs are projectile-outsourced to larger cities.
Hmmm…not a bad idea to look around though. If you come across anything similar on the interwebs or otherwise, like a “virtual” job, throw a sister a bone ;) thanks. And GOOD FOR YOU. Nice to see another English major puttin’ it to those lousy…other majors.