Ironic or Awesome April 30, 2009

Of course right after I would post how terrible my job is God decides it’s time for a change.

I quit yesterday.

Walking in Wednesday morning was like any other morning. I was there a little early, said good morning to my boss and got started on my work. Then my boss came in and sat down, never a good sign.

She asked if I was happy, which is like when your mother looks right at you and asks if the cup in the living room is yours – she knows it is, but she wants you to admit you’re a slob.

So I told her that, no, I was not happy. Then she preceded to tell me how she knew I was unhappy and actually never happy. She spoke of my writing never being up to par, which was only to be mean and hurtful because my writing is great – I don’t care what she says. She spoke of how I’ve said I’m tired and she thinks I may be depressed, which as my mother said when I called crying at the hurtful things she said is the stupidest thing ever. Outside of work, and even at work,  I’m usually happy and sometimes annoyingly so. She spoke of how her precious paper is incredibly important to her, more important than the actual people working there.

So I gave her my two weeks, and she, wanting to put me out of my misery said I could just finish out the week.

I went to lunch, had a sangria and a brownie tall cake and decided that I never wanted to see that woman’s face or step in that doom and gloom building again. I went back, called and told her that today will be my last day.

Then she asked why.

She, the spawn of Satan himself, asks why after she says I’m useless, untalented and possibly depressed; she asks why I wouldn’t come back to the paper that she thinks is more important than the actual employees who make it happen.

I told her I just didn’t think I could make it for two more days, and as I said it I don’t think I could last for two more minutes.

On my way out she gave me a copy of the paper and told me to read her column. It said, in not that great of words, if you’re unhappy do everyone a favor, including yourself and move on.

The fact that she wrote that about me, at least two days prior to talking to me and publishing it for all to see was really just the cherry on top of the experience that was my first job.

Well, I’m gone!

Life as an Adult April 29, 2009

This sucks. Yeah I said it, all the years of toiling through school ready and rearing to be out in the real world… what was I thinking? The real world sucks.

I am at my first job, I work at a hyper-local small town weekly newspaper, and I hate my job.

I was so excited to get a job four days after I graduated in the field I got a degree in. I wouldn’t be serving food, selling clothes or bumming around my parents house feeling like a pathetic loser. No, I was going to be a working lady and it was going to be awesome. And then I started my job.

My first three months were the hardest.

I was told I had to sign a contract stating that I wouldn’t be permitted to work at another news organization within a 60 mile radius when I had clearly said in my interview that I wanted to work at the daily newspaper that has a circulation of over 40,000. As oppose to my paper’s 1,600.

I was compared to my other young coworker and given the name fluff for my news writing skills and she was given the nickname tough. Does anyone else think my nickname is not quite that flattering? I do.

I have a boss who proceeds to tell me that I will not be compensated for leaving work early to go to meetings near my home and that she actually hired me because of where I live rather than my skill level. Even if that was true, why would you tell me that? Ouch!

My boss also has extreme trust issues and is completely absorbed in looking out for No. 1, and no one else. It is evident, it can be hurtful and it is incredibly annoying.

Then there’s the lead writer that works in close proximity to me who is bipolar, clinically bipolar. He blows up all the time. I have never been screamed at by a grown man other than my father until now.

Just yesterday I was on the phone interviewing someone and he began yelling at me while I was on the phone, then cussing and turning red in the face. Luckily through this job I’ve learned to stand up for myself and proceeded to turn around, look him in the eye and mouth “I’m on the phone!”

Quitting may seem like the logical answer, but in today’s economy where I’m not guaranteed another job I can’t seem to decided if it would be the best option or not. To quit or not to quit? That is the question.

For now I pray for the strength to get through the day and wait for the clock to turn 5.

This is definitely not what I signed up for.