Feb 15, 2008 15:20
Nearing the end of week 2 of being a working person and here's what I think so far:
I love Photoshop, I love graphic design; AutoCAD, not so much but at least it's not completely scary to me anymore. I've built enough skills in the last two weeks that when someone hands me a redlined plan, I actually have a clue.
I got a paycheck! This is the first time I've earned a paycheck in at least 4 years. For the few years before that I was working as a freelancer so I got checks from clients, not paychecks per se, so really, It's the first paycheck I've gotten since 1999. It's rather meager, but then I've having a HUGE amount socked away for taxes and retirement. I figure since hypersteve never has taxes or retirement taken out of his money (being a freelancer), I should have them take out extra to make up for it. While it's painful to see a smaller paycheck, I know it will be far better when we do our taxes. I know, I know. Those of you with organized lives will say "You should actually pay the minimums in taxes, save the money in an interest bearing account, then pay the government in April after having earned some nice interest money." You know what I say to that? PHOEY! I know it's true, but the reality is that if I get a check, I'll spend it. And it's not that I'm a big spender, it's that the money will drip away in the form of frothy coffee, books, and slightly nicer cheese.
I'm ridiculously proud of that paycheck. I feel self sufficient in a way that's hard to explain. Knowing that there will be another, and another after that, and another after that is helping me plan for the future. I can say "we're going on a vacation in July" then steadily put away money for it. When checks come from clients haphazardly it's a little harder to think that way.
I'm happy to have landed in a small, non-corporate place that has a sense of family. I share my little area with one other person, whom I like already. She leaves every day at 2:30 so I get an office to myself every afternoon. That's just right for someone like me who needs autonomy and needs a little quiet time every afternoon.
I'm thrilled that they have a strick 40 hour work week. I fill out a weekly time sheet and anything over 40 hours goes into my comp time pool. Once I need a little less hand holding, I'll come in early and aim to leave earlier, or just save up lots of comp time.
I'm happy that they expect me to be clueless. It's rather irionic that I have a masters degree and have finally reached the stage of clueless. Landscape Architecture is a funny world. I like that it take ssome pressure off of me and it reduces my anxiety level.
Now for the cons
Working is hard! I've had this lovely life for the last few years in which I decide how to spend my time. Sure I had classes and stuff, but that was only a few hours a week. I worked when I felt like it and if I wanted to take a two hour break and do something else, I could, and I didn't have to check in with anyone. I'm not used to doing the same thing for eight hours every day, five days a week. It's tiring.
I just put down all my holidays in my calendar. It is chafing to think that my time is not really mine and someone else has decided when I will work and when I won't. It's the same complaint I have with the 8 hour workday, only on a larger scale. It's a bit depressing to think of how little time I'll have off over the next few years. Being a working person is not very good for my humanity or for my desire to travel more.
That's all for now. Back to my AutoCAD. Have a good weekend!
larch,
design,
photoshop,
working,
vacation,
time