(no subject)
SOOO I'm bored and I slid onto this lj page again to read my friends' page and figured I'd update (it's been 13 weeks says my homepage thing). Livejournal has changed! There's automatic spell check, new buttons and stuff, cool.
First off, I'm on my second job of the summer. I started calling for interviews for jobs since a week or two before finals without much luck. Got left hanging without word from the Hingham DPW (coincidentally, they called me TODAY on my way to work to see if I still wanted a SUMMER job, yea, thanks for that quick mid-july reply lol).
My first job was for Superior Pool in Pembroke. It was 5 to 6 days a week of 12 hour (or longer) days. Thought they were kidding, but they weren't. The job consisted of cramming into the back of a shitty, dirty box truck with another guy back there with me and two up front, going from job to job, carrying the pressure washer thing around (it was fuckin heavy), generally cleaning pools (a shitty, dirty job), and loading it all back in the truck to go to the next pool. It was fine with me except it was killing my social life. I'd get home at 8 or so, eat, try to recuperate, and pass out to get up by 7 the next morning for the drive to work, which left me about 3 or 4 hours to myself per day.
Luckily, they fired me.
Here's the deal: my boss was an unforgiving workaholic asshole. Nice enough guy, but a shitty boss. First, I arrived at 7:35 on my third day of work. Not the best first impression, but seeing as the first 20 minutes I was to stand around while they loaded up the trucks while not telling me what to do or giving me much direction when I asked, I didn't figure it was that bad. Then I had jury duty. I called the night before to see if I was excused but I wasn't. So I went to court, sat through the waiting and the bullshit with a boring book, and talked my way out of sitting on the jury. I told the judge "My boss is kinda known for not doing favors to anybody, I just started this job and if I'm here the next four days, he'll fire me." She said "Are you sure they won't just let you off the hook for a few days?" No, I said, they'll fire me I'm pretty sure.
That did the trick, little did I know how right I was. Went to work the next day all fine, he gave me some shit and I was introduced to the new guy. The next day was the nail in the coffin, I was legitimately late, I overslept. I jumped out of bed, threw on my clothes and my boots and ran downstairs and on my way out the door I called my boss. Here's how the conversation went:
me: Hey -iforgethisname-, it's Todd, I'm just calling to say I overslept and I should be there in like 10 minutes so don't leave without me.
him: Yyyeaaaah, we're not gonna need ya.
me: Oh, ok sorry about that, so see ya tomorrow?
him: Uuuhhh no, we're just not gonna need ya.
(silence)
me: Um, are you firing me?
him: Yes.
me: Why?
him: Weeeell you were almost late the other day, then you had jury duty, then you're late today, so we're not gonna need you.
Personally, I think that's pretty stupid. I worked just as hard as everyone else there and I never complained. Skipping jury duty is something that I'm pretty sure is punishable by a fine, and it boils down to being late once. Not to mention that I showed up for my 2nd day of work in the rain on time and in person (guess we don't work in the rain intentionally, unlike the end of my first day...). Overall I was mad that he wouldn't come right out and say "you're fired" like a man. But c'est la vi, right?
Now I work for an infinitely better boss (one of the best I've worked for, actually) at 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. I drive around the south shore and the cape all day, filling up a junk truck with all the crap that garbage men won't take, etc. On the surface we're not cheap, but figure the cost of doing it yourself and it's not that much more to hire us. Not to mention that we do all the heavy lifting / deconstruction / waste disposal (and we're not bad on the eyes, either lol). I get to be outside, get exercise, work with some cool people, and drive around. Learning to deal better and better with the customers, who are 95% of the time great people who are thankful to have us "finally get rid of that shit" The tips aren't bad, either. One time I got a $50 tip from a guy in Onset (that was a great Saturday!). Now I'm saving madd moneeey yo.
Otherwise, I'm just about ready to go to Barcelona in less than two months!!! I can't wait for the culture shock, the language, the people, the tequila, las Ramblas, the food, and everything else I can't even imagine! I got a packet in the mail today all about easing the transition and letting us know some of the norms. I guess you're never to hide your hands during meals, and personal space is something of a misnomer. The packet said that it's a common mistake for an American to think that someone is angry at them because they stand close and talk loudly, when in fact they're just talking normally or expressing an opinion. It's all THAT shit that I can't wait to dive right in to. I'm going to be myself, confirm some stereotypes about Americans, disprove others, too I'm sure.
Then I'm meeting up with Dave sometime while over there (he's gonna be in London) and I plan on visiting Amsterdam and bein all legal and shit. I'm worried that I'm going to have such a good time that I won't want to come back!
That's about it. Besides work I've been seeing some friends some of the time, other friends all the time, meeting new people, having lots of campfires, and getting good at hackey sack and skating.
All and all not a bad summer to have so far :)
First off, I'm on my second job of the summer. I started calling for interviews for jobs since a week or two before finals without much luck. Got left hanging without word from the Hingham DPW (coincidentally, they called me TODAY on my way to work to see if I still wanted a SUMMER job, yea, thanks for that quick mid-july reply lol).
My first job was for Superior Pool in Pembroke. It was 5 to 6 days a week of 12 hour (or longer) days. Thought they were kidding, but they weren't. The job consisted of cramming into the back of a shitty, dirty box truck with another guy back there with me and two up front, going from job to job, carrying the pressure washer thing around (it was fuckin heavy), generally cleaning pools (a shitty, dirty job), and loading it all back in the truck to go to the next pool. It was fine with me except it was killing my social life. I'd get home at 8 or so, eat, try to recuperate, and pass out to get up by 7 the next morning for the drive to work, which left me about 3 or 4 hours to myself per day.
Luckily, they fired me.
Here's the deal: my boss was an unforgiving workaholic asshole. Nice enough guy, but a shitty boss. First, I arrived at 7:35 on my third day of work. Not the best first impression, but seeing as the first 20 minutes I was to stand around while they loaded up the trucks while not telling me what to do or giving me much direction when I asked, I didn't figure it was that bad. Then I had jury duty. I called the night before to see if I was excused but I wasn't. So I went to court, sat through the waiting and the bullshit with a boring book, and talked my way out of sitting on the jury. I told the judge "My boss is kinda known for not doing favors to anybody, I just started this job and if I'm here the next four days, he'll fire me." She said "Are you sure they won't just let you off the hook for a few days?" No, I said, they'll fire me I'm pretty sure.
That did the trick, little did I know how right I was. Went to work the next day all fine, he gave me some shit and I was introduced to the new guy. The next day was the nail in the coffin, I was legitimately late, I overslept. I jumped out of bed, threw on my clothes and my boots and ran downstairs and on my way out the door I called my boss. Here's how the conversation went:
me: Hey -iforgethisname-, it's Todd, I'm just calling to say I overslept and I should be there in like 10 minutes so don't leave without me.
him: Yyyeaaaah, we're not gonna need ya.
me: Oh, ok sorry about that, so see ya tomorrow?
him: Uuuhhh no, we're just not gonna need ya.
(silence)
me: Um, are you firing me?
him: Yes.
me: Why?
him: Weeeell you were almost late the other day, then you had jury duty, then you're late today, so we're not gonna need you.
Personally, I think that's pretty stupid. I worked just as hard as everyone else there and I never complained. Skipping jury duty is something that I'm pretty sure is punishable by a fine, and it boils down to being late once. Not to mention that I showed up for my 2nd day of work in the rain on time and in person (guess we don't work in the rain intentionally, unlike the end of my first day...). Overall I was mad that he wouldn't come right out and say "you're fired" like a man. But c'est la vi, right?
Now I work for an infinitely better boss (one of the best I've worked for, actually) at 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. I drive around the south shore and the cape all day, filling up a junk truck with all the crap that garbage men won't take, etc. On the surface we're not cheap, but figure the cost of doing it yourself and it's not that much more to hire us. Not to mention that we do all the heavy lifting / deconstruction / waste disposal (and we're not bad on the eyes, either lol). I get to be outside, get exercise, work with some cool people, and drive around. Learning to deal better and better with the customers, who are 95% of the time great people who are thankful to have us "finally get rid of that shit" The tips aren't bad, either. One time I got a $50 tip from a guy in Onset (that was a great Saturday!). Now I'm saving madd moneeey yo.
Otherwise, I'm just about ready to go to Barcelona in less than two months!!! I can't wait for the culture shock, the language, the people, the tequila, las Ramblas, the food, and everything else I can't even imagine! I got a packet in the mail today all about easing the transition and letting us know some of the norms. I guess you're never to hide your hands during meals, and personal space is something of a misnomer. The packet said that it's a common mistake for an American to think that someone is angry at them because they stand close and talk loudly, when in fact they're just talking normally or expressing an opinion. It's all THAT shit that I can't wait to dive right in to. I'm going to be myself, confirm some stereotypes about Americans, disprove others, too I'm sure.
Then I'm meeting up with Dave sometime while over there (he's gonna be in London) and I plan on visiting Amsterdam and bein all legal and shit. I'm worried that I'm going to have such a good time that I won't want to come back!
That's about it. Besides work I've been seeing some friends some of the time, other friends all the time, meeting new people, having lots of campfires, and getting good at hackey sack and skating.
All and all not a bad summer to have so far :)