One year ago tomorrow, I went to the Pearl Jam Concert in Lincoln Ne. It was a Thursday. I took the following day off. It was the best day of the year for me. A year that included a wonderful vacation with the family to Disney World!
The Tuesday that followed the PJ concert was the worst day I had so far had in seven years at the worst job I've ever had.
The following quote from "Office Space" suddenly became "not funny at all" to me:
So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.
For many years, I had decided to live with it because the money was good. That was a mistake. It was a dead end. There was nowhere to go. There was no direction. There was only darkness. I had a manager, but I don't know what function he served. Except maybe throwing his pen down in a rage from time to time for no perceptible reason. What a dick.
I had tried for years to be assigned to something meaningful. I like to work. But nobody seemed to be able to tell me what I should be working on. If I asked, the standard reply was an angry "You're a senior level person! You figure it out!"
Here's what's immediately ridiculous about that statement: You're the manager of senior level people and you have no idea what you are supposed to be doing.
Immediately after the worst day I started looking for a new job. It was late October so everything was basically on hold for a few months. Then in February/March things started picking up and I got hired at the Mutual.
Five days after I turned in my notice, my Boss's boss acknowledged the fact. My boss did not speak a word to me or look at me for the whole of my last 2 weeks. FTG.
Eventually, my boss's boss asked me where I was going. When I told him, he made a puzzled look.
"By your look, you seem puzzled," said I.
"I am," said he.
"And why might that be," I asked.
"Oh, we just get so many people trying to get jobs from there," He said.
"That must be why we have so many Ex-Mutual employees working here (roughly zero)."
So now I'm 7 months into this gig and I'm still convinced this is easily the best job I've ever had.
Admittedly, it has a lot with the team I'm on.
My manager is truly able to help me understand how to do my job better. That's a good manager.
So a few weeks ago, I was down in the dome (under it, but the cool kids say "in it") having some lunch. An HR person was escorting a troop of new hires through the area. I considered yelling "Over here, fish!" and throwing rubbish at them, but then I remembered I wasn't in prison anymore, so I refrained.
Then I saw someone I know in the group.
It was my old Boss's boss's younger brother. "Hey David!" (not his real name. His real name is "Matt") "What the hell, man?"
"Yeah I just got hired as a temp worker. Hopefully it will become permanent."
I think it's permanent now. Also, I'm happy for him. He's a good guy.
He told me that his older brother was also trying to get a job at the Mutual.
"Make sure he puts me down as a referral," I advised.
Even if he doesn't, I immediately gave my referral to my boss.
"Would he be a good fit with our culture?" My boss asked.
"Remind me again if our culture values honesty," I'm new.
Served cold. So true.
The two events of a year ago (Pearl Jam/Worst day) were linked in my mind because they were best and worst so close together.
But without that worst day, I likely would still be there working for the Dread Pirate Roberts.
Instead I will be spending the rest of my days with my buttercup of a job. I guarantee it. Nothing could possibly go wrong.
Or could it?
To be continued ...
P.S. I'm just kidding. It's all good™
P.P.S. Last weekend a bunch of people rode around in circles in the grass. Some people were faster than others. This is news to nobody, so there's my race report!
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