My first week back was...Well, work, you know...Hmmmm. Um, well, I was in tears by the end of day 1. This is actually a fairly typical occurrence at my job so on a more philosophical level it's 'just the way it is' there. However, after a month off it's all really much more dramatic and painful than it would be if I had the same thing happen my last day. That would have just been the pinnacle of lameness and sorrow. And, then I maybe would have recovered or adjusted my plans accordingly. But, no, in true corporate fashion the crap hits the fan at the most inconvenient and harshest time possible.
What's going on you ask? Well let me tell you! As well as a bunch of crack-downs on various activities and expenses through the company we also have to take another week unpaid and ALL of our vacation time by the end of April. Now, if I was 'towing the company line' as I have heard at the office I would go 'okay, I would love 8 weeks off now, fantastic. Thanks for the offer. I love working here. Yay' and so on. However, after approximately 3+ years of saving for Africa I am now forced to use all the vacation time I have been stock piling now and will not have any left for my planned trip this fall. This is what affects me the most. The only reason I am at my current job and have put up with the last 2 insane years is so that I could save up and have enough money and holidays set aside to do this trip. That's it. If the company policy was to always use up my holidays every year I would have. But, the alternative to not using them in the next 3 months is to forfeit them. So, the 7 weeks of paid time will be lost. I can't even see how this will help the company cut costs - short of having all the books clean and all their employees having to forfeit their holidays because they can't take that much time off. Which, actually is probably what they're hoping for, the bastards. The other thing that really bothers me about this is that our busy season starts at the end of March/early April and if half of the office is forced to take all of their vacation before then we will have nothing prepared and will not be ready for anything. The result of which will be an even more stressful summer than the last one, more unhappy clients, more late deliveries and an even worse financial outcome than this past year. On top of all this my direct supervisors have been busy with holidays, meetings, and other responsibilities so I have no one to turn to. Though, even if they were more available I do not think there is anything that they could do to help me. Many co-workers seem to be just hunkering down and will try to see it through. Others are looking elsewhere. The idea of another summer like the last one is what's really pushing me to the next move. If I have to endure the same difficulties as last year I will have a nervous breakdown, and I am not in any way joking or over dramatizing. I have barely just gotten over last summer emotionally. I can't survive another one like that. But, that's exactly how it will be if these new rules are enforced.
The result of this insanity is that I have been forced to finally get off my butt and start looking for alternate employment. It actually makes me sick to my stomach to face the fact that I can no longer do my job under these conditions. The though of leaving my co-workers and possibly my home brings me to tears. I may find work here but most likely I would have to commute far and last time I applied to at least 200 jobs before I got one. I have to be open to the possibility of moving if I can't find anything here. But, if I were to move far away I would have to give up the Zoo, which would be devastating. The idea of moving eventually was fine, because in a few years I would be ready. After the big trip I was intending to save up for a year or two and then pursue the Kennel business. But, I can't deal with all this corporate bull-sh$%. And, even if I could I may be fired anyways.
Really, I could just go on and on so I'll stop. Needless to say if you mention any of this to my Mother I will never speak to any of you again. And, I'm not even joking. If she hears about this she'll freak out. I tell her work is fine, and it is dammit!
The good thing is I found my old resume this morning and have spent the day updating it and doing some job searches. I hope to apply for the few that I found tomorrow if the finally editing goes well. So, wish me luck!
No comments:
Post a Comment