Previously, I mentioned that I work for a company that specializes in outsourcing. About that job: I f*ing hate it. I am now a corporate hamster. I go to work 9 to 5 (actually 7am to 4pm), sit in front of a computer all day, answering the phone calls of people who are too lazy to read policy information about the companies they work for. And normally, I would be fine with that - who has time to read the company's "how to be a great employee manual" - I don't read up on my own company's policy. It happens - everyone's too busy for that shit. However, if you're going to call to inquire about company policy you can actually read for yourself, don't be a jackass. Be direct, take some responsibility as the lazy (or as we call it in America, "busy") employee you are. I'd be fine if everyone brought a "tell me what I need to know and I'll be done with it" attitude to the table. But I take over 75 calls a day - and I can tell you people tend to be a bit more "but I don't know what to do - fix my problems. This is so unfair, why does this always happen to me?" After you clock over 1,000 phone calls of people bitching and moaning - it's kind of hard not to roll your eyes at yet another "woe is me" case, for a mistake that could easily be fixed if people would just read company policy.
I took this job (with many reservations and much hesitation) because I needed a "real" job to gather up the money and resources to buy a car. We've talked about my car troubles, but none of that compares to not having a car at all. In 2007, I have spent most of the year (in Texas) without a mode of transportation. Since I need to be quite mobile to pursue the dream, I needed to come up with something that would enable me to get a car. This is why I sold my soul to Coporate America. So glad I'm about to ditch this job....
And you can bet your ass I am going to ditch this job in early 2008. Why? Because life's way too short to play hamster. I've heard stories about people who do the daily grind. They get up, they go to work, they come home, they go to sleep - they spend their weekends in a drunken stupor or watching the clock tick closer and closer to Monday morning. I have now been living that life for nine months. NINE MONTHS. Someone turn around and go ask any mother how long nine months can feel. Nine months - the length of time children take to pass a grade in school. Nine months - the length of time some people take to plan a friggin wedding. Nine freakin' months - the length of time it takes to grow a fetus and push it out into the world. Nine months of scheduled breaks, one hour power lunches, and endless reports. I often look in the mirror and say to myself (out loud), "When did this become my life?"
Except, it's actually not that bad because I'm ditching. I have a dance gig lined up in March with a ballet company. It's kind of like a guest artist thing - I'm just going to perform duet for a mentor of mine with her star pupil in the company. In 2008, I'll be going to the gym and dancing six days a week - polishing up for my potential Hollywood debut. What I do now is just a time filler; I'm just being patient. What kills me though, is how people do the corporate runaround for years on end. No one at my office looks happy or seems to feel purpose. It just looks like a job to all these guys (as it is). But what about doing your life's work? What about doing what you love for pay? How do you sell yourself short in order to pay the bills? What's the point of paying any bills if you're going to be unhappy?
Some members of my family celebrated me getting the corporate job. Basically, I guess they are happy because now I'll settle down, and now I have benefits and a bit of stability. I guess in their minds, this is why I went to college - I have finally arrived. WRONG. I have my bachelor's in dance because I want to own a dance marketing firm, agency, and performance troupe. I did not go to school to be anyone's bitch, and I'm quick to point out to my peers if they themselves are selling out their souls in the name of stability. I'm generally a nice guy: I don't mind helping old ladies with their groceries, I brake for animals, and I apparently can't get a girl interested in me because of my lack of a "bad boy" side (nice guy syndrome). However, nothing infuriates me more than people who don't believe in themselves. And if you ever get to know me, do not make the costly mistake of inferring I'm not capable of doing what I said I would do - (these come in the form of: "you sure have big dreams", "when are you going to settle down", "don't expect too much - you don't want to be disappointed"). I have a special finger for you people - like I have said before, there are many ways to give somebody the finger. Simply living your life can be one of the most effective ways of doing it.
I am reading The 4 Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferris. I find it fascinating because he provides a template for people to pick up their lives and ditch to pursue whatever their dream is. As you can see, I'm all about that. I apparently have no empathy for those stuck on the hamster wheel. I don't have sympathy for those who hurt themselves bumping up against the glass ceiling. To me, it's about going all in, whatever it takes, whatever blood and sweat you can muster to find and then do what you love. Here's to jumping of the cliff in 2008.
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