Time for Temping

Wow did that suck! And when I say suck – I mean it sucked the life and part of my soul right out of me. It was temping – and it was just filing. For 8 hours today, filing. I didn't think it would be that bad.

I have always been a good temp. I temped between jobs and during all my Summers in college for spending money. I always get asked to stay permanently. But today was hard – and I learned my lesson.

The filing was not rewarding, because the files of the place were SOOO messed up. It wasn’t like I had a huge pile of papers, I mean - I did have that, but – when I got to the filing cabinets – the files were not always alphabetical, or there wasn’t always a safe, manila home for my Financial Aid forms and transcripts.

I had to take my pile to three different cabinets like a Clerical Goldilocks. No – Mary Salazar’s paperwork doesn’t fit in with the “current” students, so I roll my office chair two feet to the left to try the “dropped” file cabinet, and onto the home of students who never even started, the “cancelled” cabinet, if the first two are misses. It was a paperwork maelstrom with me in the middle trying to settle things down.

Today – before I started I wondered what it would be like to get offered a job here. Some security and stability in a place as mundane as the Financial aid office of the Art Institute in Austin. I haven't worked since September, and it is gnawaing at me.

At first, working was entertaining. I loved seeing all the different names and snuck glances at the GPAs and majors of these kids just starting out with their lives. But then it got monotonous, and I envied these kids. Then I think I envied the staff with their knowledge of day to day tasks, how to find the breakroom, and a steady paychecks.

The pile of papers with no file to hold them grew higher and higher, a bunch of misfits. I can relate, and it was making my chest tighten. But I won’t feel sorry for myself. I mean – I did – and I can see how people who take jobs where there is NO satisfaction need booze or television each night to make them forget the heartache of their day. If I didn’t want to write this I would be watching American Idol RIGHT NOW.

I have no idea how my attempts to create a life as a writer and photographer are going to take some work – so having some kind of 9-5 is probably in the cards. I just cant' sell myself short and think I would be happy with a job I was qualified to do in college now that it is 20 years later. It would be like trying to relive my glory days at Taco Johns. God I loved that job.

I need to shoot for a job that challenges me, and quit trying to pay it safe with this easy and mundane shit. And for those of you thinking - ah DUH!! I always have to learn the hard way. Until I find an alternative source of income, I will be saying YES to all the temp work I can. It is either that or food service again.

The benefit of the temp job is, how much the dread of it motivates me to find the dream I am looking for in Austin. My creative soul and a job that feeds it. It has become more motivating then my dwindling bank account.