WARNING:
This blog is about what a crappy week I'm having. A lot of self pity to follow. Do not read if you'd like to keep the illusion that every little thing makes me happy!
I MEAN IT...
First off, I'm saying it again...15 days of work in a row! It's now Tuesday and I have, after today, two more days before my day off. Now, I thought I was doing pretty good. I only had a couple days where I had to work ALL DAY (5a.m. til 6p.m.), most days were just half days (6 or 7 hour shifts instead of 10 or 12). But with each day, things just get worse. I don't know if it is because I'm getting increasingly tired and I don't pay attention to details like I normally would? Maybe I'm tired and cranky and things that happen all the time are just rubbing me the wrong way so I am noticing their annoying presence more? But whatever it is...I don't like it and I want my day off!!
In the last few days every morning gets worse...from my hot cereal boiling over, the coffee pot dripping because I was careless and didn't push the pot all the way under the basket, dropping my entire cup of coffee on the floor of my car as I missed the cup holder. Then there are the bigger issues...days that should just be normal days end in some crazy emergency tracheotomy at the end of the day, or a seizing dog which turns my 12 hour day into a 13 hour day. Of course the animals are WAY more important than me getting home on time, but come on!! This sort of thing has happened ONE TIME since I started a year ago...now all hell is breaking loose because the full-time tech assistant is on vacation and I'm working 60 hour weeks!!
So each night after a day like that I go to bed thinking, 'tomorrow I start over...forget about all of today's nonsense.' Then I get up to check my phone to see the time (it is also my alarm clock), and nothing...blank screen! I just charged the damn thing two days ago!! And I just checked the time...well, at 3:30! I jump out of bed not knowing how long I had been asleep since last checking my clock (on days when the alarm doesn't wake me, I still wake up early and then have a nasty habit of checking the time every half hour or so...with a little more sleep in between. It's kind of like taking several naps, in a row, through the wee hours of the morning...speaking of crazy!). It was 4:40 a.m. and now, because my 'alarm clock' is broken...I'm up for the day. Even though I don't have to be to work until 7 today. so, I plugged my phone in, hoping it just needed to be charged again (for whatever reason)...and now it is charging. Maybe I need a new battery? I am confused how it lost all of its charge overnight...I'm pretty anal about making sure it's charged. I never thought I'd say it, since I've really only had a cell phone for a few years, but what would I do without it!? I was actually thinking the other day how much easier vacation will be ...it is very hard to lose people nowadays. I mean, Hubby and I will be together the entire time, but the night he's playing his poker tournament, I'm not going to be sitting by his side the whole time, so it will be nice to just enjoy myself, instead of having to stay close to keep checking to see if he's still playing.
So back to these last crazy days of work...my grocery store job has been stressing me a bit these past few weeks, too. Mostly it is the schedule. For MONTHS I have had the same schedule: Thursday off, and 5a.m. to noon the other 3 days I work. So, I took a chance and offered to work Thursday at the kennel...so the grocery store scheduled me off on SUNDAY that week!! of course. and Sunday at the grocery is time and a half! So I had to find someone to work my Thursday shift which lost me another day there. I do get paid more at the vet, and it was an hour longer shift, so I didn't miss out there, but I lost my time and a half 6.5 hour shift to a day spent going back and forth a.m./noon/p.m. to take care of the animals for a grand total of 3.5 hours!! That sucks.
So this week, it didn't really matter my schedule because I'm just waiting for Friday...a day off AND a hair cut!
EXCEPT...this week I got scheduled the 4:30 am. shift on Wednesday! No biggie...though I am going over to spend the day, ending in a pizza party, with my family that day. If only I had gotten Thursday off, but I didn't and after working Thursday morning...I have to go back to the vet at 5 pm. for a staff meeting!! I will probably fall asleep while Maria is cutting my hair!!
And in the middle of all of this, I have not had even 25 minutes free to do my quick workout...I haven't worked out since SATURDAY!! I feel gross! On top of that, I just got my new clarinet and haven't had time to play it...unless you count the few minutes I took it out, put it together, tried to get some sound out but couldn't, so I put it away until I can actually sit and mess around with it...
It really sucks not having even ONE MINUTE to do something fun. These early hours in the morning are nice...sitting with my coffee and computer, but it's no time for working out or playing clarinets.
Sad story over...
Gosh, Jen, I am sorry. And of course now you are saddled with coming to my party, sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably a silly question, but is there anyway you can just quit one of your jobs? You are pretty good about budgeting and being tight with your money, why put yourself through all this? It isn't as if you have 20 kids to feed. I just wonder if maybe you are putting yourself through this because somehow you feel guilty if you DON"T work a lot. If you like your vet job, just do that and cut corners, or grocery store job, or at least work one less day at grocery store, I don't want to see you with a stroke or ulcer! What does hubby think of all this work?
Holy cow!! I feel so bad for you right now. I always bitched about my 6 day a week schedule. I don't know how you do it but I really want you to get out of there! From one over worked and underpaid person to another - you HAVE to find a way out. Pssst - I didn't even realize I was being held captive and brainwashed till I snapped and quit! Well, I was the one brainwashing and holding myself captive. I know it will be hard because who has the time to job hunt while working 60 hours a week?? But you HAVE to find one job - normal hours. You deserve it! You will not believe how much I have become myself again after the "great french fry debacle of 2010" I am now (going crazy) wanting Aubrey to quit his really good job and be a musician full time and just be a happy and joyful couple - although we would be broke as hell... sorry I am blabbing but I just want you to break free too!
ReplyDeletesorry, ladies, let me clarify:
ReplyDeleteI LOVE having these two jobs, NORMALLY. but right now i am covering for a girl on vacation and so, I am having to pick up extra hours. actually, i was asked and agreed.
the super early morning shift...well, that was a fluke. it is only the second time i've gotten this shift and i think someone must've needed te day off.
i can honestly say that having one day off a week is the best thing for me. i feel like i am most productive when i know i only have the one day.
i was not complaining about my jobs...i was merely complaining about THIS WEEK. but it is almost over and i will breath a sigh of relief and things will be back to normal...and i will be happy!
and, atomic, i am excited about coming over for pizza and beers and birthday stuff...i'm calling it my cheat day so bring on the calories!!
I'm touched that you all were so concerned though!:)
Oh, good. I thought you might feel like a party is work at this point. I am glad you like your jobs, that is good then, you just are having a bad week. That is a much easier fix than changing jobs, just waiting out the week. Hey, and you can always bring that clarinet over, it might sound good with a recorder, guitar, piano, and voice. We could rock out some good ole' Christmas tunes. Good King Wensleslos anyone?
ReplyDelete