Saturday, February 21, 2009

My Excitement : All About Work



Wow. I am so excited! I got a call a couple of nights ago about a job interview for a really excellent job I applied for back in May. I am surprised they called me – I had given up hope and was about to re-apply even though I didn’t think they would be hiring any time soon. I am not going to say what it is because I don’t want to jinx it but if I get this job I will be super happy. It will kind of be in the field of psychology (more like social work but that is pretty close) and is a great opportunity. The only down side is that I probably won’t be able to go to school full time.

Even if I don’t get this job things are looking up at my McDonald’s job. I got a raise and promotion to crew trainer (I get to help train people). All of us at the restaurant got nice sweaters (with the golden arches embroidered on it of course and dorky me was pretty excited about it) for winning some kind of contest. I got a great compliment from my manager about my order taking - it is nice to know you are appreciated.

As much as I would like another job (more money is the key factor in this), there are things I really like about working at McDonalds. It works for a full-time student – the schedule is flexible and only as demanding as you want it to be. It is usually fast paced and I get to keep moving. I work with some awesome, hardworking people (young and old) and for the most part I really like waiting on people (it is a fun, safe and not so sad way of helping people as opposed to being a paramedic, nurse or doctor), especially when they are super nice. I have gotten many compliments on my eyes, my smile, my voice, and my service. One lady was just blown away by how nice I was to her – she told me repeatedly “You seem like a really nice person – warm. You have lovely, warm eyes. Yes, you really are a nice person.” Haha I was going to be a smart aleck and tell her “It is called ACTING!” but I refrained. All teasing aside, it is lovely people like that lady that make my day.

A downside to working at McDonalds is the way some people treat you or try to insult you because you work in fast food - like you are dumb or worthless for working at such a place. Yeah, it is not brain surgery but how would these snobs get their cheap, ass expanding, fast food if everyone was as stuck up as them? No one could get a .99 cent burger or a cup of coffee for less than $4 if we were all as snobbish.

A couple of months ago someone tried to insult me, in a roundabout way, for working at McDonalds – I assumed this person would try to do this at some point or another because they are rotten like that. I felt like telling this person “I’m Lovin’ It!” hahaha, but I didn’t think this person would get it. I think that this person identifies too strongly with their work/job (or maybe it is how much money a person makes? Yes it could be all about money for this person) and thinks it defines them as a person. People like that do not realize that where somebody works (their job title or how much money they make) is only a small part of who that person is. I guess it is all about prestige, money and ego for some people. It is not about that for me and never has been. Sure work is just a way to get money but also I like to be able to have fun at work, and feel I am helping people in some way. People need to eat, right? I guess what I am trying to say is that some people shouldn’t take things so seriously (is that the right word - maybe people shouldn’t be so ‘pompous’ all the time.) You can lose a job in a heartbeat (especially in this economy) and then what do you have to fall back on? You have only yourself (and of course your friends and family). I guess that is a blog for another day.


Recently a customer insulted a co-worker to her face, said she was just a stupid McDonald’s employee (or something along those lines – little do some people appreciate the fact that if they have a job with benefits and pays more than the minimum, they're just plain lucky - we have people with degrees working at McD’s). This co-worker let our manager deal with this mean person but she summed it up the situation nicely. Besides stating the fact that she is a mother and as a mother her kids come first she said “It is just a job, most everybody has to work. They may insult me for working at McDonalds but that just shows what kind of person they are- an asshole. They might be here tomorrow looking for a job or worse -then how are they gonna’ feel.” As my Dad used to tell me – Somebody has to be the ditch digger.

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