Nerd in Transition: I Got A Job!!!
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a blogumn by Kelly Kaboom Lett
After almost two years stuck in unemployment I finally have a job. Not just any job, but a big, bad, full time, benefits and all, corporate job. It’s refreshing to be earning money without having to wear an apron or god awful khaki pant uniform. In fact I don’t have to wear anything, I could do this job buck naked, cause I telecommute. Hell, today I didn’t get out of my pj’s until around 1. It didn’t suck. It strikes me as ironic that after almost two years sitting around doing nothing, I would land a corporate gig where I sit around doing nothing. I also get to make my own hours, so Derby and I still go to the dog park in the morning and on a hike in the afternoon. I just have to make sure that I tap away at my company issued computer for 37-40 hours a week.
So what is this bona fide big girl job? I’m a deal entry specialist for an internet company that originated in Santa Monica called Savings.com. A couple years ago they expanded to the UK and created a sister site, Savoo.co.uk. The popularity of the UK site is growing rapidly causing a need to expand the work force. One resume, multiple reference checks both personal and professional, a criminal background check, three interviews, a good word from a friend already on the inside and lots of prayers from famliy, friends and the wide world of Facebook and TA-DA! I have the perfect job for a struggling actor/writer. The job basically consists of me checking my assigned list of merchants to ensure that all the deals are up to date and working, so lots of data entry, which does get a bit tedious. The good news is that part of their expansion plan is to create a social network based on shopping, in which case they need bloggers. That means that this blog right here and your interest in it helped get me a job. I thank you for that dear reader. Starting next week I will be submitting two blogs a week for them. That’s alot of writing about what’s going on in the UK, especially for some one living in LA.
Though the data entry gets tedious and being chained to the computer for 8 hours a day is tiresome I have no doubt that this job will be good for me for an infinite number of reasons. There are the obvious things such as a great hourly rate with it’s buddy medical/dental/vision/chiropractic/acupuncture benefits card. Getting off government assistance and the low life depression that comes with it. The return of a schedule is already helping me to stay on course with my projects that tended to stop and start when I had all 24 hours to work on them. I’m eager to play catch up on some bills, but even more eager to get a bike and join the downtown YMCA. Derby Dog is eager for the puppy I have been promising her for the past 9 months. That will be nice for both of us, Derby can’t understand why I’m still at home but am no longer interacting with her that much or why we aren’t going to the park for an hour or two to read and chase squirrels. And the fact that I can make up my own schedule is priceless for an actor with auditions that come up at a moments notice. Really what I think this job is going to do is force my writing. Having to submit two blogs a week and continue NIT will be difficult at first, but it will get me into the habit of writing almost daily. That should turn into me writing daily. As it stands I have two pilots, a play, a novel and a screenplay banging around in my head; if I don’t get them out I will die with heavy regret.
Nothing is perfect, this job does come with downsides. Right now I don’t have a very good chair and as a 32 year old woman that played roller derby for the last six years, my back just isn’t what it used to be; a home office is on the list of new purchases, that’s for damn sure. And being at home puts me really close to the kitchen, really REALLY close. I will be getting back on my diet and stocking up with only good, out with the bad. Just the transition to the corporate world was difficult. It took me an extra week to handle all the paperwork and sign up for all the different company networking sites. The other guy that they hired at the same time as me had all that done in like a day or two.
This really is a big leap for me. Already in my third week I’m starting to get over my fear of the job and fear that they are going to find out I’m not really an adult and fire my ass. It might take me awhile to get over the fear of actually getting what I wanted AND needed all at once. I put myself on a new path of growth, redemption and success a few months back and it’s starting to work. Things are happening all around me. Father God, do not let me sabotage it all now.
Photo Credit: merwing little dear (click on pic for details)
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