Chapter 37: Things I Learned from Work
06 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in writing craft Tags: change, flexibility, work
I admit, I don’t usually pay a whole lot of attention when I’m at work. I mean, I do my job but I’m not looking for life altering experiences or lessons learned. However, there are rare occations when work actually teaches me something.
NOT.
Today I came into the office early and assumed that after sorting out a few emails from student workers and asking people to cover some added on catering shifts that I wouldn’t have a whole lot to do with my day. Well, I mean… I’m writing this blog in the office so maybe I have less to do than I’m claiming. Anyway, my point is that I was planning on kicking back, listening to Pandora Radio, fiddling with the new website I’m making for the student schedule, and enjoying the peace and quiet of an office where almost everyone has off since it’s a slow day.
Little did I know that someone at the University of Delaware thought it would be a splendid idea to change the football game from Saturday morning to Friday night. In doing so, they completely destroyed my lovely schedule for this week. Now I’m forced to change people all around and plead with workers to still do the shift. Most of them are probably going to have to find coverage, or even better… rely on me to find coverage for them.
Yay, my life is now complete because someone wanted a Friday football game!
So what does this teach me? Sometimes you just have to be flexible.
Goddamn it.
Cheers and Good Writing,
Cara Spinosa
Nanowrimo Day 17: Working while you work
17 Nov 2010 1 Comment
in nanowrimo, writing craft Tags: brains, catering, work
It looks like today is going to have to be my catch up day for writing. While I’m still more or less ahead of the curve, it’s starting to chomp at my heels. I’ve been too busy paying more attention to less important things. You know, like my day job.
I do have a gem of wisdom for those of you out there who, like myself, are concerned that their day jobs are really cutting into their writing time…
Work while you work.
Don't do this while at your job OR while writing.
Now, I can’t do this all the time because half of my job keeps me on my feet, away from a computer or even a pen and paper, and is physically demanding. I can’t balance a tray of dishes on one hand and write with the other, unfortunately. However, when I’m doing the part of my job that requires me to be in the office checking email, replying to worker questions, making the schedule for the week… You’d better believe that I work while I work. For that matter, I also work while I work when I’m not completely busy serving clients. If I’m keeping an eye on a buffet or a basket of cookies, I’m working while I work.
I’m not saying that you should necessarily actually add to your manuscript when you’re at work. If you do, and you get fired, don’t blame me please. Some folks might be able to do this, but most of us simply can’t. What I mean for you to do is to plot, construct, and ponder. If need be, write things down so you don’t forget. But otherwise, just think.
I have an awfully lot of down time in my brain when I’m doing other things. It definitely doesn’t take all of my brain to reply to student employee emails and tell them that their shift was changed to a different time.
I think about where my plot is going. Sometimes I even craft scenes. I just have to hope that if I can’t jot a note to myself that I remember what I thought up when I get home. Although, sometimes… like with dreams… the idea becomes fuzzy but you can make it even more interesting by attempting to remember it and by filling in where you forgot.
Cheers and Good Writing,
Cara Spinosa
Chapter 10: Moving On Up
26 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in not at all related Tags: career, day job, promotion, work
Since I’ve been working quite a bit at my day job lately I’ve found it difficult to maintain the writing schedule that I wanted to keep for myself. I assume that this is a problem that all writers who are forced to hold down “real” jobs to pay the bills face. I dedicate this post to everyone who wants to be a full time writer who isn’t married to Bill Gates and whose distant Uncle Moneybags didn’t leave them a small fortune when he died. This blog’s for you.
So, as I may or may not have mentioned somewhere else in this blog, I work for the University of Delaware’s Catering service. I started out as a lowly server wearing only a sparse gray t-shirt but in Fall of 2009 I was promoted to student supervisor and was given the coveted blue polo shirt. I’m pretty sure that most jobs are ranked by shirt. The president gets to wear the best, coolest shirt of all… right? Anyway, I didn’t even want to apply for the student supervisor job. I had attempted to apply for a “party supervisor” jobs which was up for grabs. For those of you who don’t know the jargon, I’ll show you the catering rankings for UD:
- Server (Gray Shirt)
- Student Supervisor (Blue Shirt)
- Student Manager (…Still a Blue Shirt but with more responsibility)
- Party Supervisor (Here you get to start wearing DRESS CLOTHES. GASP.)
- Manager
- Assistant Catering Director
- Catering Director
- …Other even more important people
Food in this picture may appear more delicious than it really is.
So I didn’t get the party super job, although I had been told by several managers that I should apply for it. Go figure. I’m not sure who does the hiring for that position. Instead I was then told to sign up to become a student supervisor. This position I did get, along with my spiffy new blue polo shirt. Okay, so the shirt is way too big on me and looks ridiculous. There are no medium sized shirts in the office. I have to wear a large, which might as well be a dress on me… but it’s just so blue. Way better than gray.
Personally, I think the funniest thing about me getting the student supervisor position is the fact that I’m not a student. I didn’t get hired by UD until a week or two after I had graduated with my bachelor’s degree. We have several high school students working for catering, as well as some community college folks, but I think I’m the only one who works for catering who isn’t a student at all.
I continually have to remind people, as they talk about how they’re making so much money that this is my REAL JOB. Not a part time side job for pocket money. My real job. I watch them as they physically shudder to think that they too might be stuck working for UD catering after they graduate instead of finding that actress-doctor-lawyer-professor job of their dreams as soon as that diploma hits their impatient little hands.
Not to worry, they are soon cheered by the reminder that all of that money they’re making working for catering is going to be spent on booze and tacky gifts on that spring break cruise their parents are paying for them to go on in a few months.
What I mean to say is: No Ungrateful College Kids Were Harmed In The Making Of This Blog.
So long story short, I just got kicked up another notch, as Emeril would say. I am now (unofficially) the new student manager. Once I get “rehired” by Aramark I will officially be the new student manager with all of the rights (a raise) and responsibilities (a ton) therein. Do I think that I’m smart enough to do this job? Certainly. Do I think that I can change the way that things work at catering? Probably not. While there are things I’d like to improve, I get the feeling that it’s not going to be that easy.
Also, I’m really not excited. You know what I did after I got the phone call telling me I had the job? I took a nap because I had to work from 2:30 to 10:30 pm later that day.
Everyone always wants you to be excited, to be totally stoked to get a promotion, but I really don’t care. They could promote me to Catering Director and I still wouldn’t care. This job is just a job. I don’t want to work for catering for the rest of my life. Some people might say that I myself am ungrateful to have a decent job in this crappy economy, but this job isn’t my life.
I don’t enjoy it. I don’t want to enjoy it. I don’t want to want to enjoy it.
I want to write.
Cheers and Good Writing,
Cara Spinosa
