I have worked all week with a hideous cold that seemed to be worse every day. This was day four and counting and I really wanted to call in sick. However, I didn't. Each day my co-workers did not seem to notice that my voice was pretty weird and I kept blowing my nose. Last night was the sneezing and watery eyes phase. Today it was cranky in my head and bend towards the wind and it will soon be over kind of day!
Today is World AIDS day and I thought of many men I knew who died in the 1980s including Bill Day and Jim Hickey who hired me to do gardening and landscape maintenance. I also thought of handsome Dave Becker who was tall, blond and very good looking. Although I was never on Dave's "A" list, I remember him telling me how hard it was to feel so shitty every day living with AIDS. All of these men died decades ago now and yet their spirits live on in me.
I have been working now for almost two and a half months in a job that was supposed to be a garden job and now is much more like maintenance. We were asked to set out the garbage cans each week now as they pile strange duties on our jobs in order to get ready to lay people off. It is coming. The new ED could not lace his shoes if he had to bend over-he wears loafers-and seems to be micro-managing everyone. He told us we rake and sweep too much. Now we only do that two days a week. 7 acres of 110 trees that are all dropping their leaves. No more tidy campus. Welcome to my world.
I have been looking for work online three days a week because two days a week I walk the three Greyhounds at 6 AM. I want to stop thinking about being disappointed about my job and start doing something about it. I got excited when a dog kennel in the west county called me about my resume. I took my cell phone to work and on my break-read not while working!-I called them. The person in charge was seeing a client and so I said I could be available at noon for my 1/2 hour lunch. I sat in my car with my phone and waited while I ate my lunch. You guessed it. They never called back. They have yet to return my call and I get the message regardless. Welcome to the world of finding a good job!
Respect seems to be absent in all ways within context of working and finding a job lately. Respect means you call and you get a call back. Respect means that an applicant takes the time to send you a well prepared cover letter and resume and you treat them with the same consideration by returning their call. Each side can be successful but it seems groveling is all anyone can register. I cannot seem to get through the maze and yet I am still trying to renew my faith that one day, somehow I shall have the respect that I seek returned as I have given it. It is easy as the golden rule but most employers could not be bothered.
