Employment, officially, week one.

"Where...to begin?" (Sorry for "TDK" enthusiasts...it's just kind of appropriate since I started this gig on a Friday of all days.)

Shirking insuraNce...

Now, when I started papering teh interwebs after my initial unemployment, I figured it'd be a slow and arduous journey to get work. I fretted and fumed. And when I got the first nibble I jumped at it, confident my business was out there enough to see if I would get "perm" employment when it arose.

So I do the shaky startnig job "thing "last Friday- I'm getting out and feeling over my head. I'm ready. I'm jazzed. I'll take anything. The following weekend was bliss, but my cautious optimism is tempered by my feeling of dread over the position along with a resolve to maintain what I have. Except for the pre-blogged things I've spoke of ("You have a position to sell insurance? Really?" I deleted those emails) Well then I re-meet my trainer and he's verbal. Ultra verbal. And has worse ADHD than I do. ("Okay, when logging in here...do you like pancakes?") It may be best to describe them...via bullets. First off, this office is very, lax. Like, they curse. Hurl insults at each other. Make (albeit, harmless) comments that a policy was hard to land between two folks because of the language barrier. And the worst? (Help me if I'm being too sensitive.) They call things "retarded" or "gay". (My trainer said "So, if they are 'partners' do they prefer 'gay partners'? 'We're gay'? 'Homosexual relationship'? What?" I said "Domestic partnership is safest and PC")

Okay. Trainer first:

• Yeah...10+ years younger than I am ("Wow? I thought you were, like, 28 at the most?" when I only told him I was over 30. I'm not super comfortable mentioning my age in the workplace, deeming it a little damning in the long-run)
• He's young, ultra-conservative, and heavily influenced (Meaning, when he rants...he quotes them) by Limbaugh/Hannity/Lewis et.al. Baaasically a "homeless can help themselves" guy, where I corrected him saying "What if they have a diagnosed mental illness?" He didn't have an answer.
• Told me he "hates" the gov't and taxes. (No explanation to me on that one. He just gets really fired up.)
• Thinks the AIG bailout is hypocrisy ("If the execs worked their way to that position, who are we to decide whether they get it or not?"/"What about the peons that help support the overall bottom line?" I caution. Again..."I see your point")
• Hates his in-laws. (He's 24, you see. And one of them is on SS and disability. They, apparently, are sucking off the system)
• My fave- Students loans are stupid. And shouldn't be given. Or aid. If you can afford to go to school, or have a scholarship in, say, baseball it's okay. (I pointed out that when-in an earlier conversation- he thinks that people should be able to pursue happiness no matter what their station and if they hate their job to do something about it...find another job that fits..that it just doesn't make sense.) Let me clarify, that without judgement I learned he had his college paid for by his folks. Full ride. And he was okay with that. Just not others. He thought that it was important to realize that some parents worked THEIR butts off to send their kids to school. I failed to respond.
• Besides quitting at such a young age, he has nothing lined up outside of helping his dad to fix condemned property. He doesn't care. He has enough saved up. No debt. He's excited. Ambitious. Annnnd (no judgement folks. Nice if you can get it) lives in his folks basement. ("Well, it is a nice basement. They're never home. And it's 1,800 square feet. It's like we own the place." He was quiet when I asked if they bought groceries for everyone. Apparently, they do)
• He wriggles his nose at everything/place I mention for food. He thinks the world revolves around meat and potatoes...or hamburger helper. ("Whaddya do last night?"/ "Moda and I made veggie tacos and watched 'Vicky Cristina Barce-"/"That. Sounds. Awful")

Yeah. Don't get me started on the other co-worker in the joint. That'll be another blog.

Point is, I don't feel like I "fit" in with the culture there. They're still grooming sales and that is a business I don't feel really comfortable in. Again, it'll do in a pinch (meaning now) but I'm starting to feel the pinch. And it's kind of hurting. And I've even put on my happy face the last two days.

Sighs.