. I unexpectedly left work early today at around 2:45 pm. There simply wasn't any work for me to do. He said it doesn't happen that often and I know he was conscious of the fact they promised me a certain number of hours (35 to 40). Still, I wasn't too upset to go home early as I can't stand just sitting around and trying to look busy. I still got in a 34-hour week.
On the way home I began to think about how I might use my precious newfound hours of daylight at home, but truth be told, I suddenly felt exhausted when I got home and I lay down for about a half hour. Then all I did was sit outside on the front stoop and drink a bottle of beer and read my weekly hometown newspaper. So, not terribly productive but enjoyed nonetheless!
I am liking the job more although yesterday I was feeling insecure about my standing there, I guess becus I overheard a phone conversation my manager had with my friend, the recruiter (who he put on speaker phone) talking about some candidates my manager saw as he's looking to fill some other position. The walls are very thin so I could hear the conversation quite clearly! He was talking about how this one or that one had a stronger or dated portfolio, had a "great personality," and so on. So it gave me some insight as to how my manager thinks when reviewing candidates, and so then I wondered how my "personality" came across. It was never my strong point.
For many years, I never considered how employers might consider how I "fit" with the company, believing instead that my ability to do the job, and how well I did it, was all that mattered.
Now I clearly see that's very wrong, that when jobs are offered they definitely consider "personality" or "fit" with existing culture. And people tend to hire those they like.
So this morning I made a strategic move: I left for work early so I'd have time to stop and pick up a dozen croissants, muffins and bagels for everyone. I chose to buy them in the pricey town I work in and was shocked to pay $29 for a dozen of the above! It's just one small thing that can ingratiate you with others and help them feel you "fit in" with the group.
I hope I don't sound too calculating, but that's exactly why I did it, to ingratiate myself, as I now hope and want to be offered a perm job at this company. I'm finding the work fairly easy to do and I've fine tuned my commutes, coming and going, so it's now about 35 to 40 minutes each way.
And I can also easily commute home via back roads, which are far less stressful than the interstate. Initially, i gave up considering doing so because of the difficulty of making a left turn on a certain busy highway, but I have since found a better way to go. I would only take the highway route once it's pitch black at night (too many deer to hit on back roads) or if roads are snowy/icy.
I guess the only thing I don't like is that I've noticed that while my hours are 10 to 6, the others are all there when I arrive (no doubt getting there at 9 or earlier) and they are all still there when I leave! As a contractor, I don't feel bad about leaving at 6 pm although I usually ask "if there's anything else I can do." But as far as I know, they're all on salary and it looks like they work at last 9-10 hours daily, which I would not like!
However, I've also learned through a casual conversation that at least one of the people who is there only very occasionally is not a part-timer, but simply someone who works remotely. So there's hope that perhaps I could do that as well.
I think they like my work so far, and have gotten a few tidbits/comments here and there from various people about certain things I rewrote or things I caught in editing that were good catches.
But anyway, it was a "treat" to get out of there early today, even if I sacrificed, oh, around $100.
I have a pile of stuff to do over the weekend but hope to just relax a little bit and enjoy my free time.
I suspect my 2 withholdings that I'm claiming for this job are not enough, and I calculated that my income for 2017, between unemployment benefits, my work at E. agency last spring, investment income, art sales and my work at this job will be about $44,000. So now I need to figure out how much I've already paid in taxes to determine if I should increase my withholdings. My first paycheck netted just $885 for one week's work. It would be nice, psychologically, if it were at least $1,000.
Oh! So I realized I never got around to posting the pix from my town's Labor Day parade. It's a real "Americana" kind of thing, and I do enjoy going. Here are some random photos I thought you might enjoy.
We had a great turnout and the weather was good.
Antique car lovers
This one looks like the one my family had when I was little. Same color too.
Shriners pipe and drum band
A senior calypso band
Clowns
This one creeps me out a little.
A group that dresses up each year in Colonial garb
This is the 2nd Company Governors Horse Guard, 1 of just 2 left in the state and the stables are right in town. In continuous operation since the 1800s despite regular threats of no money and shutdowns.
Fairfield Gaelic Pipe Band
The first of many tractors
More tractors
Each of our town's 5 neighborhoods - Newtown, Botsford, Sandy Hook, Dodgingtown and Hawleyville - have their own fire departments. But we're all one town. Not sure but the guys on foot may be police.
More firemen
Hawaiian dancers
Local kung fu studio gave a demo as they marched.
Latino dancers
Can't forget the men
Little cheerleaders
More bagpipes
Local bridle association
More cheerleaders
Protect Our Pollinators is a local group that aims to increase awareness about the threat to bees and other pollinators.
Shriners...I heard that one got in an accident during the parade but no one was hurt.
Square dancers swung to polka tunes. Truly a dying dance type, at least around here!
Underwater Search & Rescue
Girl scouts
The Wells Fargo Bank horse and carriage.Don't care much for the bank but I like the horse and carriage.
The Weekend is Here & Labor Day parade pix
October 6th, 2017 at 10:02 pm
October 7th, 2017 at 02:30 am 1507343428
October 7th, 2017 at 03:36 am 1507347373
I think your doughnut plan is good. Sometimes you have to be a little bit calculating.
October 7th, 2017 at 09:58 am 1507370306
https://www.metabunk.org/debunked-monsanto-wants-to-replace-the-bees-they-are-killing-with-genetically-engineered-flying-ant.t6767/
You can always tell when something is a hoax when you don't see any credible, mainstream news outlets as sources, like the NYT, Wahington Post, LA Times, etc. This was the case when I Googled "Monsanto genetically engineereed bees."
Thanks goodness for that!
October 7th, 2017 at 10:55 am 1507373756
Regarding the job, I'd say go in with a smile. Walk around in the morning to meet others, just a simple hello can go a long way. You can can also assist others when things are slow.
October 7th, 2017 at 11:33 am 1507376012
October 7th, 2017 at 07:26 pm 1507404397
I think buying the doughnuts was a smart move. I don't think it is calculating, but what I call playing the game. You are smart to be thinking and being attentive...Years ago I was in a grad class and each week we had to write a two page paper...no longer, no shorter. It was on a topic of the week and we had to write a summary and then relate it to things. This was in education and I had overheard the prof say how much he loved a couple programs for low poverty families. Each week he wrote a series of questions on the board. He never talked about those questions, never said what they were, but being a copious note taker, I copied them down. After reading the first article, I realized they were questions that if I answered, would be the first page of the two page paper -- basically the summary. Each time I related the article to one of the two programs he liked. I received an A each week, much to the chagrin of some of the folks sitting around me. Two guys asked me how I always got an A and I revealed the questions...they never wrote them down before and never really thought anything of them. I paid attention to what he wrote and I listened to what he had to say. Oh yeah, the name of the course...Politics of Education.
October 7th, 2017 at 09:37 pm 1507412255
October 7th, 2017 at 09:41 pm 1507412470