Thursday, January 10, 2008

Is this it?

This is the fourth day in a row that I have been hating my job with a roiling passion.

Most of my teaching career, I have not hated it. I have loved it. Mostly. But the last four days, I have been having fantasies of becoming a postal worker or a bee keeper or a cocktail waitress or - hell - even a cashier at a bookstore.*

Is this it? Is this what it is like for everyone else? The hating of the job, thing, I mean?

Instead of grinding away at the novelty of my hatred, I'll just say that yes, I do grind my teeth when I sleep and I can't help it because I am unconscious when I am doing it. If that turns out to be the grossest thing about me, I'll consider myself fortunate. (It's not.) (The grossest, that is).

Picture I took at some unsociable hour this morning:



I'll write again when I am feeling... some other way than the way I am feeling right now.

Thank you for reading.


*stop laughing, Supajewie. Nobody knows about that but you and me.

17 comments:

Sandy said...

Your view is beautiful! If a bit grumpy!
:D

Anonymous said...

My "I hate my job and I'm going to quit and become a..." career choice has always been a night attendant at a petrol (translation=gas) station. Of course there aren't allowed to be any customers on my shift, i will spend the entire night watching TV and reading books.

P said...

I hate my job. Until I went to India, my escape hatch was to become a barista at Starbucks, but now I'm thinking I'll just move to Rajasthan and become a miniature painter.

I also grind my teeth into little nubbins. See above.

LizLSB said...

You read my blog, so you know it isn't out of the ordinary for a teacher to have moments where she hates her job. :X There are days where I fantasize about what other things I could do with a teaching degree. I wonder things like, "Could they use teachers on cruise ships?" I have considered alternate settings a lot; a colleague of mine teaches adult ed in a prison. Another person I know teaches in a mental hospital. With either of these, at least you would have a captive audience. Har dee har har.

Great view, anyway.

EmmaL said...

Very cool picture. I don't know about the job hating thing - I need to post about it because on the one hand I would say I love my job - but I'm not sure anymore. I also grind my teeth - in fact - I have tiny cracks in some of them apparently and cracked one of the back ones in half once - so yes, I too must wear a molded piece of plastic to sleep.

ByJane said...

I grind my teeth.
I have ground my teeth.
I will always grind my teeth.
The teeth, they will be ground by me.

The teaching, it sucketh (as Shakespeare used to say--but that was about bees, wasn't it). Perhaps teaching is meaningful, blah blah blah for those who are nurturing little minds. But comp? Ha! I hesitate to say more because I wanted this to be an uplifting comment. Ha!

Nick & Lizzy said...

Maybe you could, um, quit your job and become a photographer??? Because that is an AWESOME photo!!! :)

Megan said...

This too shall pass—I hope.

Photographer... I think that'd work.

Jennifer said...

Nina... sorry you are hating your job... and unfortunatly I do think everyone goes through this.. that is why they call it "work" if it was fun, everyone would be doing it. ;)
I LOVE the picture you took! What an amazing view, I'm totally and completely jealous!! Really! You have to add more pics of your fab view!!:)
I hope you are having a better day! I was just going to crack open a nice cold beer since I will be here at the computer for HOURS trying to save some pics, I'll make a toast to you having better times with your job!
hugs, Jenn

PS can I add you to my blog roll???

Kate P said...

Sorry about the job bummer. It just might be cyclic or environmental, so hang in there.

Anonymous said...

Wow what a great photo Nina - Brilliant. Sorry you are hating your job right now. It seems to be going around :( Hang in there and hopefully things will look up. I have to agree with others though - ever thought of becoming a photographer?

Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner said...

I was frustrated with my job (though I didn't hate it)...quit to become a "consultant." Now sometimes I hate that I don't have a job to go to to get away from the laundry and the fridge, but most of the time I'm lovin' it.

Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner said...

BTW...I've always hated "moist."

Liz said...

Nice photo!

I hate my job, and it pays well, and I have great insurance, but I hate my job and I want to get out but things just go wrong.

Fuckitall.

Nina said...

Sandy, Yes, I know. I have not been full of sunshine this week. Perhaps next week.

Dan, thanks for stopping by. I would love that job, too, but do you KNOW how many Cheeto runs Britney makes in the middle of the night? Not a peaceful job at all, man.

P, mmm India. mmm miniatures. I am so glad you are home and I love the pictures

LizB, I know you know. I know. This knowing is one of the many reason why I come running every time you post.. Because you know.

LAS, oh, you grind your teeth, too? Have you been told by your dentist that the ligaments in your skull are stretched out and worn thin because in the middle of the night you BITE DOWN LIKE YOU ARE IN CHILD-BEARTH? It's so awesome. Well, no. Not really. But since we are sleeping and the urge to clench our jaws shut as tightly as possible is genetic... well. I guess that just makes us unique. (Get the mouth guard if you do not already have one).

byJane, do YOU have a mouth-guard? You know, the ones that cost $725 retail and are supposed to keep you from destroying your skull with your need to BITE stuff in the middle of the night? I like mine. If I am home during the day, I sometimes chew on it all day, just because I can.

Ahem, yes, the teaching sucks unless I make it not suck by doing whatever I want. More than ever, I am going to do exactly that: just as I please. Including poetry for kicks and field trips and grammar candy-land. Because I really need to like my job again.

Marlee, sometimes people say that to me. Sometimes people say I should try to sell my photographs. The thing is, I have no training in photography and I have always wondered: do people really give MONEY for pics? It wouldn't matter for me, anyway. I'd give anything I shot with my camera to anyone who wanted it. Which is why I work in the low paying, high skilled sector. Yeah.

Finn, so nice to see you! I love your blog - hope you enjoy mine.

Jennifer, thanks for stopping by - and of course you can add me to your blogroll - honored to be included. Be warned: I swear a lot and I drink too much and I am wrong about almost everything. If these facts don't bother you... add, add!

Kate P, thanks for the encouragement. I do feel better. It is nice to see you. Can I link to you yet?

Cyli, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I have not seriously thought of becoming a photographer - mostly because I post all my good pictures on my blog. Also, even though I hate my job right now, I know who I am. I teach stuff. I hate my job about 10 days a year. It ain't that bad.

jen, consulting sounds kind of sexy. Also, moist is a great example of onomatopoeia - and that fact is, I think, the reason why people hate it so much. But think of torso! ...ew...

Liz, if you are Liz - and I think you are - you are overdue and then some for a truckload of good karma.

Internet people with a minute to spare should go say encouraging things to the lovely Liz. Please, go now.

ByJane said...

I do have one of those very expensive nightguards. It's the mark of middle class angst.

Liz said...

Thanks, Nina. It's amazing that sometimes you think things can't get worse and then they do.