The exercise:
Write about: the hiatus.
Because at the end of this week I say farewell to the bakery, at least for now. Possibly for good, but I guess we'll see where everything stands in six months.
In the meantime...
Mine:
I recently applied for, interviewed for, and was offered one of two six month contract positions with the Town of Osoyoos. It's not at all what I want to be doing long term, but as far as short term financial solutions go it's pretty solid.
I'm going to be cleaning town offices at the end of each weekday (rotating between Town Hall, Public Works (the division I'll be working for this summer), Planning and Development, Destination Osoyoos, and the brand new Fire Hall). But that won't be my main responsibility.
No, that'll be the parks around town.
I'll driving around in one of the Town trucks and opening up all of the public washrooms first thing, then going back around to clean them all. Once that's done I'll be collecting garbage in the parks themselves, along with the public beaches, while also monitoring supplies and cleanliness in the washrooms until it's time to end my day at one of the offices. Weekend shifts will be spent entirely in the parks and beaches.
Again, not exactly what I hoped to be doing while working for the town, but there were a couple motivating factors in wanting the position. Money being foremost, unsurprisingly. Basically if I had chosen to stick with the bakery and somehow managed to continue getting the hours I've been getting recently (as in never selling out early and always working 8 hour shifts), I'd be looking at making approximately half of what I'll be making with the town over the next six months.
Considering how unlikely that is, I'll be making a lot more than double in this new position.
The other bonus is the schedule: I'll be working four days on, four days off until mid-October. So instead of having just three days off between my four day week at the bakery, I get an extra day every time around. And timing wise, it's also going to allow me to attend the Penticton farmers market when our strawberries are ready without having to take any time off work.
I had my training/orientation session today (along with the lady who will be working the other side of the four day shifts) and I think it's going to be all right. When the parks get busy during peak summer months it'll be tougher going, but the rest of the contract should be pretty manageable. Spending a good chunk of my day walking the parks and beaches picking up litter is rather appealing, assuming spring arrives some time soon and summer isn't too crazy hot.
I'll find out soon, anyway. My first round of shifts begins April 18th.
And come October? I guess I'll see if the bakery is in need of my services again at that point. Or maybe another option will have come my way by then. We shall see.
Either way, this will be the last week of bakery stories for you guys. I'll try not to replace them with too many gross public bathroom stories.
No promises though.
3 comments:
A break, a pause
Whiling away the time
Ambitious and ready
Impatiently preparing for
The next step.
@Morganna: I think you've summed up the nature of a hiatus perfectly in your poem, and the acrostic is just a bonus of pure pleasure!
@Marc: wow, well done I think, though it's not entirely clear to me if this is an improvement or just a better paying change? It feels like you would have stayed at the bakery had all other things been equal, hence my confusion. But either way, it sounds like an interesting job, and the outdoors aspect sounds quite appealing too, so I hope you enjoy it! And I have no problem listening to the horror stories from the job -- I may have a few to tell from my days working cleaning Gatwick Airport as a summer job :)
Plus... no more frustration for you on not managing to sell absolutely everything every day ;-)
Hiatus
Stepping into the hall wakes the spell...
Dancers waltz in three-four time,
Laughter trills and glasses clink,
An orchestra keeps all in sync
for this fairy-tale sublime.
The prince appears at midnight,
With no princess at his side
His face is dark'ned by his pride
A bloody knif–
Hiatus, a step back.
The spell rewinds to the beginning.
Morganna - fantastic acrostic, as per usual with you. Really like what you've done with this one :)
Greg - thanks! So far I'd say it's an increase in wages and a slight decrease in job enjoyment. Mostly because I miss the friends I made at the bakery. But the crew at Public Works have been kind and welcoming and they're a good lot to work with. It's just that I'm on my own for a large portion of my shift.
Also: the bathroom grossness.
I was unaware that you worked as a cleaner at Gatwick! When was this?
This is an intriguing poem. I like the story it tells and the imagery used, and the reference to the spell is nicely done as well. I don't suppose there's more to tell and that you'll have time and inspiration to tell it?
Also: this reminded me that I miss reading your entries in the epic saga that you'd been working on. I imagine it would be hard to continue in your month of poetry, but perhaps you've returned to it in May?
I suppose there's only one way to find out... on with the catching up on comments!
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