Nonsense

[Sapphire Silk]

Yes.



I also hate "get a real job". I happen to really, really like working in customer service (thankfully I'm really good at letting crap go and holding on to the good stuff) but I feel really pressured to go back to school. Hell that pressure is why I didn't take a pretty sweet job as a receptionist at a chiropractic place (that would have paid about $15,000 more than I make now, with better benefits, and fewer hours), even though I was falling apart and failing most of my classes, I just felt like I had to finish school. So here I am a couple years (and a good bit of tuition) later, no degree and making crap per hour, but I'm happy and actually emotionally stable. I'm so happy in fact that I have more or less decided to scrap my plans for a psy degree and get one in hospitality management, even though some people think it is a "lowly" career path. Sorry to derail things, I can get a bit ranty about the subject.

Hey, any job where you are making an honest wage and paying taxes is a real job, IMHO.

I can recall driving by one of the Liberty Tax dancers last year with EE in the car, and making the comment something along of the lines of I was glad I didn't have that job, and feeling sorry for the folks who were actually doing.

EE said something along the lines of any job is a good one when you don't have one, and anyone willing to work and who does work was deserving of respect regardless of what the job is.

She's right. It's not up to me or anyone else to judge what someone does for a living. What matters is, supporting yourself/your family. We can't always have the job we want. Sometimes a "bad" job is a stepping stone to something better.

But you have to have respect to someone who would rather work than sponge off society. Who looks at a job many would not consider as an opportunity. And sometimes being happy in your work comes from surprising places. Being happy in your work is better for your long term mental health than sticking in a job you hate (even if you make more money).

Just my

Not everyone needs a college degree to find the kind of job they will be happy doing; that pays the bills, gives them satisfaction, AND self respect.

[EvilEmpryss]

To Solumina, Gaki, and anyone else here who gets grief for the job they either chose or ar stuck with due to the economy: Screw what anyone else thinks about what you do for a living. If it's legal, contributes in any way to the greater good of society, and you're happy with what you do and the life it allows you to lead, go for it!

I would never want to work sanitation, pest control, or public transportation, but I'm damn glad that there are others who will and I respect them for it. If it was up to me to do it the city would be eyeballs-deep in roach-infested garbage with no way to get away from it.

[alowlypotato]

I've found that, a lot of times, the people who say "get a real job" are very unhappy in theirs -- and they've come to think that their unhappiness means that they're "working harder." It's really not that surprising; we're kind of brought up to believe that we'll most likely be miserable in our jobs, and that this is both normal and okay. We're brought up to believe that the most important aspect of one's job is its earning potential, and that one should sacrifice on-the-job happiness in order to make as much money as possible. Oh, sure, lip service is given to the whole "do what makes you happy" ethos, but it's not really viewed as being terribly important or especially viable.

I bought into all of that for a while. After I graduated college, I got a "proper" office job (in insurance, my state's biggest industry *ugh*) working out of a cubicle. And I absolutely hated it. I was a ball of stress, anxiety, and depression, and as time went on, it became increasingly difficult to pull myself out of bed in the morning. Now, I'm a teller, and some people question that, but ya know what? I like it! Oh, sure, the members piss me off sometimes, but overall, it's gravy. I'll never make as much as I would have if I'd stuck with my previous gig, but I've retained my sanity and I'm enjoying my life.

So, I say, screw the talk about "real jobs," for two reasons: first, as others have said, if you're working and getting paid, it's a job -- period. Second, having the "right" kind of job and making oodles of money really doesn't amount to much if every single day of your life is punctuated by misery and drudgery.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Gaki, I don't know what state you're in but we have those Lady Liberty folks out and about in my town too. In fact, we've got one of those tax places right next door to the Litter Box I work at.

I've heard a couple of my coworkers commenting on the folks in the costumes out at the road and saying they wouldn't do that for all the money in the world.

Guarantee you if they lost their job tomorrow, they'd be applying for anything that would bring some money into their households to help with food, rent and bills.

If you're making actual money that you can use toward your rent, bills, food etc, then it's a real job.

BTW, I hope you've got plenty of warm thermals to wear underneath your costume. It's been pretty cold lately though most of the country and it doesn't look like it's going to get any better.

[RootedPhoenix]

I still don't get it...

I've only been working for four days and I've been flipped off five times. All by men. I don't really understand how this makes them macho or cool or whatever, it really doesn't make sense to me. I'm still confused.

Blow a kiss at them.

[XCashier]

I get paid to dance and listen to music for three hours, plus my bosses give me money for coffee and I get free hot cocoa and donuts.

Doesn't sound half bad to me!

I've had loads of jobs, everything from office work to retail to enjoyable temp jobs (moving cars at an auto auction) to horrible temp jobs like packaging seeds in a freezing, filthy warehouse. They were all real jobs. They paid real wages, took out real taxes, and helped me pay my real rent and real groceries. Loads of people did the same thing these past few years, and our grandparents did the same during the Great Depression. You do what you've gotta do to get by, and if you're lucky, you can get a job you can have some fun with. I wish these job snobs would get a clue.

[Spork4pedro]

Hehe...back in my working days I used to love tax season! Why?

Because tax season was our SLLLOOOOWW time of year (smoothie place) so we had more free time for advertising or "BANANA SUIT" time! We'd send out employees wearing the banana suit holding up our latest promo signs and since we were across the street from lady liberty tax, drivers often would see a banana among the group of lady libertys (liberties? hmm..) It always cracked me up to see the looks on people's faces when they would pass by!

[PepperElf]

I stand outside on the corner and wave.

brrrr. i just hope you're keeping warm. i don't think i saw your company up north in my old state but i've seen them in the south. and it has snowed here lately.

s back

[dalesys]

...see a banana among the group of lady libertys ...

... always makes my banana cream ... Soupy Sales

[jedikuonji]

Last time someone told me to get a real job, I told them I was retired and was just doing this because I was bored and wanted to meet new people. Really threw them off.

If only it were true.

[chainedbarista]

we have 'lady' liberty out now, but she has a banana of her own.

real job?

let's see...does it pay your rent/bills? does it help put food on your table? are you paying taxes? if you answer yes, then it is indeed, a real job.

[Andara Bledin]

Count me as someone who spotted a Liberty on the street recently and though, "Oh, hey, time for more Liberty CS stories!"

^-.-^

[Sapphire Silk]

drivers often would see a banana among the group of lady libertys (liberties? hmm..) libertines. It always cracked me up to see the looks on people's faces when they would pass by!

Fixed it for you

[Gaki]

You guys are so great! I didn't think anyone remembered my Liberty stories! Haha! I absolutely love this job. Whenever it gets cold (I'm still above the Mason Dixon line) I just dance like a crazy person until my feet and hands warm up! I wear a pair of socks, a pair of tights, a pair of UBER SOCKS, and lots of layers up top! I wear both a hat AND a pair of earmuffs (I have a condition that makes me really prone to frostbite so I protect all the sensitive bits) and my bosses make sure I have PLENTY of those shake-up hand-warmers.

My bosses are the most amazing people ever. One dances around with us on weekends when we're working and even practiced flipping the giant signs over the summer so he could do tricks with them! The other walked out the other day and told us we were all hardcore 'cause she knows SHE couldn't do it.

I feel like this job is the perfect way to get a feel for the wild side of yourself and the Tax place really loves us. They go out of their way to make sure we feel proud of what we do and I'm so grateful to have bosses that take care of me that way!

It's the perfect job for a college student and I'm thankful to have it. I get money, I have fun, and I feel appreciated. I remember once hearing that the greatest human need is to feel appreciated and this job gives that to me and that's why I feel like it's totally, 100% REAL.

[Sapphire Silk]

OK, Gaki, I just gotta ask . . .

Does this really bring in customers? Maybe it should seem obvious since they do it year after year, but I'm really curious as to how good a marketing tool this is.