The Strangest Thing

It's been a pretty wild week for me. I got a job. It pays $8.50 an hour and I'm glad that after so long, I finally have my own income. In one week I made almost $300.

I've never made that much in a week. Well, except for tax refunds.

The weird thing is, I don't even want to spend it. It's just sitting there (not in plain sight of course). I feel like there's this little part of me that's urging me to save money. It could be for a number of things but I think it's best to save this first "paycheck" as...a start up capital, if you will. I say "paycheck" because it's not really a check. The powers that be have placed me in a probation period. They (or more accurately SHE) are waiting to see how I perform in this enviroment and will decide from there whether I should stay. I do have some reservations about the job but none that would force me to quit. It's quite far, on the edge of downtown Chicago (possibly a mile or two away from Trump Tower) but I'm used to traveling great distances for an occupation. The only part that really worries me is the food preparation process.

I basically got this job because of my work history. Having worked in 2 different hospital kitchens for 4 years, I had a fairly good idea of what the food service industry required in staff. But this, this is totally different. It's a place called Saigon Sisters, a small eatery located in the French Market of the downtown Metra station. I'm used to the kind of schedule where you would prepare and deliver food on a grand scale that worked at a stable pace. S.S. is completely the opposite: a very small venue that churns out multiple sandwiches in a very short amount of time. I think they plan on training me for this area but that's what scares me. I don't know how I'd handle the pressure. Cleaning and organizing is natural to me whether it's pots or the stock room or the coolers. I can handle that stuff. But when it's an 8 hour shift, I think they'll be expecting more.

When the new year began I had this sort of moment of clarity, that with the new decade would come many, MANY new exciting adventures and possibilities for everyone I knew. It just felt natural, like this is the time where everyone's lives would shift and I think eventually it's all going to lead to great possibilities for each of them. It's halfway through the year and literally everyone I know has gone through something. I don't think they fully realize what's going on yet but they are well on their way to becoming the people they were always meant to be.

Help Wanted

I hate being broke. I hate having to rely on others for financial support. When I first lost my job 2 1/2 years, I did try to find something new. I applied to any location that had a help wanted sign or ad. But over time the opportunities dwindled and me, I just started applying less and less.

There was no point.

I was sick of "sorry, someone else got the position." So for better or worse, I focused on school. Now that certain obligations (i.e. newspaper) are out of the way, I'm focusing on getting back into a workplace that actually pays. (except for that one time.)

Unemployment kept me adrift for the last 2 years (thankfully because I built up benefits at the job I had before/I fed off of each new extension that I qualified for) but now....now I'm sick of the way things are. I'm going to have my own money. I am going to get a job.

On a sidenote, it would've been fairly awesome if all colleges instituted paintball events.

My Little Intro

Hi. So this is my first blog ever. I've created it for a number of reasons:

1.) Everyone's doing it.
2.) It's better than tweeting.
3.) I've wanted to write something that's not an article for a very long time.
4.) I want to know who I am.

So with that in mind I guess I could tell you about myself. My name is Juan and for the last few years I spent a wonderfully daunting time on a college newspaper. It wasn't all bad, but at times it was really bad. Like "oh my god, why me?!?!?! This can't be happening...." bad. Yeah, we won awards and went on some trips but more importantly I'd say the people I met were hands down the most important aspect of the experience. I'm only mentioning all of this now so that you my wonderful reader will not be left in the dark for future posts. And because I get the sneaking feeling the new crop will try to contact any alumni for assistance. (No.)

That explains No. 3 for you, as far as No. 2...well there is really no point to Twitter. Yes, I do have a Twitter account but there would be weeks, sometimes months when I never even logged in. It serves no purpose except to let people know what the famous brethren of Hollywood are up to right at this very moment.

No. 4 is a bit personal but one that I'll gladly share with y'all. It's come to my attention that without a newspaper to dedicate my life to....I really have nothing. I haven't had a job in almost three years (thanks economy!!!), I've fallen out of the hobbies I once clamored for (comics, video games) and most if not all the people I know are moving on with their lives i.e. moving out, getting married, finding a career. And I'm in the same place I've always been. So that's what this is about. I'm free from the tyrannical type and now I can do all the things I've wanted to. I can get in shape. I can find a steady job. I can make movies and comics. I can be happy.

So with all that in mind, I'll also be venturing back into the geek domain but it probably will not as in-depth as my knowledge used to be. I've got better things to worry about. But every now and then I'll try and put up a comic, illustration, or nerdy news bit like so:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGrq414zMwg


Sidenote: If you want to give Taylor Lautner a call, dial (616) 755-8879. It may not work but it'd still be fun to try and call I guess. I left a message congratulating him on his success and that he'll hopefully branch out and find solid projects to work on so he won't be typecast as the buff love interest who doesn't own a shirt.