Thursday, June 24, 2010

Double Ewe-Tee-Eff!?

Got an e-mail from my supervisor this morning letting us know who's out today and, as far as she knows, tomorrow, which is great, because she's been forgetting to do that lately. It also included this:

On another note:  In coming to the end of the furlough program and the uncertainties of what lies ahead for our contracts, I want to remind you that although the governor does not show his appreciation for your services – the public we serve certainly does.  I realize we may be coming upon even further difficulties in our financial lives and the frustrations that mound may seem to be infinite.  Please remember that we are lucky to have our jobs, the current unemployment rate in California nears 13%, one of the highest in the nation.  I want to encourage you to keep a positive attitude as much as you can, and try to enjoy your job.  You are a great team, each and every one of you has a special role in keeping this office one of the most productive and inspiring district offices in the State.  You have so much to be proud of!  So thank you all for the hard work you do – and keep up the good work!

Here's the part that pisses me off;

Please remember that we are lucky to have our jobs, the current unemployment rate in California nears 13%, one of the highest in the nation.  I want to encourage you to keep a positive attitude as much as you can, and try to enjoy your job.

What the FUCK is that doing in there!?

What the FUCK!?

I just... I'm having trouble putting into words why these two sentences bother me so much.

Telling me that I'm "lucky" to have a job because others don't? You know what, even if I quit, no one outside of state service could fill it. My job would be dead and gone until budget woes settle down. At the rate CA's economy is improving that means my empty position wouldn't be able to be filled for at least two more years. And yet I'm lucky to have a job where my hours and my pay are jerked around. I'm lucky because I don't know if I'll be working full time next week or if I'll still be forced to take Fridays off or if I'll have my pay cut to $7.25 per hour. I'm lucky to have a job that leaves my ability to pay my rent, which is more than a third of my current take home pay, at the beginning of September (I have some savings, thank you), in question. I'm lucky because 13% of the estimated workforce in the state is reporting to unemployment that they want benefits and I have a job.

I'm lucky.

Whooptee-doo.

Lucky isn't just having a job with an uncertain paycheck. Lucky is having a job that you actually love to go to, despite the crap that goes on there, despite possible losses in pay, despite lack of respect. That's what lucky is.

Just having a crappy job that you do only for the paycheck in a crappy economy isn't lucky, it's adequate. It's sufficient. It's what has to be done.

And then she has the nerve to say "keep a positive attitude" about this shitty job? I can't have a positive attitude about this place, not anymore. Any positive attitude that I may have had about this job died two years ago come August 25th. That was the day they introduced the bullshit "paperless" system which has made all of our jobs harder and more stressful to do. That was the day that this department proved how little it actually wants to achieve the goals it was created to achieve. Why should I ever have a positive attitude about a place where the goal was getting things done to a place that's become more about the shitty process?

Fuck your positive attitude, bitch. Take it and ram it up your nose.

Fuck those two fucking sentences and fuck you, too, with one of those South African toothed female condoms, only, you know, turned inside-out.

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