That's the question people ask you when they first meet you or to start up conversation. I'v never enjoyed it, because either I wasn't keen on the job I had to take to survive, or I hadn't been in it long enough to make a difference and to speak with experience.
The first thing I was asked while shadowing for the current job by a then employee who would be leaving was "Why did you decide to get into this?". My answer was "I just sorta fall into jobs".
I wasn't expecting an hour and a half long lunch, which I now use to make some groceries and errands, but otherwise, it does suck fuel out of my vehicle. It is on the other side of the town I drive 28 minutes to get to. But they hired me. It is yet another new field for me. The other thing I do on the lunch block when not grocery running, is volunteering at a thrift store that benefits the homeless. I also owe cookies to one of the thrift store people and one of my new work people, they are both interested in my oat cookies.
Uniform in it, well, I get to wear scrubs, I consider that a uniform! There are codes used over and over to charge for medicines and procedures, kind of like the codes on produce. You misscharge, you pay out of your pocket. You cannot discuss the specifics of what any particular client comes in for, so I will not be telling you that Lucy-boo Heaton gets her nails trimmed every month (name and procedure fictional associations). No cell phones up front, I love that rule. We take pictures of all the clients other than the ferals that are fixed, nipped, and released. Everything gets cleaned every day, and after each client accident, and after each potential danger visit. I know because I physically clean every rung and post on each bench, chair, table, and counter myself! Sometimes I get licked, and then I have to disinfect myself! I do have a dog at home, I don't want her catching anything, and after working here for two weeks, I do get concerned and do want to wash perfectly clean, slightly worn scrubs.
So if your clinic smells bad, there was probably a tinkle accident after surgery (they are passed out but their bladders are not), or they may be more sensitive to the medicine and throw up. If this happens while surgery is going on on another client, it may take a moment to get the kennel cleaned up. Another good reason to keep your pets hydrated and let them use the bathroom a lot, the more water they drink, the less it stinks, and it's healthy to let them clean out their system frequently.
We live in the desert, and it is warming up, there have been 3 snake bites brought to us in the two weeks I been there. They seem better off if bitten in the face as opposed to the feet. The venom doesn't seem to have a direct line into the heart. Can't say that to clients, though, don't wanna panic anyone unnecessarily. The anti-venom can help give you more time to get to the clinic, it has to be given as two booster shots. Once here, it is treated like an allergic reaction, medicine given to bring down the swelling, and maybe an antibiotic to take care of the immune system.
Euthanasia. What a word, it sounds like a mythical place next to the Elysian Fields. It's what one has to consider when your pets' quality of life is not what it should be. Perhaps it was a dog caught in a fire, with burn wounds that just won't heal. It may be like my cat, he lost his hearing one day, coincidentally after having a wound on his leg that just wouldn't heal fro 3 months, then a few days later he lost his site. We had hoped he would be fine with no sight or hearing. But every moment was terror and confusion for him during a week of observation. He could not find his food, litter box, bed, us. He walked into walls. It was breaking my heart and the look on his face was such a mesh of anger, confusion, and resignation, I knew it was time. Even while in the room though, watching his veins darken as the poison coursed through them, I considered it was the worst thing in life I had ever done. Bring a life to an end. His picture is still on my phone 3 years later. I get to keep living every day, he does not, I remind myself every moment I look at the phone.
Gods and Goddesses. I'd been just fresh off a binge of a Myth series. I'd warned the boss, as I was being interviewed that I had "a pretty big imagination, that I can imagine a lot of situations." Two weeks later, while we are all waiting to clock in for the day I revealed part of my imagination, including that the clinic was just a bunch of Gods and Goddesses. The bosses being Hera and Zeus, Our all-knowing lead front person is like Gaia, other people there remind me of Artemis (Goddess of the moon, the hunt, and young maidens, another of the front end), Demeter (a quieter Goddess of crops and simplicity), our janitor of sorts-Hades, and two back assistants we shall call Iris and Tyche. Had I a choice, I guess I'd be Hecate.
I do try to be positive and look at the bright side of things. I smile to make people feel more comfortable, otherwise my resting face would put people off. Sometimes you have to work a job like you are not getting paid for it. That way you can enjoy it, learn from it, and not be stressed by not learning quick enough. Every job I have had has been the same. There was always something to worry on. There were always people to understand and perform for. There is always a method and lingo specific to each business.
I am also finding that I am the old chick at work. They giggle at me, I am sure they are not trying to be mean, just I guess the things I say and do are not what they are used to, or maybe they did know someone exactly like me. No idea, but they did say the other day "your stories". So I guess I am the babbling old woman at my job. I talk about previous work experience like hair stylist, child care, housekeeper, cook, housewife, living history, pastry shop. They haven't heard of me being in a Shoney Bear uniform, volunteered as an archaeologist, worked at an amusement park, truck stop, busgirl, pizza shop... The other day I was trying to ask where my boss got her hair done, but it came off as brown nosing, which is not me; I have an anniversary coming up, I really am looking to do a make-over for the occasion!
Brown-nosing and other things that people misperceive of my words. When I ask a certain type of food "they do here", I mean people of the state of New Mexico, where I live, not anything derogatory about where different people grew up. I don't feel like I have a real home since I always moved, so I describe things by state, not by people. This happened in beauty school, too. I made a comment about how all these talented people when into this business and I admired them because I never felt "called" to any profession; but my classmates took it to mean their color since it was different than mine. Sometimes you just have to keep your mouth shut because there will always be someone who doesn't take what you say as you meant it. I tell people I have no filter because it is easier than explaining how people hear what I say through their own filter. I have no energy or forethought for hateful actions. Life is too short, and I would have to actually plan to be mean since my life is so shallow that literally what you see is what you get, I have no hidden agendas, no time!
Anyways, a year later, new job. Had a nervous breakdown.
One day I was just driving back to work after a weekend off bit. Driving in was always the same "today will be a new day, a great day, you will learn, you will be excited, this will work". The reality was the day was split in half by an hour and a half split lunch, unpaid. It was unbearably hot, so much so I developed yeast infection, twice. I was always the nervous one who wanted you to check behind, had a spray deodorant and spare pads in the bathroom, the one bathroom, for 9 people, more if there were volunteers in. Couldn't afford to buy lunch, spent lunches eating protein bars and volunteering at a local thrift store supporting homeless needs.
Then the spouse and I started seriously vending our homemade wares created, repurposed, and recycled. Slowed down for the holidays to try and take a break, regroup, decide what worked what didn't, work on new stuff, write new idea project lists, get more things created from mentioned lists. The a text came to me, an offer of a job, well of an interview.
Well, I am shadowing again, for 5 days, to learn how to cook for 100 or more people on a 3 day a week basis.
The Building is used by the organization I will be working for. I will be the only paid member of the organization. The building houses a thrift store, a resource area for needs and socialization, a separate entity also helping in other ways, a community dining room, and a small tent area in the back. There are 7 of us, including the Head Honcha, and myself that manage these different aspects of the organization.
It is pretty much my dream. I have always wanted to fill peoples bellies and make them smile by making them food. Now I get to do it for people who will appreciate it, and it will pay for my electricity and gas. Hopefully the vending will pay for food, or insurance, or phones, or internet.
OR we will grow a lot of our food, get solar, build earthen structures ourselves, possibly offer stretching classes or something for people who want to get out where no one can see them, in nature, and don't mind giving a donation to a guide giving them time and resources to do such (read about those thoughts here.
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