The one year itch has come upon me full force this past week. If you aren’t sure what the one year itch is, I’ll fill you in. After working at a specific job for one year or more I become unsatisfied with the job for one reason or another. Usually, I just get plain bored and I want to move on to something new.
This, most likely, stems from the fact that I went to college and earned a bachelors degree, which I have yet to use in the workplace. I will probably never use my degree, being that it was in music performance and I decided that it wasn’t my bag to play all the mezzo-soprano “pant rolls”.
for your own reference (if you care) a “pant roll” is basically a girl playing a little boy part. back in the day, before women were allowed to sing opera, young boys (castrattos, ouch!!) played all the female parts. now-a-days, mezzo-sopranos (middle range) have to sing these parts because there are no longer (thankfully) castrattos.
While attending college, I always had the dream of dropping out, buying a 1970’s vw bus and following “the dead”. Making beaded necklaces and other trinkets and selling them in the concert parking lots. Sleeping, eating, and hanging out in the bus, with no expectations or requirements on my life. This dream was shattered the day that Jerry passed, and I wasn’t really that into “phish”. Needless to say, I finished college and then began my long string of meaningless jobs.
First I worked at a telephone company as a sales person. Not the best job for a hippie, but it paid the bills. After that I decided that coffee would be a better atmosphere, so I applied to be a manager for a coffeehouse. I had worked at this establishment previously, so getting the job was a cinch. There were a couple of problems with the business, such as being in a mall, and the owners being cheap, but I really enjoyed making the coffee drinks and being in charge of a store.
The enjoyment ended when the owners decided that money was more important than quality employees, and so, yet again I moved on. This brings me to my current position, in the systems department at a small community bank. I know, what you are thinking. Why would I want to work in a bank? See, it is the community part that brought me here and so far it has been a pleasant experience.
The itch is beginning though, and it is the road trip bug that is impossible to get rid of. I never did get to take a road trip to follow “the dead” or anyone else for that matter, so that is why I think I begin to feel “stuck” in my jobs. I’ve been to Europe, but I’ve never seen my own country and that is really a shame.
I attempt to travel through books and television, but no matter how good the book may be, when you close that copy of “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” you are still sitting on your couch in freezing cold Buffalo. You aren’t really riding on the back of that motorcycle seeing the country in the best way possible. You are stuck. You have to go to work and make money and pay bills and accomplish something with your life.
Now, that last part threw you off, didn’t it? Accomplish something with your life. That is a pretty tall order and usually quite hard to do if you are trying to pay bills. Sure, there are jobs that you are making money AND helping people like teachers and doctors and such, but how many of us can really do these types of jobs. It takes a strong will to be a teacher OR a doctor.
So far I have suceeded in the paying bills department, but not so much in the accomplishment for life. I’m still searching and I think that a road trip is just what I need.
Now here is the question….should I quit and move on or ask for vacation time? You can give your opinions on the message board if you like!
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peace!
hippiegrrl