KathyK's Little Dilemma--Sorry to bug you all

[KathyK]

Sorry for the delayed response.  Apparently I'm busy now. <g>
Thank you for the perspective.  I started to panic when I thought 
about what I was doing.  Now I'm going back and forth between panic 
and resolve.  And embarassment as my mother drags me off to meet 
absolutely *everyone.*  Yes, especially embarassment...one of the 
trainers used, "What's Kathy's mother's name?" as one of the review 
questions a few days ago.  That was the highlight of my week, let me 
tell you.  

Actually, the thing that's really driving me batty now about this 
new job is all the sitting.  My other job, the one I've been doing 
through college, requires me to stand all the time and usually to 
run around like mad.  This is the first time I've ever appreciated 
that some people go off and exercise after work.  I never before 
understood as my legs sometimes feel as if they're going to fall off 
when I get out of work.  

Cindy C.wrote: 

>>>Boy, I wish I could count the number of times I said "Never!" and 
went on to do whatever it was anyway . . . 
 
I'll *never* stay home and raise kids.
 
I'll *never* drive a station wagon full of aforementioned kids.

I'll *never* get trapped in some dull legal specialty.

I'll *never* put on too much weight.  ;-)<<<
 
KathyK:
Well, well...some of your former "nevers" make an appearance on 
my "never" list as well.  But that list is getting shorter more 
quickly than I'd like.  Oh well, never say never, or so it's said.  

Cindy:
>>>Hey, it sounds like you've got a great opportunity to use this 
new job to launch yourself far away from Connecticut.  So long as 
you're not doing the work of El Diablo himself, I wouldn't sweat 
it.  If you do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay cranking 
out widgets, I don't think you've violated your personal code of 
ethics all that much.  And it's only temporary.<<<

KathyK:
That's what I've got to keep reminding myself...temporary...moving 
away is very, very good.  My friend (I think) suggested I keep a 
picture or postcard of my "secret destination" with me so I can look 
at it and remember why I'm killing myself in one job that I've been 
at for much too long and in another job that I didn't want to begin 
with.  That made me smile.  

Cindy:

>>>I wouldn't worry about that either.  Really, lots of good job are 
with large companies, so sometimes you have little choice in the 
matter.  Some large companies are pure evil, and others are OK.  If 
you keep right on patronizing locally owned establishments and 
responsible businesses as much as you can, you'll be doing far more 
social good than most folks manage, IMHO.<<<
 
Dumbledad:

>>Do you notice the common thread? Honestly, the people you work 
with make a huge difference to how much you enjoy a job; and in my 
experience the people working at large corporations are as fun as 
other folk. You'll enjoy it Kathy.<<

KathyK:
I know not all large companies are evil.  I do know it.  But I can't 
help seething inside as not one day goes by where I don't see a 
[particular, large grocery store chain] truck plowing through my 
town because I know that's the reason my favorite little grocery 
store went under after some thirty-odd years of operation.  And even 
they're not evil.  They give all kinds of money to local causes, but 
that doesn't mean I'll shop there.  

The company that I'm now training at is rather harmless, as far as 
what it's function in the world is.  And it seems quite employee-
friendly.  And the folks who work there are pretty nice so far. 
I'm just not used to all the rules, yet.  My other job is pretty lax 
and what rules there are I had a hand in shaping and the authority 
to enforce them.

Cindy:
 
>>> Just tell me it's not a *tobacco* company!  ;-)<<<

KathyK:
<bg> Nope, no tobacco companies for me!  I won't even buy cigarettes 
for anyone, even if they ask me nicely and offer to pay me to do so 
(that would be my younger brother, who is 22 and still without a 
drivers license).


>>>Cindy -- wishing KathyK luck, wondering what the secret 
destination is, and guessing San Francisco<<<

Thanks, Cindy.  It's not San Francisco, but I will keep you apprised 
of future plans.  Mainly because I don't think I'll be able to keep 
my mouth shut.  If all works out well I will be much too excited to 
be quiet.

Amber, the interjecting unknown newbie <vbg>:

>I, too, said that I would never do what my mom did with her life 
(working in a library). To pay the bills, I worked in the university 
library where my mom worked -- then to pay more bills, I got a 
second job working with my dad at a grocery store. I promised myself 
that when I got out of school, I would move on to bigger and better 
things. However, now I am working 60-70 hours a week working three 
jobs as I finish and find that the library (my mom's life's work) is 
what works for me. When I complete my schooling I will be working 
for a library different than where my mom works, but in her field 
all the same....so some days it isn't all that bad. besides, the pay 
is better than the grocery store. :)<

KathyK:

Hi Amber!  Sorry about the above introduction, but the beginning of 
your post made me laugh.  Not at you, of course, but because I'm a 
relative newbie and I still feel like I'm intruding on people's 
conversations when I post.  If you want to see me in panic mode 
about being a newbie (I panic way too much) go read my post on this 
list entitled "Disheartened Newbie."  *blushes*

Hey, congrats on finishing up school soon.  And I hope your crazy, 
busy life slows a little when you get out ;-)  It's really great 
that you've found what works for you, even if it is what your mother 
does.  If my mother did anything I was even *remotely* interested in 
for a career, I think I'd be (sorry for this phrase) "all about" 
going to her company and learning all I can.  And who knows, as you 
showed above, maybe I will find this place fits me.  I actually 
highly doubt that because of it's location (Connecticut) and the 
nature of the business (it has nothing to do with school, education, 
learning, etc..., which is what I'm "all about" these days).  

Okay, my friend is going to hurt me if I don't get over to his house 
soon.

Thanks again,

KathyK (who wishes she could get paid to go to school for the rest 
of her life...oh right, they're called *teachers*)