Hi October, Bye October
Holy crapola, where has the summer gone?
Of course, it's totally fall now. It's been fall for quite sometime, and now October is almost over. The leaves are changing, there's that lovely crisp burning leaves smell in the air, and all is well for I am where I've been for the past 5 years.
Lovely, lovely KB Toys!!!!
But before I get into all of that, I should probably fill everyone in on what the hell has been going on in my post-Evil Place life. (The restaurant that I slaved in all summer shall now be referred to as the Evil Place. That is all.)
Through a colleague that I was working with on the off-B'way production in NYC with I managed to land an internship at a theatrical management company. Theatrical management (also called general management) is essentially the nuts and bolts operation of a production. Press, marketing, rehearsal space, performance space, contracts with anyone involved in the show, payroll, accounting, and so on are all handled by the general management.
Needless to say, I lost interest a bit when I figured out what was really going on. But that's what learning is all about.
After 2 weeks as an intern, I was offered the position of Office Manager and assistant to two of the GMs who worked in the office. The current assistant was leaving and they had no one to fill her spot. On one hand, I should have been wary. I should have thought, "Wait. You mean that they couldn't find a single person to take her place? They don't have resumes on file? Why are they putting an intern in that position?" But hindsight is always 20/20. I was really thinking about one thing and one thing only:
Cold, hard cash. Dolla dolla bills, y'all.
I was so excited to land a full time position! We all agreed that I would work for a four week trial period, and if things went well, we'd talk salary. So I wasn't making the big bucks yet. Actually, I was making slave wages ($6.20/hour). But it was better than my intern pay and it was a real job.
I have to stop being such a sucker for money.
I got screamed at all the time for screwing things up. I filed things wrong, I faxed things wrong, I tried to mail things that should have been run by an intern, I made copies under incorrect copy codes, I didn't get things done fast enough, I tipped the delivery guy too generously, I made too many Staples orders in a week, and I made really shitty coffee. And that's the abridged list. On top of being publicly humiliated in front of the entire office at least once a day, I was the personal bitch of one of the GM's.
List of things I had to do for one of my bosses (also abridged):
-Call the furniture store and see if the bar stoool has been delivered.
-Call Restoration Hardware and find out if they carry these drapes in Lichen (web page clearly stated "available by web or catalog only." I had to call anyway.)
-Research frequent flier miles through the credit card company's rewards program and find out how to purchase tickets to Australia.
-Order FiloFax accessories for obscurely sized FiloFax.
-Find out if JetBlue flies to Chicago. Or Dallas.
-Track down numbers for gift certificates to a popular and expensive NYC spa. Find out if certificates are still valid if they are missing.
-Order lunch.
-Order breakfast.
-Research current smartphone options and how a smartphone works.
Have you ever read "The Devil Wears Prada?" That was my life for a month, but not nearly as extreme. But still identifiable with the whole "boss from hell" scenario.
Since I hated being a personal assistant, and I sucked at being a secretary, all signs pointed to "Abort mission! Mayday! Mayday! Danger, Will Robinson! Abort! Abort!!" So my four week trial ended and we all amicably parted ways. And I got drunk at the office. Thank goodness for Manhattan Chili Company and their killer margaritas. They cater office parties, you know.
So my not-so-glamorous NYC job is over and I'm back to life on the west side of the Hudson. But I'll be back in the city soon. It has to happen eventually.
Now I'm back at my holiday home and I've never been happier. But let's all keep the toy store a secret. (Wink) Most people that I've talked to lately think I'm just "taking a break" and don't know that my income will be coming from what might easily be classified as a 10th circle of hell to some people.
But really though, at this point in my life, I'm that asshole in hell who will walk up to you with a big smile and ask, "Gee, is it a bit warm in here or is it just me?" That's how friggin happy I am to be home again.
Off to change out of my work clothes, grab something to eat, and then going to see "Team America: World Police" with my sis. Laters!!!
Of course, it's totally fall now. It's been fall for quite sometime, and now October is almost over. The leaves are changing, there's that lovely crisp burning leaves smell in the air, and all is well for I am where I've been for the past 5 years.
Lovely, lovely KB Toys!!!!
But before I get into all of that, I should probably fill everyone in on what the hell has been going on in my post-Evil Place life. (The restaurant that I slaved in all summer shall now be referred to as the Evil Place. That is all.)
Through a colleague that I was working with on the off-B'way production in NYC with I managed to land an internship at a theatrical management company. Theatrical management (also called general management) is essentially the nuts and bolts operation of a production. Press, marketing, rehearsal space, performance space, contracts with anyone involved in the show, payroll, accounting, and so on are all handled by the general management.
Needless to say, I lost interest a bit when I figured out what was really going on. But that's what learning is all about.
After 2 weeks as an intern, I was offered the position of Office Manager and assistant to two of the GMs who worked in the office. The current assistant was leaving and they had no one to fill her spot. On one hand, I should have been wary. I should have thought, "Wait. You mean that they couldn't find a single person to take her place? They don't have resumes on file? Why are they putting an intern in that position?" But hindsight is always 20/20. I was really thinking about one thing and one thing only:
Cold, hard cash. Dolla dolla bills, y'all.
I was so excited to land a full time position! We all agreed that I would work for a four week trial period, and if things went well, we'd talk salary. So I wasn't making the big bucks yet. Actually, I was making slave wages ($6.20/hour). But it was better than my intern pay and it was a real job.
I have to stop being such a sucker for money.
I got screamed at all the time for screwing things up. I filed things wrong, I faxed things wrong, I tried to mail things that should have been run by an intern, I made copies under incorrect copy codes, I didn't get things done fast enough, I tipped the delivery guy too generously, I made too many Staples orders in a week, and I made really shitty coffee. And that's the abridged list. On top of being publicly humiliated in front of the entire office at least once a day, I was the personal bitch of one of the GM's.
List of things I had to do for one of my bosses (also abridged):
-Call the furniture store and see if the bar stoool has been delivered.
-Call Restoration Hardware and find out if they carry these drapes in Lichen (web page clearly stated "available by web or catalog only." I had to call anyway.)
-Research frequent flier miles through the credit card company's rewards program and find out how to purchase tickets to Australia.
-Order FiloFax accessories for obscurely sized FiloFax.
-Find out if JetBlue flies to Chicago. Or Dallas.
-Track down numbers for gift certificates to a popular and expensive NYC spa. Find out if certificates are still valid if they are missing.
-Order lunch.
-Order breakfast.
-Research current smartphone options and how a smartphone works.
Have you ever read "The Devil Wears Prada?" That was my life for a month, but not nearly as extreme. But still identifiable with the whole "boss from hell" scenario.
Since I hated being a personal assistant, and I sucked at being a secretary, all signs pointed to "Abort mission! Mayday! Mayday! Danger, Will Robinson! Abort! Abort!!" So my four week trial ended and we all amicably parted ways. And I got drunk at the office. Thank goodness for Manhattan Chili Company and their killer margaritas. They cater office parties, you know.
So my not-so-glamorous NYC job is over and I'm back to life on the west side of the Hudson. But I'll be back in the city soon. It has to happen eventually.
Now I'm back at my holiday home and I've never been happier. But let's all keep the toy store a secret. (Wink) Most people that I've talked to lately think I'm just "taking a break" and don't know that my income will be coming from what might easily be classified as a 10th circle of hell to some people.
But really though, at this point in my life, I'm that asshole in hell who will walk up to you with a big smile and ask, "Gee, is it a bit warm in here or is it just me?" That's how friggin happy I am to be home again.
Off to change out of my work clothes, grab something to eat, and then going to see "Team America: World Police" with my sis. Laters!!!
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