Saturday, August 9, 2008

Real Life SUCKS

Oh how I wish I could go back to school. I would have prolonged the experience, I would have double majored in economics and comparative literature. I could have been one of those people who switches majors like they were bath towels. Really though I did not know how good I had it. Yes, school is stressful. Duh! But life, I mean real life is ten times worse. Real life equals responsibility, it entails actually making meaningful decisions that will effect EVERYTHING.

This week I finally got the call I have been waiting for.

"Can you come into the office? We'd really like to hire you."
"Sure. Anytime works for me" I say calmly, like it happens to me everyday.

Yada. Yada. Yada. I jump up and down and thrust my arms in the air and say "yes" because why not? I just got a job as a writer at a publishing company, I will soon actually have money coming in instead of all out, and there is nobody home to tell me I'm weird (again). Why not..??
It sounds great right? Your thinking good, she finally did it. Yeah. That's what I thought too. Until the next day.

The next day...
I get up (6:15 am), and leave for the MRT by 7:15. I get there at 7:30 and ride it until 8:15. Then I begin walking, thinking I can find the bus stop on my own. I give up and hire a taxi. Then I sit there for 50 minutes in traffic trying to get about 7 blocks. 9 am I am at work (it starts then) and the editor tells me she wants to see more of what I can do.
"We have a piece we want you to finish by today" she tells me. "Its a four page cover spread." Great I think.
9:30-1:30 I write a very boring article covering a conference in which 10 people spoke (I covered each speech) on various business related topics to international financial planners and CEO's.
1:30-2:30 lunch finally. I didn't eat breakfast (I assumed I was just coming in to meet the boss, etc not actually start the job and WRITING and WORKING).
2:30-3- I meet with the boss, in which he outlines what I would do (write almost every single piece requested by our clients, attend occasional events to report on them, and liaison with the other employees like the graphic artists and my editor on pagination, etc). How much I would get paid (2000 a month. That is in Singapore Dollars, making it even worse) and the technical (the company provides emergency medical in the amount of 300 a year, hours are 9-6 with occasional days of working late and on weekends with no overtime).
3-6 I research for another article my editor is working on and write up interview questions for her to ask them
8 pm I finally get home, after two hours of buses, trains, and walking.

I guess it doesn't sound that bad. I mean, I know I'm a complainer. I've known this about myself for a long time. But seriously! 2000 a month (that is 1200 dollars) plus basically no benefits. And I would be gone from 7:30 in the morning until 8 at night and sometimes later! With 3 hours of travel time! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Problem #1: Too much work with not enough compensation. Do I look like someone who agrees with slave labour?
Problem #2: The commute. Do I really want to spend 3 hours on public transportation 5 days a week?
Problem #3: I would be the sole hired writer for the company. Which means I am going to be writing so much my brain is liable to shatter with all the words coming out in such a constant flow.
Problem #4: Do you know anyone who actually WANTS to be a business/financial writer? No? Well there is a good reason for that.

All in all, I am very disappointed with everything at the moment. I finally get offered a job and it turns out to be nothing like I expected it to be. I turn it down, I am back to where I started. If I accept it, I know I'll be unhappy.Neither are good, but then, that is how a lot of real life decisions are. You end up picking the one you can tolerate.

2 comments:

Tinadakis said...

poor baby girl. I am sorry that it is so rough. I always just tell myself that you have to start from somewhere. That is really hard though. I'm sorry. You always have the option to come to my wedding. Please come to my wedding what would it be like without you. Nov 8 is the official date. I love you and I miss you

Megan said...

You could always move back to America where employers generally appreciate a college degree and compensate you accordingly...so what if we're in economic ruin? That's what the national debt is for! Anyway, I'm super excited about your blog. Also, my job is for an insurance company up in Salt Lake designing their benefits materials (brochures, catalogs, etc.) It's no publishing company in Singapore, but it's a job in Salt Lake. We each have our crosses, so to speak. :) Miss you!