Clari’s Whims

So, I thought it was great luck when I walked into one of my favorite shoe stores and they were hiring. They actually hired me right on the spot, and though that was a minor red flag, I ignored it. I also ignored the scads of people telling me that retail sucks and that they will ignore any efforts on my part to work with my schedule.

I worked my first little four hour shift, and after two hours, thought it had already been at least four, if not twenty. It is the slowest, most boring thing I’ve ever done. Watching paint dry would likely have been better. I figured, hey, it’s my first day. It probably gets better.

Well, I haven’t had my second day yet, but I don’t exactly need to. I found out that they scheduled me for this Sunday. I knew I was working Saturday, so why, might you ask, did Sunday come as such a surprise? Because they just posted it. I get a week’s notice, and that is it. I had already told someone two weeks before that I could babysit, and it was going to be for about ten hours. I’d likely make over a hundred dollars. Instead, I’ll be working a four hour shift, which after taxes, gives me about a whopping 25 bucks.

I talked to the scheduling girl about working around babysitting on Saturday nights, because I have jobs on the 14th, the 21st, and other things going on as well, and she basically said “impossible.” Saturdays are when everyone wants off and I’m low woman on the totem pole. We’re only allowed to request two days off a month, and I used those for Kristi and Eric’s wedding and rehearsal dinner.

So, essentially I cannot say yes to any babysitting jobs until the week-of when I know when I’m working, and more than likely, I’m working every Saturday from here til who knows. Since they function on a four hour shift schedule, I’d have to work five separate days just to get twenty hours…which is, are you ready for it? About $150.00 after taxes. I make more than that a week babysitting for two nights.

After being immensely upset about this and not knowing what to do (the answer seems simple enough in retrospect) I talked to my mom and she told me to quit. She was like “it’s ridiculous to do more work for less money and have to miss out on your better paying jobs. Just leave!” Well, go mom! That’s the ticket alright, and if I tell them on Sunday, I won’t have to worry about messing up my babysitting jobs I’ve already scheduled for this month.

So, even though they say quitters never win or something to that effect, I think I do. For instance: Last night my first grader  that I watch told me she was a “very very young adult” and read me Hansel and Gretel. I can’t imagine missing stuff like that for the world.