Since I’ve been working for over a good month now, I think that I’ve got the experience to properly go over the good and bad points of working. I’ll also go and pick apart why working at Tim Horton’s can be either absolute Hell or an enjoyable experience.
Firstly, we’ll tackle the biggest question. Get it done right off the bat. Is working really worth the money? Well me, I’m a lazy ass, so I’d say no. Particularly at low pay and crappy job. I’m sure it will get better once I’ve moved onto a more enjoyable job that pays better. There isn’t much to be expected from a first job at a restaurant or coffee shop, but such is the way of the slacker career.
And then there’s the fact that working can actually take up all of your time. When I work in the mornings, I still get some time in the evening to go about my business, and still have time to sleep. Truly, the morning shift is the optimal shift, even if I do have to get up early. The evening shift is Ryan time murder. You see, since I have to start getting ready to leave by one, I get maybe three hours of time to do stuff. and after working until 11, I like to get right to sleep. This allocates pretty much all my not-work time to sleeping time. But it is a much better shift, because it’s pretty much dead all night, and I just get to goof off all day.
Tom Horton’s isn’t a bad place to work. Not at all. It’s just a bad place for me to work. I hate anything requiring movement, and I have to stand up for almost 8 hours straight each day. Sure I can take it, but it’s not my preferred way to spend my day. At least if I were carrying stuff and putting it on shelves I’d be doing something, but at the Timmy’s I just stand there all day. That’s not the only thing that angers me about the job.
You see this coin? I hate it. I hate it with every inch of my being. Yes, we had some, but the vultures pounced and took them all within two days. A week later, we got the next shipment, and $500 worth of these things were gone in 4 HOURS. And everyone who comes to the damn till asks for them, even though we have a sign saying we’re all out. Then I have to tell them we have none, and they get mad at ME. I have two sayings for everyone who has and will ask me for these: “fuck off” and “don’t shoot the messenger”. It’s not my fault we have none. It’s not my fault people are crazed about these stupid baubles. I don’t see what the big attraction is. Ooh, it’s got a poppy in the middle. Fuck a doodle doo.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to mention how stupid people are. We don’t take interac or any sort of money cards. It says so on the doors, the menu, AND on the till machines. Three places that prospective buyers are bound to look. Yet they can’t figure it out. Every day I get idiots who come up, order, and get their food, then pull out some sort of card. I say “Sorry, we take cash only” and they say “What? Are you sure?”. Then I ask why I’m not allowed to hit idiots. Also, I must stress that at least half the population cannot read. It’s a “cruller”, not a “curler”. It says so right on the display. You stupid, stupid people. The last point here can’t really be helped, but I detest having to help those with really thick accents. They’re terribly hard to understand, and I just can’t stand it. I mean, there’s this mute guy who comes in every once in a while, and he’s so much easier to serve.
Now let’s get to the co-workers. I work in a place populated almost 100% by females. It’s both great and terrible at the same time. In any case, everyone’s nice and such, and tries to get along with me. So much nicer than back in the days of school. Unfortunately, I’m not all that social, so it seems like I’m kinda rude, but I am trying. While I’m on the topic, have you ever just despised someone, but had no real reason to do so? I currently have that problem. There are a couple girls I just can’t stand, but have no reason to feel that way. They’ve done nothing to cross me, so I don’t really get it. Oh well.
I guess I should mention some good things about working. I certainly have learned some things I never would have cared to figure out otherwise, like how to do laundry. I’ve also picked up the good habits of always keeping my wallet and a timepiece with me. I’ve made a bunch of new friends at work. Something I never really expected to accomplish. But as it is, I get along quite well with pretty much all the girls I work with on a regular basis. And I even went out with a bunch of people from work last weekend, which is totally not something I (or anyone else) would see myself doing. Plus, having income is great. It’s not much (since I’m putting half away for school), but it’s enough for me to buy stuff I like, so it works out.
And easily the best part of working is that now I have work stories to tell! I’ve never been much of an anything-doer, but now that I work, I have plenty of tales to spin. Like the time where I was so bored I balled up a waxie and bent a stir stick and played hockey on the counter. Heh heh. That was fun. Or the time where I wrote “Caution: T-Virus” on one of the coffee pots. Sadly, nobody who understood the reference came in before it was washed off. Indeed, there are plenty of crappy points about working, but I think that overall it’s probably a good thing. That being said, I have to go shower. For work is at three, and I’m nowhere near ready.