the first day of the rest of my life...

“You wake up at Seatac, SFO, LAX. You wake up at O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, BWI, Pacific. Mountain. Central. Lose an hour. Gain an hour. This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time.”

The money was never really the issue. The money didn’t push me to bend over backwards and juggle the two jobs, relinquishing my soul to Philadelphia as I tossed aside the passing hours of my youth. It was easy though- making money. Not having much personal time sure made it easy to save- to spend- to disregard.

For over six months I worked easily over sixty hours a week. Which started within three weeks of graduating college- which I attended a week after leaving a job I had worked through the last year of highschool when my other job of two years could no longer employ me. That was about four years ago. It was probably 2 years before that when I was able to go on a real vacation and relax. Talk about time moving on...

Exactly two weeks ago, it happened. I found myself lost in between the pre-set microwave times of “Job 1" and the evolving menu that sets trends of “Job 2"... and I checked out. For the unnecessary stress, the underutilization, the mismanagement- for the crap compensation- I mentally checked out of “Job 1".

I didn’t have to worry about the loss in revenue. If you read my other entries, you’ll know I recently did my budgeting- and I know can afford all my bills even at part-time status with “Job 2". Maybe I’ll have to be a little more frugal with the luxuries- but really, what was my incentive to stay? What was my motivation to continue as a part of the cooperate shit-show? Exactly.

Time is the one thing we can’t control, right? Well fuck that. I’m controlling my time. I want to be able to do some things on “the list of things to do before I die”, and have time for it. I hadn’t even had time to go to the gym in the last.. Two weeks? Three weeks? Too long. I opted for sleep and sanity- and figured that was a good place to start.

As if the universe could hear my decision- the mental checkout- the Executive Pasty Chef: Big Boss Man of “Job 2" walks into the room where I am spinning ice cream for service. He pretty much tells me that they would want to take me on full-time. He’d have to have it approved by the other Big Boss people of the establishment, so nothing was definite- but he wanted to know if I’d be interested.

Interested? -More than interested! No need for question marks.

Regardless, I had already made my decision. I wasn’t happy anymore, and leaving “Job 1" made the most sense. I could already feel the weight lifting off of my shoulders... and the feel-good vibe continued as I indulged in some fun- like a dinner at a restaurant a bunch of people had told me I wouldn’t be able to get a reservation for. And a trip to see some familiar faces. And when I came down from my euphoria- I wrote my resignation letter. No need to leave things on a bad note- especially since the Kitchen Manager had been awesome enough to work with me, my commute, my move, and especially my second job.

I turned it in one week and one day ago, giving two weeks notice. The GM didn’t seem too upset, or too happy. But it was the perfect time to get out.. Like cashing in chips at a poker game. Apparently the menu was about to change. Apparently the cooperate money-men were coming to town soon (very unhappy about labor cost: food cost: sales).

The funniest part of the transition? I went to text my Kitchen Manager my availability for my last week of work, and she text me back, “LOL...my last day at “Job 1" was last Sat.”

Apparently I wasn’t the only one cashing in their chips.. And apparently the GM wanted to be a prick about it because he didn’t schedule me for any days this coming week, which made last night- my last day...and today- the first day of the rest of my life.

Within the next couple of weeks I should get a definite answer on the status of “Job 2"...which will now be pleasantly referred to as “work”. I will use the extra time to bring myself back to Earth and join society- maybe plan my next move- or maybe just live. In stead of saying all the things I want to do, how about I do them? Like get active again, work on my Japanese, and have some fun...

If I don’t get the full time, then maybe I’d look for something to generate more income- because I don’t want to have to worry about it. But that would open up entirely new avenues to explore.