Tag Archives: Career

Apprehension About New Job

Posted on by Gertie

     It’s another amazingly beautiful Sunday evening!!! I know it’s a beautiful day out however I am extremely apprehensive about tomorrow. I start my new job tomorrow and that is why I am so apprehensive about it. I don’t know why I am so apprehensive about starting my new job. It’s in the field I want to be in.

     My boyfriend is trying extremely hard to make sure my apprehension about the new job decreases. He fixed me my favorite meal. My favorite meal is Mac & Cheese (preferably homemade), Ham, and Corn on the Cob. We had Pepsi to drink and for dessert we had my favorite of Strawberry Shortcake. I love my boyfriend and how he tries to calm my nerves. I love the fact that he knows my favorite meal and that he made homemade Mac & Cheese. How many men out there make homemade anything for their girlfriends?

     I think I will keep this particular blog entry short. I need to make sure I have everything ready for my first day on the job tomorrow. I need to make sure I have what I need to give to my new employer. I hope to blog about my first day on the new job tomorrow evening. I really hope I am able to blog about it but not sure how tired I will be. I hope I didn’t bore you all today with this blog entry. I just hope I don’t forget anything I need for my new job. Well, I am going to call it an evening and a night. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday evening everyone. Peace out!!! 

Last Day Of Work At The Grocery Store

Posted on by Gertie

     Well, it is Saturday, September 6, 2014, 11:19pm (pacific time) and today was my last day being employed at the grocery store I was employed at for 9 1/2 years. I no longer work there because of getting a new job as a Consumer Aide at a local mental health agency that I start on Monday, September 8, 2014. I am not sure how to feel about today being my last day at the grocery store.

     The reason why I am unsure of how I am feeling is because I have a number of different emotions on board at the moment. I am a little sad that today was my last day. A little sad because I was employed at the grocery store for 9 1/2 years and my co-workers and customers have become family to me. I’m going to miss seeing them pretty much everyday. Yes, I will still hang out with my co-workers and about a hand full or so customers because they have become family. I’m also happy that today is was my last day because I know being in the grocery store business isn’t the field I was suppose to be in. Plus corporate was and is just expecting too much from there employees and some of what they expect isn’t always in the job description of the particular job class. I am also a little sad because I started working at the grocery store at the beginning of my recovery process with my mental illness.

     Of course starting my new job on Monday just means I am at a different stage in my recovery. I am at a more stable point of my recovery process. My mental illness is finally at a place where I can let people in and start trusting my natural support system. I’m not saying that I didn’t trust them, I’m saying that I had difficulty asking them for help and letting them in. I am in a good place at the moment even though I had to make a difficult decision in regards to my dads current health crisis. (Side Note: I am happy that I made the decision to have my dad get a tracheotomy.)

      Being in a good place means knowing when I am getting tired. I am really tired and need some sleep. Needing some sleep means I need to end the blog for now. It is 11:35pm (pacific time). Have goodnight and don’t let the bed bugs bite. Peace out!!!

Getting A Lil Stressed

Posted on by Gertie

      It’s another Tuesday evening and I find myself getting a lil stressed. Well, it’s late evening. Some might even consider it night time because its 11:29pm (pacific time). No, I am NOT getting stressed because of what time of day it is.

     I am  getting stressed because of some major changes in my life. All the changes going on in my life are good thing. Yes, change can be good and yes, good change can be stressful.

     The change I am talking about include changes in both in my volunteer jobs and paid employment. One job is ending because I got another employment opportunity. In fact it’s an employment opportunity in field I desire. Because of the new job opportunity I have to resign from a much loved volunteer job. It is policy at my new job that you are not a volunteer. That is why the volunteer job is ending. It so happens that my last day at the homeless shelter is going to be my first evening being as call taker on the Warm Line. It just kind of worked out that way. The Universe has a way of having things work out in weird and funny ways.

     The Universe worked everything out just right for me. Like I said earlier my last day at the homeless shelter will be my first evening at the Warm Line. In fact that happens next Wednesday (September 3rd). Then the last day I am available to work at my current employment is Saturday, September 6th. I am a little nervous about my last day at my current employment at the grocery store. I start my new job as a Consumer Aide on Monday, September 8th. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive about how everything is coming together in my life.

      The way everything is coming together is part of why I am little stressed. Things haven’t always come together as smoothly as this current situation in my life. In fact the last year and a half has been pretty much been coming together. Most of my life things haven’t worked out or come together. Yes, the last year and half has come together but that doesn’t I haven’t had my hiccups. I am just a lil fearful of another major hiccup but I need to focus on the good things. Yes, I need to focus on the good things even if they are lil stressful.

     I need to get going and do some stress relief stuff. Plus I am a little tired as well. It is now 11:42pm (pacific time) so I am just going to call it a night after I do some stress relief. Good night and don’t let the bed bugs bite. Peace out!!!

Woo Hoo!!!

Posted on by Gertie

     Woo Hoo!!! I got the job as a Consumer Aide at the agency the runs the homeless shelter I volunteer at. The sad news is that I will have to quit volunteering at the homeless shelter due to not being able to be a volunteer and employee at the same time. As much as it saddens me that I have to quit the my volunteer job at the homeless shelter, I am absolutely thrilled that I got the job. It is not exactly a peer counseling job but at least it is a step in the right direction. I’m a little apprehensive about quitting one job and starting a new one.

      The cool thing about everything is that my last day volunteering at the homeless shelter will be my first evening volunteering as a call taker at the Warm Line. In fact the volunteer stuff all happens the first week of September. Everything that is happening is falling right into place. I start one volunteer job as another one ends. Of course one volunteer job is ending because of a new job beginning. All this also means that I will be saying goodbye to some really cool people at my current employment at the grocery store I work at. My co-workers and customers have become family to me. I am going to miss them dearly even the one or two co-workers and hand full of customers who don’t like me. Hell, no family is going to like each other 100% of the time.

     Well, I am putting my two weeks notice in tomorrow at my current employment when I go into work. As I stated above I’m going to be sad to leave and say goodbye to people I’ve become close with. As of right now according to my new boss I will starting on September 8th. They wanted me to start this Monday (8/25/2014) however I have to put in two weeks notice at my current employment and I am glad that they respect that.

      I found out I got the job at about 9 this morning (pacific time). Its now 2:52pm(pacific time) The reason why I waited a few hours to blog about the new job is because I wanted to let the people in my inner circle know first. I haven’t even posted on Facebook yet. In fact I am not going to post it on Facebook until I put in my two weeks notice at my current employment. I also wrote (typed) my two weeks notice letter to my current employment. I know what you are about to read will seem kind of humorous or leave you scratching your head wondering why I did what I am about to mention but there is method to my madness. I updated my résumé with job descriptions of both my new volunteer job and new paid job. I did this so when I decide to get another job I am better prepared. Just so you all know I plan on being at my new employer for at least a year because it looks better on the résumé and I told them I would be with them for at least a year. I’m hoping that I can eventually become a Peer Support Specialist/Peer Counselor at the agency I got the job at.

     Well, enough about my new job and everything. I need to get  going and get ready for my volunteer training at the Warm Line. I am sorry I haven’t blogged in a few days. I hope to blog again tomorrow but the way I’ve been blogging lately I’m not sure if I will. I hope to. I want to. Anyway, as of right now I hope to blog tomorrow. Peace out.

Monday Cant Get Here Soon Enough

Posted on by Gertie

     Its another Sunday evening and I am so looking forward till tomorrow. As most of the world dreads Mondays, I look forward to them. For most of the world it is the start of the work week. For  me Mondays mark my Friday. Hell, for most of the world it’s already Monday. 

     My shift at work today seemed like it was a 12 hour shift instead of a 6 hours shift. The customers just seemed ruder than normal when most of my coworkers seemed to have an attitude problem due to the rudeness of the customers. I just wish people realized how their behavior can effect others. I mean people working at a grocery store are just trying to pay their bills and take care of their families and don’t deserve to be treated like shit. If we treated our customers the way they treat us we wouldn’t have a job anymore or the company would go under. Its not my fault or the fault of the checker’s (cashier) if corporate decides to discontinue an item. In fact its not always corporate that  does it. Sometimes its the manufacture of the product. The employees at a grocery have no control what so ever what item is discontinued. Oh yeah, if you have an expired I.D/Drivers License we can not legally sell you alcohol. Obeying the law doesn’t give anyone the right to hit anyone. Sorry for bitching but seriously please be nice to the employees of the grocery store or supermarket you shop at. You have no idea how an previous customers may have treated us.   

     Tomorrow I also here back from the agency I had an interview with. I am so hoping I get the job because I don’t know how much I can take from customers or corporate. Working 9 years a grocery store can make anyone stress out. I just need a career change and I hope I get the job as a Consumer Aide.  

     On a good note when I got to my boyfriends house after work he had dinner for me. He had barbequed chicken and corn and made freshly squeezed lemonade for me. Plus we strawberry shortcake for dessert. Oh how I love my boyfriend. He knows how to lessen my stress even if he doesn’t realize I am stressed when I show up. I should get go.

     Well, I should get going. I will try to blog again tomorrow. I am hoping to blog everyday. I am really wanting to add more followers to my blog but not sure how. Well, have a good rest of your Sunday everyone. For those of you in this world that its already Monday then have a good Monday. Peace Out.

Wiping Myself Off After A Tough Week

Posted on by Gertie

     It’s Saturday which means its the last day of the week and its been one of those weeks. My week has been me getting myself back on my feet and wiping myself after what happened on this past Monday (8/11/2014). But hey that is what recovery is all about. Getting back up and wiping yourself off.

     Part of me wiping myself off was and is going about the activities I do everyday. For me that includes volunteering which I absolutely love to do and going to work which is something I rather not do but do anyway. Recovery is all about doing things in both we want to do and don’t want to do. I may not like working at my current job because I know it’s the career I am not suppose to be in however in has helped me a great deal in my recovery process.

     Speaking of jobs, the person doing the hiring for the Consumer Aide position I interviewed for emailed me yesterday asking me a couple more questions. For the most part in kind of sounds hopeful. He did say he would get back to me this Monday (8/18/2014) of what his decision will be. The emails may have sounded hopeful but a comment he made kind of concerns me. He said that he asked me all those questions because the agency (that I had the interview with) wants to make I have the support I need for the job. I just wanted to email him back saying if I didn’t have the support I wouldn’t have applied for the job but I didn’t email him that. Overall the emails sound like I am at least a high contender for the job. I just hope I am not getting my hopes set to high. I know a Consumer Aide isn’t exactly the position I desire however its a step in the right direction to becoming a Peer Support Specialist. Plus it beats working at a grocery store any day. Trust me working at a grocery store with the same company for the last 9 years is not my idea of my desired career path. At least a Consumer Aide is a step in the desired direction I want to go into.

     Well, another part of my recovery process is blogging. I need to try and blog everyday like I did when I started back in late May. I’ve been slacking a little. Some of it is because I have been busy and some of it has to do with my still struggling a little. Anyway, another part of my recovery process is making sure I eat.

      That means I need to get going because I am needing to eat. I am hungry. I hope to blog again tomorrow. I might not be able to tomorrow because of my work shift but I will try. Have a good day everyone. Peace out.!!

It’s Been A Couple Of Days

Posted on by Gertie

     Happy Friday!!! If you are a follower to my blog or a regular reader you are aware that I haven’t blogged in a couple of days. I haven’t blogged for a few reasons. One reason is I wasn’t sure what to blog about another reason I didn’t blog is because I’ve been so busy with life that I exhausted myself and have been too tired to blog.

     Wednesday was the day I had my interview. Thankfully, they didn’t have to reschedule with me again even though it almost got rescheduled again. When I showed up and a couple of the program managers at the agency realized that it was going to be the third time they just interviewed me with anyway even though it wasn’t the right set of interview questions. They felt that if I had rescheduled twice before that the interview should happen anyway. One the interviewers said that if I don’t get the job with program I applied for that they will find the funding for me to have job with there program as a peer and not a consumer aide. So it looks like either way that I might have job. I am hoping that I get the job as a consumer aide.

      I had a listening in shift with the Warm Line on Wednesday and well it was an “unusual day” for calls at the Warm Line. First of all they only received three phone calls that were not hang up calls. Second of all; all three phone calls ended up suicide calls that needed to be transferred to the crisis line. I only listened in on two of those calls. They want me to do another listening in shift so I know what a “typical” shift looks like. A shift usually isn’t so slow nor does it get “crisis” calls. I’m just waiting on when my next listening in shift will be. I guess I will be getting three listening shifts instead of two and that is cool with me. I am looking forward to September when I start being a call taker on the Warm Line.

     Speaking of volunteering, I am looking forward to Wednesday when I volunteer at the homeless shelter. I love my volunteer job at the shelter. The clients at the shelter are known for being difficult to serve because of the severity of their mental illnesses and/or addictions and I love the challenge. If I get the job as a consumer aide I will be a little sad because I cant volunteer and be an employee at the same time with the agency that runs both the shelter and the program I applied and had the interview for. Yes, I want the job however I will miss the clients at the shelter. Again if everything works out the way I hope it does I will be starting the job as a consumer aide the same time I officially will be a call taker on the Warm Line. I know I shouldn’t be getting my hopes up so high but I really want the job even though I will miss volunteer at the shelter.

     As some of you know Fridays are my Mondays and that means I worked today. Today was just a shitty day at work. A day that made me realize I want the hell out of my current employment. Working at grocery store with the same employer for the last 9 years has made me realize that I am meant to be in the mental health field. I don’t like having people yell at me for something I have no control over. Working in a grocery store is NOT my cup of tea.

    Speaking of tea that reminds me that I need to take time out to take care of myself. I am going to go and have a cup of hot tea. Yes, I am having tea on an 80 degree day. Why not? It is a way to take care of myself. I better get going. In all honesty, I hope to blog again tomorrow. Have good weekend everyone. Peace out!!!

A Little Tired To Blog

Posted on by Gertie

     It’s another Tuesday and I am tired as hell. Sorry I haven’t really blogged. I was hoping to blog earlier but I’m just extremely tired. I had several screaming nightmares last night and I am most appreciative that my boyfriend helped me through. I really should be in bed right now because I have a job interview tomorrow.

      I have a job interview tomorrow with the same agency who runs the homeless shelter I volunteer at. Hopefully, they don’t have to reschedule the interview again. If they do I wont be a happy camper because I had to tell the shelter I wouldn’t be there again tomorrow due to the interview being rescheduled. I love volunteering at the homeless shelter. The clients might be considered difficult but I don’t find them difficult. If you treat them with respect they will treat you with respect. I am fearful that they are going to reschedule the interview again. I just don’t want to miss another volunteer shift at the homeless shelter. Volunteering at the shelter gives me a since of purpose.

     Having a since of purpose is huge and I think that is why I am going through the Warm Line Training. In fact I went to training this evening and I am enjoying it. Tomorrow I have my first listening in shift. I wont be doing any talking just listening in to see how the calls are taken and what they are like. We have another listening in shift toward the end of the training as well. I hope I am good enough to be a call taker on the Warm Line.

     If everything works out with getting the job that means I will been ending my volunteer job at the homeless shelter because you cant volunteer and be an employee at the agency but I will be starting the Warm Line about the same time I start the job if I get it. So what I am trying to say as one volunteer job might be coming to an end if I get the job it will work at that I will be starting a new volunteer job. It looks better on a job résumé that way. As much as I don’t want to quit volunteering at the shelter I want the job even more. Even if I don’t get the job volunteering two places looks good on the résumé as well. I just really want the job. Like I said I will have to quit the homeless shelter if I get the job and if I get the job I will be starting to be an official volunteer call taker at the Warm Line. I hope this paragraph is making sense because I am just really tired.

     Since I am really tired I am thinking I should end this blog entry for now. I hope to blog tomorrow regarding both the job interview and the listening shift with the Warm Line. I will not be able to discuss what the callers said due to confidentially. Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday evening. Good night and don’t let the bed bugs bite. Peace Out!!

Getting Into The Mindset Of Another Days Work

Posted on by Gertie

     Its another Sunday morning and I am getting in the mindset of going to work for my shift this afternoon. I am not a big fan of my work shift this afternoon but at least going to work keeps me out of my own head at times. Well most of the time it keeps me out of my head. As much as I don’t like my current employment working at a grocery store for the last 9 years, I cannot deny the fact that it has helped me a great deal in my recovery process. I just hope that I don’t have to unload an entire pallet into our ice cooler again. I am sore from having to do 1 1/2 pallets on Friday and another pallet yesterday. Well at least I got paid for weight lifting. If I have to do another pallet of ice I will be okay with it because it breaks up the monotony of the typical shift.

     Speaking of my shift I should get going because I need to get reading to go to work. I hope to blog tomorrow. I am sorry to have this blog so short but I am sure you my readers it is short since I tend to be so long winded. Again, I hope to blog again tomorrow. Have a wonderful Sunday everyone. Peace out.

Just A Brief Blog (I Hope)

Posted on by Gertie

     Happy Thursday!!! I am hoping to keep this particular blog entry brief for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is  that its a beautiful day outside and I want to enjoy it before I go to my volunteer training for the Warm Line.

       I just want to update you on what’s been going on the last couple of days since I didn’t blog yesterday. If you been reading my blog you know I was suppose to have a job interview yesterday. It got rescheduled again. This time it was due to miscommunication with the interviewers. I am a getting a little annoyed with the rescheduling thing. Its next Wednesday at 10am. I was disappointed because I was already on the city bus half way there. Since the interview was rescheduled that means I could go to my volunteer job at the homeless shelter. I emailed the supervisor saying I would be there and she said to come in cause they had to shut it down for the day because of plumbing issues that had to be fixed by the time it was check-in time for the clients to get beds for the night. Thankfully they were able to open for the night. Unfortunately, I am unable to volunteer at the homeless shelter next Wednesday due to the interview being rescheduled for that day. I really hope I get the job because of the interview being rescheduled twice.

     Well, my grandparents are going to be in town later on today because my grandma has an appointment at a Parkinson’s Center because there is no one in near her rural town that specializes in Parkinson’s. I love my grandma dearly. She and my grandfather helped my dad raise me. It saddens me to see my grandma struggle with Parkinson’s.  They wanted to have dinner with me tonight but I cant because of my volunteer training for the Warm Line so I am going to have dinner with them tomorrow. My grandparents are staying at my dads. I am so looking forward to her cooking. I love my grandma’s cooking. I just wish I could have some her cooking  tonight but I have training.

     I am looking forward to my volunteer training for the Warm Line tonight. I am hoping I learn a great deal from this training. The cool thing about volunteering at the Warm Line is that I will be able to take various types of training regarding mental illness, suicide prevention and other such topics. The cool thing is that most of the trainings will be free to me because of me being a volunteer and low income.

     Anyway, I better get going. Like I said I wanted to keep this blog entry brief and unfortunately it didn’t turn out that way. Well, have a good Thursday everyone. Peace out!!