Office space

One thing I dislike about working (among many), is that I simply can't get enough sleep. I don't know what the answer is, aside from doing less after work and not having as much fun or getting done all the things that need doing. But really I've got to try to do better, somehow.

On the other hand, I must say that my current job is going well. I've gotten assigned to doing some stuff I enjoy, working with a couple of nonprofit clients in particular, and I'm definitely finding my background and education in journalism and political science extremely beneficial in terms of helping craft strategies for media and legislative things that we do.

Perhaps most importantly, I feel genuinely appreciated. My boss, the intern coordinator, said (again) today that I was doing a really good job and that she had been getting a lot of positive feedback on my work. She even went so far as to say she was really pleased with the decision they had made to hire me as intern. It was a genuine, sincere, really nice compliment she paid me, and one that wasn't backhanded in the least -- a far cry from my previous job, where the only appreciation I received was less than encouraging or uplifting. But then there were other issues there as well.

But it's not just my boss. I do get the distinct sense from the other folks I've been working with in the office that I'm doing a good job and that they feel confident in me and my abilities. It's just a welcome change. Or, I should say, a welcome contrast to my previous place of business. Lest I slight them, the good folks at the Interlibrary Loan Department were also incredibly nice and extremely appreciative always. Also very helpful. My old boss there gave me a glowing reference that helped seal the deal on me landing this job ... which reminds me that I really need to drop her a line to thank her and give her an update on what I'm doing these days.

I guess the moral of the story is that I'm satisfied with my current job. Sure, I could be making more money (at least so I could have some savings to augment my income in grad school), and I could be doing something either more specific to my interests or aspirations. But given how tight this job market is, and how lousy so many of the jobs out there are, and the fact that this position met my most pressing requirements in terms of minimum salary and length of job, I did pretty well.

Perhaps best of all, I've been spared almost completely the thankless, miserable grunt work that came with my prior job as a "writer and researcher." Now, the only manual labor I have, aside from clipping articles from the newspaper and operating a computer mouse, is replacing bottles for the water cooler -- which I do of my own accord because it's not unreasonable and it's not like I'm asked to do heavy lifting on a frequent basis.

And, even if my enthusiasm for the job begins to wane, I still have the end of the tunnel, even a light, too look forward to.