Sunday, September 6, 2009

new job, different day

Well, I did it. I changed jobs yet again. When it came down to it I simply couldn't stay in the old job...it was just too far from my core interests. I wanted to like it because I adored the people, adored what they talked about, where they went for dinner and where they traveled to on vacations. I loved where they hung out, admired their hobbies and the fact that they were very literate and witty. Their jokes were funny, their analysis of current events insightful and multi-layered and they were by and large an extremely articulate bunch. But I hated the career...and for all the stellar social connectivity, the work was, in the end, much too dull.

Now I've rejoined a cadre of workers that are mostly unlike me, less educated in the book sense, less pretentious probably (!)--more like the plumbers union. Don't get me wrong...there is nothing wrong with plumbers...I love plumbers and they are vital. Just like the job I'll be doing, plumbing work is more essential in terms of performing a necessary maintenance duty such work has a wonderful symmetry to it: a beginning, middle and end. And like plumbers, I'll get paid better too, which was also an added incentive to return.

But the brotherhood and sisterhood of plumbers don't populate my social group. I have little to discuss with other plumbers other than the work at hand. Tried though I have, I will never be an intrinsic part of their confederacy, never will I be 'brethren'. There's no sense of natural belonging like I felt with the "non-plumbers".

And that is a fact of life that I've chosen to live with until I can figure out how to change it. The work is cool but after only three days on the job, I sure am lonely.

Dang that's funny isn't? But it does explain why I bopped between these two careers so many times (temperament vs. talent?).

I know I need to start connecting authentically with my co-workers asap. I may not ever find myself at the same gathering with them outside of work, but I must, must feel like I'm connected to them in some way. It's really the only way I can finally settle down and work the rest of my time here.