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Subbes, I have been feeling really fond of my cat lately, since he's always kind of around the house and (creepily) right there if I need to pet him and feel better. So I hope your cat beats that cancer.

 

Nachimir, the guy wouldn't have a case if he got all angry and threatened to sue you right? Is there a way to block his number from your phone?

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No, he'd have no case, and yes, I'm on android so there are various apps that will make sure I never see a single call or SMS from him if I choose not to.

 

Thanks all :tup:

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So today something really good happened.

I've been feeling really down lately, and was at work today answering calls all day, and then I got this one caller...

He had a cell phone with another company, and wanted to know what the monthly cost would be for the same type of plan with our company. So I told him about our plan, and the cost ($105, in this case), and that's when he stops and says "Do you want to know what I pay for that same plan with CompanyX?"

Here I mentally braced myself, knowing it would be less, and expecting some kind of tirade about why it should be cheaper. He continues, "Right now, I pay $67, plus taxes." But he said it very differently from what I expected, he was very kind about it (not usually the case in this type of situation). So instead of dropping into my defensive "Thats what we have right now, take it or leave it" I was a lot more... gentle, I guess, about it, and explained that we really can't match that price right now and he should stick with what he has because its a good price for the stuff he has.

And thats when he started on, for about 5 minutes, talking about how I was the nicest, most honest person he had ever talked to at (company name redacted), or any other cellular company. He kept going on about how I was being extremely fair and honest and he really didn't expect that when he called in today. And then, when I thanked him for the kind words, he said...

"No, don't thank me. Thank your parents and friends for the foundation of respect and honesty, and thank yourself for building upon it. Your parents should be proud of you, and you should be proud of yourself. I hope you have a great day."

 

And then he hung up before I could reply. I wasn't expecting it at all, and after dealing with angry people all day it just really hit me hard. I didn't know how to handle it and had to go over to the washroom because I was crying.

It was seriously the nicest thing anyone has said to me at this job, and I just couldn't handle it.

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So today something really good happened.

 

That's a lovely thing Ucantalas. I really feel for people who work in call centres, it must be so stressful. I've known a few who burnt out within weeks and could never go back to that kind of work.

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Keep that story with you. Clutch it tight to your chest, and when everything feels like it's going to shit, and everyone is angry at you, remember it, and know that it isn't your fault.

 

 

 

I have a collection of emails like that, where they say stuff like "this is the best customer experience I've had!", and when I feel down, I go in and look at them, and feel better. 

We recently won a prize for something where I'm the only one doing it full time, so it feels good to have concerete evidence that I do a good job. When a customer complains to me about how we're the worst company since the inception of man, I know he's just being a jerktool.

(The downside are the snooty people that, as soon as we make a mistake, say "aren't you supposed to be Norway's best customer service..?", expecting me to hand them a wad of cash for their trouble.)

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Yeah call center work leads to a bunch of burnout sooner than later. I used to work at one during high school for about 6 months and I did really well the first month and my performance of completed surveys dropped off little by little until I quit. I think the cheerfulness in your voice starts to disappear and you can't fix it since you don't know it's happening. I usually felt like a jerk when just cold calling a bunch of people and was mostly amused when they got angry, but sometimes you would talk to very lonely people who would just sidetrack the script so they could talk to someone. I always made the mistake of engaging them (against my quota) just a little bit because I felt so bad and I guess I was lonely there too, but you could only say so much since the managers would routinely listen in to your calls.

 

Anyway, awesome Ucantalas, I know that feeling and I know where you are coming from. Glad someone seriously brightened your day.

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Argh, I don't know what to do guys, maybe you can offer me advice.


So I have two job offers (potentially) that are both not ideal, but will bring in money. They are not career oriented, but I need them to at least keep open time so that I can do artwork when I decide I no longer feel constant pressure while doing it and can create from a place of enjoyment again.

 

One job pays $10/hr. and involves me checking orders and licking stamps and putting them in envelopes for a Ticketmaster type place. You have to do this at a steady pace for 8 hours a day and you can listen to music all day with headphones (podcast city!). It's always Monday through Friday and the place is very close to home. NO TALKING. I don't care about the talking part, whatever, just funny that's part of the job description. It's only for six months however.

 

It's also worth noting that I found that job through a temp agency, and the guy I'm working with says he will still look out for artist jobs while I'm working there as well as temp to hire positions since he understands that the job is not something for the long term. Overtime payment also kicks in here should it ever happen, but he thinks it won't.

 

The other job is being a mailman, which pays $15.30/hr., however it's a city carrier assistant position. What this means as described in the orientation I went to, is that you are a substitute worker and that you also deliver overflow mail. You have to be on call everyday and you will most likely not start at the same post office everyday. Since Austin is a clusterfuck of traffic issues right now, because of terrible city planning, this could mean driving literally driving an hour and a half for 20 miles if going at peak traffic time. Also apparently Amazon.com is doing some thing in Austin where they are a test for Sunday delivery. They also warned on orientation that you may be working everyday for months. It's not a job you can say no, you have no choice. She said you get six days a week if you are lucky. What can happen is you might get a ton of overtime (in which time goes in to an hour and a half) or you may only work 24 hours a week sometimes, just a few hours every day. So I don't know, this job might mess might life up considering I don't deal with stress well and take medication for bipolar disorder, However, that is some sweet sweet cash and I could use a lot of that even if I burn out and quit. Also if I fail the driving test which is part of the first two weeks training, I get fired instantly.

 

You don't get to be an actual mailman with a set schedule until two years later, in which you will be considered as a career person in the post office and get retirement benefits and all that that pay off after 30 years of service (which I will most likely never do). The woman at orientation said it's super competitive to no longer be an assisstant and there's a chance you won't be considered as well.

 

What would you guys choose in this situation?

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Oof, that's a though one. My first instinct would be the first one, because stability is great, and the second one sounds like it could take a mental toll on you if you get overworked. On the other hand, if the second one has the chance to give you days off here and there, it might give you more time to pursue creative projects? That's what I like the least about my current job, that I don't have the spare time or energy to do side things. 

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Seems to me your choice is between a stable job that might be mind-numbing, but is also easy and doesn't require you to take any mental strain (listening to podcasts all day is not bad), and a job that will definitely take its toll. I think you should only choose the latter if you actually mean to pursue a postal career, since it sounds like a big investment to make for something just 'in between'. The pay is .5 times better, but is that worth risking a burn-out? With the first one you're keeping your options open while also having at least a steady income for six months.

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Probably the stable job. Being 'on call' in a job you can't say no to can be horrendous. For someone who wants to create a space at home where they're calm/creating it might be better to have a job that has clear boundaries about when it ends. 

 

In recent life news after going outside late to investigate a very loud and regular animal cry those that arrived on scene found a heavily impacted chicken doing battle with a hedgehog. The unharmed hedgehog has been left alone while the chicken is being attended to.

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If you're the kind of person who can feed off the frustration of crappy jobs to do creative things, then it seems like either job would do that for you. The stable one, while it doesn't pay so well, is probably better suited to you getting that creative time though. It sounds like the postal one would be both more challenging and more frustrating.

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Surely the described postal job would be a lot more stressful, due to the uncertainty of time commitment, which in turn would make it difficult to execute any freelance creative work.

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The harassment I previously mentioned has become much less frequent, and is now sanctimonious in tone. Which is mostly funny, TBH. A text he sent yesterday still made my blood boil a little, but I know now I can take this without losing my cool.

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My job has some of the aspects of the second job (I'm on call every few weeks, at least once a year I have to work very long weeks for several weeks in a row) and I can say that it's very draining, physically and mentally.  It makes it hard to stay motivated on things you want to do and I imagine it would have a negative impact on any creative endeavors.  Unless money and long term employment are significant factors, I would say the first one sounds better.

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The only thing that gives me pause on the boring one is the inherently time-limited nature of it.  Is there a chance that 6 months from now you won't have anything else lined up?

 

 

 

Dropped Cabot off at the vet this morning.  His surgery is this afternoon. 

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Also go surgeon, 'cause lots of it is hinging on whether she can get the tumours and a nice big clean margin  :)

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Now it looks like a cat organized the secret thing in the other thread.

 

Hope she does good subbes.

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The only thing that gives me pause on the boring one is the inherently time-limited nature of it.  Is there a chance that 6 months from now you won't have anything else lined up?

For now I know I don't. A former boss of mine is trying to get a Game Camp together where kids make prototype games over the summer. It's possible I might end up there trying to teach them how to create simple animations. So there's that I suppose.

 

Thanks guys, I think I know what to do. You've all been a big help.

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