My Own Prison

God, I hate my job. Stocking medical supplies was not what I envisioned myself doing at the age of 33.The McDonald's style uniform, the mediocre pay(but appropriate for the job I do), and the infuriatingly lazy and incompetent people I work with.The job I have is in every way unsatisfying.

I realize that many Americans today would kill for my job right about now. I am thankful that I have a job that has good benefits. But that doesn't mean that I am content. Not in the least.

The person most responsible for my discontent is also the same person writing this entry. It is because of my actions--or inaction--that I find myself in a manual labor job that offers no chance of advancement, no development of skills that I could apply elsewhere.It is figuratively--and considering how close I work to the morgue--literally a dead end job.

What this job does offer is countless hours of mindless labor under the direction of supervisors who are too busy making war on their workers than actually doing their job.Of course, that assumes that these supervisors can ACTUALLY do the job they are entrusted to do.

The Union that I find myself held in bondage to, is run by persons who are more concerned with lining their pockets than negotiating contracts that help their members.That these people lacking in education and intelligence is evident to those of us who are intelligent and educated. People who think Unions are all that and a bag of chips, have either belonged to the UAW or have drunk the nectar of Unionism.

While it feels good to vent my anger and frustration, I still know that "I am the master of my fate".It is I who is responsible for escaping from the financial and intellectual prison that I have gotten myself locked into.

What is the best way of making it out permanently is what I am trying to determine as I write this. I'd like to stay at my current place of employment, but at another part of the company. But that doesn't seem likely as there are few jobs that are attractive from a salary standpoint or that I am qualified for in terms of education or work experience.

I do have a passion for history. In fact, I along with my father have started preliminary research for a book about my grandfather and grandmother's experience in World War II. This has brought some excitement into my life as I feel that I am finally doing something worthwhile with my life.

The book is a short term project. My long term goal is to earn a Master's Degree in History so I can teach at both the high school and community college level. I could also seek a career in as a archivist.

But that is some years down the road. As of now I have to continue to deal with the million different irritations and frustrations that come from working a low skilled job. Like a inmate, I am counting down the days until I can finally depart this prison.