GatorBytes
Let's Hear It For Self-reinvention
By Ms. Gator Bytes
May 27, 2000, 18:37

Yah-dah-dah-dah-da, , yah-dah-dah-dah-da . . .What a wonderful day in the neighborhood!



Today is a new beginning (as is every day, duh). However, today is another turning point in the life of one retired senior citizen in FL (if you have been turning on or tuning out to Flbytes, you may or may not know the status of this note-taker-of-life). As I have just completed a 65 hour work week, segued into a 70 hour work week, added a 15 hour day work stint - I'm taking today 'off.' Hallelujah chorus, please.



Having ascertained that I had no critical-mass timings to assuage on this day, I simply told the 'boys in the band' that I was on serious rejuvenation leave until tomorrow.



That disclaimer out of the way . . . How the Days of Our Lives do turn.



Eight years in FL have been either a mental maturing (don't even talk about physical) or quickly-approaching-Alzheimer's experience. Facts: I used to work in the Penthouse Suite for a major corporation. I moved to FL. I naively thought, "With my credentials, I can get a job of my choice, anywhere." Not so fast, ye Warrior Princess. After casting my FL-decreed 'crumbs' upon the employment waters, I have now been through a series of non serious employment And sometimes, no employment. Ever optimistic, I have worked as a temporary legal secretary, a head hunter (very lucrative, but whose market evaporated), a telemarketer (congestive heart failure material), in a high-responsibility/ no authority store manager's position for wireless communications, as an administrative assistant in an engineering firm to someone with no office skills, and as a second-job Sales Associate at Wal-Mart. Then parlayed into a lab mouse (not enough experience to be lab rat) to test soil, asphalt and concrete. Now, being a lab mouse tested all of my 'grit.'



As a 92 pound person, lifting, hauling, testing 30 pound concrete cylinders was more than an endurance test. But, now I'm 104 pounds of mousie muscle! I liked it, except for the 'dirt' part (which in geotechnical terms is 'soil'). But what business does a grandmother have starting this type of adventure, except it saved me a gym membership to be ready for the dreaded bathing suit season. This physical workout, however, started not as one-hour exercise, but eight hour sessions. I did it, and I'm proud. My boss told me I was THE best lab tech he'd ever had (beam through the grime), and he even called me "Rat" the other day. However, as all good things, this engineering facility decided to relocate to the other coast of FL. So now, what-to-do, what-to-do all over again!!!



While originally problematic, I now have even more job 'skills.' And while I consider myself to be a very quiet and obscure FL entity, I found that past endeavors have gleaned me a solid reputation for work achievements and ethics. Therefore, I start my new (yet again) job this coming week. I'm going to be store manager for another wireless communications company. It's back to 'girl' clothes and simple jewelry and clean and polished nails;and a comfort zone. Ah, yes, but now I'll have to join that gym to maintain my newly-acquired physique!



It's always something.

© Copyright 2000-2006 Spanitz Consulting, Inc. - All Rights Reserved