Temp Position #3

I must first apologize to Mo and Goff; I suggested that we all post our own versions of our hang out last night. Already I have it in my mind not to do such a thing. I started a draft and it just didn't have anything compelling. I don't pretend to think that this entry will be too compelling either but I do think it may be a bit more universal. Today I intend to share my thoughts on the aged-old tradition of temporary work.

Looking at it one way I guess I could say that all my life I've been engaged in temporary work. I've never felt an eternal commitment to any sort of position that I may have taken but that's beside the point; these past three months I have made a commitment, a commitment to be fleeting in my actions. Invest myself in something? Pfft! To all those 'building a career' I ask you; are you reaching glorious heights or are you digging yourself into a ditch?* Now when people ask me my occupation I say "Temporary Worker!"

Certainly it has its downsides but, over the course of my various placements I've learned, it has its upsides as well. The greatest of all aspects about temporary work is that you know it's going to come to an end. There's no need to worry about making a good impression and saving face in anticipation of seeing the same people five days a week for the rest of your foreseeable future. Not at all! All parties involved know that after the two weeks-or however long your placement might be-you'll never see each other again and if you do you just pretend that you don't recognize each other. The best perk of this particular advantage is that, knowing the end is in sight, that's theres no way to save or prolong your job, you can just as easily tell the boss to "Shove it!" Haha! Isn't it amazing to know you have that ability. It is a liberating feeling to know that whenever you want you've got an escape hatch readily available. It's as easy as one, two....no...it's even easier than one, two, three. It's just two, two words, "I quit."

Moving on another great perk is that no one expects much of you. They think I must be a dunce-I have successfully avoided all words three-syllables or greater for a good many months. Continuing, because they think me to be incompetent I've avoided having to make workplace decisions that will affect the outcome of any situation, and if the situation begs me to make a decision, I don't, I just say, "I'm a temp!," and then I go get someone. The only decisions I've made in the past few days has been do I have one or two squirts of cream in my coffee.

Do you like lacking responsibility and learning how to do new dull things? Well temping is great for you! You don't have to learn how to do any new dull things, you get to stick with your favorites! No one trains you how to do more than two tasks, anything more than that and, cost-analysis wise, they'll be putting more time and effort into you than you're worth to them. At my two prior assignments, rather than teaching how to do necessary tasks they let me sit at the computer, playing on the internet, listening to music and reading digitalized books. The life!

So for everyone, temping isn't the only option but oh my it's a grand one.