Joe Job Babylon

Too Many Fishes

2008-12-23T05:40:00.000-08:00

Even though last week General Motors and the hapless Chrysler Corporation (LLC) {What does "LLC" mean anyway?} averted certain doom many parts supplier workers were dealt the death blow just the same.

That's the harsh side of Joe Job Babylon.

Friends slogging through No Job Babylon.

Having to look for work with the rest of the graduating class of recently unemployed.

Makes me feel grateful to be underemployed.

Speaking of underemployed

2008-10-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

Whew, it has been a good chunka while since I have done more than passingly reflect on employment.

I did a couple of resume drops both electronically and personally. I wrote a few email cover letters. I got one interview and here is how that went:

“Oh I really believe in advocating for the client, as one of my focuses is being of service to the under served”. Never got that call back because, and I intuit this, I am for the humans not “the company”.

So, suddenly, while I was still trying to finish the major work project of getting paid to move my good, disabled, friend, out of state another job appeared out of nowhere and I took it immediately. Turns out it’s private elder care, which is ironic as that was what the company that didn’t want me does.

The upshot, and the reason I’m posting this here, is because, now, 50,000 dollars and a tiny jenky degree later I am making significantly less than I did when I quit my last job to go to school.

But I live in MI, so frankly, I am happy to be working at all.

The Liberty Of Wage Slavery

2008-05-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

Waged work is a relatively recent invention in the world of work.
Before that agriculture, fishery, soldiery, artistry, artisanry, shipping, mercantilism, clergy* and professions were all more or less at the mercy of the markets of that particular day.
Crops could fail, there could be war, if you were a soldier there could be peace, your cargo could sink, if you were a sailor you could sink.
But with the beginnings of industry in Europe something new happened.
Workers were paid not for the number of potatoes they took to market at whatever the price was that day, they were paid a fixed rate per a fixed time.
If you have a business, especially if it is a farm, you are bound to that business to make your living. Whether it prospers or not.
If you earn a wage and somebody else is hiring all you have to do is take a walk.
Marx and Engels aside I think waged work did more to liberate people than even the invention of the automobile.
And part of that liberty was freedom from loyalty.
If it's the family restaurant you will be expected to go both above and beyond. For gratitude and free food.
If it's waged work they owe you a goddamn check.
You owe them labor, which you are selling, and they owe you that check.
Immediately after industry started urban populations exploded. Although most of it was from migration of rural people seeking those paid wages.
And I do know that there is a stereotype afoot that depicts wage earners as stupid or lazy but I see a healthy detachment from a business class that extends about as much loyalty as it receives.
*I see Clergy as work because I define anything that puts food in the belly and shelter over the head as Work.
n

The Myth Of Hard Work

2008-05-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

A wise and esteemed friend (who knows who she is) was going over falsehoods including the myth of Hard Work.
That if you just work hard you will go far.
Obviously there are glaring examples that disprove this but it's not just pernicious but part of the American belief system. And right now Americans are desperate to work hard but the leisure classes won't let them because other workers cost much less. (The leisurely flaw here is that they still intend to sell to Americans who now have no money)
I suspect the myth comes from the Protestant ethic that toil brings you closer to God.
I've fallen victim to the same myth over the years but I think I was more motivated by B.F. Skinner.
I did a thing and got a treat. So I kept on doing a thing as much as I was allowed. (technically I'm at work right now, or at least available)
The truth is that there is no morality in going far.
At least not in worldly things and I know next to nothing about non-worldly ones. People go far for reasons both good and bad but I've seen no Celestial Daddy reward anyone for being such good souls.
Still, I like the zeal of Hard Work. It makes me feel strong. Formidable.
Like I can see myself through risks I might take.
n

Mother Doesn’t Go Out Anymore

2008-05-04T05:17:00.000-07:00

Well, today is the big day. The Sunday Paper day. It’s truly frightening. There used to be 8 to 12 pages of “Wants”. Now there is about 3. I used to be able to just sort of put the word out to the universe that I needed something interesting with about this much cash flow and it would just arise. I think this time it’s going to need a big ol’ kick in the hump.

Then:
What with some jamokes on Craigslist writing doomsday posts, all like “I have secret information that the Walgreens has built their own FEMA camp for unemployable dirtbags and 911 conspiracists. Then when 2012 comes the Mayan calendar will crash into the moon causing the tsunami of the Prince of Darkness who comes riding on a ski-doo pulled by Miley Cyrus, Brittany Spears and Jenna Bush to take us all to Scranton for reprogramming as Disney Street Sweepers.”

As if trying to become underemployed wasn’t frightening enough.

I suppose it has to have one of these

2008-04-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

All right then, I’ll weigh in with my view of working: It’s simply a must.

First and foremost because, one must always show a visible means of support no matter what else is occurring in one’s life.

Secondarily, because people need to contribute. For themselves, for others, it’s just what needs to happen. Vampirism is bad in whatever form it takes. Whether it’s the soul sucking-ness of the ruling class, or the feeble mooching of the oppressed, it’s morale destroying even if you can temporarily cover that up with cocaine, champagne, and kinky sex. Or on the converse side, crack and Mohawk (vodka).

One of the worst things we do is to medically/technologically/religiously force the disabled to maintain existence and then offer them so little support in the finding of a way of contributing.
Along with that is the warehousing of the aged, thereby negating any contributions they have or could have made.

I could cheerfully make my own work. Writing, singing, cooking, chatting, I would happily love to get paid for any or all of those. I am currently trying to arrange for at least getting paid for chatting. It’s harder than I thought it would be though. You have to call the degree some other than “chatting” and therein lies the difficulty.

Bringing Home The News

2008-04-24T17:08:00.000-07:00

My first paid job was the practically stereotypical paper route.
Got it in the first few weeks of the eight grade and I can't recall getting to sleep in at all that entire year.
And besides walking the paper to all the houses on said block there was the task of getting new subscribers. A task I ignored entirely.
My sales philosophy, and it is a philosophy, is that if a person wants to buy something she or he will let you know.
I had the big bag that I would wear on my shoulders or on the handlebars of my bike and The Wagon.
An actual little red wagon with "Detroit News" stenciled on the side.
Not bad money for the eight grade.
I bought Xmas presents on my own nickle that year and the Xmas tips more than amply financed it.
But more importantly, the employment monkey was now firmly on my back.
Right where it is today.
n

Work: A Legend

2008-04-20T09:57:00.000-07:00

It all started innocently.
When I was thirteen and impressionable I discovered that there were people out there who would give me money to do things.
Ever since I have been doing things with great enthusiasm.
That and a good portion of avarice.
Being an incurably social person I have taken joy in being around coworkers and pride in the work I have done.
Also, lets be honest about this, life costs money.
And there's money to be had in the Wild, Wide World of Work.
In these stories Stella Magdalen and Nigel Patel will be talking about work.
And I'm sure we'll be discussing job getting, job having, job losing and many other exciting facets of making a living.
I hope you enjoy.
n