Of things that are both good and bad
My contract at the uni is up as of this Saturday. I've gotten all sorts of verbal reassurances that it would be no problem to extend my contract and that they're putting in the effort to make the position permanent and full time, but nothing has been put on paper. No posting for the full time position. No paper to sign to extend my contract. Nothing but verbal reassurances. I trust my boss. I believe she would have done something for me at the last minute. I probably could have stayed at the uni.

But today I was offered a position with the federal government. Indeterminate (ie: permanent). It's good money, too. About $15,000 more than I make at the uni. It means I'll be able to quit The Body Shop.

The problem? I don't want the job. I don't want to go back to an environment where my coffee breaks are monitored, and where, if I take 30 mins and 15 seconds for my lunch, I'm frowned at. I don't want to deal with bitchy people who've been waiting for hours in lineups. While the department mildly interests me, it's not what I want to do.

Nevertheless, I took it. As a certain blogger with a flower moniker once pointed out to me, you don't live to work - you work to live. And unfortunately this is one of those cases. Better to have a job I'm not entirely thrilled with than not be able to pay my rent in a couple of months.

Not to say that if a permanent position at the uni opened up, I wouldn't apply for it and jump at it. Hell, there are some interesting positions with the municipal government that I might apply for (I have to decide about one within the next 24 hours - posting closes tomorrow). In taking an indeterminate position, I'm not screwing myself out of a future that might be happier. I'm just temporarily putting material welfare over spiritual.

I hope I'm not making a massive mistake.
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3 Responses
  1. Magnolia Says:

    Good for you. I know it's hard when it doesn't feel entirely right--both TK and I have gone through this. But at the end of the day, if work was always perfect, it wouldn't be called "work."

    Hopefully, getting back into the choral stuff will help balance out any of the ickiness in the new job. When you are having a bad day you will have a piece of music or a rehearsal or a performance to look forward to. I know I close my eyes, imagine an overture, and sparkle my jazz hands under my desk when I'm feeling a bit governmentified! HUGS!!


  2. Anonymous Says:

    I agree with Magnolia. The other thing to keep in mind is that in becoming indeterminate, you now have the option of applying on any closed posting that even remotely strikes your fancy. There is nothing saying that you have to stay in this position forever...good luck my friend.


  3. genderist Says:

    Absolutely... look at it as an opportunity to springboard somewhere else within the system.

    Getting back to your musical roots will help you get through the day. I know some ladies who sing with teh Sweet Adelines, and they openly call it their "therapy".