egglerhttps://eggler.smol.pub2024-03-29T11:06:49Zegglereggler@proton.meMost Dreaded Question of the Day2022-10-03T09:42:29Ztag:eggler.smol.pub,2022-10-03:/most-dreaded-question-of-the-day<p>“How are you?” is the default answer, as my brain either goes completely blank before receding into a state of existential crisis, or I just blurt out a “fine” and keep it moving.</p>
<p>I learned early on that most people don't care how you're actually feeling; they use it as a greeting instead, and engage in a baffling exchange of useless filler phrases (“I’m fine, how are you?”) before transitioning into actual conversation.</p>
<p>It's utterly mind boggling why they bother to go through this song and dance, when they could simply bypass that stage. Sometimes I mess them up by saying “Hi” instead of my default. If you want something, just ask me. Don't waste my time.</p>
<p>Lately, I've been more perplexed by a coworker who asks about my weekend. I've been responding in earnest, but unfortunately he immediately loses interest when I mention my books. I do a lot of writing on the weekend, as that's when I have the most time for it.</p>
<p>The one time I actually did something worth mentioning (we went to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and it was a blast!), he didn't ask about my weekend at all! I had the perfect response just lined up for him that Monday morning, but nope!</p>
<p>This was after I sort of snubbed him the previous week, when I only said “Yeah” and didn't elaborate further. Cause ya know…my writing isn't an interesting topic to him. Tried again last week, and he just walked away.</p>
<p>I get that he asks to be polite or whatever, but what's the point if you aren't going to even fake enthusiasm? Don't bother me with pointless pleasantries, it just makes us both feel awkward.</p>
<p>But I've learned my lesson: just say “No, I did nothing of interest over the weekend.”</p>
<p>Because apparently sincerity is overrated.</p>egglereggler@proton.meShe Called It A Social Experiment2022-09-30T19:47:03Ztag:eggler.smol.pub,2022-09-30:/she-called-it-a-social-experiment<p>This week was very interesting and stressful! We weren’t fully staffed, for starters, but at least we had Monday off (Jewish holiday). Honestly, I think that’s what added to the fatigue.</p>
<p>So, we had two sick chefs, and one who spent Tuesday helping out at another location. I’m going to call them E, M, and Y, respectively. M didn’t seem too bad; could’ve been allergies for all I know, but she had a light cough. She took Wednesday and Thursday off to see her doctor.</p>
<p>E seemed out of it on Tuesday; not sick but he complained about not being able to breathe through his nose. He also has allergies and asthma (and vapes, womp womp). He left early, during the lunch rush, after basically leaving me to fend for myself from the onslaught of unruly teenagers. It put us behind schedule and we didn’t get to leave until an hour past our usual time.</p>
<p>He didn’t show up the next day, but Y was back, and we left on time. That was also the day one of the kids decided to prank his peers with a fake erection. My coworker, N, tried flagging the kid down and warning him, to which he revealed he was purposely stuffing the front of his pants. Very inappropriate, but kinda funny.</p>
<p>I also had a teacher request bananas to teach the kids how to apply stitches (she had oranges too). Now that sounded fun, like the camping trip she apparently took them on the night before.</p>
<p>And that’s where the fun ends. E came back on Thursday, very obviously sick (he wore a mask, like M), just nonstop coughing and occasionally had to step away to recover. We were all wondering why he wouldn't take the day off. No one wants to see or hear their chef violently coughing every ten seconds.</p>
<p>But that’s capitalism for ya.</p>
<p>Today (Friday) was almost a disaster, as the dish machine’s doors popped loose and sprayed water everywhere. The head chef, A, managed to find and screw the pieces back together, but that lasted five minutes while I dealt with the pile up of dishes.</p>
<p>But other than that, the day was fine. I found time to write most of this post, after all!</p>
<p>Gonna spend the weekend catching up on writing for my web serials and run some more edits on my novel.</p>egglereggler@proton.meMixed Feelings About My Current Job2022-09-29T20:38:07Ztag:eggler.smol.pub,2022-09-29:/mixed-feelings-about-my-current-job<p>Figures my first post will be about work…but it's been on my mind all week, and I didn't want to burden Midnight pub.</p>
<p>So my journal seemed like the best spot for it!</p>
<p>Anyway…</p>
<p>I started this job late August, and came close to quitting on my first day, after they threw me to the wolves. I got swamped with dishes, which was a big deal because I work for a catering company that prides itself on scratch cooking. Problem is, they didn't do any of that or use real utensils and flatware throughout the pandemic.</p>
<p>It was a total disaster, but the pay was too good to pass up at the time. So despite me wanting to quit for the first few days, I gradually came around to staying, mostly for money, yes. But also because my coworkers were very friendly and even offered me rides to and from work. We get free lunch too, and weekends off, unless we have a catering event. And since we work for a school, we’re off on days the kids are. It is, by all rights, a good job. I even have a lot of downtime before the big rush to write.</p>
<p>I just can’t seem to connect to anyone, minus one coworker. And other than video games (including weird and niche ones) I can barely relate to my gamer coworker. Everyone else, despite us all being of similar age, are even harder to reach; there’s just nothing there.</p>
<p>To complicate matters, there’s a wall between me and the cooks, so even when there is engaging conversation going on, I’m too far to participate unless I walk around the corner and stand there while they’re all working in a line. Which just isn’t feasible, since I need to work too, and I don’t like yelling, so that’s out.</p>
<p>I have many days where I can ignore the friendly banter and bonding, but sometimes it wears on me, and I get frustrated that I can’t join the conversation as easily as they can (I do “hit and runs”), but on slow days it’s more apparent.</p>
<p>I doubt much would improve even without the wall, as the dish machine is loud and there are other distracting sounds. And my voice is too soft for them to recognize…which I’m painfully aware of. Just as I’m aware that I don’t talk much (which at least one person at previous and this current job feels the need to mention).</p>
<p>It just makes me not want to talk at all, since it just puts me on the spot when I…legit have nothing to say. Or when I doubt anyone will respond or even pretend to care. It’s happened often enough that I gave up on elaborating on my passions and weekend escapades.</p>
<p>Spoiler alert: it’s gaming and writing related, and I’ve literally seen a coworker’s eyes glaze over when I mentioned my writing. The only person interested is my manager, and of course he’s not my target audience. But also I’d rather he not know me by the name I write under…</p>
<p>But yeah. Super isolating and lonesome job. I love working in the building and all, and the other perks, but that inability to connect with my coworkers doesn’t make me too thrilled to go to work.</p>
<p>I do plan on leaving this job by or at summer. The lunch rush and flood of teenagers each day is exhausting. They are very messy kids and leave me exhausted by the time the lunch period is over. It would be less stressful if we only had to serve half as many people as we do right now (700+). But I’ll ride it out for now, or if my writing suddenly starts raking in big figures per month. I make enough to cover my share of rent right now, but that’s just getting by, unlike my current pay.</p>
<p>I’m going to post more about work in the future, albeit it’ll mostly be humorous or interesting things that happen to me or the crew. It’ll be a weekly thing for now.</p>egglereggler@proton.me