My "Job"

Sometimes it's hard to come up with material for this blog to keep all my avid readers (a.k.a. most likely 1-3 people...and by "people", I mainly mean relatives) happy...especially since I don't want to write about anything too personal. But, since I've gotten zero so many special requests to talk about what I do at my "job", I figured I'd be nice and oblige everyone.

Right now I'm working part time at H&R Block for the tax season. I started in January, and the job ends in mid April, so needless to say, it's a pretty huge commitment. I don't do the actual taxes though. There are retired people for that. I mainly just stand around up front and get hit on by creepy, old men.

Example...

Scary, old man leaning over the counter a little bit too far: This is your part time job, right? You model the rest of the time? :big smile and too much looking up and down:

Me: Yeahhh...hehe...you're funny. :nervous laughter:

Scary, old man: How old do you think I am?

Me: Probably about 60 or so? (looks to be about 105)

Scary, old man: I'm 75! I look good, don't I? I just had open heart surgery last Thursday!

Me: Wow! You better take it easy.

I don't mind it all that much. At least I'm entertained. If it's not that, it's most likely another old person telling me all about their life story...which I honestly don't mind either. Some of them are quite interesting. It's just funny how soooo many people come in, sit down, and start rambling on and on immediately about themselves. Meanwhile, I'm literally on the phone setting an appointment for someone and such and such is still yapping away unphased. Ummm, I didn't hear you...I was on the phone.

One guy told me he was Santa during the Christmas season because he "loves kids"...then proceeded to show me a picture of him dressed up as Santa on his phone. I guess you do have to love kids to do a job like that (??), but that's a little weird for my taste. I told him he should have become a priest instead...zing! Kiiiiidding.

If it's not old, retired people with lots of money coming in, it's the complete opposite...backwoods trailer people that work minimum wage jobs. I'm not sure what's sadder, honestly. Some of the old people are in such rough shape, but they're still so chipper and call me "sweetheart", etc. And, so many of them come in saying they lost their husband or wife last year. It's a little heartbreaking and grounding. But, the trailer trash (haaa, for lack of a better word) are also sadness inducing because they make hardly any money and need their tax return money sooo badly. It's a little startling because so many of them have the worst teeth, reek of smoke, are divorced with a million kids, etc. It's disturbing, but you also kind of have to feel bad for them because it's a completely different upbringing. It has to be hard to overcome if you're brought up that way, don't get a good education, etc. And, then it's a vicious cycle from there. So, that's what it's like. You're from one neighborhood or the other. $93K a year (on average) during retirement or less than $20K a year. It's crazy how money rules all and is the ultimate differentiator.

Anyway, so on a daily basis (well, 3 days a week since I'm only working there part time), since I'm the front desk person, I perform a multitude of tasks that only a college graduate with a very specific skill set can master. I answer the phone, set appointments, pick at my nails, help anyone that walks in, pull people's tax files from last year, text on my iphone, make tax folders, play spider solitaire, process payments, file, go to the bathroom way more times than is needed, etc. But hey, it's an easy job, and I see lots of people each day.

The part that is annoying though (along with the fact that I'm basically volunteering there) is I can't wear capris or open toed shoes...in Florida, no less! As if the sight of my ankles or toes is really going to put someone over the edge. How is that inappropriate and/or arousing? I can appreciate some corporate guidelines, but do we really all need to pretend we're Mormon? Ugh. Plus, I can wear a skirt. So, a skirt is ok but not capris that are longer in length? Makes perfect sense. Who makes up this bogus shiznit?

My coworkers are pretty much all older but very nice. It's funny how after you work with people, they all start to resemble characters from a sitcom show.

Ok, I think that was a good enough post for today. On to bed now! At some point, I'll talk about what I do during my other 2 days of working!