Update

Dear Time,

It is now April.

How did that happen?

Give me back my time. Please.

I guess that's what happen when you fill your diary up. Just being busy and doing things with projects, volunteering. Busy, busy, bumblebee. I just feel guilty for making my friends to wait for me and working around my schedule.

Main thing I am doing is part time work which isn't my life goal or anything, it's not even thought of as a career. And no, I don't have a career or future plan. However, I know that in this moment in time, my priority is personal and skills development, and financial stability.

Being me, though. I still job hunt. For example, today I had an interview which I definitely didn't get but then I don't really want it. Bizarre, I know. I came to realise that I am enjoying my part time work because of the people. We have a laugh most of the time.

To me that's the most important element - benefits, working hours, pay, location, job responsibilities are not as important as the people. As much as I loved working with jewellery and watches, I started hating the place because it went clinque-y; this shouldn't be a surprise considering it's a small store and all woman crew doesn't help with the mean-ness of things. And then at the cinema, it was awesome. All fun and games. That was it. I could stay therefore a year or more and be trained in all areas but that would be it, there wasn't very much opportunities towards career progression.

At this place, it's similar to the cinema but there are opportunities towards career progression so that's a good thing should I stay put. The laugh and fun at work, it's unbelieveable, my cousin describes the place as a nursery and to be honest, she isn't lying. For example, we had a day of casting Harry Potter spells (I lost because I only knew one spell); pretending to walk with one knew or knees were joined together; catwalking with baskets as the new collection of handbags; then yesterday I had a 3 year old type of argument with one of the managers ("You were in my way". "NO! You were in my way". "YOU were in MY way".).

Who you work with really makes a difference. It actually makes you not hate going to work. So HR use some common sense when hiring. For example, I was asked to send someone to give assistance so naturally I choose the person who was doing nothing and the response I got was, "I finish in 5 minutes." I explain the situation and the reply was, "why can't you do it?" Really...not amused. So she's getting pawned off to another department, which might actually be a good thing because she does one task really well, multi-task she is no good.

Cliffnote: look beyond the hard elements of work - benefits, working hours, pay, etc - and think about the soft side of the things like the working culture and people. You can always get a job with the higher pay but working non-sociable people where you don't even get to talk anyone, do you really want to potentially spend 25% of your waking life only pushing buttons?

Swish and flick. Stupefy!