I work for a home health care company assisting the elderly with everyday living. You know, cooking, cleaning, ruuning errands stuff like that. It's not a hard job at all...physically. What I don't understand is how you can be mean, ungrateful, ignorant and just plain full of bullshit to a person who only serves you with the intent of making your life easier!
Once, I was really ready to tell this client about herself real good and walk clean up out of that hot ass house of hers but my 4 years of customer service experience gave me the training I needed to fake being patient with her. Granted it was only enough to make it through the hours I was at her house because believe me, I was hella pissed when I left her house. The whole time I was thinking "This is chess, not checkers."
This saying is something I picked up from my good friend and mentor and I use it before I react negatively to any situation. Honestly, I'm the kind of person who will shoot first and ask questions later especially if my safety or dignity is on the line. Now since I don't carry a gun the shooting is normally done with my words and since I work to feed and take care myself and my family I couldn't really go off on this lady tell her what a bitch she is and how she can take her toilet brush and choke on it before I get on my hands and knees with it. So I'm at work saying over and over in my head "Chess, not checkers. Chess, not checkers."
I'll admit, I didn't really know what it meant in this situation but I did know that I couldn't tell her that I know her and her "roommate" are more than "roommates" and expect my satisfaction to last longer than the moment after I said it. So I desperately ran to B (aforementioned friend/mentor) and told her I was about to lose my religion on this old lady. She carefully explained that this old lady is miserable because she is old and can't take care of herself, she isn't in control of her own life or anybody else's...except me for 3 hours a day so I shouldn't take offense to what she's making me do and this is where the chess comes in.
As an adult, I'm in control of and responsible for all of my actions regardless of what others might try to push me to do. It's my job to analyze the importance of going off, telling people how I feel or just plain putting somebody in what I'd consider to be his/her place and compare it to what I could potentially lose or gain from doing that. In this case I decided the answer isn't going off on the old bag because no matter what I say to her she's still gonna be unhappy. If I go off I'd gain a sense of power or whatever you call the high you get from going off on people but I'd most definitely lose my job.
The answer would in fact be to go harder at my job. How so? Because the lady goes behind and inspects every little thing I do, so if I do more then she'll have to inspect more and her old legs full of arthritis won't like that and soon she'll be pushing me out of her door instead of trying to make me work harder. It might sound harsh to some but oh well. "Some" isn't in this house with her scrubbing clean dishes.
All in all, the lesson can be applied to any life, family or relationship situation. Treat people, not how you want to be treated but how they treat you but remember to play your part and be smart. In any given situation, it's chess not checkers...
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Let It All Hang Out
So part of my new life as a recessionista (read: woman who works very hard to stay recession free), is working many jobs, one of which is modeling. This is something I picked up about a year ago and I can't deny the fact that I love it. I've done a few photo shoots and fashion shows but the other day I had my very first swimsuit photo shoot. Well, it was a catalog shoot for Fat Cat Clothing Co., a plus size clothing line in St. Louis, but we the models got to pose in an ensemble of our own choosing and I decided to go hard and do a swimsuit. I was really going for the Daisy Dukes look and I'll just say it was quite a site.
I was kinda nervous about it being that I'm also "plus size" and I've had a baby but I must admit, I'M THE SHIT BITCH!!! I was VERY proud of myself because I've been working rather hard and sacrificed so much to keep my body looking how it does and it's great to do something like pose in a swimsuit and make the photographer...let's say "uncomfortable". It makes me want to go even harder (no pun intended) at modeling but more importantly taking care of my body.
Modeling isn't necessarily "easy" but the hard work doesn't scare me at all. I don't know, I guess it's because no matter how fly I think I am there are still gonna be skeptics (read: haters) around trying to convince me that "plus size" and "fly" aren't homonyms. So along with fighting for a new level of respect for myself, I feel like I'm fighting for all plus size women. With the army that is Fat Cat Clothing Co. beside me, I have the feeling that we will not lose...
I was kinda nervous about it being that I'm also "plus size" and I've had a baby but I must admit, I'M THE SHIT BITCH!!! I was VERY proud of myself because I've been working rather hard and sacrificed so much to keep my body looking how it does and it's great to do something like pose in a swimsuit and make the photographer...let's say "uncomfortable". It makes me want to go even harder (no pun intended) at modeling but more importantly taking care of my body.
Modeling isn't necessarily "easy" but the hard work doesn't scare me at all. I don't know, I guess it's because no matter how fly I think I am there are still gonna be skeptics (read: haters) around trying to convince me that "plus size" and "fly" aren't homonyms. So along with fighting for a new level of respect for myself, I feel like I'm fighting for all plus size women. With the army that is Fat Cat Clothing Co. beside me, I have the feeling that we will not lose...
Man I Miss My Benefits
I had a "good" job for over 3 years. Acceptable pay, great hours, a few cool supervisors but best of all, I had BENEFITS!!! Yes, the blessed "b" word and they were better than Smirnoff Tuscan Lemonade. Anyways, as a result of the "recession" and "economy" my employer started laying off and firing people for any minuscule reason they could find and lil ol me was caught up in the crossfire.
Now my job WAS high stress so the loss of it wasn't exactly detrimental but damn if I don't need those benefits right now because this clinic/medicaid shit is for the birds. Don't get me wrong, I grew up poor and if it wasn't for the free vaccinations and check ups from said clinics/medicaid I wouldn't be alive and if I was I'd probably have some sort of limp leg or something. I'm thankful for the services provided now and then that were rendered at clinics around the city, but as a child, you don't notice the bad service, long as hell waits, low quality equipment and facilities, snobby attitudes from workers who probably get serviced at the same free clinic, dirty stares from other patients who look at you like you have all the STD's and kids in the world when really you just have a bladder infection.
I mean, I really didn't want to come to a clinic but my options were go there, go to the ER and get a gazillion dollar bill or die so I figured I'd go there and try to get through all that with as much ease as possible BUT THAT SHIT RIGHT THERE NIGGA would send the wrong or right person to jail without a fight. I mean everybody who visits a clinic isn't a broke, unemployed, welfare recipient, mother of 6 crack smoker, but even if they were does it mean it's okay to treat them like nothing?
I don't know if I'm upset with medicaid, free clinics or the fact that I had to go from a private doctor to a clinic but I do know that I was there too damn long and the service was horrible on top of the fact that it looked like 1986 in there. I mean, I really did think about taking up my other options but I didn't need another bill coming to house and I can't die because I have too much shit to do so somebody needs to do something because the next time I get sick, I'll cure myself before I go through this again...
Now my job WAS high stress so the loss of it wasn't exactly detrimental but damn if I don't need those benefits right now because this clinic/medicaid shit is for the birds. Don't get me wrong, I grew up poor and if it wasn't for the free vaccinations and check ups from said clinics/medicaid I wouldn't be alive and if I was I'd probably have some sort of limp leg or something. I'm thankful for the services provided now and then that were rendered at clinics around the city, but as a child, you don't notice the bad service, long as hell waits, low quality equipment and facilities, snobby attitudes from workers who probably get serviced at the same free clinic, dirty stares from other patients who look at you like you have all the STD's and kids in the world when really you just have a bladder infection.
I mean, I really didn't want to come to a clinic but my options were go there, go to the ER and get a gazillion dollar bill or die so I figured I'd go there and try to get through all that with as much ease as possible BUT THAT SHIT RIGHT THERE NIGGA would send the wrong or right person to jail without a fight. I mean everybody who visits a clinic isn't a broke, unemployed, welfare recipient, mother of 6 crack smoker, but even if they were does it mean it's okay to treat them like nothing?
I don't know if I'm upset with medicaid, free clinics or the fact that I had to go from a private doctor to a clinic but I do know that I was there too damn long and the service was horrible on top of the fact that it looked like 1986 in there. I mean, I really did think about taking up my other options but I didn't need another bill coming to house and I can't die because I have too much shit to do so somebody needs to do something because the next time I get sick, I'll cure myself before I go through this again...
Thursday, July 9, 2009
I'm Just Saying...
In today's world, economy and social scene, the word "recession" sends tremors of worry through the hearts of many. Images of permanent layoffs, burning banks and homeless people with cardboard signs sends panic out and prayers up as the world tries to prevent New Jack City: 2010.
While most try to stay above water with a frown on their face, I do it willingly. Moving with a sense of passion and more determination than bull in my zodiac sign, I willingly do what it takes to mare sure things like dinnerless nights or a house with no lights will ever have an impact on my son, recession or not. This recession will not hinder me, him or anybody close to me from doing anything they want to do as long as I have a say in the matter.
So, if this means that it normally took me working 2 jobs to keep things moving and now I need 3, I'll just have 3 jobs. If this means that I used to get 7-9 hours of sleep and now I have to make do out of 3-6, then I'll do that. In the words of somebody, "I will not lose." And I won't feel worried, stressed, depressed or recessed (I don't think recessed is a word but y'all know what I mean and that's all that matters).
And I'm not talking about trying to maintain basic living necessities, I need to maintain my FLY SEXY GLAM. I mean, I'm also a plus size model so recession or not my son and I have to hold down a respectable amount of fly and there will never be an excuse good enough for either of us to fall off. Anyways, I'm starting to venture off into something extra like I tend to do but my point is this:
Anybody who can maintain taking care of herself, a more bad than good family, an all new an improved extended family, work at 3-6 jobs per day, smile at the haters, be cordial to creepy stalkers and 12,000 other things all with a smile on her face (well, maybe not a smile but I haven't assaulted anybody) deserves to be respected and I'll take that with money and power as well.
This is my story. A mother/daughter/sister/aunt/friend/model/writer/healthcare worker/waitress etc and what I have to do to make it in this recession. It's not always easy. It's not always glamourous even though I may make it look that way. But it's all me and what I have to do and even if you don't like me, can't stand me, think my weave too long or my ass is too big you will respect my recession...
While most try to stay above water with a frown on their face, I do it willingly. Moving with a sense of passion and more determination than bull in my zodiac sign, I willingly do what it takes to mare sure things like dinnerless nights or a house with no lights will ever have an impact on my son, recession or not. This recession will not hinder me, him or anybody close to me from doing anything they want to do as long as I have a say in the matter.
So, if this means that it normally took me working 2 jobs to keep things moving and now I need 3, I'll just have 3 jobs. If this means that I used to get 7-9 hours of sleep and now I have to make do out of 3-6, then I'll do that. In the words of somebody, "I will not lose." And I won't feel worried, stressed, depressed or recessed (I don't think recessed is a word but y'all know what I mean and that's all that matters).
And I'm not talking about trying to maintain basic living necessities, I need to maintain my FLY SEXY GLAM. I mean, I'm also a plus size model so recession or not my son and I have to hold down a respectable amount of fly and there will never be an excuse good enough for either of us to fall off. Anyways, I'm starting to venture off into something extra like I tend to do but my point is this:
Anybody who can maintain taking care of herself, a more bad than good family, an all new an improved extended family, work at 3-6 jobs per day, smile at the haters, be cordial to creepy stalkers and 12,000 other things all with a smile on her face (well, maybe not a smile but I haven't assaulted anybody) deserves to be respected and I'll take that with money and power as well.
This is my story. A mother/daughter/sister/aunt/friend/model/writer/healthcare worker/waitress etc and what I have to do to make it in this recession. It's not always easy. It's not always glamourous even though I may make it look that way. But it's all me and what I have to do and even if you don't like me, can't stand me, think my weave too long or my ass is too big you will respect my recession...
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