So I started a new job about three weeks ago now and I've been waiting to blog about it because I wanted to put up a picture, but I've decided that will just have to come later. I am no good at remembering my camera when I go anywhere.
I'm working at an independent grocery store near my house called Rosewood Market. I was trying to get a job there last summer, when I had lots of time, but they didn't have any part time positions that would work with my school schedule. About a month ago I got a call from the owner saying he had something for me and I decided to just take it, even though twenty hours on top of TAing and writing my thesis seemed a little much. Well I haven't made much progress on the thesis, but I'm really liking the job. The work environment is really communal. I'm just a cashier, but I'm getting to know all the other people who work there little by little and everyone seems so friendly and cool. The cashiers and some of the other people from deli and produce and stuff all go out for pizza on Thursday nights, and there's a little time to chat with people during work, too.
It's also nice to work at a place that has so many regular customers. It's not like a normal grocery store where you go through the checkout without really meeting the cashier's eyes, most of the customers are friendly and like to chat a little about what they're getting, the mushrooms or textured soy protein "chicken" salad or nutritional yeast (still trying to figure out what that is. the other day the deli was serving bulger loaf with nutritional yeast gravy! what the heck?!). People always ask me about stuff like I've eaten everything in the store, "Is this any good?" they say. Um . . . you'll have to tell me about that. The whole atmosphere reminds me a little of working at the library, but more sunny and clean and organic. It's really nice to have a job outside of school. At least I have twenty hours a week when what I'm supposed to be doing is right there in front of me, easy to do, and doesn't involve schoolwork. I really need a break from academia. I still like the idea of studying and being a scholar, but I'm having such a hard time actually doing things. It's insane! It shouldn't be this hard to write a paper.
TAing, though, is going well. I love my class! I have so much fun, and the kids seem to be learning. We're studying Foucault right now and their little freshman writings about Foucault are so damn cute! I just want to put them up on my refrigerator door! I don't think they'd heard of him before they started reading him and there so uncorrupted by the awe that is associated with Foucault in higher education. It's beautiful. And they're all fresh from highschool and they think I'm just so cool because I'm close to their age and watch the same movies and read the same books they do. (It's totally helping my cred that I read the Twilight books this summer, although my freshman class is the only place it's helping my cred. We also agreed as a class that the Kiera Knightly version is the best Pride and Predjudice.)
Posted by linnea at October 22, 2008 7:59 PM