A Not-so-new Job

Today is my first day as a full-time employee since 1995.

Weird.

Weird because I've been doing the job at the same site, for the same company, as an independent contractor for the last 18 months, so the day-to-day really isn't going to change. Except that I'll have my own desk :-) And benefits. And get the hours I request instead of the leftovers.

Weird because I'll be working a lot more hours per week than I have in a few years. For the next month, I'll pretty much be working 5 days a week - I've really only been working 4 days a week (most of the time anyway) for the last several years, taking off one weekday for volunteer work, errands, etc.

A relief.

A relief because I'll have health insurance as of Feb. 1. So will Mary! They just started offering domestic partnership coverage as of Jan. 1. I haven't had health insurance for 3 years.

A relief because I will have employment-rate taxes taken out of my paycheck. No more quarterly tax payments. No more paying my half and the "employer half" as self-employed. Finally, a way out of the endless cycle of owing taxes at the end of the year.

News from the Work Front

Well, I got a call from the person who interviewed me for the position at the church. They "decided to go with another candidate" who would be around for a while. Obviously they saw the email I sent regarding the miscommunications over the recent service, saying I was tempted to make my hiatus from church activities a permanent one. Mostly I'm relieved not to have to deal with everything - the position seems to demand a lot more work than the alotted hours would allow for. I'm also a bit annoyed with everything that's gone on the last few weeks. I've been very frustrated with the miscommunication and dysfunction I've been seeing, and I freely admit that I am no longer being spiritually fed there, and haven't been for the last couple of years. It may be time to move on, though to what exactly, I'm not sure.

As for the other job I applied for, the interpreting thing, my application is being processed and I've done the pre-employment drug test. Now I'm just waiting to find out my start date :-)

I did it...

I've been self-employed full-time as a sign language interpreter since 1995. I've really enjoyed the ability to make my own schedule, which has allowed me to take care of family stuff and travel for some of my volunteer activities. For most of that time, the income was steady and fairly good. Then the economy plunged, the war in Iraq started, and for some reason, there was less work available. After a while of not being able to pay my bills, I gave in and started working as an independent contractor for one company (which I had resisted working for even when my friends went over there). I've been there for almost a year and a half now, and I've been able to catch up on bills (thanks to steady work and a regular paycheck). It's a pretty good gig, and I'm able to work in a really supportive environment with other highly skilled interpreters, and I don't have to drive around town all day long - just drive to one office and stay there all day! My car says thankya. I've been wanting to go on staff for a while, but some as-yet-unresolved financial issues have prevented that.

So a couple of months ago, my boss walks into the breakroom and says "Domestic partners can get health insurance starting January 1." That got me thinking about not just going on staff, but going full-time so we could get the benefits. I had a sit-down with the boss and went over some details, then went home and talked to the wife. Even with the cut in hourly pay, we thought it would be worth it to have the benefits, and to have taxes taken out of my check (closing an 11-year cycle of ongoing IRS debt, which has contributed a great deal of stress to my life for most of that time). I spent some time on the phone with a lovely rep at the IRS, who had to forward the request to a supervisor for approval, and waited 3 weeks for a response. With a payment arrangement in place, I went back to the boss and picked up the application. It took me a few days, but I turned it in yesterday. I'll have to pee in a cup sometime next week, and then we just wait for headquarters to approve everything. I could be a full-time employee by the end of the month. Yikes! Have I mentioned that I haven't been a full-time employee anywhere since 1995?????

But the benefits will be most welcome. I haven't had health insurance for three years, and I badly need some dental work too. So does the wife. Having insurance will definitely reduce my stress levels. Maybe the biggest reduction will be getting out from under the spectre of accumulating tax debt, something that has hounded me for years, trying everything to get out from under it. There just weren't full-time interpreter positions (with reasonable pay - I don't want to live in my car) around until a couple of years ago. Thank Goddess for the opportunity.

A day from hell

What a week. Last weekend I spent two days helping my friend Bev with her booth at a couple of fairs. It was fun, but hard work loading and unloading the car and setting up and then doing it all again at the end of the day. It was also very hot the second day. Fortunately, I had Monday off to recover :-) followed by three days at my usual job, which was the same old, same old. Then came Friday.

I took a last-minute freelance job that was booked for 5 hours at a site about a half hour from home. It sounded like an easy enough job for the day. I checked to make sure there was fast food nearby that I could eat (food sensitivities) so I wouldn't have to pack a lunch. I put on some nice clothes that would be warm enough in an air conditioned building but still look professional. I drove to the site. I arrived and my contact said, "The buses will be here soon."

Buses?!?!?!?

I ran to the car and grabbed my sunglasses.

So began a day from hell. Buses. Drive an hour and pick up a group of people. Drive 45 minutes and arrive at a very large, very loud, very hot event, where I am to accompany these people for the next 5 hours. No shade. No lunch. One small water bottle. Dark clothes. Ankle boots with a 1 inch heel. Needless to say, by the time we got back to the buses I was sunburned, dehydrated, on the edge of heat exhaustion, with swollen feet. Then came the one hour ride back to the original site. The 5 hour job had become 8.5 hours of torture. Yes, I called the people who gave me the job and complained. They didn't know about all this either. And yes, I did speak to my contact at the site and explained that had I known what the plan was, I would have dressed more appropriately, brought a backpack with more water and my lunch (no I can't eat chicken, so don't bother offering to run and get me some), tennis shoes, sunscreen and a hat.

Mary was pissed. I was frustrated. These people didn't have a clue that they should have provided all this additional information. I spent Friday night and most of the day yesterday on the couch, pounding gatorade and slathering myself with aloe vera. My arms aren't nearly as badly burned as I thought they might be. My face is the part that hurts off and on. The worst burn is my chest, which will now have a V-shaped tan line after the red peels off in a couple of days.

Firing up....

Yesterday afternoon, the company where I work had a BBQ for employees, contractors and their families. It was a fairly good turnout. The two bosses fired up the grill and cooked burgers, hot dogs (that I heard were really good) and veggie burgers. Thanks Christine and Joe! There were several salad options and cookies, too. And prizes! I won a great laptop bag. No, I don't have a laptop, but it's the perfect size for carrying all my sh*t to work without it getting too bulky. The wife and kids got to see where I work (finally) and got an idea of what we do. A few of my buddies were there, but most weren't, so now I have to chew them out next week!