After months of rejections, I finally found a place at a non profit in NYC. It was a partnership with a city park that put on events like concerts and movies for all the public to enjoy at no cost. I was an usher for these events, which meant I got to enjoy them along with everyone. My hours were very flexible and spaced out as well, and we weren't watched by any “slave master” supervisors. Truly one of my best gigs. But all things must come to an end. As the season ended and the weather got colder, we were out of work and let go for the winter. Two more months of rejections followed, however I did take a civil service exam and have several more lined up. I called an agency called Robert Half, and they said the civil service route is a good one to take, especially as it lines up with my interests. But that's another story.
During those two months, I had all the free time in the world to explore and experience things I never did before. I returned to AnimeNYC, one of the top conventions in the Northeast, where I took two years worth of learning from my experiences to create the best weekend in years. This included attending a special concert by a famous Japanese group that almost never leaves their country. But ok, that was during the weekend, when most people are off anyway. What else did I do? Well, I got back in touch with my passions and hobbies, which there are a lot, I was available to help around the house and run errands, serve as emotional support for my brother who's going through college, and be exposed to much more art and entertainment which I would have missed if I was working. The music and art I witnessed never felt so colorful. Live music, Broadway shows, art museums, you name it. All while this was happening, I saw my two parents, both full time employees, working their butts off for no reward other than more work. My mother had a standard 9-5 with the state with reasonable compensation, but my dad works by commission, which sometimes means he works all 7 days in the week. After he got laid off from one of his longest running positions, he kept working for places that promises him huge earnings (which he deserves as a PhD from an Ivy League) but comes up empty. Now, he works as a partner for an insurance company which still promises huge earnings, but so far they haven't lived up to their promise, all while my dad is working even more hours than before because he's on call. Another story that hit with me is my uncle, a mathematician and top of his company, he was so good that his value went up and the company didn't want to compensate him, so they fired him.
I understand not everyone can afford my lifestyle, and believe me, I'm very grateful for the opportunity I was given, but I hope it goes to show how beneficial time off work is. Going forward I plan to return to the nonprofit for another summer, and I have a civil service exam lined up for a position as a conductor for the subway. The compensation I receive will be used to further fund both my hobbies and my business as a voice actor. I also made investments in Meryll Lynch, which are small now, but who knows how much I'll make in 20 years? And of course, not owning a car is a huge relief on my budget.