Antiwork

Basically the title, I feel like Americans have been brain-washed to see “small-business” owners as somehow inherently ethical underdogs you should root for? It's like people don't realize that small businesses are just as likely to exploit their employees and engage in unethical behaviors as large ones. In fact, in some industries, small businesses are exempt from the same standards and regulations as large ones. That being said, I feel like it is soooo culturally engrained to admire these people. For what it's worth, I'm not coming after the person who sells their crocheted doilies at the farmers market. I think y'all know who I'm talking about.

So so sad. I wanted so much not to work with the old bastard I work for, and just for once in my life I wanted to work at things I like more. But money is tight, wall street collapsed, energy bills are absurd and inflation is killing me. So no, another year with the bastard and his inflated ego, his outburst of rage, his mysoginistic obtuse ways. I am so sad today.

I was desperate for a job, went to at least ten interviews a week. I got an interview at a famous furnature and decor chain (think overpriced, made by poor Malaysians/indians overseas) and the manager talked to me for 5 minutes before giving me an instruction sheet for a holiday display. She said it was a test to see if I understood the work, so I did it, took at least three hours, no breaks and I even helped customers when they asked. Of course I never got the job or a call back, I was just some free labor. When businesses whine about people not wanting to work I like to remember how revolting they were when people were desperate during that time.

Just today my workplace fired a girl on the spot – The reason was downsizing, because the sales were dropping. She got 3 months worth of severence pay. When my shift was ending, I overheard two workers gossiping about how this isn't the end to firing from our department and made some vague comment about me. For the first few moments I froze and panic settling in. I decided not to believe office gossip, but the more I think about it, the more it seems plausible. First of all, there's my attendance issue. I got married in June and in July we went for a honeymoon for two weeks. All planned, booked, paid for since January. I requested time off during that time, it was allowed, but as soon as I came back, I found out that they shut down the company for another 14 days, which was not covered…

Really, I need $2500. I took out a loan 2 years ago and paid it on time every single month. I have a new job that is still kicking off so I have been considerably poorer these past few months and the loan went into default. I spoke to the debt collector today and he said that since my payment history was immaculate, my loan company will waive HALF of what is left if I can pay them in full by the end of next week. Obviously I don't have that, but the opportunity to eliminate $2000 worth of debt and get a loan payment out of the way is too good to pass up. So I have no idea what to do now. I don't think I know a single person that just has $2500 laying around, so does anyone have advice on how I could raise that much…