I forgot that full-time employment meant "don't waste your time having friends or plans."
I recently got a job working at Moore's rental warehouse in Cambridge about three weeks ago. In those three weeks I gained serious seniority, which says something about the turnaround ratio here. I spend my days looking out the window longingly while I restock suits, build boxes, and make fun of how stupid some names are.
This, aside from being the time of year when people tour and have fun, is when people decide to let god and the state unite them by a piece of gold. To us, this may be called "the busy season." In other words, I've worked 50+ hours each week since beginning.
Other than that, I got two kittens and gained 3 pounds, then lost 4
July 4, 2007
June 8, 2007
How to Make a Living without earning money
So many things can constitute "making a living." I don't think that term relates exclusively to money. I think that its more so about what keeps you going, alive, and ambitious. Everyone has probably three or four of these things but there is always one in specific that they truly could not live without. I wish I could say I could not live without the support of my family, but that's been proven untrue, although I once again have great support from my father and stepmother. But I know what the one thing in my life that without I would struggle to find reason for continuing.
Through my life there have not been a lot of constants. However, for the last four years I have had the privilege of playing drums in a band with three people who have become three of my closest friends. One of which was already a close friend to me when we began this endeavor, the other two became such. I still remember the days I met Tyler and Erik respectively: Erik I met in the lineup to a punk show, I was actually talking about his band at the time, and we started talking. Tyler was not a proud moment for me. At a party at an old friends house I fell down the stairs, drunk, and knocked into Tyler, who was with two of my friends. Interrupting him asking if I was alright, I wanted to know if he played guitar.
So that reveals the past, to a degree. Essentially, I've gotten to spend the last four years of my life driving in a beaten up van to cities I probably would've had no motivation to visit, and meet the most amazing people alive. The amount of friendships I have forged I will never forget. I'm beginning to jump from topic to topic so I should probably rap this up. I love each of the members of my band and those who have been close to us, the bands we've played with, and everyone I've met, and I hope I can continue to do this for a long time.
-Ben Brake
Through my life there have not been a lot of constants. However, for the last four years I have had the privilege of playing drums in a band with three people who have become three of my closest friends. One of which was already a close friend to me when we began this endeavor, the other two became such. I still remember the days I met Tyler and Erik respectively: Erik I met in the lineup to a punk show, I was actually talking about his band at the time, and we started talking. Tyler was not a proud moment for me. At a party at an old friends house I fell down the stairs, drunk, and knocked into Tyler, who was with two of my friends. Interrupting him asking if I was alright, I wanted to know if he played guitar.
So that reveals the past, to a degree. Essentially, I've gotten to spend the last four years of my life driving in a beaten up van to cities I probably would've had no motivation to visit, and meet the most amazing people alive. The amount of friendships I have forged I will never forget. I'm beginning to jump from topic to topic so I should probably rap this up. I love each of the members of my band and those who have been close to us, the bands we've played with, and everyone I've met, and I hope I can continue to do this for a long time.
-Ben Brake
June 5, 2007
Further proof that the Toronto Maple Leafs aren't actually Canadian
All of Canada is behind the Sens right now...
You probably expected me to say something cliche, like "that is everyone but the Leafs fans." I, however stand by my statement, because the Leafs aren't Canadian... Toronto fans are just bitter crybabies about their team's inability to succeed at anything. The cup hasn't been in Toronto in over thirty years, and it's not coming anytime soon. For this reason the Leafs hate everyone, especially their rivals who are playing in the Stanley Cup final. Every Leafs fan I've met has been a total prick about the Senators trip to the cup. "Oh, well we beat them in the playoffs all the time." Unfortunately you can't brag about beating someone in the past, especially when they are in the finals and you're playing golf.
The Leafs suck, however if the Leafs were playing better, the Senators fans would welcome it because it would facilitate a great rivalry. The Leafs fans inability to deal with their rivals success makes them suck.
Ballard was a dickhead anyways
-Ben Brake
(Go Cavaliers)
You probably expected me to say something cliche, like "that is everyone but the Leafs fans." I, however stand by my statement, because the Leafs aren't Canadian... Toronto fans are just bitter crybabies about their team's inability to succeed at anything. The cup hasn't been in Toronto in over thirty years, and it's not coming anytime soon. For this reason the Leafs hate everyone, especially their rivals who are playing in the Stanley Cup final. Every Leafs fan I've met has been a total prick about the Senators trip to the cup. "Oh, well we beat them in the playoffs all the time." Unfortunately you can't brag about beating someone in the past, especially when they are in the finals and you're playing golf.
The Leafs suck, however if the Leafs were playing better, the Senators fans would welcome it because it would facilitate a great rivalry. The Leafs fans inability to deal with their rivals success makes them suck.
Ballard was a dickhead anyways
-Ben Brake
(Go Cavaliers)
May 31, 2007
Job Hunt: A true story of failure
Arriving home from school in mid April, I was incredibly optimistic for the prospect of employment. I assured myself that within a week I would have a solid, full time job. June first is tomorrow, and I'm unemployed for the third time.
After taking a week off to relax and get settled back into Guelph I decided to hit the town with my resumes. I printed off twenty or so of them and took off towards the west end. I got many good receptions and was quite pleased with myself. Heading home, I was expectant of a call back within a few days. A week later I realized that wasn't happening. So I hit the north end of town, then the south, and ended with the east. All the success that garnered was about as real as my chance of making the NBA. By then I had become a very bitter man. After all the hard work, I had nothing to show for it, so I got desperate. A temp agency on the north end got me work at a meat packing plant called Watson foods, and thus ended my first tenure of unemployment.
Watson foods and my employment there made for the two most depressing days of my life. The evening before my first shift I prepared myself, as I was due in for work at 6:30 am. I did not have any food, so packing a lunch was out of the question. The next morning I awoke at 6:15 am, in my bed, at the opposite end of town. Being a fan of bus transportation this left me in a terrible situation. When I arrived there, at 7:00 am I found out that first, in order to arrive to work in time I would have to walk downtown to take the very first bus of the day, and secondly I would need warmer clothes because the work was in a fridge. I was employed in the receiving end on the first day, in the colder area of the facility. Frozen is not a stimulating enough word. I went home at 3:30 pm (late because no one told me you just leave when your shift is done) frozen, hungry, tired, and very hateful. The second day was much worse... I was stationed at the start of the line, slicing open the meat packages and sending them to the cutter. This included a copious amount of blood. Fans of the band "3 Inches of Blood" might enjoy this. After four hours of this it was my lunch, so I went to the foreman and asked about relocation. My answer was as prompt as it was blunt, "if you don't like blood then go home." I was allowed to finish the day after much pleading. Total earnings: $151.23. This is the beginning of my second string of unemployment.
The next day meant a call to my temp agency. I was told to sit tight, as there was currently no work for me. After three more days of playing NBA 2007 and eating Swanson TV dinners I was told there was work with a company called A.W.S. irrigation. This job was listed as full summer employment. I was offered this job and took it without breathing. My excitement knew no end at this moment. I found out that the job entailed digging holes, and laying pvc pipe for front yard sprinkler systems. My first day was possibly the best day in employment history. I showed up half an hour early and sat around until it was time with the remainder of the crew, about five people. The whole day was warm and I equated the job to digging and playing with lego, but on a much larger scale. I went home feeling great and was finally content with every aspect of a job. The second day was essentially the same. At lunch the foreman took us to Wendy's and I ate a good meal and went home happy. On the third day I woke up again at 5:00 am , like the other days, and went to work. Once I arrived I was informed that there was no more work for me, and thanked me for my hard work for the two days...
Now I just arrived home from the temp agency, and the only work they have right now is at a place called Watson foods. In other words: I hate my life.
-Ben Brake
After taking a week off to relax and get settled back into Guelph I decided to hit the town with my resumes. I printed off twenty or so of them and took off towards the west end. I got many good receptions and was quite pleased with myself. Heading home, I was expectant of a call back within a few days. A week later I realized that wasn't happening. So I hit the north end of town, then the south, and ended with the east. All the success that garnered was about as real as my chance of making the NBA. By then I had become a very bitter man. After all the hard work, I had nothing to show for it, so I got desperate. A temp agency on the north end got me work at a meat packing plant called Watson foods, and thus ended my first tenure of unemployment.
Watson foods and my employment there made for the two most depressing days of my life. The evening before my first shift I prepared myself, as I was due in for work at 6:30 am. I did not have any food, so packing a lunch was out of the question. The next morning I awoke at 6:15 am, in my bed, at the opposite end of town. Being a fan of bus transportation this left me in a terrible situation. When I arrived there, at 7:00 am I found out that first, in order to arrive to work in time I would have to walk downtown to take the very first bus of the day, and secondly I would need warmer clothes because the work was in a fridge. I was employed in the receiving end on the first day, in the colder area of the facility. Frozen is not a stimulating enough word. I went home at 3:30 pm (late because no one told me you just leave when your shift is done) frozen, hungry, tired, and very hateful. The second day was much worse... I was stationed at the start of the line, slicing open the meat packages and sending them to the cutter. This included a copious amount of blood. Fans of the band "3 Inches of Blood" might enjoy this. After four hours of this it was my lunch, so I went to the foreman and asked about relocation. My answer was as prompt as it was blunt, "if you don't like blood then go home." I was allowed to finish the day after much pleading. Total earnings: $151.23. This is the beginning of my second string of unemployment.
The next day meant a call to my temp agency. I was told to sit tight, as there was currently no work for me. After three more days of playing NBA 2007 and eating Swanson TV dinners I was told there was work with a company called A.W.S. irrigation. This job was listed as full summer employment. I was offered this job and took it without breathing. My excitement knew no end at this moment. I found out that the job entailed digging holes, and laying pvc pipe for front yard sprinkler systems. My first day was possibly the best day in employment history. I showed up half an hour early and sat around until it was time with the remainder of the crew, about five people. The whole day was warm and I equated the job to digging and playing with lego, but on a much larger scale. I went home feeling great and was finally content with every aspect of a job. The second day was essentially the same. At lunch the foreman took us to Wendy's and I ate a good meal and went home happy. On the third day I woke up again at 5:00 am , like the other days, and went to work. Once I arrived I was informed that there was no more work for me, and thanked me for my hard work for the two days...
Now I just arrived home from the temp agency, and the only work they have right now is at a place called Watson foods. In other words: I hate my life.
-Ben Brake
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