Through the Work Lense

 I have an interesting combination of skills, talents, and education to go with my life experiences.

    When I was going to graduate high school I didn't know what I wanted to do.  I had the idea that I could be a flight attendant because I knew I really enjoyed taking flights, being in airplanes, and even the turbulence.  My mom told me that wasn't a job I should pick and I should go to college and do something that needs a degree.  Well, there went that plan.

    Y'all, I never really imagined a future when I was an adolescent/teen.  I remember wanting to be a teacher or librarian when I was very young (eight and younger).  We moved to Colorado when I was 10 and things started to change.  I had to make new friends in a new school in a new state.  That was also when the dreaded puberty started to make it's appearance so life was stressful from that point on no matter what.  When I was 12, I think, I found out my dad was cheating on my mom and they started the divorce process.  Less than a year later, when I was 13, my dad died in a car accident.  Depression took it's grasp and settled somewhere deep.  My best friend and I got into trouble for reckless behavior when we were 15/16 and she was sent off to a therapeutic boarding school somewhere in another state.  We were able to reconnect later when we graduated high school, but I had a couple years of having to figure out who I was without my best friend since I was 11.  

    From right around 15 to 18 years old I spent a lot of time in therapy and engaged in a program designed for children and teens who have lost someone important to them.  Many of my friends at that age could finally identify with me and I felt a sense of belonging I hadn't really felt before.  I decided I wanted to help others feel that.  I figured out what to go to college for!  Now, just to do some research, apply to my desired schools, and dream about what college life would be like.  Well, two outta three ain't bad.  I only applied to one local school so I could stay home.  I knew my mom would be paying for school and was probably too aware of our finances.  I rationalized that it was the same degree and I could keep my job part-time.  

    My very first job was sweeping hair at Great Clips in our neighborhood in the middle of nowhere.  It was awful.  I applied to the pizza place across the parking lot and they hired me as a hostess.  I LOVED that job.  I got to work with a childhood friend from the neighborhood and made new friends.  I also met the cutest guy there and he's now my forever person <3.  I temporarily moved to Iowa to live with my Grandma sometime later and the pizza place shut down while I was out there.  While I was out there I worked at Village Inn, which sucked and I cried a lot from anxiety, but my coworkers were fun.  

    I moved back to Colorado a month or so into my senior year of high school.  I had been gone for a while so people forgot about me; it doesn't help that I was pretty quiet and kept to myself before I left. So, I really didn't have many friends or much to do outside of school obligations.

I found a new job at a Marie Callender's, the one with all the pies.  I loved this job more than the pizza place!  Though, I worked for a pizza place while working for MC's and that pizza place shut down, too!  I worked at MC's for 2.5 years before they shut down.  Christmas Eve day I worked my butt off in the "pie room" (our banquet room turned into a pie counter) getting everyone their last minute pies.  Christmas day was probably great, but I don't remember.  The next day I got a call from the owner and he said he was very sorry, but the restaurant would not be opening back up and he was happy to be a reference.  Well, that sucked.  I worked at a bar for a few weeks after that, but was thrilled when I got a call from my old boss with a referral to a new place. 

    I started working for NoNo's Cafe in the next couple weeks after that call.  I was there for just under 4 years.  I worked there when I graduated college, got married, and bought my first house.  I thought I was going to be there for a long while.  I left when the old owner (under new ownership) attempted to take illegal tip deductions from the servers and bartenders.  I let them know it was illegal and they argued it was.  I refused to sign the agreement to the deductions and was informed there would be consequences (implied losing my job).  Well, I called the department of labor and they weren't happy about that situation.  I quite and was told I was never welcome back as an employee or patron.  I came back anyway because the food was good and the DOL stopped his shenanigans.  Some of the old servers own that place now and it's much happier.  Brian Brewster, you're an ass.

    I spent a short six weeks working in the customer service department at Dillard's while I worked at NoNo's.  I did not last long and never went back to retail.

    I did end up going to college.  I got a degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice and Criminology.  I wasn't entirely sure I'd still go work as a children's grief counselor, but I got the degree.

    After NoNo's I spent some time working at a law firm as a file clerk.  My mom worked there many years ago and we got stuck in the elevator for 4 hours once.  We were between the 11th-12th floors and my brother was terrified.  I spent 6 months working there without elevator incident.  I then moved to an administrative position at a well known community mental health center.  There was a restructure and I was put under a new manager just before my probationary period was supposed to end and she decided to find someone else for the position.  It was the first time I was fired.  It was awful.  I cried so much, but I had recently started working on-call at the next new place.  I could just pick up more shifts!

    So begins my tenure at Denver Children's Home.  I loved that job.  The kids were occasionally challenging, but trauma does that.  I learned to work with kids.  I learned trauma care and emotion and behavior management.  I learned how to help kids work through their emotionally overwhelming moments in a way that helps them to further do that independently.  I was making a difference and having fun doing it.  Unfortunately, they don't pay well in those positions.  When I started in 2015 they paid $11.82/hour and required a Bachelor's Degree.  They pay more now, but all of Denver increased their minimum wage.  

    I balanced DCH with another new restaurant for a number of years.  Helga's was the new place and I was thrown to the wolves my second shift.  I had no idea what the menu was really like and even less clue about the computer system.  I rocked it anyway because a POS is a POS and you can have a guest walk you through the menu item they want.  They loved me and that was my new home away from home for a while.  I left both after a while to work at another law firm.

    This new law firm consisted of one attorney and now me.  She represented parents who had their custodial rights intervened upon by the department of human services.  My job at first was mostly paperwork, but by the end I worked much more closely with clients in a liaison and support role.  I had clients who were grateful and understood any limitations and clients who regularly "fired" me because I couldn't do everything.  It was a good job and I learned a lot more about myself and keeping my own cool.  That job and boss helped me through my second house purchase and then the sale of that house and my divorce.  

I worked at a restaurant in Denver with a friend from DCH, but when Covid started and things had to close, they closed their doors for good.  I hadn't even been able to work there long enough for a real paycheck.  That was short lived.

    It took a while after the initial lockdown and covid restrictions, but eventually my hours were reduced at that job.  I had recently started working part-time at another restaurant, Metro.  They were fun and seemed excited to have me.  They knew my eventual goal was to quit the law firm and work there and go back to school.    I wasn't worried because I had the restaurant and could just pick up one more shift.  Then they fired me.  They didn't have a reason and told me it was because I let a dog in the restaurant... It was 32 degrees that night and it was temporary.  Well, shit.  At least I had the law firm.  Eventually, the law firm ended up with nothing for me to do and my position was dissolved.

I had a friend from DCH who suggested I apply to the organization he just started working at.  I had nothing to lose so I applied.  I got a response within the week and a job offer within the next!  I started my training at the crisis call center just a couple weeks later.  I loved that job so much.  I felt like I was making a difference and an impact on the world around me.  It was a great niche position that utilized my degree and work/life experiences.  I excelled at coordinating supports and resources for callers while managing expectations and emotions.  Then the notorious phone call with Charlie happened.  

    I tried to work after the call center terminated me.  I was able to get two months of residential housekeeping under my belt before I decompensated and couldn't work.  I started working at Ameristar in their housekeeping department last November.  It was going to be my part-time and low pressure step back into working.  I was there almost 5 months, but things escalated from my personal supplies being stolen to my tips being stolen by coworkers.  I was given so many rooms to clean each day I didn't stop for lunch because it would cause me to end the day later than I was allowed.  It started to wear my health back down and that is not the goal.  Now I'm at a family owned, boutique hotel and I think it's going to be the best place for me to be.  

I feel like I've had an eventful work life so far.  If you read all of this, well thanks.  You know about my work timeline and it's not vital information, but I think it explains some about me.  

Maybe someday I'll go be a river guide or librarian :)