Anyways- this is about working with other people's dogs- not mine. So, I like working with dogs, but at the kennel, I hardly ever get to be with them. With some exceptions, all I do is clean the kennels and clean up their shit. I say with some exceptions because I do help my boss (we'll call her Jill) or another person who works there wash dogs sometimes and that's pretty cool. And I do get to move dogs in and outside sometimes- so I supposed that's something. It's just that everything is so fast-paced and stressful so it's not like I get to pat them and play with them, which would be nice. Plus, because I do essentially the same types of things every day I work, things get really tedious and monotonous (I used red to express my annoyance at this inescapable fact). I work four days a week, 28 hours a week (give or take- depending on when things get done).
So here's an edit. I haven't been working there for a LONG time, but since it's been so long, I'll just tell all about it. First, I want to post this cool thing that I wanted to send in as a short answer response on the commonapp about the kennel. I didn't because it really didn't have anything to do with anything good about me. It's just kind of funny:
When I started working at the local kennel, I expected to find an enjoyable atmosphere with dogs to play with and interesting “dog people” who could teach me. What I found was quite the contrary. I found dogs whose poop (and occasionally vomit) I had to clean up every day and people that were such “dog people” that I was surprised they were human. I found myself alone much of the time, scrubbing cages until my 30-minute lunch break in a 9-hour day. I’ve never complained about some alone time, but I soon realized that there is such a thing as too much. Despite the negatives of this job, there were benefits. I learned what kind of job I don’t want when I grow up and I was left with a comical story to tell whenever anyone asks me “What’s working at a kennel like?” Well, let me tell you…
The reason it's so short is because it could only be 150 words or less. I think this is exactly 150 words. Anyways, that's the job in a nutshell. But here's why I don't work here anymore...I had told Jill that I could work for the whole summer. My soccer preseason started in the third week of August or something and there was an AFS thing where I wanted to volunteer the week before. I'm an AFS volunteer, so that's not just some completely random thing. So anyways, Jill tweaked when I told her:
Her: with a sharp angry tone that she calls matter-of-fact I thought you were working for the whole summer?
Me: timidly Well, this is my summer.
Her: Well, August is our busiest month. I need someone for those last weeks. abruptly We'll just make the ninth your last day.
note: this is the sunday before the AFS week
Me: um...so not Sundays during school?
note: that was the original plan
Her: scary tone again Well, I can't just hire someone for three weeks and then just not need them anymore.
Me: um- Ok.
Later that day I was cleaning kennels like usual kind of upset that I'd essentially just been fired. Then, all of a sudden in her Jill way, Jill came up to me with no intro whatsoever and said, "If you're going to work Sundays, I need to know that you'll be able to do every one."
Me: Ok. I can't guarantee that nothing will come up but I'll-
Her: Ineedyoutotellmelikeamonthinadvanceyoucan'ttellmeaweekbeforeoranything.
note: That's kind of how she really talks. Mile-a-minute- it's just really difficult to type with no spaces
Me: Ok.
So I was unfired. I kept cleaning. Then my mind starting working like it usually did while I cleaned kennels. I thought, "why am I fighting so hard to keep this job? It doesn't make me very happy..." So I made a list of pros and cons in my head about the job. There were 6 or 7 cons and only two pros: money and dogs. I can get those anywhere. I have three dogs for God's sake! So at the end of the day, I filled out my hours and approached Jill.
Me: Jill, I was thinking that I'm actually really busy during school and my schedule is so irregular. It might be better for both of us if I just finished on the ninth.
Her: Ok.
And that was it. I was surprised at her lack of a schpeal. But so it goes. So I was fired, unfired, and gave two weeks notice within 6 hours. All in a day's work- literally. Things did end on a good note though. I like Jill in reality. I just don't like working for her. It's a little too much for me. We still bring our dogs there and stuff and we chat if she's not crazy busy.
So now that I've finally written that practically five months after it happened, I'm done with it. Hazzah.
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