Sorry about the long pauses

Sunday I sent out my research article. I’m quite happy with it, actually. It was the best I could do with the time available and – unless they wanted me to analyse the numbers – it should be more than good enough to get me in. I wouldn’t have been able to write that kind of an article at the end of my time in university and then I wrote essays that generally got me A grades if I knew what I was talking about, so hey.

For the rest I’ve been working my ass off. I’m not exactly how many hours I worked in the last five days, but it was certainly over the legal limit. That doesn’t really bother me (I think that the rules which officially restrict you to like 38 hours are ridiculous) but what does bother me is the muscle aches I’ve been left with. My body really isn’t yet used to the kind of abuse that running around like a mad monkey of on steroids requires.

And that’s what my job requires. I realised a few days ago that since I started working at my job I hadn’t gone to the toilet even once during a shift. I simply ran all the liquid out of my body that I drank (which has led to the occasional headache, I admit).

It kind of feels like when I first started training my body. Everything hurt for weeks. Then I just kept going and after a while the pain went away. I’m hoping the same will happen here, because that’s the only option I’ve got (I can’t work slower, as then everything would fall apart. Nor do I want to work slower. Working fast is what makes this job survivable.)

So how long will I do this job? I imagine I’ll stop after the summer. It is fun, but I’d rather use my brain a bit more and my body a little less. It’s great to learn more control over my hands, feet and body in general (which is what jobs in bars, pubs and café teach you. After all, you can’t drop too many glasses in a day without losing your job!) but you should do what you’re really good at. I’m good at words, thoughts and ideas – not so much coffee, carrying plates and cleaning ashtrays.

Still, there’s still a great deal to learn here and while there’s something to learn (and money to be made) there’s a reason for me to be there.

Let’s hope there’s still something to learn till the end of the summer.