When it rains...

[Sci-Fi]

It just pours. I haven't really discussed my issues much of late, a few people know and some of you could tell since my "return". I've mentioned a few things in other posts here and there. I was laid off in the winter and was off a lot longer than I was supposed to be. So my presence on the site was limited. My brother isn't one to share, and didn't want me using his internet, it got to the point where I was only allowed on when I had to do my EI reporting every two weeks. After returning back to work I was informed by my part timer that he won't be able to come back until the summer, but he would come in to help me when he could. He's done that once and was supposed to again today but couldn't. Turns out he's lucked out anyway, business has been piss poor to say the least since reopening, so I don't even know if I'll be able to have him back to work in the summer.

Right now I work by myself all day from 8-5 during the week and 8-12 on Saturday. There are days where I have maybe one or two customers, and they aren't always paying customers. There's more to the story but I won't bore you, basically my boss just expects everything to be the same before we closed for such a long period of time with no effort otherwise. I barely bringing in enough to cover my wages, and live pay cheque to pay cheque, my own fault though, I kind of ran up my credit card once I got on my own. So I only have myself to blame for that.

I joined this site a few years ago because I was lonely living out here, I don't get out and shy away from people, unless I'm at work. Some of my customers would probably tell you I won't shut up. People actually have to sneak towards the door to give me the hint they want to leave. I have no friends here or family, I go home to my mom's every weekend where my brother still lives. I worked for a bad guy before the job I currently have, the things he did really messed me up. As some may recall the town I live in was hit with an F3 tornado almost 2 years ago, I had a rough time then. I realized how alone I am when I had to live upstairs at work until the area I live in was reopened for residents to go home. Since then it's been up and down. Being laid off was rough, I bonded pretty well with my part timer, we don't hang out because he's too young, we just got along really well. He's pretty much the little brother I wish I had, and a better brother than my twin is. He could always tell when something was bothering me and would get me to open up to him. He never judged, never dismissed what I told him, he just sat and listened, and offered a hug. He's a bit of a hugger and isn't shy about it. But that's just at work, outside of that he really doesn't want to acknowledge we're friends, which I understand, if I was him I wouldn't either.

I usually play DCUO (DC Universe Online, an MMO) when I'm at home to help pass the time. Most of the people I used to play with aren't playing much if at all. So I just keep to myself and do the solo stuff. Well, today I try to log in to the game and can't get in. I try to log into the station site and find out my account has been banned. Apparently I'm supposed to have received an email as to why my account was banned but there isn't one. Someone screwed up. I don't bother other players, I don't curse in chat, I don't hack the game, I don't do anything that warrants a ban. This is just another kick in the ass. I can't seem to get ahead, every time I start to feel a bit better something always happens to bring me down.

Sorry to ramble on.

 

[painter's radio]

Hey Sci-Fi, sorry you're having a tough time recently. Hopefully the ban from DC is just a mistake and you'll be unbanned soon, with all your inventory still in tact. It's sad to see games die like that, or just people you played with flake out, I've seen it happen to a few games too and it can be a bit depressing. I spent 3 years of my life and WAY too much money on one game only to see it slowly turn into a wasteland with less and less GM interaction every day. Oh well, was a stupid game anyway F2P's are the Devil's work.

Plenty of sunshine to follow the rain

 

[SophiaGrace]

Have you started looking elsewhere for work? It sounds like it's time....and that the shop probably won't recover.

 

[EveWasFramed]

Reminds me of the quote, "I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me all at once."

Hang in there, Sci. (((((hugs)))))

 

[Sci-Fi]

Hey Sci-Fi, sorry you're having a tough time recently. Hopefully the ban from DC is just a mistake and you'll be unbanned soon, with all your inventory still in tact. It's sad to see games die like that, or just people you played with flake out, I've seen it happen to a few games too and it can be a bit depressing. I spent 3 years of my life and WAY too much money on one game only to see it slowly turn into a wasteland with less and less GM interaction every day. Oh well, was a stupid game anyway F2P's are the Devil's work.

Plenty of sunshine to follow the rain

Yeah it was a problem on their end that they got fixed finally. They waited to put up a notice about it though, that would be the first thing I'd do so people aren't freaking out.

Have you started looking elsewhere for work? It sounds like it's time....and that the shop probably won't recover.

I'm kind of stuck for now, I don't want to stay here. I like this little town, its quiet and I've met some decent people but there is nothing to keep me here. So I have to wait until we shut down again or the boss closes it up for good. Problem is I have a hard time finding a job on my own. My first real job I got through a work program, it was at my hometown newspaper. But after my contract was up there wasn't a position for me so I was stuck doing service calls at night. Then my mom bought a gift shop and I had to run that, it was a bad business deal from the start and eventually we had to close it. My last job was a bad one, my boss was a crook, he'd even screw over his own mother and involve his employees in his little sick games. People came and went, a lot of times I was stuck working alone until they hired someone new to help me. I got stabbed in the back by someone I thought was a friend working there too. That really messed me up and I had a really hard time finding a job after I left there. I eventually got into another work program and got the job I have now. It was good at first, things were going well then went south. Seems like every job I've had ends up bad.

Reminds me of the quote, "I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me all at once."

Hang in there, Sci. (((((hugs)))))

Pretty much sums it up. Makes it hard to get through the day let alone the will to go into work.

 

[ladyforsaken]

Sci-Fi, I don't know you that well, but reading that just makes me

Hope you'll feel better soon and things take a turn for the better, even if it's something small. *hugs*

 

[9006]

I still stand by what I said initially, which was to look elsewhere for a better job -where your family are, I'm sure you can look while still working there. You shouldn't have to wait until your boss decides to shut down again either, he doesn't strike me as the most switched on boss, I know he's got some health problems but I'm sure he can find someone else who'd be willing; if the job market is anything like over here there would be 1000's of people applying for that job. The fact that you've been there for so long is an advantage alone. By the looks of it you're stuck in a monotonous cycle and I think that job's a big part of it.

I think you need something more challenging and/or exciting, I know how it feels when things seem like they're in a loop, it kinda drags you down. The job I used to be in was OK, I actually didn't mind the job, but I worked shifts and just the same sort of cycle each week would drive me to almost depression, so I'd go and look for a cycle change, but mostly I'd spend a load of money and visit here, there and everywhere whenever I could, even before starting work. This alone isn't really a big deal, it's only when other stuff happens it seems to be an issue along with the rest.

You should hang with this part timer you've told me about, too. Just because it's not socially acceptable or whatever it maybe doesn't mean that you should deprive yourself of friendship. By the sounds of it he's an open guy an probably wouldn't have an issue with it. This could ease the way things are going at the moment for you, is that something you wanna pass up on the ground of age difference?

That issue with the game banning is just bad luck - it can happen to anyone and it's just something that happened to you. It does sound like them meant to ban someone else what with you not receiving the email an all, I'm sure you'll be able to get it resolved by contacting them? Like I said earlier when you're in the same old cycle and feeling down stuff like this just gets added on and makes you feel worse.

 

[Sci-Fi]

Thanks LadyF

9006, the only problem with me looking for another job in my home town is that I live a distance away and the only time I'm there is late Saturday afternoon and part of Sunday, so it makes it difficult to do interviews. I would like to but to do that it would be more of who I know which really isn't anyone that might be able to help me get my foot in the door. The age difference is a bit of an issue with my part timer, though he looks older than he is, I get the feeling it's a bit of an issue with him too. I don't think he'd want his friends knowing that he's hanging out with his boss, and he's a sociable guy who has a lot of friends. I get it, if I was in his position I'd be a bit apprehensive of what people might think.

The game thing got sorted out in a few hours, just wish they would have posted a notice when it happened so people like me weren't freaking out.

 

[SophiaGrace]

Take a sick day. Let them know your crazy schedule. I bet you aren't the first person to have this dilemma. Don't give up on looking for new jobs...

 

[Sci-Fi]

I was actually thinking of doing that if I could afford a day off, that would close business for the day too.

Ironic thing, get to my mom's on Saturday and she wants me to cut the backyard, and it starts to spit rain. :/

Just wish something good would happen, hate feeling so down all the time.

 

[Ignis]

It sounds to me like you're unhappy with how things are going in your life... So it's time for a change.
First off, as other people have mentioned so far; you need to get a new job. You're working in a place you get no enjoyment out of, with rather ridiculous working hours... And I assume the pay for all of this isn't that great either.
Assuming I've got all of this right, I'd hate to be in a position like this myself.
Find somewhere new.

I know it'll be hard considering you only have 1 and a half days off, but you need to take a day off if you need to, tell your boss in advance after you've found a job interview.
I'm not sure if you're entitled to some of the things I am since we live in different countries, but I get a certain amount of holiday leave, sick leave and I also get something called "Days in Loo" which more or less means that if I work during public holidays, or if I work more than 46 - 48 hours a week... I get a day off to compensate.
Perhaps you could look into using some of this if you have it, to try and make your situation work a little bit better for you.

Find something in a busier locale, with different people. I don't think travel time should be much of an excuse, one of my teachers when I was at school travelled 3 hours to and from school every day just to teach us.
One of my friends has to travel an hour and a half to and from work.
Try looking at a different town, in a profession or job that involves something you enjoy. If you're passionate about it, you shouldn't have a problem getting the position.

Either way, you're in my thoughts and I hope things improve. I hope that you can MAKE things improve.