Tuesday, February 10, 2009

My First Job

Alright, so I think I have a job at a distribution center for West Marine. I'll be on the assembly line I believe. I'm very nervous about it because I've never had a job before, and I'm afraid I won't know how to do my job right. I've prayed about it and told God over and over that I'm afraid and I need his wisdom and strength.

Also, there will be constant standing up and walking which I'm concerned about. I'm not sure I'll be able to do all the walking with the lower back pain I get from wearing an outdated prosthetic. The only reason I went in today was belief that Jesus would provide for me and give me the ability to do what he has given me to do. But oh Lord Jesus, I'm nervous! I asked if maybe he'd wanna give me a cold or something for my first few days. When I'm sick, I'm not as nervous.

So what about YOU? What were your first jobs and how did YOU feel about them?

21 comments:

Jamie said...

I can't fake being surprised; that's just WRONG buuuut we are WILDLY EXCITED for you!!

Why didn't you tell about the, ummmm, drug test? LOL

Payback time, Boo. :P

Mattityahu said...

I forgot is all. :)

Why would I be embarrassed of getting my armpits trimmed by some stranger? I fail to see the abnormality in such happenings. LOL

I'd rather have my pits trimmed any day of the week than start a new job. It's scary! Plus, I would recommend it to all the guys. It's quite refreshing and lets the pits breathe.

Jamie said...

Dear. Lord.

I love you too tremendously. Shorn underarms and all. :)

Tight, squeaky hugs...

Socoteanu said...

You'll do great. Just do your best.

My first job was KFC...that was a long time ago.....

Anonymous said...

Matt,
Congratulations!! I'm so excited for you!! Keep us posted!

Blessings,
~Amy :)

lydia said...

YAY MATT ~ You will do famously!!! I know it!! I am SO happy for ya......yeehaw!!

Trimmed pits sound actually nice - eew hairy man pits are gross...............!!

My first job was probably babysitting, but my first 'official' hired job, I was in high school and I worked as a waitress in the dining room of a Retirement Estate, where old ladies would wave there coffee cups wildly for a refill of Sanka..............

Gary Kirkham said...

Congratulations Matthew! My first job was at KFC cooking chicken. I even got to meet the Colonel one day.

Gary

Mattityahu said...

Thanks for all the support and encouragement, guys! :)

Lydia, boys are suppose to be hairy, aren't they?? I would feel like a woman if I shaved my underarms! We have a restaurant like that here. It's called Jackson's Cafeteria. It's where all the old people hang out. But they have great food! It's actually where my mama met my dad.

Gary,

That's awesome you met the Colonel! Do you guys have Bojangles? I'm afraid I am a Bojangles kinda man. Their biscuits are heavenly.

lydia said...

Matt,
Yeah I think it would be weird to see a hairless armpit on a man, but in order to really know go look at an Olympic swimmer. I just thought it sounded nice trimmed, haha, too much hair can be scary!!

When do you start your job? Exciting!!!

Peace!

Jamie said...

Matt doesn't believe in TOO MUCH hair!! He wants a beard like ZZ Top! Ahahaha!!

Bino M. said...

Matthew, Congratulations! First job is exciting, then it becomes part of life :) Take it easy...

Joel Brueseke said...

Matthew... congrats! Nerves are normal, and I'm sure you'll do great! Most jobs take time to catch on, and Jesus will be with you and in you as you catch on!

My first job... besides a paper route... It was 1987... I was hanging out at a gas station where my friends and I always hung out. There was an arcade in back (Donkey Kong Jr!!! Pole Position!!! etc), and this was simply the place we all gathered together at.

I had just dropped out of college after only 4 months, and the owner of the gas station (who I knew pretty well) asked me if I wanted a job. I was sort of hesitant about it, but I said yes. I showed up the next Monday morning just before 7am. He showed me the cash register (not the scanner kind like they have today) and he showed me how to ring up cigarettes, gas, beer and other items. And then he left for his other job as a school bus driver!

Talk about on-the-job training! I was literally left by myself. At least I knew the place pretty well, but working there and hanging out are two different things! In addition to the cash register, this was also a full-service gas station and a can redemption center, so I had to run outside and pump gas, as well as run to the back to count and sort cans and bottles when a customer brought those in. They often brought large amounts.

At first it was pretty overwhelming but it didn't take long before every day was old hat. I ended up working there for 5 years.

Bino M. said...

Joel's description of his first job now motivated me to write about mine. :)

My first job was as customer care person in a internet cafe back in India (year 1999). I had to greet the people who come to use internet, help them if they have any technical difficulties (remember the time of dial up connections?) and then finally play the role of a cashier collecting money. Lacking people skills, facing people was not easy but surprisingly I made lot of friends through it. I am still in touch with few of them till today!

My monthly salary was 2500... ok ok .. don't freak out.
it wasn't in dollars :) if you convert it into dollars it come to about $60. :)

But I felt so good when I got my first salary. I have learned a lot from that part time job more than any of my full time jobs later.

You will do good, matthew!

Mattityahu said...

Joel,

Did I ever mention you are THE MAN? haha! I would have been scared spitless! I've been trying to focus lately on the fact that I will eventually learn and become very familiar with my job, rather than anxiously wonder if I'll be able to do it or not. But regardless, my nerves will be shot when I get there lol.

The guy they had working at the desk made me feel better about it. While I was waiting to be interviewed he kept telling me, "There ain't nothin' you can't do".

Thats a cool story though, Joel. Being a cashier is something I am very afraid of!

Mattityahu said...

We must have been writing at the same time, Bino. :)

You and Joel must have nerves of steal! LOL

That's fascinating though. Yes, the dial up connection...I've almost forgotten what connecting it sounds like. It seems so foreign now lol.

BTW, when did you learn to speak English? Was it stressful living in a new country after you moved from India?

Mattityahu said...

Make that steel.

Bino M. said...

Matthew - In India they teach English from the early school days (due to the British influence). So a lot of people there can read, write and speak English (That doesn't mean that they can speak like Westerners and you add up the heavy accent as well)
So when I came to this country, my struggle wasn't so much the English itself, but the accent. It was a struggle to understand what others are saying. But now after almost 10 years, I have no difficulty understanding American accent (now I struggle to understand British accent :)) but I still struggle with some of the slang you guys use (especially Jamie lol) :)

Jamie said...

WHAT??? I turn my back and you guys are MESSIN' with me AGAIN?? :)

Matt...I never brought home a paycheck until 2004 when I started substitute teaching. Talk about SCARED??? I had been out of college a WHILE! YIKES! But I LOVED school...getting paid to terrorize kids. What FUN! LOL

Just be your ridiculously kind self, Boo. Those women will eat you up with a spoon. :D

Anonymous said...

I'm nervous at every new job. IOt goes away quickly when you do the task at hand.

You'll be fine! Just show up on time, and do the best you can all the while you are there.

lydia said...

Been missin' ya............it's just not the same without sweet ole' Matthew around!! Hope all is well my brother.......!!

Mattityahu said...

Hey big sister,

Thank you so much. :) I've just been thinking lately about some things and trying to readjust myself.