What’s UP?
What’s Up?
25 years of my life and still
I’m trying to get up that great big hill of hope
For a destination.
I realized quickly when I knew I should
That the world was made for this
Brotherhood of man
or whatever that means
Actually, shit I’m even older than that…but the song is resonating with me right now in several ways. I had a bad day at work. For one thing, my boss got on my ass for taking a few minutes longer on a tuneup that required some extra stuff like swapping out the handlebars, seat, and pedals. I was already having a rough time because I was a little hungover from attending a birthday part last night. Then, he said some to the effect of, “Well, in the summer we are gonna have you out on the sales floor more.”
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
THAT struck the wrong chord with me. I expressed my extreme discontent, “I don’t like selling shit to people. I spent years selling shit to people. I’m here because I want to be a mechanic. I am willing to help out sometimes when customers come in, but I am NOT going to be relegated to the sales floor.”
If the shop wants to keep me, they would be smart to lock me away in the mechanic’s dungeon instead of trying to get me to sling shit in the front. I can, and will leave if the job isn’t what I expect it to be. It sorta feels empowering to know that at any second, I could just walk out and it would actually make my life a whole lot less complicated than it is right now. But, I told the shop that I would work for them for the duration of the “season.” I am expected to stay here through the summer, which means that Jared and I might not be spending our summers in the same city. Apparently Jared is moving to Portland without me after our current lease ends on May 1st.
If I were to leave early, I wouldn’t be able to use this shop as a reference for future employment. Furthermore, I have a lot to learn, and I think that being in the shop all summer will really help bolster my knowledge, skills, and ability to get shit done quickly. It will probably make it a lot easier to move to Portland with the confidence of knowing that I can get a job there. Obviously we are in disagreement over this issue.
Jared thinks that the shop is a shitty place for me to be and doesn’t understand why I would pledge any sort of loyalty to these people who currently pay me $2.50/hour (which is supposed to increase significantly in March thank god!). But I like the shop. I get to spend all day fixing bikes and listening to NPR. It’s not a bad gig, and when I actually get paid it’s going to be a pretty good gig.
-L
you won’t need references once they see your skillz!
Maybe Portland is to bikes as Aspen is to skis and Saratoga is to race horses. Tucson is a pretty nice place, as is Albuquerque, and Denver. El Paso even has a lot to like. But Portland might be a little to yuppified to suit me.
Lar,
pretty faces sell bicycles. It’d be a waste to hide yours in the dungeon of rusty roadmasters.
then they would be using me…i want to use them.
Use them for all the those free 1 piece cranksets and magna frames?
Portland OR or Portland ME?
Doesn’t matter. They both suck in May.
Jared, I think you should tough it out in Chicago through July. Then go to Portland and Lauren can meet you there in September when it actually is pretty damn gorgeous there.
portland, ME
we didn’t move to asheville, nc because jared said it was “too trendy.” but he wants to move to portland. lol.
When he discovers the unique blend of astronomically high-priced housing and the vanishingly small number of jobs available, with a strong dose of over-saturation of highly-qualified but unemployed workers, he may turn right around.
Oh but they have bike paths!
Tucson kicks Portland’s ass.
And PS I grew up in Oregon. There’s a lot there to love.
If you’re rich.
Portland is a pretty rough town to find a job right now. My advice is the spend the next few months combing Chicago area yard sales for any lugged, steel bikes (frames, partial, complete, whatever condition) When you’re ready load up a u-haul, set yourself up a craigslist template and get ready to reap the reward of the Portland used bike bubble.
that is a fucking great idear andy.