Cruddy day at work

Lately my manager has scheduled me in shifts I am not fond of. I figured out why and it's kinda telling, actually.

You see, when someone works in the service industry, they thrive on the chaos. Sure, there is plenty of down time, on both ends of the shift, but it is the chaos of having to manage so many things in such a short amount of time that we begin to thrive on.

But, with this chaos, I think it comes that you begin to crave the chaos outside of work. Case in point: Living on the edge. People in my industry drink heavily, gamble and pursue activities that, sometimes, push the boundaries. I've worked people into group sex, alcoholics, drug addicts, actors, writers, poets, rappers, musicians, single moms and dads, philosophers, scientists; you name it. But I think it is the drug that is the chaos and reward of waiting tables that make us keep coming back. but is this healthy?

I would say that the lifestyle is at once enviable and pathetic. You hit a glass ceiling pretty quickly and you are constantly trying to win the affection of people so that they will give you money. It is takes one made of stronger stuff to survive. It also creates a physical and mental fatigue that makes one feel like they are working too damn hard for too little reward. My legs haven't felt normal or as strong as they were years ago. I realize we all age but I am not out of shape.

Maybe it is just me but I see, time and again, the same kind of people drawn to my line of work. There is so much baggage and so much story that I wasn't surprised that the movie "Waiting..." was created just for this niche of society.

Hopefully I don't have to do this forever. I would hate to be doing the same thing 6 years from now, when I am 40. Ugh!

Peace.