Showing posts with label identity crisis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label identity crisis. Show all posts

Friday, October 24, 2008

Applying for the role

At the age of 48, with a Ph.D I am doing nothing with, I found myself unemployed, introspective, and self-punishing when I saw an ad for a position at the opera. It was an in-between position, not a clerk, but not a manager, just a job that I thought I could do given my combined skills. So I applied.
I live in a desirable state where many people are underemployed, not unlike Italy, which is the home of opera and itself a desirable place to live. The opera director expressed some puzzlement about my enthusiasm for the job I wanted. Why would I take the job with my qualifications? But, and this is rhetorical, but should be a serious question, what are my qualifications? Yes, I have a Ph.D. Yes, I have taught, managed people, done research, devised programs, and written a variety of documents. For what does that prepare me? Something, and I will come back to this, but I need to examine a personal drawback now.
I have not always been a good person, a kind person, a responsible person. Part of where I am right, playing Cinderella, is karmic wages. I haven't always been grateful, gracious, or sensitive to others. I have also been dishonest, deceitful, resistant to authority and lazy. With these personality deficits, I feel lucky I have landed somewhat on my feet.
What generated this need to write again was the announcement today by my boss that, in addition to my regular duties, I would be filling in for the receptionist on breaks and lunch. My first reaction, which I kept to myself, was, I HAVE A PH.D.!!!!! Why am I doing the kind of work I did when I was 17-fucking-years old?