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We have touched on this before, but here we go again....I like to stay busy. Okay, that is putting it mildly, I am addicted to being busy and I find myself itching to accomplish something even on vacation. When people tout the joys of meditation or a mid-afternoon siesta, all I can think is "How long is that going to take? I have shit to do". Call it OCD or Type A personality or being an oldest child, whatever it is, I have it. When I quit my day job last October to focus on writing and doing payroll for our small business, I was giddy. No more clocking in, cleaning up, uniforms or set schedules. (That's funny considering what I have taken on this week.) While it has been great, it has also made me crazy. I have plenty to do, but most of it involves sitting at a desk.....lots of sitting at a desk. I have gained 10 pounds and realized something about myself, I need to move. Being busy isn't enough, my body needs to be moving and I ache for the socialization that comes from working with other people. People I am not having sex with. It's cool that my husband and I can transition from a work/home relationship, but there is only so much grab ass and fantasy football updates a girl can handle at the office. I was in need of a new job.
This all leads up to what I chose to take on this week.....I have decided to work for a cleaning company two days a week. It was fairly easy to get hired, the owner is this really cool chick who I grew up torturing from the time she was an infant....sisters are the best. My first week was exhausting and it reminded me of why I hate being the newbie at a job. I want to be good from day one, I don't take criticism well and I detest standing by watching someone else work in the name of training. I imagine it was sweet payback for my sister who was able to critique my cleaning style and teach me the right way to do things. I liked it better when I was in charge. Now she's the boss and it's clear why her company has done so well, she is really fucking good at what she does. Hiring a cleaning crew to take over your house can be daunting and you can never be sure about what kind of work you are going to get. People touching your personal shit and having to pay for a clean that doesn't live up to your expectations. When you hire my sister, you never have to worry about any of that. It's top to bottom perfection in every single home she takes on. There is an expectation of quality and integrity that is in short supply at most companies I have worked for. She reminded me on my first day that even a penny on the floor gets put on the closest available, clean surface....never in your apron. She wants every surface touched, cleaned and shined to perfection. At one home, she showed me something I had missed while cleaning the kitchen, a butter dish. I told her that I had moved it, wiped the top and placed it in the correct place.
"That's okay, but we want to wow our clients."
She proceeded to take a piece of paper towel, open the butter dish and wipe around the butter so you could never tell it was used. I thought I had issues. Truth be told, I have a whole new respect for my sister and the people who work for her. I came home after my first day ready to pass out on the dining room floor. I am overwhelmed, excited and I now have a something else to add to my current job line up, cleaning lady. This ain't no desk job, that's for sure.
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