I Wish My Boss Was a Little More Reasonable

Just a quick post tonight, because I think I'm going to take some actual time to write.

I have 2 jobs, as you have probably surmised by this point. Because I have mentioned it like 20 times in my previous posts.

One of the jobs is totally reasonable. I work outside the home 20 hours a week (two 10 hour shifts). It doesn't even suck being away from the kids/family. To be honest, some days I dance out the door I'm so ready to go relate to some adults. My spouse is home one day that I work, and we have a babysitter/nanny come the other day...and that day my spouse works from home, so he's there in case of emergencies. I love that job.

It's the other one that's freakin killing me. I work from home "20" hours per week. That job really pays the bills (well, not really. My husband's job pays the bills. My job pays for groceries and diapers). The outside the home job "pays" as much, but since we have to spring for childcare ($150 per week) I only end up bringing home half as much as I do from my work at home job.

But note above where I say I work "20" hours per week. Add another 20 or 30, and you're getting close to how many hours I actually work for that company. I have worked for them since July 2008. Since July 2008 I have worked every single day, 7 days per week, except for 4 days off that I took to go to the PNWA conference in late July/early August of 2009, and 4 sick days I took about 3 weeks ago when I was literally falling apart. (When I took those 4 "vacation" days, I returned to all of the work that came in over those 4 days, waiting for me to do it. I had been promised that someone else in the organization would keep up with the incoming inquiries while I was away. Didn't happen. So instead of 4 days off, I had 4 days deferred. It took me over a week of 6-7 hour nights to catch up.)

I start working when the kids go to bed about 8:00 and work until midnight or 1 AM. After that, if I have any energy, I write. I haven't written much lately. My energy is just about out. On the days that I work outside the house I start my work from home when I get home from that job, which is at about midnight. I am so goddamn tired.

Anyway. I have a set of tasks that are mine to complete. When I am done with those tasks, I am supposedly done. My employers expect those tasks to take about 20 hours a week. If I am faster than that, then good for me. In theory. My boss keeps peppering me with new projects. "Can you just do this one thing for me?" Um, sure. I guess. I guess it's not a big deal. Next email is "Thanks! Now that you've done that, could you please email these 40 people with a personal reminder to blah blah blah." Wha-huh? This happens nightly.

What part of 20 hours do you not understand people? I don't work for goddamn FREE. Oh wait. Yes, it appears I do, because I continue to do the work. I really need the job. My spouse may make the house and the car payments, but we do need to eat.

Tonight will be different though. It's midnight, the girls went to bed by 7:56 PM and I've been working since then and I am DONE. No more of your stupid projects. I'm writing for an hour and then I'm going to bed. Adi-fucking-os