MonkeyPants

Is It Wrong?

Lots of people wonder why I don’t chafe at having less time off at Christmas  or during summertime than most people, especially teachers.  I explain to them that I take my holidays when I want them. I take them at non-holiday times. I just inform my boss, make sure he’s found there’s a substitute for me, and go do my thing. But because I don’t take much time off, people wonder how I can keep going. Especially working what amounts to three jobs.

The thing is, I love my jobs, all of them. I love teaching kids to read, and car jockeying,  and tutoring kids. I can’t think of anything better than making sure Taehyeok has a handle on compound words. I can’t imagine not bringing in the car at 1888 Semlin for an oil change and planning the best route while singing along to Queen. I can’t imagine not helping Wendy through transitive and intransitive verbs and then discussing dog breeds for a bit.

One thing I can think of is that I must love my jobs more than many other people love theirs. Sure, I watch the clock, but it’s more to make sure that I am, or the class is, on time, than to count the dismal hours. Or to measure how long it’ll take to get a car in and me back on the road with another. I’m not watching like a vulture.

Another thing I think contributes is that everything I do is fairly low-key. If a student doesn’t really get an exercise, we repeat it until he or she gets it. And there’s time for me to explain it as much as is needed. If I don’t get a car back to its home spot, it’s cool.

I am below the basement on the corporate ladder, but Iam never going to be on that ladder anyway. I love my work, everything I do to make money.  Is that weird?