Living the dream....NIGHTMARE!!

     As the title suggests, the Living the Dream Part 2 became a nightmare of tedium and outright boredom.  But let me tell you how I really feel...As you know, I left my job(s) as "Security Man" (superhero of event security) for a full time position at another security company.  I left because of the uncertainty of scheduling (never knew when I would be working) and the general feeling that I was being taken advantage of and under appreciated.  That, coupled with my need (I thought) of a job where medical benefits were available, because of my rapidly advancing age (I thought) and my need (I thought) of a more stable environment (I thought).  I now know what the major concern should be...STOP THINKING!!!  I couldn't have been more wrong if it was the only answer available on a test!  And Wah! Wah! Wah!... who doesn't feel under appreciated and taken advantage of from time to time at their job?  So, I found my "big boy pants" and did something about it... I got my old job back with some clarifications and new understandings with my old Boss.

     But first, the nightmare...I was hired to go to work at the airport, because they needed someone who could handle "high profile"areas.  I thought it meant in the terminals assisting travellers and securing the shop area, etc.  Oh no! I was trained to watch a gate in a guard shack outside of the terminal where about 12 people came by in an eight hour shift...(and that includes people coming out for a smoke).  And I went from supervisor/event manager to low man on the totem pole.  I was told the hours would be flex...(night shift one week, day shift one week, etc.) and that they would remain constant during that week.  Oh no! The shifts remained constant but they plugged me in wherever there was a need.  I worked 1pm-9pm, 5am-1pm and 9pm-5am all in the same week.  It seems I "misunderstood".  I was "flex" not the position.  And I was scheduled to work as "guard in the box" for two weeks before I moved to another position.  And when I "trained" 8 hours to learn a new position (which I could have learned in 2 hours), I was paid minimum wage for that shift.  Another thing I "misunderstood".  And there was a mistake on my first paycheck...So after 5 days "in the box" I called my old boss for a sit down.  We met, hashed a few things out between us and I accepted an offer to return.  I told him I didn't want to be a salaried employee because I can make more hourly and with the extra money I could purchase my own health insurance.  So, tomorrow I don the uniform of "Security Man" again as I help keep the fans away from the Detroit Lions' players at their hotel in downtown Phoenix.  Our company also secured the Barrett Jackson Auction again in January and I will be able to walk with the golfers at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.  The best thing about a dream (nightmare) is waking up.  The coffee was on and luckily I smelled it and was able to right the ship before I died of intense boredom...Lesson to us all... Don't burn the bridges if it might be the only way back to happiness.  I missed the excitement and uncertainty of event security more than I "thought" (reminder to self...STOP THINKING!!!)