Monday, April 26, 2021

I did it! Step-Down, No. 1

Woo-hoo! The first step toward freedom---I resigned as Social Media Coordinator this morning!

I emailed all the managers (4) of both stores, and I posted (totally anodyne) good-bye notices on the society's FB & IG.
Also mine:

Because there's no point in discussing the reasons with my suck-up bosses, I felt I was in a better position, a position of strength, to give vague reasons why I was quitting.

In my resignation email, I wrote:
"I've wanted to get off social media, personally, for a while now--it kinda drives me nuts. [THIS IS TRUE]
With a new Marketing Director coming on (Ed's wife, Mary X), and with the successful conclusion of the Chauvin murder trial, and with our all having gotten our final Covid shot, now is a perfect time for me to close this chapter."

I could have said:

"I cannot work with a Marketing Director who imports the attitude of her former employer, Cargill, which in 2019 was named ‘Worst Company in the World’. (New York Times article):
Feeding People by Killing the Planet.

They are doing to the Amazon what Derek Chauvin did to George Floyd: choking the air out of it.

Translated here = Feeding her husband's pet project, the food bank, by screwing the workers.
I'll still do books 20 hours/week. (And toys, which I inherited when a volunteer left--I resented the impossible workload, but I've come to enjoy the task, not surprisingly. TOYS!)

I had told Big Boss last week that he should do the posting all week after the Chauvin trial. (I'd said this because he & the Mark said I had to clear anything potentially touchy with them. Wouldn't want the NYT to write us up as Worst Thrift Store in the World, now, would we?)

So I've had a week off and I can tell already that my time and energy has opened up. Social media, including blogging, is a constant presence---some thread of it is always running under my thoughts.
I like that about blogging--
The blog is like a basket to gather the mushrooms that bloom from those underground threads.

And I don't mind it on my own FB & IG (though those can be a bit of a time suck).
But giving those fruits to the store became heavier and heavier---like a holy relic that didn't want to give itself away.

Now I'll have more time and energy to look around for another job.

It's hard to be in a job that disrespects people---having our bags checked is par for the course at these sorts of jobs.
But the coworkers are such an interesting lot... I still learn a lot from them, and we share mutual respect.
I'm happy enough to be there with them, for now.

I changed my FB profile picture to a flowering artichoke--my image of myself, in this season.


10 comments:

  1. Good on you! Now all you need to do id find a job worthy of your skills and talent that pays more than minimum wage plus benefits. Oh, and drop social media all together. BlM July 4th, son getting shot 14 times, you know...we were forced to drop FB. What a good thing that has been! Just step away from FB. Gather the friends that claim to be - put them in your email. I swear FB is NOT what it seems in fact it is manipulating, brain drain, causes tension, Zuck becomes more evil and greedy every moment- like a drug dealer. The drug is ourselves.
    happy to know that you stepped away from Social media for the shop. Good job, Ms.!!

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  2. LINDA SUE: You know, that's probably a great idea.
    I've been wanting to write PAPER letters---I could do that instead. Or email, as you suggest.
    HOW IS YOUR SON NOW???

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  3. Awesome! A great way to start the week!

    I've never had a Facebook page and so glad I never did! Do I miss things -possibly! But then again if somoneone wants to talk to me they know how to find me.

    Social media can be a time sucker and I often find it makes me feel worse about myself after spending time on it as I'm not ..........

    Kirsten

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  4. I don't blame you at all for wanting to get off social media. It's hard enough when you're doing it for yourself, but I'm sure it's even more draining on behalf of an employer! I agree about blogging, though -- I'm always thinking on some level about the next post, and I enjoy that leisurely planning. (And the observational skills it helps me hone!)

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  5. Good for you, Fresca. I wanted to say “good on,” but it’s been taken. : )

    The searching is humiliating. Back when I was in college and working in a discount department store, all the women carried their stuff in clear plastic purses. They still had to show them for inspection when going home.

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  6. Mmmmmmmm.... the beauty of flowering artichokes.

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  7. I hadn't noticed any posts coming from St. Vinnie's since you stopped posting. If this comment area took emojis I'd have a string of the laughing/crying emoji here. Of course, they have posted absolutely nothing on this very momentous past week! What losers!

    Your posts will be missed (as will the mere fact that they had a regular social media presence) but far better that you should take care of yourself: do what makes you happy and let the store be damned.

    If Ms. Evil Cargill ever posts anything I'm sure it will be lame as hell. Yawn!

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  8. Good for you! Now you will have more time to do what you like best. I've never been on facebook or any of the other timewasters.

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  9. Well done you!
    Now when you find a different job, it won't be such a big jump for you or them

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  10. Thanks for your comments and support, everybody!

    I don't regret all the time and love I poured into the social media---generally I think it's a good thing (even if it can be a time-suck)---but I sure am glad to be done with it!

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