L Train to Rockaway Parkway/Canarsie

 My commute to work has changed, but not that much. Moving within the same neighborhood can also mean a different train line. Bushwick has about 3 of them, and I´ve used them all to get to work at some point. But, every part of the neighborhood has their beloved subway station. Ironically, I´ve used both train lines that spell out my name.

Similarly like my route to work has changed, so has my role at work also changed, but ever so slightly. To my relief, or dismay, however one may take it, there is less oversight on the work that I do. LFG! Or, WTF?

Some days I feel as if I have taken the sword out of the stump, breezing through work as if I was careening through a wormhole to take me to the year 3000 (everything has changed, we don´t live underwater, and the $2,000 stimulus was actually given). Other days I feel jaded, under the all too familiar guise of what the reality of being an entry level worker in an industry that has never, and will never, go out of business.

On the way home last night, one of my coworkers, who is surprisingly my age and takes the same train to and from work, engaged me in conversation about what our contributions really mean right now at this point in our careers. TLDR: we are more than qualified for higher level positions, given the accolades we have accrued, but how is that going to stand out in a group of boomers and corporate vets who see us as nothing more, or less, than early to mid 20´s number crunchers?

And I kind of agreed with her. Now, I´m not saying that I have a rap sheet that stretches from the Hudson to the James that is chalk full of achievements. Rather, I´m saying that I worked my ass off to be here, and what is there, is there. Nothing more (LOL), and nothing less. Take it or leave it. 

We both came to the conclusion that to even attain the success that we desire is going to take years to achieve. But, if we´re being honest, you have to be naive to think that a senior level position is going to fall into your lap not even one year into your job. It´s been 10 months for me, and this is the longest I´ve ever had a full time job to being with. Drinks up for that one, chief!

Circling around to having less eyes on my work at work. My supervisor had a mini-meeting with me in his office today. Although the masks were on, I couldn´t help but notice the goatee that he was sporting on his ID badge. That will be another story for another day. Anyways, he reviewed my work out of my audit range (fine, for the time being), laid down some areas that I could improve on, and ended the conversation with the age old ¨Good work, but...¨

So... what do we have hear? It begins with a C, end with an M, and is the absolute worst thing for people who already live inside of their head M-F during regular business hours.

CRITIC-FUCKING-ISM.

Yes. that´s the one. 

I get that I´m not going to be perfect in my first year of work. If you are, you are a unicorn, and should try your hand at investing in the stock market (if you get that reference, you will probably have a chuckle). But there´s something about being told by anybody that you could improve on a certain subject. It´s like you´re telling me that I come into work for 8-9 hours a day, do what is expected of me and often what is not even in my job title, and you are going to sit here, in my face, and criticize my work? On the job? in 2020? DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC? ON A TUESDAY? WHEN THE CLUB IS GOING UP? ON A TUESDAY? 

I had to take a deep breath going back to my desk because honestly he didn´t even go in on me like that. He didn´t yell. He didn´t give me any flack. He was simply trying to better my understanding of my work, show me the areas that need improvement, and inform me that he believes my on the job knowledge is where it should be at this point in my career. It only took me reading a Forbes article on how to deal with criticism, Die Lit, two packs of peanut butter crackers, taking out my recycling, and a cup of iced coffee to understand that my world is not falling apart and that my job isn´t fed up with me. If they didn´t care, they wouldn´t be showing me where I could improve. I guess the moral of this story is that criticism sucks, but internalizing it in the wrong way is worse. 

The Mitch McConnell slander tweets are providing comedic relief for me today. If they ever regulate Twitter, the real WW3 will happen. Deuces. 

12 dollars for a 6 pack of tecate

 I have experienced my first price gouging in my neighborhood. My old apartment had a convenience store about 100 feet to the right of my fire escape. You can buy a 12 pack of Northeast PBR (Narragansett) for about $11. A steal, right? I love that place.

The convenience store next to my new spot? I hate that place. The title says it all. $12 for 6. Who did the math on this one? Get me outta here!

We apparently had the biggest snow storm that the northeast has seen in a while most of yesterday and part of today. All that remains is a brownish/gray wocky slush. That´s a twitter reference.

Stimulus. $600. Our country is..... ya know what? Not even gonna finish the sentence. There is no need to. But, what in the hell is $600 for a single person going to do for all that has been lost during this dagum´ pandemic? I mean, don´t look a prized horse in the mouth, but come on. Senate/House majority and minority leaders have been working ¨endlessly¨ to secure a deal of SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR EACH AMERICAN CITIZEN. WE ARE THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, AND WE ARE ONLY GIVING THAT MUCH TO PEOPLE? 

I am... at a loss for words...

What else? I stumbled a shoe repair shop and found a pair of very gently used Vans in my size for a measly $12. And even though the 6 pack of Tecate for $12, I am thoroughly enjoying my financial faux pas. 

Vans and Tecate for the win. 

NY During uhhhh Covid

 For some reason, being in a new apt. has got me in the mood to just scribe more on my nice Chromebook that I´ve gotten chop cheese grease all over.

This one is about how I´ve seen the effects of Covid during my time in New York so far. The headlines are all right. It´s a nightmare (for some). I have a plethora of colleagues that have been given the ability to work from home, which is great. On the other hand, there are thousands of people who have been pushed to the margins because of this, and those who were already there are on the brink of poverty, it seems. 

Lines for food pantries are spanning 10, 15 blocks in Brooklyn. Relatively speaking, Brooklyn as a whole isn´t even one of the most hard hit areas. I may be wrong, but at least my zip code has been faring ¨well¨ in comparison to other areas that have higher density, aka the Bronx. That part of the city has years been hit hard by crime, car accident deaths, and affordable housing. Covid has made it a living nightmare. Although I typically don´t spend that much time up there (dude, it´s like an hour and a half to get to Pelham Park on the 6), enough news outlets have been able to showcase what is going on in borderline upstate NY. 

The Times  recently put out an article about undocumented workers who have been more or less forced to sell food on the streets because of their immigration/nationality status, which realistically does not create the kind of income that is needed to sustain a family. 

Bike delivery workers have become a vital part for the consumption of food with the least amount of contact, well, at least those who can afford it. Not to mention that even before this pandemic, these essential workers were getting stiffed on their tips, being denied PPE, bathroom services, you name it. For a lack of better words, it is unreal. That´s not what I really wanted to say. It´s crazy as fuck.

To end on a good note (as good as a note as I possibly can), Senate Republicans just brought a relief bill to Pelosi and the House Democrats that was constructed by McConnell and his team, which may mean the arrival of new stimulus checks sometime in the new year. 

Plus, the UK just started giving out the Pfizer Vaccine. I bought one share in it before it was even popular. (aka I bought the share last week.)

Im Walkin Hea´

 Here is a small update.

Word on the street is that my job may be getting the vaccine very soon...

How do I feel about that? Hm, not sure. Do I need it? Maybe. Do I deserve it? Um, subjective question. Will I take it? Odds are yes, but part of me wants to say no. Who knows! Because I sure as hell do not!

I have been slowly but surely getting better at my job, at least judging from what my mentors have told me. I even got a perfect audit the other day, which is, for a lack of better words, fire.

Winter is cold in New York, but then again winter is almost cold in every other state. I think that it´s time to buy that fake Moncler jacket from Chinatown that I have been talking about for the last few weeks...

This weekend I visited a small town in upstate-ish NY named Beacon, which automatically makes me think of bacon. That´s besides the point. It reminded me of Boone, NC. The Main Street shops were made all out of brick. Dinner on Saturday was the first time that I had feta on a burger, and I would do it again, but only if you asked me nicely!

SO...this vaccine again... what´s up with that? I mean, am I going to be a guinea pig for something that has yet to be tested on US citizens? It probably has and I have not surfed the internet waves long enough to find an article or succinct evidence that shows it. Should I become one of those essential oil stans and just drink a whole bottle of lavender? IDK MAN! THIS SHIT IS CRAZY. 

I also just bought a new pair of shoes from Marshalls. They are very ¨trendy¨ and I bought them from Marshalls in Long Island. Did I mention that they are from Marshalls and that they are Reebok, and that I got them from Marshalls for $30? My $30 shoes from Marshalls? I love them and they love me. Together. Forever. And forever means 2 months until I decide go and get another cool pair of Reebok from my beloved Marshalls......

MARSHALLS!