By: Tasha

Dear Past,

It may seem corny that I’m writing a letter to those who will never read this. Although I have to say, I feel I still should. Writing this almost makes me feel better, expressing words and thoughts that I have kept to myself.

As time goes on, we all move on, we all change. Some of us change for the best and others change for the worse. I know some, who have changed in such a way that I don’t feel I recognize them anymore. I even feel that I don’t know them anymore either.

I find that I am sometimes chasing something I once had and want back. I then realize that it’s the “wanting” I’m after not so much the person or moment. Ok, well maybe it’s partly the moment, but it’s the moment of being in middle school or high school again, or of just being.

My whole life I’ve never really had a lot of friends nor did I care to be popular. To this day, it’s still something I don’t care for. I’ve always kept a small amount of friends. See, I have a theory and it makes sense to me. The fewer friends you have, the fewer issues you have – hence the less drama you have.

There have been people I’ve been friends with for what seems like YEARS and yet they’re still around – well some of them are. Although, just because they are “around” that doesn’t mean we keep in touch. Just because someone is “around” doesn’t mean they hold you in the same light as you hold them. Then again, I think it’s the comfort of knowing something or someone is there and that hope of it still being there when you reach for it gives us some sort of comfort.

I’ve learned the hard way who to count on and who to kick to the curb. I’ve often felt that even the people who I used to pass by in the hallway in middle school and high were nice people, because they would say hi back or because they would talk to me. I grew up and figured it out, that just because someone is nice to your face, doesn’t mean they are nice behind your back.

The people who you thought were “nice” turn out to be real bitches, who suddenly think they are better than you. Even some of the guys, who were pricks, are to this days still pricks. For me, where I went to school, most of the student body felt they were “better than you” turns out, some of them still think that way.

I know how this sounds, it sounds like I’m painting these people as bad people and they weren’t. I didn’t know them all personally but I’m pretty good at reading people and from what I was able to pick-up, my gut was right. To this day, I still meet people like that and somehow I’m always right.

I find that all this holds true for family as well. I know how that sounds, your family isn’t suppose to be the type to do all the things your “friends do”, you’d be surprised. So I guess what I’m trying to say is, no matter who it is, always hold true to yourself and never lose yourself.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to make myself look like some perfect person, who isn’t flawed or who hasn’t made mistakes but from what I’ve been able to gather and learn this far in life, people will always disappoint you and find ways to hurt you. Learning to let go is sometimes the best thing – but even that isn’t easy.

So past, I wish you lots of luck and happiness. We may meet again, if not in this life maybe in the next. Just know that you meant something to me at the time and your memory is what I carry with me. I guess I somehow hope that you too hold the memory of me in your heart.

Regards

Tasha

NOTE: the image in this post I googled

By:  Tasha

I know what you must be thinking – why is this girl telling us why she quit her job? We don’t care…well this is a blog – my blog and I felt like starting off by sharing this piece of information.

The following is my reasoning behind why I decided to quit my job of 3 years. Might I  add – it was a retail job.

So here’s the deal – it was a few weeks before school started back up and we had to give in our new schedules, according to our availability. I gave mine in only to be told that it wasn’t good enough. The rules had changed. Yes – the good old rule change the one no one tells you about till after the fact.

So, here is how it all went down. I was told by my manager that every employee had to be available for 5 shifts per week. Now before and for the longest time you had to be available for 3 shifts per week. Meaning 2 days during the week and at least 1 weekend. So I was told, I had to be available more. I told them that I could only work on Fridays till 2pm; they said we’d need you here till 4pm. I was told, attend your first week of classes, then when  you come into work next, you can tell us if you were able to make any changes.

Now, when I first got this job, I was pretty happy. I finally had something else to do besides school. I was going to make new friends etc. I really enjoyed my job – hence I had made new friends. Then as time started to go by, I only liked going to work because of my friends but was starting to slowly hate my job. Then I just hated my job. I didn’t care who I was working with, I wasn’t happy anymore. In fact I was quite unhappy and my whole mood would change once I stepped into the building.

I knew I didn’t want to work there anymore but I needed the money so I was sticking it out. Once this little situation happened with my manager surrounding the hours, I decided that I wasn’t going to stay anymore.

Here is the pathetic advise I was given – and this is after I had come in and said the best I can do is work till 3pm but nothing past 3pm. I was told by my manager, the best thing to do is either resign or be fired.

I knew I had heard her say something – but told myself “you did not just hear her give you such bad advise” I’m unaware of what I said before leaving her office. After awhile I started to think. I came to the conclusion that I would call the regional manager for my store but that I would just quit – I was tired of the bullshit.

So, when I got home I told my Mom about this as well as my boyfriend.  They already knew how unhappy I was before hand but I made it very clear that I wasn’t going to stay.

My HR manager is a major bitch and I knew she wouldn’t sign off on that one hour, I repeat ONE HOUR and so I knew what was coming my way. I was more than ok in accepting my fate, as I had done part of this on purpose. So in the meantime I made a phone call to head office. Now, for the Bay they have regional offices and so I was given the number of my HR regional manager and I explained everything to him. When I said I was advised to either resign or be fired he said he’d call me back. I knew that clearly had ticked him off. I don’t blame him one bit.

That same week I had to work. I went into work and spoke to my manager. When I entered her office, she had this huge smile on her face. A smile I hadn’t seen on her face in a long time. She told me to keep my letter and she then said: “so I’ve worked out something that will help you out. You can work till 3pm and I will occasionally schedule someone to start around 2:30pm so that we have someone here for when you leave.” I looked at her and just handed her my letter. I told her I was no longer happy and that I didn’t feel comfortable working there anymore, anyway. In my head, all I kept thinking was “why didn’t you help me out like this before?  It took a phone call to make this happen” She asked me if I was sure? I’m like, yea I’m sure. So Saturday October 10th 2009 was my last day.

In the end, I made the right choice for myself. I clearly wasn’t happy at my job anymore and so once your gut tells you that, you listen and move on. I’ll be honest, I don’t miss my job. The atmosphere had really started to change – you could feel it whenever you walked thru the building. Besides, I’m in my last year of College and I’m studying something I’m happy with. I know things can only get better. Like they say, “one door closes, another one opens”.

NOTE: The image in this post I googled