Overcoming overemployment

The past few months have found me the victim of a lesser-known, less politically correct to complain about (à la Peter and Billy Getty), recessionomic phenomenon – that of overemployment (or hyper-employment?).

Just as stressful and emotionally draining, overemployment causes many of the same social problems that its opposite, unemployment, does during these trying economic times. Problems such as poor health, depression, lack of social life, feeling left out, (and depending on the job(s)) lack of extended health or dental plans, bad hair, premature aging, wrinkled clothes, and a burning desire to spend all day in bed.

Now, of course, the quality and payscale of the job(s) in question are paramount in this discussion which has already taken a self-indulgent, self-pitying turn for the worse. In my case, I work in an entry-level (ie. no money) position on a short term contract (ie. no benefits) in the editorial department of a multinational book publisher, and then, on evenings and weekends, as a barista (ie. tips!) in the coffee-making department of a large, multinational coffee retailer. I work, on average, about 60 hours a week, and my salaries barely manage to keep me fed, warm (or breezy in the summer), sheltered, and clothed (albeit, shoddily).

At this point, I would like to clarify that I’m fully aware that there are thousands of people in Canada who have been laid off, who are unemployed, and have pressing financial concerns like keeping other people fed, warm/breezy, sheltered and clothed, and that I should stop whining. So that’s what I’m doing.

And that’s why I quit one of my jobs.

With a piece of printer paper and a Sharpie, I liberated myself from my evenings and weekends coffee-wielding job last night with the words “Here is my two weeks notice. A typed letter will arrive shortly.” And while I feel guilty (the coffee shop is somewhat in the middle of a staffing crisis and a current downturn in the number of hands to count money and steam milk), I also feel relief. Because I’ve been coming up with a mental list of all the things I want to do with those free evenings and weekends, which I will now share with you, and maybe, just maybe, inspire some creativity and positive energy over the summer. Here is my personal top ten things to do this summer in Toronto now that I’ve quit my barista job.

And, for those of you suffering from the opposite of my problem, the Starbucks at Pape and Danforth is hiring.

1. Make pierogies. From scratch. Using SWEET potatoes!! Doesn’t that sound good? And making food is cheaper than buying it. Which is what I do when I don’t have time to buy groceries or cook. I’d post a good recipe, but I can’t seem to find one. The recipe I have flagged is from A Taste of Canada by Rose Murray, Whitecap Books.

2. Knit. You’d think knitting was a winter hobby, but have you noticed that if you start in the fall when it becomes cool again, you don’t finish until April (if you finish at all)? That’s right. I’m finishing up my knitting projects so they can be enjoyed in the winter. And before Romni Wools on Queen West gets overrun with hipsters.

3. Apply for jobs. Remember, I only have a short-term contract at my publishing job. And trust me, when one suffers from overemployment, one does NOT want to spend one’s limited free time applying for ANOTHER job. So, time to clean up my resume and start sending it out.

4. The Scream Literary Festival – in High Park and other venues around Toronto. Books, publishing, and free events. Enough said.

5. The Toronto Fringe Festival – I find that if you volunteer for festivals, you get things for free. And that’s how I’m able to go see upwards of 6 plays for the cost of a few hours of my time.

6. Call my grandmother. It’s terrible that I haven’t called her because I work until midnight 3 nights a week and pass out at 9pm on the other nights. That’s not okay.

7. Make THESE:

Oh my god. Margarita Cupcakes. They have to happen.

8. Do better work at the full time job I do have. You know, so they keep me on longer. Not walking around like a zombie should improve my chances.

9. Go to the gym. I have this membership, you see, but rarely do I have the time. Or energy. And if there’s any better time to go to those spin classes and do those pilates, it’s right after buying short shorts. Which I did on the weekend.

10. SLEEP!! Glamour ran a story a few months ago where a bunch of women were asked to sleep for a minimum of 7.5 hours a night. Every night for 2 months or so, without making an effort to change anything else in their eating or exercising routine. Some of these women lost up to 15 pounds! By SLEEPING! That’s my kind of diet. And see #9 and remember: short shorts.

So, dearest roommates, your squatter with a rent cheque is gone, and your living, breathing, cooking, knitting, human being has arrived!

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