will someone give me a footrub?

This week has been a long one. I started work on Monday so now my days consist of school from 7am to noon then work from 1pm till 7 or 8pm. I'm tired. No, EXHAUSTED. I am not used to being on my feet and working my ass off for 12+ hours. I get home and can barely pull enough brain power together to find food. I've been so busy that I had to take notes on the things I wanted to write about so when I did find enough time to post something, I'd remember all the awesomeness.

Work, so far, is pretty good. The shop has it's good points and bad points. My coworkers are nice, but mostly inexperienced. One of the guys has been there 11 years and another one 2. Everyone else is either in school or just graduated. There are also two smart-asses in management. I don't find the shop especially all that clean and the variety of work that comes in is nil. Lots of oil changes and mounting tires. It's a good beginner job and give me the opportunity to be around cars and gather experience to get a better job down the road. The head boss sees it as important to try to schedule me for as many hours as possible. I can't figure out why bosses see running their employees to the bone as a good thing. What about turnover, dumbasses? Although, my last job definitely showed this oversight, so I really shouldn't be surprised. Each of the guys is extremely supportive when it comes to teaching me things.

Cristo taught me about "Sancho." He says this to Jacobo every time he sneezes. In Mexican culture, apparently, by saying this, he is referencing the man who "takes care" of men's wives why they are away at work. This man is called a Sancho. Thus, when they get home, the wife is tired and not interested in sex with her husband. By saying "Sancho" when another man sneezes he is saying that it is a signal that Sancho is enjoying that man's wife at that moment. He then told me when a man comes home and questions his wife about what the man is doing under the bed his wife responds with, "I don't know what that man is doing under the bed, but on top of the bed, my-oh-my." Sancho.

The biggest complaint I have about work: the bathroom. It looks like someone died in it....10 years ago....and it hasn't been cleaned since. There is NO women's restroom, except for the customer multi-sex bathroom I'm discouraged to use. I've been working on timing my restroom breaks to before and after work, so I minimize the chance of having to step foot in the danger-zone. My coworkers use it like a break room, easily spending quality time handling "personal business" on a regular basis. I can't understand men's ability to look past the cleanliness of toilets.

I've had some amazingly educational moments and stupefying scary moments this week. I had one moment that scared me so much my stomach did a huge flip. I'd rather not talk about it in detail....but let's just say I'll think twice about following coworker's orders. My biggest highlight was helping to pull the rear differential out of an Explorer and re-seal it. It was a great pick-me-up from rough morning.

This week has been a challenge emotionally because I'm fighting my competitive streak and perfectionism. My lab partner and I are the slowest in the class, which drives me crazy. I can't seem to let go of my desire to be first. It's torturing me. And on top of it, I feel completely out of my element. I know almost nothing about what we are doing in class (engine disassembly and reassembly) and have this nagging part of me that can't seem to deal with that fact. I can't seem to put these two traits of mine to rest for now. They are traits that can come in handy at times and be a nuisance at others. For now, they have to go, because, of all things, they are disturbing my sleep. Nothing will come between me and the rare chance I get to sleep.

which, leads me to say goodnight. There is so much more, but for now it will have to wait. I MUST go to bed. Tomorrow I'll type up an big spiel about the Oregon Tradeswomen career fair I attended today....I got a chance to WELD! Yeah, so more to come, I promise....

g'night!