Working Stiff in Philadelphia

My new life of part-time jobs has begun! And I haven't gotten a paycheck yet to see how little i'm making, which probably explains why i'm so jolly right now. 

My first impression is that my time isn't as open as I'd like it to be - and it's really confusing to keep track of everything that i'm doing all at once! Also... the Gap operates on military time so it takes math to figure out my schedule. Oh, math is also involved in working at cash registers (which, by the way, is totally as fun as I had imagined it to be when I was 8 years old). Blech. Math. And a lot of it. 

But I am finding it pleasurable to walk to work, especially since it means I get to see the city at odd times (like 9 on a Saturday morning) and busy times like rush hour. And it isn't so bad dealing with tourists. Most of them are, aside from being pretty dumb, really well-meaning and some are even interesting to talk to like a guy today who was from the Netherlands but attending med school at UPenn. It's also very encouraging to find that the city you live in is an exciting place for so many people. They love the Liberty Bell! They want extra gift shop bags to take home as souvenirs! They are extra-enthusiastic about looking at the foundations of Ben Franklin's house... and OF COURSE they've already seen his grave. Philly is a hot destination, and why shouldn't it be? It's a hotbed of historic wonders, plus we've been ranked the ugliest city in the nation 2 years in a row! 

Plus... the discount I get at the Gap is phenomenal. 

And in terms of stress, I have so much less of it right now. No long drives where i'm gritting my teeth trying not to yell obscenities at other drivers. No crazy deadlines to meet. No horribly unreasonable client requests (except maybe the woman today who asked for an audio tour for her 2-year-old because... "her brother and sister have one and she's going to want one too, just like the iPod"). 

It ain't half bad so far. But I still gotta give it time.