Many of you know that I was once employed at a rather large healthcare concern in the US doing an incredibly thankless job for the better part of a decade. It was tedious, thankless work, and the customers were all incredibly abusive. The environment continued to get more and more toxic as perks were continually reduced, and finally taken away completely- while metrics for performance were steadily increased. A chance encounter with a providers office (you read that right, these people are supposed to be professional) that turned into a discrimination issue, because she didn't like what I had to say, was the final straw. I was on the phone with my supervisor discussing the incident when my wife walked in the room and told me to quit. So- I did. For the second time in my adult life, I quit a job- without the slightest idea what was next (strangely, the time I did that before, led me to the healthcare job). Initially I was going to take a month or so off, then get my resume together and probably end up back where I started. Then something strange happened- the wife decided I wasn't to go to work anymore. Ever. Effectively she retired me. This was great in concept, terrible in execution. We went flat broke. All the bills got behind, I blew through all of my savings trying to keep us above water (I had easily a year's worth of salary hidden) and I ruined my credit. This took a heavy toll on my mental faculties, because I despise being broke, and the distrust I started harboring was very high, because when someone says something is something, I expect it to be that. HOWEVER, my retirement was not to be.
So- I started looking for work. The nice thing was in the interim the wife had gotten a new job that paid exceedingly well. While not enough to run us on one income, it was enough to make a "career" job for me, not required. How nice. At the age of 34, all I needed was a job that put a little cash in my pocket. And a job like that I found. Through a previous employer, I was referred into and basically handed an asleep overnight job- so now, I get paid poorly, but I sleep for a living. Bills are caught up, I can even afford to have a little bit of fun. Got to take the first vacation since my child was born, and go get a corolla. However, something was missing. I wasn't... fulfilled. I don't hate my job, it's impossible to hate what I do right now. I still can't believe I get paid for it. However, it's so mentally... NOT draining, it makes my brain wander. And an mndsm brain aflutter is akin to leaving nuclear launch codes in a room full of ADD kids all hepped up on redbull with the red button right in the open. Somethings going to go wrong. So- the search continued.
Fast forward to a week ago. I was minding my own business, when I got a curious facebook notification. Now, I've recently pared down what I pay attention to on that to a BARE minimum, so for this to make it through meant something. It was from a local brewery.... a place called Flat Earth. They make one of my favorite local beers, the Cygnus X-1. And sometimes, they sell it unfiltered in growlers. It's like beer chocolate milk. It's otherworldly. Having recently completed their move into the old Hamm's brewery St. Paul site, they were looking to expand their employee base! Now THIS is something I can sink my teeth into. It's machinery, beer, and people that like beer. And it's local. I despise the word "Localvore" because it's for hipsters with ball-squashing jeans and pumpkin spice girlfriends, but it's an accurate description of how I roll. I like the little, local dude. So, I fired up the old resume, polished off my writing accumen, and threw out a line. While not quite up to the level of my legendary cover letter (I need to find that damned thing) it was pretty good. Naturally, I got a call for an interview. I met with the owner, and brewmaster, Franco, and Bob (respectively). Bob's beard is almost as big as mine. This is going to go well!
The interview is pretty standard. Why do I want to work in a brewery? I love beer, I like THIS beer, and I have a rare opportunity to do exactly what I want in life for little regard to actual money. Do you have a clean driving record? As far as the courts know, yes. Can you lift stuff? Yep. How is your work ethic? I forget to eat sometimes. and so on and so forth. We talk about my kid, growing up catholic, etc etc. It goes well. Now- I've actually had this interview once before with this facility, but for whatever reason, it didn't work out then. (They were in the process of moving, I suspect it was just too much of a PITA to try and train and move someone at the same time.) So- while it went well, I didn't try and put too much stock in it.
This morning I received an email, with a W4 form and some other new hire paperwork to fill out. So- as of... we'll say today- I have accomplished one of my long standing goals, to get a job doing something I will ENJOY, as opposed to something I have to do. I am officially a bottom level grunt at a Flat Earth Brewery in St. Paul. MN, and I couldn't be happier. I'll start off bottling and cleaning growlers, and maybe delivering delicious kegs. Who knows, from there. The schedule is as such that I will be able to keep my overnight job with very little disruption to my daily life, which is perfect. I like $$$.
TLDR- I finally got a job at a brewery. I am the happy.
