Nothing changes on New Year’s Day except this- I worked today. Actually, temped is more like it and while it hopefully is a harbinger of things to come, getting paid nine bucks an hour to drag my sleep-deprived, hungover ass to some fabously frou-frou boutique in the Marina for $9 an hour to do inventory. Especially considering that all my years of professional experience so far has gotten me a temp job for something that basically involves counting and writing things down.

As depressing as the job was, what really had me in full dread mode was the possibility that out of all the temps who would be brought in to help out, I would be the only one whose even neared being 30. Nothing like giving you that feeling of “how did I get here” like temping with a bunch of 22 year olds fresh out of college and just happy to be working because it gives them extra money for their weekend in Tahoe. Fortunately, the three other temps who were brought in were pretty close to my age. Unfortunately, we also worked with all of the boutique’s staff who were all a bunch of women in their mid-twenties. They all looked like they had just stepped out of an Ambercrombie & Fitch catalogue and worshipped at the altar of “Sex & the City” (whatever statement this is on the state of our economy is up for you to make as econ was never my strength. If you want to say “mid-level jobs are disappearing as the only jobs left available are low-paying, service industry type jobs" be my guest, but please keep in mind that the stock market is over 10,000 these days and as a bunch of rich, white guys are getting richer right now, nobody really cares). As our job was to basically help the staff count invoice in the store, it meant that we were relegated to doing whatever tasks the staff felt necessary for us to do, which in my case consisted of writing down and reading back all of the sku numbers and prices asked of me by my team member, one of the 24 year olds. This was all being managed by another 24 year old in impeccably trendy jeans and a first name of “Starla.” As for “how the hell did I get here” moments, I did have a momentary moment when I entered mid-way into a conversation the girls were having about what turned out to be the first season of “Sorority Life” and was able to kibbitz with them about it.

All of this has pretty much made me realize that the reason for this whole recent bout of unemployment is because the Powers That Be/the Elders/the Big Kahuna or whoever is out there must have decided that I didn’t quite sink low enough during my previous bout of unemployment and are damn sure that I hit that low point this time around. Either that or they must have decided that as it was too much fun to screw with me last time, have decided to have at me again for shits and giggles. To which I thank them.

PS- One more note on the state of the economy- what can you say about the economy when at a dinner New Year’s Eve, 6 out of 13 people were unemployed. Granted, two of them were unemployed by nature of the fact they sold a restaurant they owned and don’t quite qualify as being “laid off” but that still means 4 out 13 people were laid off. One of them in October another one several hours before dinner (luv ya Sammy). Oh, but I forgot the stock market’s doing really well those days. Nevermind.