I’m a gypsy by heart.  Now, I know people say that, but usually they don’t mean it, they just think it sounds cool.  The truth is often much more complicated and a heck of a lot more difficult than people think.  Growing up as a Military Brat leaves a lasting mark on a child, one that can either make you a homebody or a gypsy, forever leaving behind the things you’ve worked for without a reason that makes sense.

            In my thirty-something years of life I’ve gone to 14 different schools (17 if you count college and trade school) visited 4 different continents, seen 22 different countries and had about 24 different addresses.  This makes for a long worksheet when filling out a 10 year background check. 

            I’ve been laid-off, let go, unemployed and even once abandoned.  I’ve started over from scratch more times than I can count and have been knocked down one less time than I’ve gotten up.  I started working at 9 ½ and haven’t quit since but I don’t have much “stuff” to show for it or a bank account that proves it.  I’ve often left everything I know for the chance to try something new without a safety net or a guarantee and yet I’ve managed to sit tight for the last few years.

            My list of employment contains everything from bagging groceries to fixing aircraft and yet, I currently work at a call center that drives me crazy.  I don’t know what it is about this place but it’s kept my attention for a span longer than I thought possible and I find myself advancing beyond the tether of the phone cord.

            Recently I’ve moved up in the food chain and find I can no longer dismiss the activities of the upper echelon as I plant one foot in the realm of complicated insanity. (Note: I said one foot, not both feet- I’ve still a ways to go for that.)  Whereas previously I could easily feign indifference and scoff at the activities meant to endear the management to us peons, I now straddle the fence.  I am no longer “just” an agent and must work as liaison between the phone and the bottom line, oh how the mighty have fallen up the ladder. 

            In times past I had never stayed long enough to make a lasting impression – don’t get me wrong, once hired I’m one of the best employees.  I am always punctual and always at work – I can thank the Military for that.  I work hard and always seek to find better and smarter ways of doing business but my soul is restless and I find it hard to stay for long.  Friends fall by the wayside and many never get to know me more than the surface I expose, this is my defense mechanism, why bother when I’ll be gone in several months.

            This was my life in a nutshell until I realized my kid was completely opposite.  She needs roots and as a mother I am obliged to provide that for her, hence the lead attached to my itchy feet.  Circumstances have changed and although I often find myself surfing through contracting jobs, I know I will be here for a few more years.  It’s a frustrating place to be, but my job has it’s perks – it’s chock full of things to make fun of.