diary of a PA

greetings!

so it would appear my luck has taken a turn. i also realized that i needed to be doing some other work besides teaching alone. i was starting to feel the burnout from the behind-the-scenes drama; although i'm doing an excellent job supporting the kids and staff yet getting sweated for my time.

there's also intent to transition into something else after the school year ends. so, i take a rather flexible part-time job as a home assistant for a retired gay couple not far from my place. sounds ideal; something i've been doing on and off for years and most importantly - laid back.

they're a charming older couple into their 80s, wealthy, comfortable, in a house like a museum filled with beautiful art and shangri-la for a backyard. they spend their days in rooms filled with stuff and toiling meticulously over every day things. i learned today how to fold shirts in the style of a j crew display. i was also learning about their extensive files.

persnickity to say the least, but sweet. i'm familiar with it because i've worked for older rich people before and in most cases they have nothing to do with their time other than take their time obsessing over life's details. they're also not particularly adept at managing their own lives, they just hire someone else do it for them.

i got a check for two days work at a $84.00 / 10 is $8.40hr or what you would pay a teenager. i was stunned. money hadn't been discussed because i assumed the rate would be $20.00hr (my usual rate as a personal assistant on the low-end).

i do like being in the company of cultured, well-off people. it's just a different energy than the forever struggling and stressing mere mortal (self included). i can take a break from reality and see how others live in utter financial freedom writing bills for the amount due in full with the stroke of a pen. who does that?! 

it's also networking. rich people know other rich people and so on. there is always the possibility of getting another project, job, or client through them.

today was a little stressful near the end of the afternoon; helping one with his mac and an archaic collection of passwords (caps, no caps, 'o' or '0', cat's name or mr blah blah?) and trying to ween him off the AOL, which seems to have anyone over 70 by the balls. *sigh*

i decided to move on to something else. i despise cheapness in people especially those who can afford to pay me a decent wage. reciprocity, my man! good begets good and generosity begets generosity.

mslisa