On The 4pm to 6am Shift

(WARNING: The following is a very bitter post, written on 4 hours of sleep, while suffering from a headache. Anyone seeking a cheery, up-beat blog entry should go seek someplace else. They should also kiss my butt.)

I now understand why they call it the Graveyard shift - it makes me want to kill myself.

I don't remember signing up for this crap at 14 when I capriciously thought "Gee, I think I want to be an Engineer when I grow up." I paid my all-nighter dues in school. And I specifically didn't go the crazy, work for a start-up, live on coffee and Ramen for a few years, and then pray the start-up goes public and make major big bucks route. No, I chose the cush, 9-5, no risk but no real reward, corporate route. I've got the no reward part down... but where's my cush??? Where's my 9-5??? The 72 hours I put in last week certainly didn't feel like your typical, run-of-the-mill, corporate job. It felt like I was being overworked and underpaid with no potential benefit waiting for me at the end. And now I have the pleasure of feeling that way from 4pm to 6am. Super. I hate to sound like a What's-in-it-for-me-er... but uh, WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME!?!? We don't get bonuses or awards. And my department is TERRIBLE about promoting people. Heck, our raises are barely 3%. Why am I killing myself?

UGH! I'm just so grrrr right now. It's probably the switch from human to nocturnal slave working for the man. I'm not taking well to it. Sleeping during the day and being awake all night is looooooooonely, and energy sapping, and it's leaving unsightly bags under my eyes. So. Not. A. Fan.