[Redway]

Did you walk/move onto something better or were you sacked?

My first job was when I was 18 (going on 19). I was a cleaner in a place where buses from the ends I was living in at that time didn’t travel to that early in the morning (I did the 6am shifts), so my manager and I decided I’d be better-off cycling into work. Before I even got a chance to bring ’round and be about the cycle ting I was sacked for just being out of my depth and not having much of a clue what I was doing (similar to the management in one filthy placed I worked at years later). Little did I know that I’d eventually become an essential-oil/borax/sodium-bicarb./white vinegar/holy liquid-manna (diluted quail/duck/goose water)/sugar-soap/salt/potpourri/chlorine bleach/washing-up liquid cleaning buff having everywhere in my environment spick-and-span and earning an accommodating reputation for it and being the cordial ghost-cleaner (naturally only outside of low periods) but when I was 18 the best thing I did on that front was do a bit of self-contained cleaning in my flat. I wasn’t ready for the professional-cleaning life and that was obvious to my manager. We parted on better terms than we could’ve but ultimately I got canned after five days after lying through my teeth about having previous paid cleaning experience. And that was that.

[smudgie]

I was 16, went to a New Year’s Eve party that lasted 3 days, wha5 can I say, I was honest so I was sacked.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by smudgie

I was 16, went to a New Year’s Eve party that lasted 3 days, wha5 can I say, I was honest so I was sacked.

I’m guessing this was even before social media could out you in one second if you end up in someone-else’s snap. You should probably count yourself lucky that you had the luxury of having the choice to be honest or not, if that’s the case. Any little thing now and you’re on some random bugger’s TikTok before yer even know it. Some people just will not mind their own business.

[Redway]

My cleaning demeanour when I’ve got the energy to be that guy has this kind of sublimity to it that’s always learning from Kim. & Aggie but it was either then (when I was 18) or never as far as actually having a cleaning job goes (unless I get my own cleaning TV show one day). Luckily it was just a part-time thing for a student and I would’ve … naturally moved on to other things but I’m just saying I would’ve actually made a positive difference to that garden-centre knowing whar I know now about the art of cleaning.

[Ithinkiloveyoutoo]

I actually can't remember. It was Laura Ashley. It might've been temp. My sister got it for me. The job after that was Dixons which I absolutely loved. The team was great, full of life, we got discount on game packages and other things lol, I loved my long journeys on the bus to work in the morning because most of the time I would listen to a playlist I loved or Incubus morning view and that time of the day the streets were almost empty so it was lush. Ah good time...now why did I leave I can't remember that either lol

[user104658]

My first job was in a bar when I was a Uni student. It ended 'cos I left Uni and moved 300 miles away. Pretty boring story tbh.

[Niamh.]

When I was 15 I went Strawberry picking, it was a split shift, started at 6am, which meant I was up at 5am and cycled there, did the first half, went home and went back to bed and never returned

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

When I was 15 I went Strawberry picking, it was a split shift, started at 6am, which meant I was up at 5am and cycled there, did the first half, went home and went back to bed and never returned

I was encouraged by my manager to pick up cycling to get to work on-time those mornings (the bus-routes weren’t really giving at that time of morning, and it was a bit out of the way anyway). I vaguely remember always being a few minutes late, but, again, I was toast by the time I’d even started. I was always going to get sacked and end up in bed with a coffee doing something-else. I went on vacation that month anyway and without clearing it with the manager so eventually, whether by bike or ’bus, I would’ve eventually circled out for the last time. It was a garden-centre, for what it’s worth.

[Shaun]

Mix of the two... I was asked to return to work during lockdown (the 2020 one) and it would've involved car-sharing with people who uh... aren't exactly hygienic at the best of times. I refused and was therefore let go.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Mix of the two... I was asked to return to work during lockdown (the 2020 one) and it would've involved car-sharing with people who uh... aren't exactly hygienic at the best of times. I refused and was therefore let go.

I worked at a care-home once that was so disgustingly, CQC-red-flaggy filthy that at one point our chairs in the office were coated with bin-bags, to wade us from a bit of poo that one member of staff swears he saw someone push out. I … ya. I lasted 6 weeks and never looked back at that sh*thole. That place was rotten to the core in terms of management. Always was (there were times when it went without official managers for 6 months each, leaving staff to even organise their own working rotas). No amount of being nice enough as an individual manager and bringing in doughnuts on a Tuesday-afternoon, which I couldn’t even eat because they’d traipsed up the breath of stairs so filthy even a rabid dog would deserve better than to eat off-of that, could change that.

At the end of the day, if you’re not comfortable eating even your own food in there because of how dirty the building is and you’re sitting on bin-bags, you have got to pause for a minute and ask yourself why you’re working there and whether what that job is doing for you is worth your dignity. The best thing was just to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. I’d advise anyone stuck in that position, once they’ve got a few weeks of experience behind their belt, to leave immediately. That place was like something out of some low-budget horror-film, and there’s no cap there. I ain’t even exaggerating. Kim and Aggie would’ve had a field-day.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by smudgie

I was 16, went to a New Year’s Eve party that lasted 3 days, wha5 can I say, I was honest so I was sacked.

This made me so sad, we have lost her haven't we, love you Smudge whereever you are

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

When I was 15 I went Strawberry picking, it was a split shift, started at 6am, which meant I was up at 5am and cycled there, did the first half, went home and went back to bed and never returned

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Mix of the two... I was asked to return to work during lockdown (the 2020 one) and it would've involved car-sharing with people who uh... aren't exactly hygienic at the best of times. I refused and was therefore let go.

…one job’s terminate can often be a path to something much more fitted and hopefully that’s how it is for you…..

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…one job’s terminate can often be a path to something much more fitted and hopefully that’s how it is for you…..

Indeed. Sometimes it can be a blessing in disguise and move you onto better things or things that are more comfortable for you for no less pay.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Redway

Indeed. Sometimes it can be a blessing in disguise and move you onto better things or things that are more comfortable for you for no less pay.

…absolutely, ‘unknown’ can feel so scary so we can stay in places in our lives that don’t fulfil or bring us anything positive…but they give a sense of ‘safety’ and routine and income etc…so we stay…and while she stay…?…we just don’t get that opportunity of seeing those so much better fits…

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

This made me so sad, we have lost her haven't we, love you Smudge whereever you are

[bots]

Originally Posted by Cherie

This made me so sad, we have lost her haven't we, love you Smudge whereever you are

the stories Smudge could tell