Victory! (edit: not so sure anymore)

[KimitsuKouseki]

So screw my dad who didnt want me to work in montreal, I applied anyways since hes off on vacation... and I am sooooo happy I did! and so proud!

I passed their test and was hired as a seamstress for Kanuk! the winter coats brand! :cheer2: :cheer1:

 

[alforddm]

Congratz!? I hope your Dad isn't to upset. I understand his not wanting you to have to drive so far but as someone who lives in an area with few jobs, I understand the need to drive an hr as well. I hope the job makes the drive worthwhile.

 

[MaggieJ]

:congratulations:

Good for you, KimitsuKouseki! I can't remember how old you are and I know that living at home you must consider your father's preferences to an extent, but it sounds to me as though the benefits of having a good job outweigh the need to drive farther to get there.

 

[alforddm]

I know this is probably a silly question, but what exactly does a seamstress do? Do you sew fast or do alterations?

 

[KimitsuKouseki]

I'm 29, my dad doesnt mind the distance but rather the city of montreal. He hates that city, if it was the same drive time to anywhere else he wouldnt mind. Even Laval wich is next to mtl same road and drive time is fine to him, just not montreal especially if driving there is involved. Problem is 90% of seamstress jobs are in montreal, there are very few companies in my area and none were in need of new seamstresses at the moment. Whats funny though is that those have called me several times while I already had jobs before and I'd told em no cause I wanted to stay where I was shrugs. He wont be able to complain too much though since the job I got is right next to public transport so I take the train and the the subway and walk 6 minutes and I'm there. It does burn 1 pay check worth though, since the monthly pass is 236$ but at least I'm not driving there, there's no parking and being next to the subway, it just wouldnt be reasonable to take the car.

alforddm, a seamstress can do many type of jobs depending where they work. It can involve just alterations or just sewing the pieces according to the tailor's instructions or even acting as the tailor then sewing the pieces. My first job was in a furniture refurbishing company and I sewed the pieces according to the tailor's needs. My second, I acted as tailor and sewed the pieces. With Kanuk it will be mostly sewing according to the tailor and maybe a few alterations.

I'm just so happy since Kanuk is such a good secure brand. They are some of the best winter coats out there afterall.

 

[WVForestGirl]

That sounds great! Congratulations and good luck :cheer1: :cheer1: :cheer2: :cheer2:

 

[faiththequeen]

That's great! Congratulations!!!

 

[Dood]

Terrific news !!!!

And an awesome bonus that you're so close to public transit ! I'm in the GTA and winter driving is pretty tough but nothing compared to the stories I've heard of snow and ice and slush in Montreal

 

[KimitsuKouseki]

Terrific news !!!!

And an awesome bonus that you're so close to public transit ! I'm in the GTA and winter driving is pretty fought but nothing compared to the stories I've heard of snow and ice and slush in Montreal

It's not so bad if you've got a car that can break. Last winter I did have an accident, but here's the story:
I was driving less then 10km/h and the car just did not stop when I tried to break so I ended up hitting a pole wich killed the car. Nevertheless, this already sounds fishie does it not? Well the car was 10 years old and still had it's original break disks and they were still in good condition...... :? I think I'm lucky I killed it on that pole driving 10km/h, imagine if it had been a proper situation where I needed to break? I couldve been killed.
My current car breaks rly well and has good brand new breaks so I wouldnt be as worried.
Walking on the sidewalks in montreal is actually worse then driving. So it'll be the risker part of my comune in the winter, good thing my winter boots have rly though heels to claw my way in the ice XD

 

[Maleficent]

Congrats! Glad to see your life turned around

 

[SarniaTricia]

Congrats!!

 

[KimitsuKouseki]

So I dunno what to do anymore. After making 200 pockets per day every day for the last 2 weeks I feel like this job isnt what I though it would be at all.
I'm not learning anything, there's no variety and the public transport..... I know I kinda raved about how it was good I had it cause my father couldnt complain, but I will... I've never liked public transport, I in fact hate it. My dad hates driving in traffic, I in fact find it relaxing while having to wait 45min to 1h for the bloody train in the winter cold drives me completly mad on top of making me physically ill. I leave home at 4:30am and come back at 6pm. On top of that I have to care for the bunnies mornings and evenings (twice a day cause of freezing water bowls) and then I have to eat and shower. By the time all this is done I end up going to bed at 9pm with no rest or relaxation time wich makes falling asleep though by itself. And then I have to get up at 3:45amto get ready for the day....

Some of you might remember me mentionning how my health isnt the greatest..... this is a recipe for disaster. This thursday I started feeling rly ill while at work, ended up having to leave early. Normally we finish at 4:30pm, I left at 2pm, threw up on the way to the train and then when I got there I missed the 2:26pm train by 2min and had to wait till 4pm for the next one. I ended up getting home at 5:30pm, only 30min earlier then usual when I left 2h30min early. Feeling and being sick the whole way home.
Kanuk doesnt offer part time, so I cant even reduce my hours to give myself a chance.... This is not gonna work.
Then I had a slight chance at hope today when I had an interview for a job that could offer part time where I'd be able to drive to thus skipping the public transport I hate so. Cancelled work at Kanuk for the day, did the interview, I started feeling iffy about the place at that point cause for many things like health and salary she was like "you cant talk with any of the other employees about this", did their test, passed, they approved the salary I asked for and then were like here's your schedule : monday to thursday 7am to 4pm friday 7am to 2pm..... I stopped her saying how she told me I could be part time and then she went "oh I forgot, left me go ask" coming back saying how that could cause issues with the other employees and they'll call me back during the afternoon to confirm weither or not I have the job afterall. I wouldve never gone in the first place if she hadnt said I could be part time.... and obviously its now 9pm and I got no calls from em. Even if they do call at this point I feel like I cant trust that place and will flat out refuse the job.
Now I have to decide what happens with Kanuk... They wont let me be part time and I've already burned some of my reputation by leaving early thursday and cancelling for an interview today. They know I want to leave now so they wont care for giving me any training to do other things so more pockets, more bloody train and making myself weaker and weaker by the day.

I'm honestly considering quitting, I know it's only been 2weeks and I was so exited before but it's not what I hoped and my health wont last another week. Thatll leave me unemployed again but I think at this point I'd be better off working as a clerk in a grocery store or gas station 2 or 3 days a week insted of going to Kanuk. Salary would be the same per hour anyways..... and I'd save the 230$ monthly public bloody transport pass. I can be that until I find a seamstress job with a decent salary/schedule/distance or a work at home pay per item job.

I know this has been a wall of text but for those that made it to the end, what would you do?

 

[MaggieJ]

No job is ever exactly what we hope it will be. We either adjust to the reality or find something more promising. Two weeks is not very long--you are still adjusting to the hours and commute.

I'm not sure what you expected, but isn't that kind of repetitive piecework normal for a seamstress job? It may get more interesting once you have proven yourself, but it is still likely to be repetitive because that is the most efficient way to produce clothing.

If your health problems are such that you really are unable to work full time, you may qualify for disability. I don't know what the social services are like in Quebec compared to here in Ontario, but it is something you may want to look at. On a disability pension, you may be able to look for part-time work and between the two live reasonably comfortably, depending on the rules governing income/hours.

Good luck - I hope you find something that works for you. :good-luck:

 

[KimitsuKouseki]

I expected different because I though we'd produce in smaller batches for some reason, meaning we'd go through a part of a coat faster and move on the the next bit of it faster. Didnt expect 800-1000 pieces batches where I never see the end product of my work, and I realise now that its pretty normal, but I just hadnt realised before.... Right now I feel like every piece I sew just ends up disapearing in a bottomless black hole.
The last 2 jobs I had were all custom orders and repairs so NOTHING was the same from 1 piece to the next and I loved that about it and actually learned every day :/
I think if the commune wasnt so horrible I wouldnt mind the job being boring like Kanuk has been. Although my prievous jobs where in montreal too, I at least could go by car insted of the train and I felt really proud of my work and got to see every finished pieces making it feel all the more worthwhile to go to work there. When you see that couch finished and looking gorgeous it just feels so satifying.
So either it needs to be much closer to at least make it easy to commune to and make feeding a black whole not feel as tedious or it needs to be more varied and satisfying work.And it both cases.... part time! 4 days max.

As for my health, it's chronic migraine+chronic fatigue+depression. Some time it's hard for me to even get up so even caring for the bunnies is a struggle some days.
While my doctor does support me, getting a permanent disability for it would be a nightmare of paperwork and since it's not an obvious handicap might be fruitless effort. I dont spend much so the 500$ the financial aid was giving me was mostly enough but between my dad's and the financial aid's pressure to get a job I had to give in.

My conscience will drive me mad, but my conclusion so far is that I should quit and spend this week looking for basically any part time work in my area. My depression makes customers cause me anxiety so I didnt want to do those jobs anymore, but public transport is already causing me it from being squished between hundreds of people morning and evening. Heck the feeling sick thursday was most likelly anxiety resulting from fatigue/people overload. Also I'll call back the company thats in st-jérome, see if they have a place for me since last time I called 3 weeks ago. They are a black hole feeding production like Kanuk and force full time, but with a 15min commune from my home it would definetly be more manageable.

 

[MeadowView]

I understand your struggle for sure - I commute almost an hour one way for work, only because I was promised it was a training position and I would be given my own store. I make more than the other assistant manager, but it doesn't make up for the $50 a week I spend on gas. And here we are months later, plugging away and waiting waiting waiting while I struggle with nerve damage, a hairline fracture in my foot, chronic pain, and a host of mental issues. Ah, capitalism.

I'll give you the advice my dad gave me when I just started out in the work force:

Don't quit until you have another job. (Unless it's a real danger to your health and wellbeing.)

I've hated every job I've ever had. On the occasions where I HAVE quit without new work lined up, at the end of the week when I'm trying to line up money for bills... I always, always think "It wasn't that bad... I'm such an *****."

In the end, you have to do what's right for you. It sounds like your dad is supporting you - which is good! It gives you the opportunity to find your footing and find a job that works for you.

In any case, good luck! I hope you figure out what's right for you.

 

[KimitsuKouseki]

I understand your struggle for sure - I commute almost an hour one way for work
Don't quit until you have another job. (Unless it's a real danger to your health and wellbeing.)

1h isnt bad, it's what it was with my car, but since I have to deal with the bloody train, its a 2h to 2h30 commute for Kanuk That and it would be cheaper by car, costing 50$ or less per week (so 200 or less) while the transport pass is 230$ per month. Exept I cant take my car to it cause its in the middle of the city with no parking

And yes, I have the same principle wich is why my concience is driving me mad about this whole thing, but money wise if I dont find anything this week I'll file for financial aid again and I'll be fine for at least a month. With my bills with the money I've made these 2 weeks + the sales of my 36 baby bunnies for christmass (granted they sell) I have enough. So I should be able to find something or have financial aid before any issue arrises. And if the bunnies dont sell? well I wont need to buy food for a while I guess :/

You gotta take care of that foot though, Not being able to stand cause of pain sucks.

 

[UFCreel]

There is a secret for your working life. Do what you love and love what you are doing. I don't want to sound mean. But i am a painter. Sometimes i work close to home. Sometimes i work several states away. Being in Chicagoland traffic is always a nightmare. I work in peoples homes mostly and with that you never really know what you are getting into. But you know what? I show up. I do my job. I pay my bills. Have raised two children with their Mother. Went to work sick. Went to work with broken bones. Hand and knee. Toughen up a bit. Life is not easy. At 29, You should figure how you can live on your own and start making plans to do so. Your dad wont always be around to support you. Good luck on what ever you do.