Etsy, Starbucks, and a Shiny New Job!

Well. It's been an unexpectedly interesting few days around here. I interviewed, got, and negotiated a higher pay for a new part-time job and gave my two-weeks notice at Starbucks in the last 48 hours. It's a perfect job for me right now: double the pay, 20 hours a week, flexible scheduling, and weekends, holidays, and summers off.  Plus, it's at a high school, so it lines up nicely with my experience thus far.

I'm sad to leave my fun coworkers and endless supply of delicious beverages, but I am excited for this new adventure! It's really an amazing find - in my 'field,' fits around my schedule, and only 20 hours a week. I'll still have time to pursue my creative endeavors - which are keeping me fairly busy right now. I'm designing four blogs, two wedding invitations, two custom greeting card orders, and have booked my first photography gig, a trash the dress session! I'm so, so excited, you guys.

Since I had a little job update, I figured I'd answer some of the job-related questions I got from this post.

I want to know more about your Starbucks job and how you like working and being a full time mommy too. I bring my 3 month old to work with me so most days I think I have the best of both worlds but some days are harder than others.

Starbucks isn't a bad job for a mom, since I can plan my schedule around Mike's availability - which makes child care an non-issue. I have a lot to say about the job itself - the good, bad, and the ridiculous. That will be a post on its own. Bottom line: It's a fun job and involves a lot of caffeine. But also, some demanding customers. Being a part-time working mom is a great balance for me. I have something to do and contribute to outside of motherhood, but still spend most of my time with Gabe. I absolutely love it.

tell the truth: with all the talk about budgets and frugal living and working for little pay at starbucks, i'd be curious to know if you guys are getting financial help from your parents.

At first, I was quite offended by this question. Mike and I worked so hard to save money last year, and make a lot of sacrifices to be able to work less now that we have Gabe. I don't just talk about living simply on my blog because it upholds some sort of image I want to project. Living simply is far from glamourous, actually. It involves more cooking and less eating out; more staying home and less meeting friends for dinner. We have one car. We don't have cable. Or even Netflix (except this free trial. Woo!) We don't have smartphones. We can't purchase many non-essential items at Target anymore. We can't buy Gabe every cute toy and outfit we'd like. We end up eating beans and rice at the end of the month.

I don't say all of this because I want sympathy or to feel proud of what we've given up. It's just that I'd hate for anyone to get the impression that I'm touting living with less as some sort of fun and exciting fad. Though, for all that we can't do, there is so much that we can. And that is why, for us, we'd rather work less and live more.

We haven't asked for any help from our parents at all, to answer your question. Though, we certainly wouldn't be in this position without our parents' generosity - we both were able to go to college with help from our parents, and my parents provide our (free!) childcare when we need it. Not to mention the wonderful gifts we recieved from them this year. We are blessed with wonderful parents, but parents who know that we are responsible with money and are financially independent adults.

For how long do you plan to work at Starbucks - a year, two years, three years?

I had no plan, which tends to be the way I navigate my life. When I first took the job, I wasn't sure if I'd be there for a month or several years - my career has been fluid and changing as opportunities come along. I wasn't looking for another job, but something came along!

Do you make enough money doing etsy transactions to make it worth your while? I'm a mom of two (the youngest is exactly Gabe's age I think!) and am thinking of starting an etsy shop. I knit and craft banners and things but am wondering if it's realistic

A great question! I opened my Etsy shop since November of 2008, and it's been such a joy to create for it. I've enjoyed a fairly steady stream of business, but it's definitely on a small scale and I probably am guilty of underpricing my goods. For me, I enjoy it enough to keep it open, despite the fact that I don't earn a viable income from it. I love how I can explore my ideas and create new products to sell, especially because most of the products I designed. (Like my thank you cards, hobo bag, makeup pouches, coffee sleeves, and coasters - they were all created because I wanted them for myself!) I've mentioned before that I'm always busy with a million different creative pursuits, so my little shop might be abandoned some day in favor of more time to photograph or design, but for now? I'll happily sew and make jewelry for my little audience. (If you want to discuss exact numbers, I'd be happy to talk to you via email! Etsy also has lots of great resources for getting started. Go for it!) 

So Many Doors.

Persistence is not about knocking on one door until the dang thing finally opens.

It's about knocking on all of them.

[+]

I have written about my vocational path about eleventy billion other times. Brief history: lots of turmoil and confusion. I've wondered whether a full-time job is slavery, like the homeless man's van claimed. I've announced I wanted to be a freelance graphic designer Then freaked out and worried I couldn't do it. I dreamed of a life where I could balance work and kids. And got mad when that wasn't my reality. I found a decently paying salaried job that I adored and figured I could be flexible with my hopes of working for myself. I felt the need to validate my choices. And, recently, I left that wonderful job to stay-at-home with Gabe and work part-time at Starbucks.

When asked what my future plans were for a post-volunteer questionnaire a few years ago,  I replied:

"I have too many career goals for one lifetime - including freelance graphic designer, independent craft artist, campus minister/exploring social justice with students, teaching computer technology and graphic design at a high school, opening a coffee shop, and being a mother. Only slightly ambitious."

(Eh, I work at a coffee shop now, so I'm going to count that. I wouldn't actually want to run one. What was I thinking?)

Sometimes, I feel like I'm a Jill of all trades, master of none. I have so many interests. So many passions. SO many hobbies. I design blogs. I sell things in my Etsy shop. I photograph like crazy. I dream of writing a blog column (for pay! fancy that!). I worry that I need to narrow my focus; that I will never achieve much in any of these areas until I decide just which of my many interests I want to pursue with the dedication I know I posses. I know I will be successful. I know I will be awesome. I know I can do it.

For now, though, I'm not sure exactly what it is. Along with starting The Joy Equation next month, I'm going to continue running like crazy in many directions. I adore sewing. I find my bliss in layout and design. I am elated when I capture an image that portrays beauty. I live for connecting to others through writing. And, so; I will continue to sew. I will continue to design. I will continue to write. And, next week, I have an interview as an assistant wedding photographer. It'd be a huge leap, to be sure, so I don't have my hopes too high. I imagine how much I'd learn. How it might start my own career as a photographer...

I'm getting ahead of myself.

But a girl can dream, right?

If You Ask, I Shall Answer.

What should I get to drink at Starbucks?

If you like coffee: espresso con panna (espresso over whipped cream: awesomely sweet and caramelly deliciousness), solo affogato vanilla bean frappuccino (a shot is poured over the top), macchiato (apparently I just like my espresso on top), caramel brulee latte.

If you don't like coffee: raspberry hot chocolate, salted caramel hot chocolate, caramel white mocha, eggnog chai, soy green tea latte, passion iced tea.

Don't you have a college degree? And you're working at Starbucks? *snicker*

I sure do! And working at Starbucks won't take that away from me. I'll still have a college degree tomorrow or in 10 years. And even if I never work another job that requires a college degree, I'll have the experiences, education, and perspective afforded to me by my college education. I'm pretty lucky, eh?

You left a salaried job with paid vacation and benefits to work at minimum wage?

Why, yes. Yes, I did. Sometimes quality of life is a benefit, you know? I no longer have to spend hours of my day in the car and I get to see my son a ton. Worth it for me right now. (Not that I haven't had occasional moments where I doubt my sanity – such as this upcoming Christmas break for schools. Then I remind myself that I only work 2-3 days a week. Every week.)

Hey, you're a barista! Make me coffee! 

You're very funny. 

So, how is it? What's it like?

Fast-paced. Fun. Stressful. Relaxed. Crazy. Caffeinated. Hilarious. Great customers. Crazy customers. Humbling.

Is working at Starbucks what you thought it'd be like?

Mostly? Yes.

How can you work for an evil corporation?

Well, they give me lots of free coffee. That makes it easier. (If you want to give me perks like free lattes and make part-time employees eligible for health insurance, I will come work for you.)

Aren't you afraid of derailing your career?

What career? In all honesty, I've had a pretty patchy career history – and although I absolutely adored my last job at the high school, I'd also be content creating a new career out of design, my Etsy shop, and photography. I still have to figure out how absolutely crazy or not that is, but I'm fairly confident that if I wanted to go back and work at a school again, I could. My school was actually filled with women who took years off to raise their families before returning to work.  I might only be out of the 'real job' world for a year. Who knows? And my child is way more important than my career right now. If this means it's harder to find a 'real job' later, so be it. I've never really defined myself by my career. This is an ever-unfolding story, and I'm not quite sure of where it will lead next.

Why you have to hide the fact that you're pumping during your lunch break?

Sure, I might overshare on the internet, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to share everything with people I've only just met. I don't have to hide the fact that I'm going to my car and pumping during my break, but I can't really imagine the context to share that without it becoming awkward later. “Hey, I'm about to go expose my breasts in my car and pump milk out of them so they don't explode. Just try not to imagine me doing it. Mmmkay?” 

I get regular breaks where I can pump if I need to, so I don't need to ask for the time to pump. Also, I work with a lot of younger people, and only one other mom, so I imagine it might be a bit uncomfortable telling them. I don't need to feel any more self-conscious about what I'm doing by having a 19-year-old guy I work with freaked out by my needing to pump.

How do you go 6 hours without pumping?

If I work six or less hours, I only get 10-minute breaks instead of a 30-minute one. And while I have pumped during a 10-minute break, it's not really ideal. (And by that, I mean nearly impossible).  I decided to try not have to pump at work during those shorter shifts. I have a super-fast letdown and flow, so I can get a lot of milk before I leave in the morning, then I feed Gabe as soon as I come home. Since I nurse most of the time, I don't really notice a difference in my supply. Gabe seems happy and full, so I am happy. And now I've talked too much about this and bored you. Great.

If your work has more than 50 employees, your employer must provide you a private place to pump.

Yes, but I'm not sure how my store would change to provide a clean, non-bathroom place to pump. It's basically a back room with all our supplies and the cafe. I choose not to tell my boss that I'm pumping because, like I said, I don't really need anyone else to know. I get breaks and I have a car. It's not ideal (it can be cold and I risk the possibility of someone parking next to me), but it's probably something that Starbucks' HR department needs to figure out on a company level, and I'm just too lazy to deal with that. Any advice?

Can you please stop talking about your boobs?

Yes. Yes, I can.

On Not Fitting In & Reverb-ness.

"Are you a stay-at-home mom?"
"Um, sort of. Not exactly. I work part-time."
"Oh, how great! If I had it to do all over again, I'd do it that way."

I am sort of a working mom, sort of a stay-at-home mom. I don't fit into either group entirely, but I get the best (and worst) of both worlds.
 

I wanted to write about my experience in returning to work, but had to wait since I hadn't told you about my change of plans. It's such a different experience to leave one job and start another during maternity leave than to simply return to your job. It's not a matter of getting back into the swing of things or  experiencing a surreal feeling of being unfamiliar with a familiar place, it's more a matter of  no one having any idea that you recently had a baby and have been snuggling with it at home for 10 weeks. It's getting used to an a new job while worrying about pumping in my car during breaks and learning how to do entirely things like steam milk and work a drive thru while being away from my baby for the first time. (Tangentially: Ugh. Why is 'drive thru' spelled that way? Pet peeve.)

My first day at Starbucks was almost 4 weeks ago, so I've had some time to adjust to my new job and new schedule.

Woo!

• I usually work 3 mornings a week, 20 hours a week. I'm done by noon most days. AWESOME.
• I get adult interaction and am seen as something other than Gabe's mom.
• Having somewhere to be forces me to look presentable. (Sad, but true. I also love not having to wear office clothes. Truly, a win-win.)
• FREE STARBUCKS. Period.
• I earn some money. Not a TON, but it's still nice (and completely necessary in our case) to contribute.
• Coming home at the end of the day. Gabe is always adorable, but when I come home after working six hours? It's like I've never seen him so cute and sweet and just can't get enough of him. I think a few hours apart renews my sense of appreciation and I'm absolutely smitten for him.
• I still have LOTS of time with Gabe and get to see him learn and grow and develop before my very eyes. 
• Mike gets time alone with Gabe, which gives Mike so much confidence as a father and Gabe is absolutely in love with him. 
• I am not tempted to spend lots of money on things I don't really need at places like Target, because I always remind myself that this awesome set-up is dependent on our ability to live simply.
• I can nurse normally most days of the week, and don't have to pump at work (just before) unless I'm there for more than six hours. Great for convenience and bonding with le bebe. (And since nursing is super important to me, this was actually a huge factor in deciding not to work full-time. I know tons of women are able to do it, but those women are not as lazy as me. Truth.)
• Text messages during work with photos like:

Yikes.

• Pumping is more work than nursing, and I have to pump at least once on the days I work. For the first few weeks, I squeezed pumping into a 10-minute break (in my car in the parking lot with a nursing cover on. FUN TIMES.), but lately, I just pump before work (or, if I procrastinate, on the way to work, which I do no recommend) and hope it doesn't affect my supply. Still, it's not fun.
• The paychecks. Oh, the paychecks.
• Getting out of bed before Gabe wakes up. Mornings are my favorite time of day with him. He's just so sweet and cuddly and happy. 
• I still have to go out in the cold and wear clothes other than yoga pants and slippers.
• Waking up early...it's more the going to bed early that gets me.
• Worrying that I'll miss any of Gabe's firsts...I am only gone 20 hours a week, but I'd feel awful if my mom was the first to see him roll over or crawl or feel his first tooth. 

So far, I am absolutely thrilled with our decision. I don't feel as stressed about work as I did in these posts, and I'm pretty sure that's because the 40+ hour work week doesn't lead to happy things. But that's beside the point.

I'm still quite broke but completely happy.

And that's sort of freeing.

. . . . . . . . .

In completely random, other news, I'm reflecting on 2010 by participating in Reverb10 by video blogging each day. You can find my videos here each day. The first video is about the one word that describes my year and one word that will describe next year. Follow along, if you like!