Things I Miss About Being An Editor

Since I’m (predictably) out of ideas and behind on my blogging, I’m going for another quick entry. Also, I’m already kind of fed up, so I need some catharsis. I just got hired as a busser at a restaurant in Cambridge that I won’t mention specifically since I’m paranoid, and I already don’t like it. I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would, but still, it’s not fun. Here are a few things I miss about my previous job, which is incredibly cushy in comparison.

0% physical exertion. Plates and uneaten food admittedly doesn’t weigh that much, but I’m not used to being on my feet for more than an hour. I’ve only trained at the restaurant for 2 hours twice, but both times I was exhausted afterward. It could have just been emotional exhaustion or the irony of it possibly being a long term thing (English major) taking its toll. The hardest physical task I had to do while editing was taking frequent bathroom breaks, or maybe carrying the high-end camera around.

Daytime working. I’m not sure what other editing gigs are like, especially freelancing, but I worked early hours, and on the weekdays. No more weekends if I stay at my new position. Ever. I have to say goodbye to weekend get-togethers and most of the concerts I wanted to see this fall. Being able to wake up whenever I want for the next two weeks, before school starts, will be nice, but that’s pretty much the only perk.

Easily fixed mistakes. Fixing mistakes was kind of the point, but if I overlooked something or made a mistake myself, it was only a highlight or undo/redo away. Cutting my fingers, or the eventual dropping of multiple plates, takes a little longer to remedy. You’re not really allowed to have errors near the end of the process in editing, but it’s still not as big of a deal.

One boss. Well, this isn’t true at all, especially for editing in a more serious context, but I pretty much only answered to one person while I was editing. He gave me a short list of orders and I followed, largely taking matters into my own hands. On the other hand I have my new job, with at least one manager present in the restaurant at all times, in addition to servers and hosts. They don’t technically have authority over me, but my friend told me that I get paid primarily from whatever servers feel like handing me from their tips (he had to tell me since I’ve barely gotten any information at all yet.)

Also, not talking to anyone.

And The Internet. Ah nostalgia. And Internet. I guess a job’s a job.