A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. ~Maya Angelou

All this week I have been working 12+ hours per day. It sucks, but it needs to be done. Oh well.

My boss asked me to go to this show and man a booth that our company has there. The show is a three hour drive from my work. I'll need to get up earlier than I would normally and meet a co-worker at our workplace, since we will be carpooling to the show.

Here's the kicker (and I assume it's the same for most people everywhere) I won't get paid for the time it takes to go to and from the show.

I think co-worker and I should get paid for the driving time since we will be doing what the company wants us to do. It wasn't optional. We were "asked" in that corporate-way that means if you say no, you will be "asked" to leave.

I figure that anytime a person is doing something for their company that they normally wouldn't do (within reason) they should be compensated.

I will be getting up very early for me. I will be in a car where I won't be able to do the things I'd want to do (ie. smoke, crank up the music really loud, listen to books on tape, etc. All of which would be arguments as to why they shouldn't pay me; I'd be filling the time with my stuff.) That established, I will in fact lose money. On the return side of this, from 3:30PM to 6:30PM, when I'd normally be working (up until at least 5:00PM) I'll be again not-making-the-money. Which means, it's cutting into my normal working hours. So, I'm supposed to log six and half hours of work time when I've been working for da man for at least twelve and a half hours. (Not to mention, unloading the booth, which we have to tear down. Not to doubly-mention that my usual Thursday work will not be done, and I have to do it either later that night or on Friday. And not to triply-mention that any plans that I had for Thursday night are shot to hell. (They popped that I'd have to work the booth on me last Friday. I made plans, dammit! Grrr.)

What with the overtime I've already racked up, it's not like I *need* it. But I want to get paid since I don't want to go. I want to get paid for at least my eight hours that I'd normally get or get paid for the actual hours I am working for the company.

*Sigh* I should be happy I have a job. I should be happy that my company wants me at this booth. I should be happy that I'm alive.

But instead, I am fixated on the money. My cramps. And the fact that I have to get up goddamn early tomorrow morn. When I haven't had a good nights sleep all week.

People, speak to me. Cheer me up. Give me some positive stuff to think about.

Thanks for listening.