Dance Through Trauma

March 22, 2022

I finally got a job somewhere. I get paid 5 an hour, so it's not much that I get paid but I'm doing it as I wait to get a job at a factory or any job that doesn't require human interaction. Once I get a job that pays me more, I will continue to stay with my current job at the town's outside-theater. I may not get paid as much for a living at the job, but I want to keep it as a second job. It'll last the entire spring and summer, and it'll be four hours. I think I'm going to work a part-time job at whatever factory that hires me while I also do the second job because I want to help out at the theater, and I really like it there. The owner is almost 75 years old, and he is very kind. He used to be a councilman of the town that I live in. His dog comes with us to the theater. The dog's name is Max, and he has helped a lot with my dog phobia. Dog teeth still look scary though. I think he is what they call a golden retriever. These past few days, me and the owner have been cleaning up the place up and getting everything ready for the opening on April 1, 2022. I really like the place because the owner is really kind, and has worked with another autistic person before last year. From what I hear about Billy, I want to be his friend someday if we ever meet. It would be nice to have a friend in person that understands me. Anyways, I'm just glad that I'm earning some money instead of being home all day. Work keeps my mind distracted from my deep-thinking. Cleaning can be a little hard on me physically, but I can deal with it easily. It's not the end of the world if I feel physical pain, so I'm good. I did realize that I like to staple things after I stapled the wallpaper on the shelves that the owner told me to do. Stapling things is relaxing for me, so I think packing boxes or stocking stuff would be a great passion of mine. I could do college in the future, but I'm fine being in the workforce. I want a job that keeps my mind at peace, and a job that I can handle physically. I think it's better for me to have a job that requires physical movements because I don't like to exercise at all. At least work will count as exercise, and it'll help me become healthier. My worries about having a job, and having to depend on SSI if I can't work are finally gone.  I hope things go well for me at work. I think I'll just do a part-time job since that would fit me better than a full-time job. I will be able to get food stamps for my disabilities, and I will have support financially from my family. So, I'm not worried about working full time anymore. I don't think I'd survive working full-time after a week or two because I couldn't stay in school every school day. I just want to be able to earn money, that's all. My autism diagnosis in the future will help me receive the  benefits that I'm rightfully entitled to, so I'm not worried anymore.

- March 22, 2022