The Submarine Capital of the World

The Mystical Aquarium

The Electrical Boat

I swear the world is on to me. As soon as I put on summer clothes the temperature drops. I go outside and everyone’s in jeans and long-sleeves. Then the next day I follow suit and now it’s at least 85 degrees and the sun is beaming down. Why were you outside? (I’m trying something new: whenever you see something in bold italics, it’s a hypothetical question/response someone else would ask/say) Well, not for the fresh air, if I can even call New London air “fresh” after regularly breathing it in since birth. I was waiting for the bus (outside, due to New London’s lack of a functioning Greyhound station) when I made this clever ** observation. It almost makes me miss winter; at least then you can count on being nearly hypothermic, not to mention all the unique fashion opportunities that the cold weather provides*.

Mother Nature’s prejudices against me aside, I can’t complain too much about last week. I mentioned in my previous entry that I was heading to Merryland to visit my family. I would have taken the train, but the lure of the Greyhound is hard to resist when you’re low on cash. After spending 12+ hours bobbing and weaving in and out of sleep on buses, I arrived in Merryland, where I did so little that I deserve an award for “Least Accomplished in the Course of a Week.” Seriously, I did NOTHING. That doesn’t mean I had a bad time. I had a blast. Still, it’s hard not to feel guilty when you’re sleeping in until 2:00PM because you were still up at 5:00AM. Why were you up at 5:00AM? Because I wasn’t tired yet. Duh. That being said, I’m happy to be back in New London, but now it’s come down to this: I’ve visited friends, family and I’m now somewhat firmly grounded in one place, meaning I have lost every excuse not to get a job.

Oh, God. I knew this day would come. You’re not eager to work? How could I possibly be eager? I go to a liberal arts school; I’m spending $55,000 I don’t have just to AVOID actual work*. Should I be psyched to stand behind a cash register all summer? Well, if you had applied for some internships… Hey, save it. I worked really hard this year. And the people with internships didn’t? I’m sure they do/did. But I didn’t apply for any because…I wish I had a good answer for that. I don’t.

I thought you said you had job prospects. I did, in the previous blog. What, you read that? I skimmed it. Anyway, rather than writing this I should be filling out an application for a position at Mystic Aquarium, right? That sounds like a nice summer job, and I know someone that works there. I just have to contact the proper…contacts before I can do so. Why’s that? Because a job at Mystic Aquarium won’t do me much good if I have no way to get to Mystic every day. Why don’t you drive there? Why don’t you? I’m a bodiless voice. Exactly! I don’t drive for similar reasons. The point is, I’m willing to work, but transportation has always been the biggest hurdle for me. What about Electric Boat? You know, I highly doubt they would let me come back and work for them. Electric Boat is in Groton, that lovely town across the Thames River. They design and build the finest submarines in the world. Seriously; Groton, Connecticut is known as the submarine capital of the world. I had an internship with them a couple years ago, when I was in high school and on the path to becoming an engineer or draftsman or something. It made sense when they hired me before. Why would they take me now? Your cousin works for them, maybe he could get you a job. I suppose…and I’m obligated to try. But there’s something intimidating about the entire thing. What, working? Yes, working. It’s almost like- You really aren’t a kid anymore. Yeah. Think about the money, man. Oh right! I almost forgot about the money. Before I was just looking at a job as something boring I had to do that took up all my time, I almost forgot about the entire reason people put themselves through it: MONEY. And money leads to consumerism, and consumerism leads to excess, and man I’ve never had an excess of anything I wanted. There’s my motivation. There’s the desire to fill out tedious forms and possibly be asked to pee in a cup to prove I’m not going to spend my paycheck on drugs. I almost can’t wait to get started.

Hm. Not much happened in this blog. You kind of just talked about doing things again, rather than actually going out and doing them. Please, I’m an English major; that’s my job. Besides, I hadn’t posted in a week and God forbid I lose my audience, right**? The next entry should be action-packed. I may get a job. I may be waiting anxiously for a phone call. I may muck up an interview. I may lose my family’s respect. Who knows? Actually, the last one is kind of overdue. Regardless, I promise I won’t post another one of these until at least two of the above things happen.

Restless and tired all at once,

Jerell Mays

PS: Isn’t that featured picture awesome? Wendy the Welder worked at EB during World War II when we were churning out submarines against the Third Reich. She was a boss.

KEY: *I was kidding.

**Massive sarcasm.

Bold Italics: Not me talking but someone else.