Is there a thread for ranting? If not, here it is. I hate my job

[Calliara]

Today, I hate my job. I've been hating it for the last few days, and it's sinking deeper and deeper in me.

I usually love my job. Some of you know I'm an archaeologyst, and saw the thread about my job and such. I love my job with all my heart, with job I mean the things I do, working with bones or ancient materials, discovering things, stepping into places humans built centuries ago, places where humans lived centuries ago just the same we're living now.

But sometimes, I hate my job, specially when I'm forced to do things that I don't think they are right.

I can't give too much details, as you would understand, but what I can say is this:

The place where I work (pffft work. I'm not even paid. I call it 'job' but it's a place where I entertein myself and get experience while finishing my thesis) is sometimes given material from sites to clean, restore and study it. Usually pots, metals, skeletons... things like that. I don't have problems with that.

Usually, skeletons came to us in bags, and we have to place the bones on a large table, restoring the original form and such. Not big deal. Sometimes, if the ground is difficult, like mud or something like that, the whole grave is transported (you 'cut' a big part of the ground and transport it to the lab, where it's excavated slowly and in better conditions)

We've been asked to excavate one of those kind of graves. It's a boy, not older than twelve. He was buried with a dog, and he is hugging it. A big, large dog. I don't know what story is behind this, I don't know how they died or why they are buried together (we still haven't started studying if there are broken bones or something that might guide us to know what happened and if they died at the same time or whatever). I know the boy is holding 'his' dog.

And the people that asked us to get the boy's bones don't care about the dog and told us we could throw it away. The boy's dog, and sometimes alone at the lab I can't help it but I cry. I miss my own dog so much. Maybe I'm stupid for crying over a dog dead centuries ago, but I can't help it. Thrown away, as if it was trash. I can't.

I'm sorry, none of you deserve to hear this, but sometimes I just can't take it anymore. I hate this particular job with all my heart, and of course I won't throw it away. My boss and I have agreed to keep the dog's bones and bury them properly somewhere nice, maybe under a tree or close to a stream. That would be nice.

Alas, I can't help but think that won't be what the boy wanted, or what the dog wanted, and it makes me sad that they would be separated because of some stupid people.

Again, I'm sorry. Feel free to throw tomatoes

[Guremi]

You are allowed to rant all you like and you know it! We are all here to have fun and support each other when we need it. So sometimes we do a bit more support than play but that does not matter as we are a chosen family who care, even if our nasty knuckleheads pretend they don't.

That is extremely sad. I don't know why they would not keep the dog with the child, especially with the child holding it like that. What they would want with the bones in the first place is beyond me (forgive me if I seem like a dummy about archaeological stuff) but I would figure that if it were for a documentary reason and it was (or is as you say) centuries ago it would work well to show as a testament to the love between an animal and child.

I too have animals I miss so very, very much and nothing can change that. People don't seem to care after you are dead. They do not care of your wishes after you die even if they are written in stone or so completely obvious that only complete fools or ignorant self centered people can't see. Or are oblivious to anything but their wants.

Unfortunately, they have the right to their "possession" but it still is sad.

Some can say to hell with it they are dead but if you cannot respect one's wishes either way, then who cares about anything anyway?

[Ianto]

[/hugs]

There's nothing to apologize for at all. If we can't get things off our chest every once in a while, we'll all go mad.

It actually seems to me, from my own extremely limited point of view, that examining the dog's bones would be just as important as examining the boy's. I suppose it might depend on what specific things you're looking for at the site, but finding them in that position seems like it would have a great cultural significance, to me. What was going through his mind to hug his dog like that in death, or why was the decision made to bury them both like that? It seems like a fascinating (and sad and morbid) puzzle to work out, and both sets of bones sound like they'd be valuable to me.

But if that's not possible, then I think you have a wonderful boss for allowing you to bury the bones respectfully. Perhaps it may not be what the boy or dog wanted, but at least the dog will rest peacefully again.

[Dragonis]

Simply astonishing. Throwing away an archaeological find like it's nothing. Seriously, a boy and his dog is one of those things that make us knee-jerk a bit, remembering stories like Lassie, or our own pets that we've lost. I myself didn't lose a pet I've been too attached to (Though I do miss my cousin's dog Boomer. He died with a tumor and a VERY cranky attitude towards people). Then there's my ex's dog, Jake... he also bit it to a tumor.

Alas... such is life.

Still, I hope things work out for you better in the future, Calli~ We're rooting for you.

[Final Warrior]

Better to rant here and get it off your chest, than to rant to your superiors and get fired.

Rough patches happen. Things will get better - and if they don't, make them get better.

As for the dead... well, I'll hold my tongue on that matter.

-- Griffinhart

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