The Woes of the Working Class

Well for those who haven't heard, I have joined the ranks of the world's employed. Yes, even I, at this super late date managed to get a job for the summer. Let me tell you how worried I was starting to get. My parents had started to put on the pressure and were acting like I didn't care and didn't want a job. I was so close to going off on them and informing them that this time it was different, since having a law related job on my resume was critical to my chances of landing a job in the fall. I mean who wants to hire a new associate attorney who has never worked anywhere but a bar. My mom found this position as a receptionist and my dad was going to pressure me into taking it. When I tried to explain it wasn't the right kind of job, he said "Hey, its a job." While I love my parents, neither one is a lawyer, so they don't really get that things work a little differently in the legal field. In case you are not a lawyer either, let me just say that having a receptionist job would be worth about the same as if I did nothing but lay on the beach all summer to the law firms who will be interviewing in the fall.
Anyways, enough of the complaining, because I did in fact get a job. I'm not sure the position actually exists though, because the first day when they were introducing me to people, a couple people made the comment that they weren't aware there was a law clerk position in my division. Actually I'm pretty sure this position wasn't planned on and perhaps has never existed before. Finding something to do is at times like pulling teeth. I feel bad going on eBay or blogging while I am at work, but sometimes, like right now, my only other alternative is to stare at the computer screen blankly like there is something exciting on it. The work I have received, though, has been nice. I have now been to the Harris County tax court twice and drawn up motions for disclosure, to dismiss and revive a suit, and for summary judgment, so I for sure feel like I'm learning something. Weirdly I also think puzzling out chains of title is kind of fun so I enjoy reading some of the files. Maybe I should try to get a job with a title company (hint hint Ronda).
When I tell people about the amount of vacation people in Europe get and the fewer hours they work, Americans generally react with some comment about how that's why our economy is better. Well that's a bunch of crap. Now that I have been in a real office environment, American workers are not efficient. They check their e-mail, shop online, and blog all throughout the day. And personally I think its because the American workday is a rather idiotic and artificial construction. You cannot possibly expect someone to work for four hours straight, take an hour break, then work for four more hours. Especially since studies show the average attention span is 20 minutes. I also think business casual is totally unnecessary. There are no clients in my office. No one comes in here that doesn't work here. So why on earth do I need to wear slacks and a button up shirt? I can assure you it doesn't make me work any harder. I would be a much happier employee were everyday casual friday and I could just wear jeans and a polo. Think on that corporate American. A happier employee is a more productive employee. And while I'm not disgruntled, I could be a little happier if I were more comfortable (and if I had a taller cubicle that gave me more privacy, more on office architecture and layout tomorrow I think).