This is my job...

There are 10 kids. They are starting an art activity. There are 3 tables set up - one for tracing the images to be colored, one for coloring the pictures, and one for accessorizing the pictures with glued-on accessories/glitter, etc.

I need to buy crayons for the coloring table. How many boxes do the children need? The teacher figures no more than 6 will be at this table at any given time since table 1 and 3 take so much more time, based on her years of experience doing this activity.

I confirm the 6 boxes, I consult other teachers who have done this activity before to make sure I'm not missing anything, and I talk to the children to make sure they understand that there will only be 6 boxes of crayons.

Everyone agrees. 6 boxes will be good.

I go out and buy 6 boxes of crayons.

Turns out these 10 kids like to move together and all 10 hit the coloring table at the same time. Bickering ensues. Tears flow. Blood is drawn.

Teacher smacks me for only getting 6 boxes of crayons, not 10. Look what my ignorance has caused!

Ok, in reality, this is just one aspect of my job and the crayons don't just cost 50 cents at Walmart. They're more like $5000 and require legal contracts and 7 levels of approvals.

BUT, this is just one of the many, many ridiculous examples of what I've encountered over the past year.

Over and over again I've asked why I don't have mind-reading skills or a fortune telling ability. I doubt my qualification for the job because I'm missing these obviously required skills.

There is no additional experience or additional (learnable) skills that would help me out. I think a mixture of bad luck and poor management has given my job the sourness it has become. I like to pride myself in my work ethics and values. I do not sit back or give up until I have done everything in my power to be successful at a job.

In this case, I strongly believe we have a lost cause.

I won't admit to failure because I don't believe I have failed.

It is time to move on, though, and I will mark this job as having been a learning experience.

So, anyone hiring these days? Note: I can't read minds nor predict the future. If you ask for 6 boxes of crayons and I find the request reasonable and there are no contradictions to that request, I will get you 6 boxes of crayons. If that's not satisfactory, then don't bother contacting me.