
07/08/2025
There is a secret I have been holding onto for a while that I need to get off my chest.
It’s a part of my life that I feel embarrassed about, but I had to do what was best for my family. I will explain later why I felt embarrassed.
In October 2020, my funds decreased by $1,000. I felt scared and vulnerable with a large deficit looming over me. My ex lived out of town and had very little childcare available, and I only had 7 hours a day to dedicate to a job. More specifically, I had the school hours of 8 AM to 3 PM available—that was Reiley's school schedule. Colin was in a daycare program 20 minutes away that ended at 4:30 PM. Yes, hustle was my middle name that year.
I had to think fast because a $1,000 decrease in my income was going to affect paying the mortgage and all the other bills.
At that same time, someone mentioned that the cafeteria dishwasher job at Burrell High School was available. When I interviewed, I realized it was a perfect fit for the hours I was available, and it would cover the deficit perfectly. It also kept me busy—like 20,000 steps busy each day, which was a lot. But I did it. It also kept me away from being at the house and out of depression.
I was proud of myself for figuring something out with the limitations that I was dealing with.
I look back now and remember how much I enjoyed working there. During COVID, there was very little interaction with people, but I was able to connect with the high schoolers and my coworkers. I also needed the physical activity because I was still processing everything after my ex left.
I felt embarrassed because I had told so many people to follow their hearts, to quit their jobs, or to decrease their hours to part-time. Here I was, doing the exact opposite of what I was telling people to do. And I said it to many people! Unfortunately, I was in survival mode, and it was either pay the bills or get a job. I’ve had to forgive myself over the years. I also felt embarrassed because not many people that have MBA's are washing dishes at the local public school.
Every day, I am thankful. The life I have now is what I dreamed of living during that time. I desired to move back to the city of Pittsburg