It Happened On a Tuesday

I’ve often said Tuesday is the most unappreciated day of the week.

Think about it: Monday gets a lot of bad press because everybody dreads it – but at least they talk about it. Wednesday is Hump Day, the halfway point of the work week. People like Thursday because it’s almost Friday (and they get to post old photos on social media sites). Friday, duh. And of course, Saturday and Sunday are The Weekend. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Poor ol’ Tuesday, though. What does it have going for it? Election Day, I suppose. So, one out of every 208 Tuesdays has excitement. (Local elections aren’t nearly as fun as Presidential elections, so they don’t count). Tuesday also kicks off Mardi Gras every year, and there’s no denying that’s a fun celebration…but it can’t even revel in that particular glory, because it’s called Fat Tuesday. How unflattering! Talk about a backhanded compliment.

You never hear anyone say “yeah baby, it’s Tuesday! The second day of a miserable week!” Nothing really happens on a Tuesday if you think about it.

Tuesday gets no respect. Greeks and Spanish-speaking people consider it an unlucky day, particularly if the 13th lands on a Tuesday. Seriously. You know how we get all uptight about Friday the 13th? They feel the same way about Tuesday the 13th.  The Great Depression began on a Tuesday. Of course it did. And 9/11 happened on…well, it was neither Monday nor Wednesday.

Tuesday is so unappreciated, I’m writing a post about Tuesday on Thursday. Think about that.

But I’m actually here to say that not every Tuesday is so Tuesdayish. Take this past Tuesday; it was a downright great day! Because there I was, toiling away at work, completely oblivious to the crowd of coworkers that had stealthily gathered around my cubicle. Imagine my surprise when they suddenly yelled, “Surprise!”

“I hate to tell you, but my birthday was a few months ago,” I said.

“We’re not celebrating your birthday,” they told me. “We’re celebrating you. The boss has declared today Mark Petruska Appreciation Day.”

I thought this was a joke, but it turns out they were not joking. We left the office early and met for Happy Hour at a nearby restaurant/pub, where everybody went around the room and told me the things they appreciated most about me, while plying me with free drinks. Talk about a humbling experience. (Turns out my hard work is appreciated, but my sense of humor is appreciated more. You know what they say about all work and no play). And then, to top things off, my boss gave me a back rub. Masculine hands or not, I liked it.

That Tuesday when I was really appreciated.
That Tuesday when I was really appreciated.

This was all seriously unexpected. I told them that everybody works hard and I don’t deserve to be singled out. “Your humility is one of the things we love most about you” was the response. Embarrassed or not, I was also extremely flattered. I’ve raved about this company often, and now you know why. I have never received this kind of recognition before. Usually my employers are too busy laying me off. When one of my coworkers asked me to rate my job satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 25 (only Sarah would come up with such a wide-ranging scale), I gave it a solid 23. And I was probably holding back a little.

I counted up every job I’ve had in my life, and that number is 9. I have no idea whether that is excessive or not, but it does include retail jobs in high school and college. I’ve lasted anywhere from one month to ten years – but whether a short stint or a long stretch, none compares to this one. I’ve had good jobs and I’ve had bad jobs, but this is the first truly great job. You know what they say: it isn’t “work” when you’re doing what you love!

I once quit a job because my boss thought I was stealing fifty-pound bags of gravel from the stockroom. Ridiculous. He later apologized, but I couldn’t work for the man after that. I lost another job when the store went out of business. Twice, I was laid off when my position was eliminated. I haven’t always had the best career luck, so having a whole day dedicated in my honor is okay in my book!

And it happened on a Tuesday. There’s hope for the poor day yet.

What was your best job? How about your worst? Anything exciting ever happen to you on a Tuesday?

 

17 thoughts on “It Happened On a Tuesday”

  1. Well, first I want to say a HUGE congratulations on being acknowledged and recognized by your coworkers in having a Mark Petruska Appreciation Day!!!!! And having known you (even though online) I can say that I know WHY they did this because you’re a GREAT guy, and someone who I’ve been happy and proud to know these many years. And I really mean that, Mark!

    Second, I loved your whole take on Tuesday….”Tuesday is so unappreciated.” That is so true! It’s sort of this ‘nondescript’ day of the week that somehow feels like limbo.

    As far as the best job I have ever had it would have to say that I’ve had many. I really love my current two jobs, but I’ve also loved many of the acting jobs I’ve had in the theater. As far as the worst, it would have say that it was when I worked for ePass; doing data input in one of their Florida offices. It was the most BORING job I have ever had. OMG…I hated that job.

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    1. My worst job was easily the call center one. I worked for a health insurance company and had to tell a hundred people every day why we were denying their claims…all for a measly salary and a long bus ride to and from home. I worked on the 6th floor, and more than once contemplated leaping to my death rather than picking up the phone again.

      We HAVE known each other for years! Hard to believe. And I am equally enamored with you, I might add.

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  3. Oh my gosh, Happy Mark Day! What an amazing honor!
    Best job – I’d have to say my current job as co-publisher of a local magazine.
    Worst job – I only lasted 4 days as a cage cashier at the Flamingo casino. They said 40 hours was part time. Not part-time enough for me!
    Best Tuesday – I got nuthin’

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  4. That is so awesome that they appreciate you that much! Congrats on YOUR day!

    I think in that Baz Lurhmann ‘Sunscreen’ song, it mentions that bad things you don’t expect happen on a random Tuesday. I love that song/speech. I only ever had four jobs and stayed years at all of them. I liked being a dept store section manager best because when I worked evenings, I just walked around to every dept and talked to people and looked at merchandise! Not a bad gig!

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    1. I know that song well, but never picked up on the Tuesday reference. I do, however, remember that I am supposed to wear sunscreen. Too bad I didn’t heed that advice when we were up in Olympia and I got burned!

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  5. I love this! I was just talking to my co-worker about job satisfaction and if I ever ran a company this is one of the things I would definitely do! Unexpected, awesome gesture!

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    1. Me, too! I would also give employees their birthday off, without having them use any vacation time. I actually once suggested that to my boss at a different job, and he thought I was nuts.

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      1. Actually, it used to be Monday Mirth, but when Hotspur started his Romantic Mondays I moved it to Tickle Me Tuesday! Thanks for thinking of me when you wrote this!
        BTW, congrats on getting your own day at work!

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