Paper Chasin' or Pamper Changin'?

I like having my job BUT I don't necessarily like my job. Does that make any sense to you?

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) October 8, 2015

I greatly appreciate my current position for obviously providing the health insurance that takes care of my family and a decent enough income to cover the mortgage with one paycheck yet I need a little more than that. It’s not always about the Benjamins; the things I crave more these days are the opportunities to advance my career (kinda hard to do when you’re in the control room all night long and no one sees or knows your true worth) and a normal work schedule so I can spend time with my daughter every evening. A few days ago, I stood on principle with my co-worker only to catch glares by the rest of the department since they both had to alter their routines to cover the night I declined to work. Had he called before a certain hour, I would have (grudgingly, I admit) covered his shift.

Sunday brought me to this thought: Am I supposed to keep paper chasin’ as I did before my little girl was born, or did Pamper changin’ reset my priorities? I think a balance is possible as she will get older and become more independent over time although I don’t want to miss out on her childhood.

Change is a-comin’. Get ready.

In a few days, my little angel turns eight months old. My biggest grievance thus far as a new father has been the inability to truly enjoy playing with Caeli and watching her grow every day, but a man has to provide for his household even if it means working the graveyard shift and alternating weekends as required by the job.

Heck, I already have a Dad bod. Y’all remind me of that every time I leave the house and Savers isn’t getting any cheaper just because my waist keeps expanding. Try finding a pair of Levi’s in the big men’s section and you’ll understand what I mean.

I shouldn’t have to choose between paper chasin’ and Pamper changin’ because both are my jobs. There are some things that are priceless – and for everything else, there is Google Wallet.