Chapter 1: The Struggle Begins

There I was, seated with my hands neatly placed in my lap, my feet parallel on the floor, and my gaze fixed on an empty wall. The frustration bubbling inside me was hidden from view, or at least that was my hope. I silently wished for the phone to ring or for my boss, Jim Pearson, to wrap up the report he was working on so I could input it into the system.

I was completely bored and had been sitting like a statue for over an hour, waiting and simmering with anger. But my boss had instructed me to do just that whenever there was no work available. Whenever I attempted to take initiative, Jim would say, "You are to sit quietly at your desk like a lady and wait, or go find another job." His frequent threats to fire me made me anticipate the day when it would finally happen.

Jim was a tyrant. He took every opportunity to belittle and humiliate me in front of my colleagues. It was 1984, and there were few options available to change my situation. Until I found a new job, I felt trapped.

As I sat there, I had plenty of time to reflect on how I ended up in such a situation. I had never aspired to be a secretary or work for such a despicable person. From an early age, I was nudged into this role, pushed to take every secretarial course available in school. My mother, a legal secretary, often extolled the excitement of working for an attorney. She adored her job. But when I expressed my disinterest, she would respond, "There's nothing wrong with being a secretary. It's respectable work."

"I understand that, Mom," I replied. "But it’s not my passion. I want to be a musician." Unfortunately, my words fell on deaf ears. Eventually, I gave in. Just before my nineteenth birthday, I took a secretarial position at a large corporation in New York.

While earning my own income and becoming financially independent felt empowering, I was deeply unhappy. The work was monotonous—sitting at the same desk, encountering the same faces, and performing the same tasks day after day was unbearable. To combat my boredom, I frequently changed jobs, which allowed me to acquire new skills and refine the old ones.

At one company, I worked in the finance department, using my first IBM Personal Computer. A few months later, a significant layoff occurred, and I assumed the responsibilities of the Financial Analyst. The manager—the only other person left in the department—trained me on all the software. I became captivated by the PC and wanted to learn everything about it. When the computer malfunctioned and remained unrepaired for weeks, I took a chance and opened it up to discover what made it work. To my surprise, I managed to fix it and put it back together. It was a risky decision, but it paid off. When my boss refused to give me the title or salary for the analyst role, I decided to move on, armed with valuable computer skills.

That's how I ended up working for Jim Pearson in the finance department of a chemical company in Connecticut. I had the computer skills he required, but from the very first day, I despised my job and loathed Jim even more. His condescending attitude and arrogance were infuriating, and he relished in offending me. I felt dehumanized by him, and his notorious behavior was tolerated because he held the position of Vice President of Finance. I was far more expendable than he was.

Working under Jim made me physically ill. Within six months, I had exhausted my sick leave. My doctor advised me to resign. However, with bills piling up, job hunting was not as easy as it used to be. The opportunity to learn various software programs helped me endure some challenging days. Unfortunately, as I became more skilled, Jim felt increasingly threatened.

He stopped allowing me to attend company training sessions, and I had to seek his permission before leaving my desk. He insisted on knowing my whereabouts at all times. Although I disliked having to sit at my desk "like a lady" and stare at a wall during slow periods, I complied without complaint. But when he demanded that I call him "Sir," my patience wore thin. I had encountered harassment in the workplace before, but this was a whole new level. My work environment had turned toxic, and I knew I had to move on.

However, before I could secure a new position, Jim crossed a line. My car broke down in the parking lot and was towed to a local repair shop that closed at the same time my workday ended, reopening only at 8:00 the next morning. Aware of this, Jim refused to let me leave a few minutes early to retrieve my car. Finding a ride or taking public transportation home was not an option. I was going to be stranded overnight.

Trying to reason with Jim proved pointless. He stated, "You're not allowed to leave this office unless it's during your lunch hour or at the end of the day. Get your car on your own time." This was the breaking point. I immediately went to Human Resources, filed a complaint, and walked out.

The following morning, Jim summoned me to his office. "Your employment here is terminated effective immediately," he declared.

Like a tide retreating from the shore, the stress that had been building inside me for so long washed away. "Oh, thank God!" I exclaimed. I had never been so overjoyed to be fired, especially knowing that Jim was aware of my relief. This was the most empowering moment of my career.

That day, a new aspiration emerged. I vowed never to work as a secretary again and decided to become my own boss. I launched a computer software company and built a substantial clientele. Realizing my passion for building and fixing computers and networks, I opened a computer repair business, later merging the two. My business thrived for the next twenty-four years.

Becoming an empowered woman was not an overnight transformation. It took years of groundwork and numerous mistakes along the way. The journey was arduous, but I emerged as an independent woman who lived life on her own terms. I wouldn’t change any of those bumps along the road, even if I could!

by Lorrie Lush

copyright © 2023 Lorrie Lush. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 2: Embracing New Opportunities

The first video titled "Final Fantasy XIV: The Anima Weapon - A Dream Fulfilled" explores the journey of empowerment and achieving dreams, resonating with the themes of resilience and self-discovery.

The second video, "FFXIV: A Guide to the Anima Weapon in 2023," provides insights into navigating challenges and leveraging skills, paralleling the narrative of personal growth and empowerment.