Wednesday, May 21, 2025
My friend Ellen and I used to kid around about how thrilling it is to quit a job. “Take this job and shove it,” up yours, where the sun don’t shine!
Getting the red ass is putting your ass “on the line.” The sun will scorch your little tushy. When you quit a job, you’re shoving it, but you’re not sticking it “to them.” You’re getting your ass out of the way. A new fire of creativity and independence has been lit under your ass – the fire of self-reliance, and freedom, another place where the sun don’t shine. But this time, it’s peace.
The subtle art of not giving a rat’s ass made my last year of teaching playful and fun. I was a lame duck – I hadn’t a rat’s ass to give. I was going out of business where “everything must go!” And everything went, including my battle picking, my office junk, and my junky attitude. It was fun to clear out, especially my red ass.
During my lame duck period, I still had obligations, meetings with prospective students, reports to do, and papers to grade. But I did them with a certain laissez faire, which means “leave them to do it.”
What needed to be shoved was not the job, but my attitude. I didn’t need more work or battles – I needed more laughter and detachment. I wasn’t sticking anything to anyone when I quit. I just learned the beauty of “where the sun don’t shine.” Not giving a rat’s ass will clear up your red ass, and light a fire under your ass for your own mental wellness – fun. Besides, who likes an asshole? Leave them to do it. If you want to shove something, shove that, and let go before you quit, before you die, or before you permanently become a crusty old arschloch! Up yours…I mean….Cheers!