Going for Census Training

Last year right before I started working a consultant at Medco I saw an ad for people looking for work, to take the census exam. It was pretty much the same "speaks to me ad" I saw to organize my meager finances.

And now I'm not sure why I've agreed to be a Census taker. It sounded like a good idea last year when I couldn't find a job. But with several offers and potential offers, it probably is an inefficient use of my time.

For some reason I'm fascinated about the census process. Many years ago I was in a bookstore with a man I had just met and we selected books for the other to read. I gave him The Fountainhead and, I think, The Count of Monte Cristo. He gave me Dead Souls (Gogol) and Lolita. Dead Souls is a Russian novel about a man who visited landowners and bought the serfs who had died since the last census since they were still considered living until the next census.

I called to sign up for the test but never bothered to take the practice test. I thought how hard could it possibly be. It was easy. But, I only completed 22 of the 26 question test and was pretty pissed. It's been 30 years since I took a test and forgot the rule of looking at the answer before reading the question. So I like a moron, solved the problem rather than get the answer. Multiplying 3 digit numbers is a little time consuming. Before they grab my paper I filled in the rest. I signed up to take the exam again before I got my score. It turned out that the first time I took the test I got a 92 (2 of the 4 quesses were right) and the second time it was 96. I think the question I got wrong was the management question. Oh well.

The census bureau has called me seven times about this $18/hour gig. And finally, over 14 months since I took the test, I'm going for census training at the mall. Why we need 4 paid days from 9-5 to ask a few question to our neighbors is beyond me. It must be like sexual harrassment training at ad agencies. It gives us fodder to elevate our clever factor. And since it's a Federal job I need to be fingerprinted. Well, I peed in a cup for the freelance gig at Medco, I guess I can be fingerprinted.