Sunday, April 25, 2010

Work, Travel, and Rawr!

I started training at my new job this last Thursday, and let me say...it feels SO good to be working again. The people I'm working with, all beautiful by the way, are incredibly friendly and fun. That's what it's all about, right? Well...and the $30 in crazy coffee drinks I can now consume daily at no charge. Now, I simply need to survive until that first paycheck. ;)

Before my first day of work began, I took a trip to San Luis Obispo for four nights. Can we say culture shock? On arrival everything was so fantastically surreal. I had only been away from "home" for a few months, but it felt as if it had been infinitely longer. A bed...good food...and great friends. Thank you Jarred, Johnny, Laura, and Chelsea (yeah, even you) for everything.

During my stay, I was also lucky enough to connect with someone who really made the weekend memorable. I may have to make that trip more often...

So...all in all...know that my life is good.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

A new chapter?

Life is good...

Work

I had spent six hours, from 5am until 11am, every morning sending e-mail responses to various Craigslist ads seeking employment. Six weeks...at thirty or more applications each day...and I had only two interviews to show for it. Both interviews ended with that same dreadful word popping up over and over again..."overqualified". This is perhaps the most frustrating word in the English language! I use Starbucks as my primary internet source, and it has a dreadful habit of kicking me offline frequently! One morning, while relogging for the third time, I noticed the "careers" link at the bottom of the Starbucks home page. What the Hell, right? Within a day they called me; I interviewed as a potential barista on Monday; Tuesday she offered me a management position starting on the 19th. Sure, I'm capable of more than this, but THIS is exactly the type of employment I want in my life for the here and now. I've other goals in mind over this next year, and work, although absolutely necessary, is only the smallest part of it all.

Social

It was so nice to spend Easter with Kricket and Laurel. Lamb, organic chocolates, yummy cookies (compliments of the Laurel), and great wine were apparently exactly the release I needed. Life on the street is becoming more difficult as people warm up to me. In the first days, I would easily be able to fend off those who would befriend me and waste my time with chatter filled with conspiracy theory, negativity, and filth. Once I started selling cigarettes, my face and name became well known, but I was still able to manage some semblance of privacy. However, since the fight, I've developed somewhat of a homeless entourage. You should hear them tell it; the ones who weren't even there! Lol...it's like those horribly awesome $3 martial arts movies my old friend Ben and I would watch as teenagers. The women are by far the worst! Who wants to carry the trophy for being the most eligible bachelor on the block among a bunch of old, nasty crackheads?!? I feel sick just thinking about it sometimes. I miss the normalcy of an average woman. I can't wait for the day when I'm once again in a position to be teased, led on, and used by someone whose hair smells oh so nice. :P

Health

The most prominent of those goals I mentioned earlier involves my health. Two weeks ago, I signed up for a membership at 24 hour fitness. The clean showers, the locker to store my bag during an interview, a place to go when it rains at a cost of $25 a month...it all made such perfect fiscal sense. I had no idea I would become so addicted to working out. In these seven weeks, thanks to an overabundant supply of food services in San Diego, I've added more than 30lbs to my weight. From 120 to 151...it's incredible. What it's done for my sanity is beyond words. With every rejection for employment...with every pointless conflict engaged on the street...I found myself with too many goals that depended on the actions or reactions of another. This was a goal I could set for myself, and God himself couldn't stop me from accomplishing it. No matter what happened, I could move forward in this. Control...that's exactly what it's given me.

All in all, my life has become something good again.

Thanks again to all of you who have supported me with your friendship. Luvluvluvluv...