The Weekly Update

Well, the first week of the new job was enlightening. The new job also takes up every last one of of my waking moments except for those small chunks of time I find on the weekends to go fishing.

That's a very pissed off 7" brookie on the end of my line.

Datelines, Milestones, Anniversaries

Alright, readers, my new job starts tomorrow and I'm pretty much going insane. I'm at the 5400's library again, both because I needed to return Lord of War (great film) and because I needed to get the hell out of my apartment before I started chewing on furniture legs like a Border Collie left alone for three weeks.

Man. The English major in me just comes shining through sometimes, doesn't it?

Anyway, to get my mind off of tomorrow I thought I'd share my perspective on an important anniversary Kathryn and I shared a week ago or so. She beat me to the punch and was in fact the one who pointed it out – I'm not that great at remembering dates, but she and I share a way more important anniversary here in just under two weeks, so I'm not beating myself up for forgetting this other date.

Kathryn and I met two years ago last week. I'd spent that summer catching up on some required foreign language classes – "Necessito agua! Soy Cubano! Viva Che! Viva la revolucion!" – and working desk jobs at various halls on campus. My summer job dovetailed nicely with my Fall RA job; I worked my last shift of the summer job on a Sunday afternoon and started the RA job that Sunday night.

Various staffers had trickled in all that weekend. I don't remember too many first impressions except for two: first, a guy we'll call "Chris" dumped a large cup of water on a woman we'll call "Katie" as she walked up to the hall for the first time. The RA rooms were conveniently located directly above the entranceway, and that was certainly not the last time an RA pulled that little stunt.

The second impression I have is much clearer. Kathryn walked in sometime that Sunday afternoon and came to the desk, where I was handing out room assignments and other basic information. Our boss's office was tucked into a room attached to the lobby area, and you had to walk through the lobby desk to get to his office. This came in handy when you wanted to see him. It was problematic when you didn't.

I remember thinking to myself, "Whoa," as Kathryn and I made small talk.

Here's this woman who's clearly smarter than hell, and she's a brunette with glasses to boot. Easy, Trout. Easy. Let's not do or say anything stupid here. Let's just give the nice woman her room assignment and pretend not to listen as she has a conversation with our boss.

"Hey Kathryn! How are you!," B said. He's a genuinely great guy, B, and really the only time I wished his office was far away from the lobby desk was the morning after I orchestrated a midnight burying of his car in snow. I will deny this if asked.

"Just fine," she said. She and B chatted for a bit until the landmine went off.

"And how's J?" B asked.

"Oh, he's fine, he's blah blah blah blahdie blahdie blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

The rest is quite literally a blur of sound. It was one of those contextual moments where it was clear she was talking about her boyfriend and had, incidentally, just crushed the dreams of some doofus she'd barely met. To this day I have no idea how J was at that point, or how the rest of the conversation between Kathryn and B went.

We had our first staff meeting later that night, and I sat in a chair somewhat isolated from the group, scared as hell about my second go at college, not to mention my new career at the end of it. Kathryn sat in another chair to my right. I stole a few glances but that was it.

There were plenty of other moments from that year that bear telling, but we'll leave it here for now. Happy anniversary, baby!

The Office

Hey, readers. A quick note from the 5400's public library, since my office computer won't allow me to sign in yet.

Speaking of the office, I spent four hours yesterday cleaning and straightening up since the previous occupant(s) apparently decided throwing four year old reports into a dusty corner was an acceptable way to maintain order. By the end of the day I'd filled three large trash cans and two large cardboard boxes with old reports, etc., that our employees will never, ever want again.

And speaking of employees...

At one point in my day I'll have 31 of them. Yikes.

New Job

Not much to say, really, since it hasn't truly started yet. But I did go to an orientation session today. I'm usually a power napper - ten minutes and I'm set for hours - but after I got home tonight I crashed for an hour.

More news as I get it.

Huh?

Okay, readers, I've been spending a few hours each day in the 5400's public library (I know I called it the 5600 before, but I was wrong. It's 5400.), surfing, emailing, and enjoying the air conditioning. Since I left my entire DVD collection with my bestest manfriend and his wife in the 7200 during the move - intentionally, since they're parents and probably haven't seen a movie in its entirety in over three years - I've also discovered the joy of checking out videos for free from public libraries.

So yesterday I picked up a few titles: Amadeus and Surviving in Bear Country on VHS; a Masterpiece Theatre production of A Tale of Two Cities and Speilberg's War of the Worlds on DVD. Instead of unpacking my apartment yesterday I pretty much vegged on the couch, watching Tom Hulce's genuinely brilliant portrayal of Mozart in the blistering heat.

This morning I got up, reheated some biscuits I baked yesterday (didn't spray the sheet enough and burnt them to hell on the bottom) along with some fried eggs, brewed up a damn good cup of coffee, and watched Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning squeal in War of the Worlds.

Now, I wanted to like this movie. In fact, I did like the first hour and a half or so, but then it just kind of, well, ends. Can someone please explain to me how and why exactly the aliens died? If this is one of those things where I just need to read the book, fine, but for a Speilberg production this ending totally sucked.

I'm so confused right now...

And We're Back!

Alrighty, readers, I'm at the 5400's public library, where they not only have wireless internet but also a gazebo out back. Unfortunately there's no power in the gazebo and the wireless signal is weak, so I'm currently in the children's section where the signal is strongest.

Don't count on me posting as much as I previously had, but I'll be on at least once a week every week until the day comes that I pay off my credit card and get cable.

Onward!

The Last Post for What Could Be a Really Long Time

Hey, readers.

As most of you know, I'm moving tomorrow. I've decided that I won't get cable TV (and thus internet access) until after I've paid off my credit card, and there's simply no way I'm going to blog from my new employer's computer. So unless I can find a cafe with wireless or perhaps use the public library's computers, I won't be posting as often as I have been. This could be for several months.

I promise I'll keep writing, however. I simply won't be able to post what I write about.

In the meantime, check out the bloggy goodness at Kathryn's or Dirk's or Dave's or Graeme's. I check them regularly because they update regularly and are all funny and brilliant and beautiful people to boot.

A Quick Note About Tie Colors

So I've been using my bike trainer lately, pedaling my happy ass to absolutely nowhere while watching NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. Why NBC? Dunno. I remember Tom Brokaw giving props to South Dakota once on The Today Show when I was a wee little tyke living in Brookings, and he became The Anchor I Trust The Most. And when he quit and Brian Williams took over I stuck with NBC for the theme music (I know, I know - a rearranged major diad isn't a real big deal. But the way they play it makes it sound all important and shit).

Besides, Dan Rather was always a self-important goombah. I couldn't even tell you who has his job now.

Anyway, I've been watching the nightly news and sometimes a little cable news, and I've noticed that members of Congress have begun wearing blue ties. I don't know how many of you remember the heady patriotic fashion trend of late 2001 and 2002, but red ties were everywhere. Ev. Ry. Where.

There's been a shift, somehow, to blue. A desperate attempt by the right to soften its image? A desperate attempt by the left to show where their loyalties have always lied, despite some serious and consistent kowtowing to the whims and fancies of a Republican Congress? Beats the hell outta me.

Even the president has been wearing blue ties lately.

Okay. Back to wrangling badgers small children.

Interlude

Hey, readers. My bestest manfriend, his wife, and their two hellion adorable sons arrived in the 7200 today. Yours truly will spend as much time as possible with them over the next few days until my departure on Saturday. I may get around to posting, I may not.