Last Day on the Job

It seemed like a significant day. My last day on the temp job. My first 6 weeks on a lot were coming to a close. It was a slow day. I blogged about it. Real Time.

Here were go:

8:07am – Swipe my card at the gate.

8:11am – Turn off my computer, which did not shut off properly the night before.

8:12am - Turn my computer back on.

8:13am – Log on.

8:15am – Open outlook.

8:17am – Two emails received. Nothing for me specifically.

8:18am – Check my gmail. A few emails. One for JPC regarding the National tour. He’s probably going to see them at Prospect Park in June. Should be a good show. Agreed. One for my good friend, rockstar, and amazing vocalist, Zolani – she’d love to sing on a song I wrote for a recently deceased family member. I’m thrilled. I called the email I sent her “Long Shot, “ due to her ridiculously busy schedule. She was just in LA from Capetown to shoot a video with Shakira. She was so busy those two days that I never heard from her and never saw her. That’s busy.

8:25 to 8:50am – Check in on the sports scene in Boston. Read an article about the impending Celtics and Cavs series. Read an article about the Bruins rookie goalie who is playing extremely well. They were talking about rookie goalies who’ve lead their team to and won the Stanley Cup. The article made me way to anxious. Doesn’t anyone believe in jinxes? Jesus. Read an article about the Red Sox finally playing better. It’s about time. It’s almost May.

8:55am – Get an email from Halearious regarding her record player. She did it. It’s official. She’s now collecting and listening to records. She actually beat me the piss ant. I’m inspired. I’m going to be buying a record player real soon. I’m actually going to a vintage music store to listen to some vintage gear. Can’t wait to negotiate that price down. Oh, yeah.

9:03am – Drop a check in the mail for a commercial acting class. Can you say triple threat? Making it all happen.

9:05 – 9:15am – Respond to Zolani with the details of the song, how it’s progressing and how I see her on it. Two versions: One where we both sing (since it’s a personal song), and one where she sings alone, since she’s a fucking rock star who sings with Shakira. I may be crazy but I ain’t stupid. I am so fucking excited. We’ve been friends since we were 20. We met in Cape Town, South Africa. I love her. Her voice is like cocaine to me. I can’t get enough of it. I, in this metaphor, am the rat in the cage banging my head against the wall, hitting the switch trying to feed an addiction. Once the song is completed I will listen to it until I die with a smile on my face because she can do no wrong vocally, or in life. I once told her she could push me down the stairs and when I came to a stop at the bottom, I’d say, “Don’t worry Zo. I love you.” That’s love.

9:23am – I check in on ESPN.com. Nothing has changed.

9:33am – Back on boston.com/sports reading about the Patriots’ first round draft pick, Devin McCourty. He seems like a standup kid from New Jersey. Solid family. I’ll keep an eye on him.

9:35am – Over hear some co-workers talking about being hung-over. They went out drinking last night. Good for them. Drink water.

9:41am – Work-related e-mail count: 0

9:44am – Get an email from a co-worker / friend / other temp asking if I’m here. I’m wondering the same thing. Turns out I am.

9:51am – Decide it’s a good idea to document my last day here. In a blog. In a running journal.

10:00am – The time it is right now. We are live.

10:02am – Gchat with my friend MM. She called me to hang out last night. I told her I couldn’t because I had plans to meet a friend of a friend for the first time and I didn’t want to blow him off. I’m trying to make friends. I just revealed to her that he ended up blowing me off, and I should have hung out with her. What a waste. I did watch two episodes of “Breaking Bad” on DVD and that was fun, but MM is cute and super nice. That would have been more fun.

10:05am – Debating when to take my morning walk. I’m thinking soon. It’s looking nice out.

10:06am – Waiting for my boy, JPC, to show up on Gchat. He’s always a good conversation. Fingers crossed.

10:07am – Walk!!

10:09am – It is gorgeous outside. Not a cloud in the sky. Sun is shining. Light breeze. Good decision by moi!

10:10am – Walking along my normal route and I spy a tall, long legged, blonde female walking towards me. Promising. She takes a ramp that will continue to bring her towards my direction, but she’ll be above me when our paths cross. As we approach each other, I keep my head straight, shoulders back, but my eyes are tracking along with her behind my glasses. I realize that she strikingly similar to a character from Avatar in terms of her stature and facial resemblance. Not blue. No tail. As our paths are about to cross, I catch her eyes darting down to check me out. Oh yeah, busted! I love it. I must be doing something right. I’m glad I didn’t shave for two days. Seems to be working out. A good start to the walk.

10:20am – I decided to veer from my normal walk in an effort to traverse through parts of the lot I’ve seen, but never been through. There’s a whole section of old houses / smaller buildings that I’ve always presumed where writing related. It turns out I’m correct.

10:23am – I stop at a plaque entitled “The First Forty Years,” which details the beginning of the movie industry – starting with the advent of cellulose in 1889, the film projector in 1891, the first movie theater in Philly in 1905, the first feature film about a train robbery, and the start of this respective movie studio in 1914 – through the early 1930s. Interesting stuff.

10:35am – Back at the office.

10:36am – Work-related email count: 0

10:42am – Maybe I should ask to leave. I’m not sure they really need me. I’m honestly surprised the didn’t say that earlier this week when I told them today would be my last day.

10:43am – I at least have to stay through lunch. I’ve started this whole lunch click and they depend on me to eat together. It’s been horrible what happens to them on days when I’ve not been here. They eat by themselves. Oh, the horror.

10:44am – JPC is a no show on Gchat. Shame.

10:46am – Co-worker picked me off. She needs help with something. Work-related email count is about to be shattered.

11:00am – Work-related email count: 0

11:02am – Finished reading MM’s blog about high heels. I think I finally get why girls go through the trouble. Thanks MM.

11:04am – I think I may like the jersey that the US team will wear in the world cup.
11:05am – work-related email count: 1

11:32am – Overhearing co-workers discussing the weather and the weekend, I realized it’s Friday!! Fuck yeah!

11:44am – JPC texts. It’s like gchat but less efficient. It’ll do for now. I’m kind of busy.

12:02pm – Just sent out the email coordinating the lunch meet up. The final time I’ll do this. Or at least this time on the lot. I’m choking up. I’ll need a minute. (Luckily, I’ve only got 240 minutes of work left.)

12:17pm – I’ve completed my task.

12:19pm – There comes a point in every temp workers day when there is nothing left to read on the internet, I’ve hit that point. Lunch won’t come soon enough.

12:20pm – I guess I could read the NY Times.

12:23pm – Distracted by the lunch circle emails. The oil spill reached the coast. Damn. I kind of wish I didn’t go to nytimes.com. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

12:35pm – Lunch has been scheduled for 1PM.

12:55pm – Finished an article about Facebook and how they are constantly making changes that effect the user’s privacy, making things more public.

2:03pm – Got back from lunch. It was awesome. We had quite a crew of people who work at the lot for day jobs but pursuing other things at nice (i.e., acting, fashion design, and music).

2:23pm – Actually did more work than I was supposed to do on something. Found out just in time.

2:40pm – My assigned tasks for the day have just vanished. Completed. Now what?

2:49pm – If I was sailing, this would be the ‘duldrums.’ Lord have mercy on me…

3:03pm – Work-related email count: 5

3:11pm – You know you have a football problem when you’re reading espnboston.com and you come across an article about the Patriots signing either rookie free agents, and you get excited about it.

3:21pm – JPC logs onto Gchat. It’s gonna be short cause it’s late in NYC. Turns out my brother is down visiting friends who have been having some lady problems. He’s drinking a 40 already. It’s only 6:21pm there.

3:23pm – Supposedly my brother’s been drinking since 11am. He’s got once speed when it comes to drinking: Go.

3:43pm – Double barrel Gchat: JPC and M from MySpace. Day is going by quicker now. I’m thinking I may want to go for a walk again soon…

4:10pm – A co-worker said she was buying me an ice cream sandwich as a going away present. I just sent an email checking in on the status. I’m getting antsy to leave!

4:15pm – Time sheet has been filled out.

4:23pm - My co-worker shows up with the "Big Neopolitan Iced Cream Sandwich." She was out buying it for me when I sent her the email. I <3 her. :) Nice people rock. She went all the way into another building that only she has access to (of the three temps) and bought me the last one! That's a good friend.

4:30pm - A moment of silence for the "Big Neopolitan Iced Cream Sandwich." It is no longer.

4:31pm - I ate it the strawberry end first, followed by the vanilla, and then the chocolate. Was very yummy. Why does coffee get excluded? Why? Of all the iced creams, coffee is my favorite.

4:35pm - Let the goodbyes begin. I've composed my "sayonara" email and whatnot. To be sent shortly....

4:42pm - Debating leaving early. I've made it this far. Can I make it to 5:00pm? Is there a point? I'm not sure.

4:52pm - Goodbye email has been sent. Blog will be posted. I'm heading around to make the walk and say goodbye.