Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Biding My Time

Have you ever noticed that as soon as you get ready for a big, positive life change, your current situation becomes absolutely torturous?

I'm sitting at my desk right now starting at these stupid Japanese Shogun prints and really ugly armchairs that have haunted me for 4 years, trying to get my mind wrapped around the concept that in less than one month, my entire lifestyle will have changed. I'll say goodbye to corporate legal America and hello to teaching after school programs in the arts to underprivilaged high school kids, and acting classes on the weekends to overprivilaged children. I got my first taste of my new life last week, when I attended orientation for the after school program. I couldn't believe how incredible this company was. The 4 day training was intense and informative and affirmed to me that I was making the right decision to leave my job.

And so after an incredible week with people whose mission I actually believe in, I come back to work to finish out the last month. It's a job that I've grown completely complacent with, but somehow, it's even more mind-numbing, more boring, more pointless, and...oh fuck it. It's just painful to write about. Instead, I've decided to post some really mundane pictures, which in my opinion, are worth at least 31,532 words.

Wow. Look at that desk. What is that? Coffee? Oren's Daily Roast. Best coffee ever. I think that's the most exciting thing on my desk, actually. Ooh--that red pen is really nice, too. Uniball Vision Elite. To quote Ferris Bueller, "If you have the means, I highly recommend it. It is so choice."

And what's under the desk, you may ask, because, lets face it, UNDER the desk is a true reflection of a person. Gay, gay, gay, gay, GAY. My new Adidas backpack with a pride button affixed firmly. Jeans and flip flops to change into for my casual date later this evening. Two boxes of cereal purchased at Rite Aid at the beginning of the week, and shoeboxes filled with office supplies that I plan to take when I leave.

This is a hallway. On the right, though you can barely make her out, is one of the most annoying human beings on the planet. She is from Alabama. Not everyone from Alabama is annoying, but she is. Please note the flourescent lighting that makes an appearance in every picture. This has little to do with the quality of my camera phone and lots to do with the quality of my life. Note the printer in the middle of the walkway. It is the source of much passive agression.

This is a conference room. Sometimes I eat lunch in this room or one of the many, many rooms like it on one of our 6 floors. More often than not, you can find me between the hours of 1:30-2:30 scouring these rooms for free food, making a personal phone call, or doing pilates on the floor. Sometimes I'll even pull two chairs together and take a nap. I have rehearsed a total of six, yes, SIX plays in our conference room spaces. In addition to a few really amazing people, I will perhaps miss the conference rooms most of all.

And just look at this fabulous office kitchen. It's like The Price is Right! To the left you'll find the Coke Fountain--The source of that mysterious Nestea Sweetened Iced Tea substance that I love so much. And yes. Some of my more loyal readers might recognize the Starbucks Machine Almighty. If I could marry and have babies with a machine, this would be that mechanism. And who doesn't love Swiss Miss with marshmallows?

And here's me. I just worked out at the gym downstairs. I didn't even have to leave the building!
I'm happy. Happy, happy, happy to be here. Happy to be leaving. Happy to be breathing and alive.

Yeah, just so happy.

Thank you. This has been very, very therapudic.