The First Day

So, I made it.

After finally wrenching myself to sleep at 4 AM (I went to bed at 1), I woke up at 8:44, exactly one minute before any of my four alarms went off. First the clock radio went off, and then the cell phone, and then the radio, and then the cell phone. I was awake for each, lying in bed waiting for each one and then turning it off moments before it could really go off, feeling myself pulled inexorably towards the day.

If you haven't guessed, I have some anxiety about "real" work. I don't know whether it's that I feel like I'm committing myself to an eternity as a such-and-such or I am really just that jealous of my free time, but it's a huge deal for me to get a job. I'm definitely cool when it comes to working on things that I like, i.e. film, video, and music-related-thingies, but whenever I'm working for The Man, I get stressed the hell out. Even if the Man, in this case, is the amazing Apple Computer, to whom I would probably will my firstborn for a MacBook Pro.

That said, I had a really great day. It was random in the way that only good days can be random. In the Tarot thing I did last night, I had three cards from the Major Arcana - and according to the hallowed spiritual tome known as "The Idiot's Guide to Tarot and Fortune-Telling," Major Arcana cards are indicative of forces that are out of your control, of destiny, of fate. All you can do is choose how to react to them.

Today was definitely a series of choices. I arrived in plenty of time, earlier than many of my co-workers, which for me is about as common as Halley's Comet, and proceeded to choose to be as positive as I could. Surprises came early and fast - Anna showed up at the *perfect* time, buying Derrick both a Blackbook and a Mac Mini (I am freaking thrilled for her - she is going to love these computers), and as soon as she finished my manager let me off for my hour lunch, so Anna and I got to have a lovely lunch together. It's so hard with Derrick and the kids - all need her so much. [For those who don't know, Derrick was in a tragic car accident nearly 7 years ago that was not *remotely* his fault, and he suffered near-death damage to his body and brain. He's made a miraculous recovery, but his short-term memory is nearly decimated and a lot of his cognitive functions are around a 3rd-grade level. He is a sweet, sensitive person who is also a great father. And talking about it more will make me cry, for him and mostly for my sister, who stayed with him and has given him everything she can, including a family and two amazing children who are going to change the world.] After lunch, who walks in but Kellie Robertson, or should I say Dr. Robertson, one of my favorite professors from Pitt! I had her for "Chaucer," and it was she who gave me my love of the Wife of Bath. It was great/awkward to see her, because on some level seeing your students everywhere must be akin to blunt-force trauma. She was very gracious, however.

And then, after that, who walks in but Bryan Wright, the piano wizard from Sedalia whom I mentioned in my "Scott Joplin Fest" post as a great guy from Pittsburgh I randomly met, and with whom I played an awesome duet on "Charleston Rag." We talked for a good twenty minutes, and he graciously invited me to be on the bill of a ragtime concert he's putting on in April. I need to shoot him an e-mail, but I think it sounds like a blast. I need to hurry up and get a repertoire! What fun that would be... it'd be nice to get to know him better. He seems like a nice kid.

So, all in all, it was a day of strange and welcome surprises. I seem to be strangely lacking my caustic wit tonight, the absence of which I can't explain, so if this post has taken forever to read it's most likely because I'm boring. I'm certainly tired enough. The day ended pleasantly with dinner with Mat, a spot of writing to be continued on Wednesday, and a warm, welcome conversation with Jessie. Scott is sick - I apologized profusely - and so I went out and bought him some cold medicine since he had kindly done the same for me back when Tylenol Cold had any chance of fighting back the sinus infection that now is slowly devouring my head. Yikes. Blood in my snot, phlegm in my throat, and now I have to wake up at 9AM to get to work on time. Woo!

Two more days, and then I'm free again to delight in the carnal pleasure of the late night. Saucy.

-m