Saturday, July 21, 2007

A Day in the Life

Yesterday, I woke up got out of bed. Dragged a comb across my head. Found a way .....Just kidding. I did not have "A Day in the Life" according to The Beatles. Although that is one of my Top Five Beatles' songs. In no particular order
A Day in the Life, In My Life, Norwegian Wood, Something, Here Comes the Sun and honorable mentions to Hey Jude, Golden Slumber/Her Majesty and While My Guitar Gently Weeps

So here was my plan for yesterday. Run errands. Catch bus. Go to library drop off and get new book preferably one I should have read in high school but never got around to reading. Meet former boss @ Chipotle on seven corners and then walk my beer drinking tire of a self back to my home near uptown. So I accomplished the first four. Then I took a detour. I called a former co-worker and friend. We had plans a few weeks ago, wanted to see how she was doing, etc. etc. It was prolly 2:30 when I stopped by. Didn't leave former employer until 5:30 and then went to a Twins game (which was phenomenal) BTW minus the 3 errors. How do they win with three errors? But a Twins win and Tigers loss is A-ok by me.

What a weird day to others, but not to me. I was downtown from 10:30 am to 11:30 at night. And I don't even work downtown anymore. Yesterday I wrote about writing from my former employer. It got better. Once I posted, I got a call from a perspective employer and set up my interview at one my old co-workers desks. Holy hilarity. When I write the book, that story will have to be in it somehow. It doesn't even seem plausible, but the older I'm getting the more I am realizing my life is, well, you know, a-typical.

More happy travels to follow later I can only hope.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Holy Shit Batman ... is this really my life?

Only in my world could I be blogging from a computer at my former employer. Just the thought of it is letting the little imp in my giggle in delight. It's so bizarre. But has one of my former supervisors put it, "you are the type of person who brings oxygen into the room." And I know what she means. But still the actualization of sitting and typing this with my i-pod brings back so many memories. Thank goodness I wasn't blogging when I worked here, I would get NOTHING accomplished.

Sometimes, actually most of the time my life isn't surreal. It's when I have these hovering moments, where I feel like I am this levitating girl watching my life from an aerial view. Only then is when I get goose bumps and have the realization that sometime my life is well, bizarre and filled with a lot of WTF? moments.

But I wouldn't want it any other way.

Why? If anything it makes to be a good story teller. And when you work in my industry, being a story teller is absolutely essential. It also helps to be slightly crazy, roll with the punches and ability to turn on a dime. At least that's what I've learnd in my first five years post-college.

So now the Blonde Squad I can hear them over my i-pod and they are at least 30-50 feet and a door closed away from me. I think if I still worked here with them I would have lacerations in my eyeballs or would have attempted work-suicide a few times. You know work suicide? It's those moments that Michael Douglas' character has in Falling Down. I suppose you could call it going postal but that seems so 1986. I think word suicide should catch on. But I also think "a conflict of logic" should be a logical and viable complaint to most HR departments. Sadly, I am wrong, like usual.

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." - Maya Angelou

Seriously. These used to be quotes I had to find and incorporate into marketing pieces. Whatta bunch of shit. If you are going to make statements like this, follow up with action. But alas, that again, would be logical.

Goodness, it will be scary when I take over the world. The party will be called off due to the fire in hell.
:)
Cheers everyone. Here's hoping the Twins can get back on track and attempt to make wild card race interesting. I'm, as always, cautiously optimistic.

"You can't quantify inspiration"

I struggle. Hard to believe, huh? Ms. Mpls would struggle with things. But I am human like everyone else. I struggle personally, it's usually my mouth that gets me in trouble or says things not intended for how they are delivered. You'd think being in the communication field I wouldn't have this issue, but my mouth and what comes out of it is a double-edged sword.

My current struggle. It's professional. It pertains to getting results and being inspired. Here's my dilemma. I know I am a results-driven worked. I've got the accomplishments and accolades to prove it. So I like producing. I believe in capitalism, although I prefer socialism cause I think we all need a safety net now in then through this thing called life. And I also am competitive, so results seem like a game to play. Games as a sport, wonderful. Games as to relationships or dating - F that.

So here I struggle between getting results and being inspired. But you can't quantify inspiration. You can't put it in a box and measure it, test it and figure how to replicate it. It doesn't work that way. And I think I chose inspiration over results, but inspiration doesn't pay my World Perks Card bill. Quick departure -- I have a free ticket to anywhere continental US but have no $$ to spend when I arrive at the city. Sad. Continuing -- and I am inspired, sure by my family and friends and by the things I like --- Bill Simmons, Dave Sedaris, Sarah Vowell, Jack Kerouac, The Format, Minnesota Twins, ESPN, NPR, The Current, History Boys, Dr. King, etc, etc.

So how do I take these things that inspire me and help myself pay the bills. I know I'm not gonna resort to Destiny's Child - "if you pay my bills, you pay my credit card bills, I know we are through, so ....." but what's a girl to do?

It's prolly a good thing that you can't quantify inspiration. Because if it could be replicated it won't be as valued as the original. Something would get lost along the way. But why do I follow my artsy heart instead of my logical head? I guess because if there is a coin toss I'd always choose to be inspired (challenged and happy) over getting results and paying bills.

I guess it's more bologna on hand sandwiches for me.
(that's not true, I just remember that from the Metallica Behind the Music. Not that I have cable to enjoy it, but whatever happened to Behind the Music?)

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Sayonora Mary

Back from the lake and Back to the Future without the Parkinsons disease. Luckily. Although I was never a huge MJ Fox fan, or Alex P. Keaton for that matter. I do find it disturbing that Parkinsons diseases exists. Sad.

But on a more cheerful note. Mary from Age of Love, my guilty pleasure for the summer was sent sailing.

Buh-bye.

Ohmigod. She irritated the shit out of me. Who cries that much? "I'm 24 I should know better,"she proclaimed. Are you freakin' kidding me? I'm a few years older than you, identify myself with crazy Maria and yet I know that I occasionally make poor decisions, but so what. Live and go on. And don't even get me started on the other two 20 somethings. Sick.

But I made a prediction early on that the final four would be Adelaide (we share similar dates) Jen, Maria and Amanda. So it's down to five and I still have three in it. Although watching the show sometimes I feel like it's going to be between Jayanna and Megan, but there's something about Maria and her calling it like it is. Maybe I like her the most and identify with her the most so I want to win.

Jesus, I could discuss this show at lengths. I think I need serious help.

Speaking of SOS. I nearly strangled myself to death with an i-pod cord in my sleep. Sounds like a freakin' Darwin death. Can you image the headline: "Mpls woman found executed by i-pod cord." ok, so I admit to being vain and wanting my mug on jacket sleeves, but I don't want my face on the Star Tribune to be with the above headline or caption. Luckily, I awoke to free myself from i-pod strangulation.

Back to the grind. Literally. Working tomorrow and thru the rest of the month. Sometimes freelancing sucks. But I shouldn't complain. Out of the last 20 days I've spent 11 at the Lake. Notta bad gig. But its HOT back in MPLS and I'm not a fan of anything over 84 degrees. And humidity -- fogetta-boutit. I think I would melt to death like the Wicked Witch of the West if I lived in anything below the Mason Dixon line. Either that or the intolerance-racism-slow-pace-to-life would be my ticket out of the world. That's another sad death, but at least it wouldn't be i-pod strangulation.

So kiddies, it might be some time off so I can (ahem) work. Jesus. And I'm not even close to retirement age.