I’m currently working as a custodian for The Denver School of the Arts. I’ve been chronicling my experiences through social media and this blog post. I put a lot of my own complaints and frustrations down, primarily to accurately portray my true experiences. No filter. There are good days of course. One day, this could be sort of a memoir.
I refer to myself as The Teal Fairy because this is a character that I’ve created. I hope to one day write about The Teal Fairy going back to school to protect those that have the potential to grow and flourish. Schools need more fairies over firearms to ensure the safety of the youth. I also use The Teal Fairy persona as my way of expressing myself creatively outside of the written word.
Thank you for joining me on this journey!
Day Four Hundred & Seventy-five: 10/21/2024
This is a short week so I’m planning to combine this week and next week’s blog into one. Who, if anyone, wants to read only three entries. Hopefully by putting the two week’s together will provide an enthralling story for the end of October. At least that’s what I’m telling myself each time that I post my blog. I keep hoping it will find its home in the vastness of the internet.
In other news I made it to work today. I really didn’t want to show up and I was in a bit of a mood too. I’m ready for my vacation later this week, but I had to show up today to ensure that I still have a job through next week. Nothing necessarily happened. I just didn’t want to perform the duties today. I didn’t want to be around anyone, I just wanted to work on my projects.
I was recently encouraged to try AI, specifically ChatGPT. I’ve avoided such tools because I’ve wanted to use my own verbiage and voice to express myself. Well, I’ve been stuck working on a short story, so I thought I would see if AI could help me. I plugged in some portions of the story and it helped to expand on certain scenes that I found myself stuck in. It’s magical.
It’s also helped give me guidance on some essays that I need to write for my MFA applications. I’m not going to use the tool for those projects, but the outlines are necessary to keep my mind focused on what is required. Again, I’m hesitant to use these tools, but I’ve been encouraged by others to not avoid AI. There are aspects that are helpful and it would be silly for me to get left behind in technology when it is already available at my fingertips. LITERALLY!
I haven’t wanted to work on my tasks at my job, I want to work on what means something to me. I especially got annoyed when I had to open a few doors for some students. Leave me alone and let me do my job! They weren’t rude or unkind. On the contrary, they were respectful and kind. I’m just indigent and bitter. It's a mixture for a cocktail, but not so great for a custodian.
Day Four Hundred & Seventy-six: 10/22/2024
I worked at the elementary school today. Because I was just there last Friday it didn’t feel like I was gone from the space long enough. Each time that I’m here, the more I despise the space. I know I shouldn’t complain because I do seem to have more down time to work on my writing. Today I was able to email a possible recommender for my MFA applications, worked on my statement of purposes, and I added a lot more scenes to my Magick in Montague County short story. Except, it’s not my space. I feel like I’m filling in.
Today, it was a literal mess. I think the boys are peeing all over the bathroom floor. It reeks of urine, even when you’re in the hallway. The stench is obnoxious. There were a slew of toilets that hadn’t been flushed. As if something else was so important that these children don’t have the time to crank the lever to allow for their contents to be swooshed down the porcelain thrones. Why are they in such a hurry? Do parents have to deal with such messes? It makes me concerned that I caused the same level of annoyances for others when I was their age.
I’m reminded that I don’t want to work with children. I would prefer adults. There’s also less mess in classrooms the older the students are. Today I had to spend so much time vacuuming. They had apparently done projects in every classroom. Don’t even get me started on the rooms that have access to the playground. Fall leaves and debris were scattered all over the carpeted areas. This fairy would prefer young adults at the least. Even my teenagers are better. Odd for me to even say that!
Day Four Hundred & Seventy-seven: 10/23/2024
I think I lack patience for this world. Maybe because of the hand that I was dealt. I feel like I’m always so close to succeeding, but never close enough. I don’t look at my current circumstances as ‘How did I get here’ because I made each decision that has led me to where I’m at now. However, I’ve been putting all my effort into changing things. Only nothing has worked.
I will say that I still prefer DSA over working at the elementary school. My area was in a really good condition today. I was honestly surprised how well it was. Maybe my expectations were so low from yesterday that anything I saw today was going to be a pleasant surprise compared to yesterday. I even utilized my downtime to work on my MFA application materials. I’ve been stuck on my Statement of Purposes, but after looking over some examples and taking some cues from AI I have a starting point. They still need some finesse and some revisions but I have until December 1st. I still have to work on a Fellowship essay, so there’s that too, but that only has to be one page.
Day Four Hundred & Seventy-eight: 10/28/2024
I had a wonderful mini vacation to Las Vegas and I managed to come back to work. Though I struggled today. I went out yesterday. What was supposed to be a chill Sunday Funday ended up being quite more debaucherous. I know I gave a shitty job. I know that I didn’t even put in my minimum effort. I’ll deal with the repercussions tomorrow.
Day Four Hundred & Seventy-nine: 10/29/2024
I’m doing much better today! However, we have a few people out. So, that means there is extra work for the few that made it into work today. I’m going to do my best because I slacked so much yesterday. I just didn’t have the energy to do anything. I wouldn’t say that I’m filled with energy, but I have at least the fortitude to do my job effectively.
I think I did a decent job. Could I do more, of course, however, I’m not willing to give up my downtime. I’m still working on multiple projects that need my attention. If I’m going to apply to graduate school I have to have all of my documents in the best shape possible. I’m also making a lot of headway on this short story I started ages ago. As I’ve mentioned I used a little AI to help out with the storyline. It was really helpful and allowed me to move past the spot that had me blocked. If I kept myself busy with my custodial duties the entire shift then I wouldn’t have any time for my creative endeavors. Which is the only reason that I’m willing to do this job. If you take away my downtime I become very indigent. That’s why I hate summer work so much. It’s constant.
Day Four Hundred & Eighty: 10/30/2024
What a day! I always find it a frustrating day when I have to deal with wet trash. Yes, something that is just absolutely foul. It started the moment I had to deal with garbage. The trash barrels get so nasty that it makes me dry heave. I kept dealing with wet trash all over the place too. I even had liquid splash back into my face. When I was cleaning out the barrel, because there was something white and gross at the bottom. I had the hose at too high of pressure. The mixture of the trash liquid and water splashed up and directly into my face. I’m not sure if any got into my mouth, but it was still gross!
I spent the rest of the shift just trying to get through the day. I was thwarted twice when I was trying to enjoy my break. I eat my food, but then I like to find a place to lay horizontally for a few minutes. I don’t nap, I just lay still for a short amount of time. I tried the library first, but some guest artists needed a place to relax before the performance tonight. Next, I tried my 8th grade pod. I thought I’d locked both doors, but forgot the west side door. A student who shouldn’t have been wandering around opened the door and even yelled out to others that the pod was unlocked. I called out for them to not enter and to go back where they’re supposed to be. They responded back by asking who I was. That didn’t even matter! I still told them to leave.
Don’t worry I got my downtime while still managing to get the rest of my duties done. I mostly hideout because I can’t get much done while I wait for these events to commence. Kids run around like crazed heathens. As soon as the events begin then I can roam through the halls, going from room to room to vacuum. Then, I wait again until they begin to evacuate the building. Then I’m able to clean the bathrooms. Most of my day goes with work, wait, work, and wait again.
Day Four Hundred & Eighty-one: 10/31/2024
Happy Halloween! I wore my turquoise conical hat. It has black accents so I had to match. Since I didn’t have a real Halloween costume I wore a black shirt with a turquoise tie. I might be a fairy, but I have witchy tendencies. So, when I feel the look is right then I’m going to lean into it. Since I wore a tie, I also had to make sure that you could see it, along with the butterfly pin. Everything was covered by the beard, so about an inch was removed right before I left for work.
There were a lot of costumed creatures at the school today, some were inhabited by the holiday. I know this because a few teachers made a point to mention that they were less focused than they should’ve been. I can only imagine. I haven’t been very focused on my work this week. I’ve focused on my MFA applications and my creative writing. I’m not interested in my custodial duties. Not one dust bunny!
Okay, so I was feeling a little guilty about my lack-luster work ethic. So, I took short breaks and busted through my cleaning properly. I finished really early and I’m using that time to be at the computer. I didn’t even take any downtime. I know, shocking! I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a busy day so I thought it would be most conducive for me to give a B+ performance.
Day Four Hundred & Eighty-two: 11/1/2024
I survived another Halloween, and I’m definitely feeling the effects of my actions today. I got as much rest as I could, and I’ll have a lot to do tonight. Joy! At least it’s Friday. I managed to make it through the day. I felt like this whole week has been a struggle. I struggled to come back after an amazing vacation. I also struggled to curtail my partying post vacation to maintain balance.
I did manage to work on my MFA applications, my creative writings, and I’ve had some fun with AI. I’m sort of cheating with my writing by using the assistance of AI. I’m not just copying and pasting what’s created, but it gives me an amazing starting point. The most fun I’ve had is with image creations. I’ve been imputing the details for characters and I finally have a true representation of The Teal Fairy. I know I create looks, but there’s been an image in my head that I haven’t been able to draw myself. Well, I put the information in, and bam! The Teal Fairy. Here, take a look!
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