Day Two Hundred & Thirty-two: 9/11/2023
I don’t recognize the fall season until the solstice on the 22nd, but today feels like the first day of fall. The season has changed and I’m so grateful that I shouldn’t see hot temperatures for the remainder of the year. I say this with extreme concern because I would hate to see 90+ temperatures until next summer. I’m not the type of person that enjoys warmer weather. I’d rather have a chill versus being sweaty. Though, I do break a sweat on a regular basis. Especially when I first get to work.
The rest of the day was pretty pleasant. There was of course trash to discard, bathrooms to tidy, hallways to sweep, and bathrooms to power wash. I wasn’t disturbed or annoyed by what I had to deal with today. It was all very tolerable.
I’d say it was a good day! I was feeling my purple look and I didn’t feel like quitting my job in pure frustration. I’m pessimistically optimistic that this fall will go better than last year, except I still have to get through it. I still have to muster the courage everyday to be productive and consistent to reach my goals.
Day Two Hundred & Thirty-three: 9/12/2023
It has been another pleasant day, surprisingly. Thank you kids! I just hope that we continue to have this source of mutual respect. They don’t leave unnecessary messes and I won’t curse them and their families. It’s a pretty simple exchange. I was also complimented by a set of teenage girls. When an adult gets the approval of a teenager, does another fairy get their wings?
All jokes aside, I enjoyed the look today. Because of how I paint my eyebrows I’m thinking about dying mine blonde again. Even though you can hardly see them anyhow, I noticed today that it would make it better, or easier to blend the different shades over the pale tinted hairs. I’m still trying to experiment with my daily looks if I can. It is what helps me get out the door. If I feel glamorous then I can muster the attitude to jump on Gladys and clean up after adolescents.
I even like how my look turned out at the end of the shift. The setting spray works and I managed not to touch my face throughout the eight hours I was on the clock. Nails are still intact, black with purple glitter, and I’m curious how long it will be before I get a chipped polish. The hairdo was also able to be moved from a partially down look to an updo. I hate doing some of my work with my hair down. It gets hot and the curls get caught in the straps of the vacuum cleaner. I might be underwhelmed by my profession, but at least I look good doing it!
Day Two Hundred & Thirty-four: 9/13/2023
I’m still not completely accustomed to how my custodial job compares to my previous jobs. Especially, when I was a server. There was no down time, there was none of this sitting on the clock unless it was a designated break. Well, today is a late start day which means the lunch period runs late. I get here at 2pm but I can’t really do much of any work until 2:30pm. So, I’ll be working on my writing for 30 minutes. It’s just strange to me, but I should just accept it and pounce on the opportunity to work on what gives me passion. I just couldn’t have done this when I was working in the service industry. Nope, not a second. Lol!
Should also state out right that I’m not complaining about the extra time that I have, that is the plus. I’m in the process of deciding if I want to continue my time as a custodian while I work towards my writing aspirations. My job consists of cleaning the school but also spending the rest of my spare time working towards my creative endeavors.
It certainly beats what the teachers have to deal with. I can’t imagine having the administration disrupting my classroom dynamics with ineptitude. In fact, the eighth grade academic teachers are going to have to deal with a major change in their classroom size. No warning, no explanation, but they will be making a major change after school has been in session for five weeks. It’s quite rude and disrespectful. The teachers are pretty livid, rightly so. I’ll be curious to see what happens. Since the beginning of the school year there has been intense friction between the administration and the faculty. Someone is going to lose.
Completed the night’s work with a little tinge of annoyance. If you are going to leave discarded drinks, food bag, and trash on the floor…then I expect a leftover snack! If I have to bend over because you were too lazy to take your GOD DAMN trash to the trashcan then you should have left me something inside the bag, otherwise, your behavior is downright disrespectful. So whoever left their Popeye’s Chicken bag, half drank red bull, and half a soda with the lid off. Fuck You! Just Fuck you! I don’t care if I’m saying this about a literal child. It’s annoying.
Day Two Hundred & Thirty-five: 9/14/2023
Made it to work for another’s day of menial labor. I must shout out to my lunch ladies. Though I need to lose some weight, they hook me up with leftovers. Something I’m so grateful for because it keeps me packed with little burgers, sandwiches, and sometimes full meals. Allowing me to conserve other meals and prepped food.
Something I’ve been dealing with is my humility. Taking support from others can be a humbling experience when all you have left is your pride. My pride keeps me up at night, I don’t know about yours.
What doesn’t keep me up at night is the desire to be a child again. I’m fortunate that we had technology as a student, but there were no cellphones in my middle school or junior high. At least none that had access to the internet. Instead, the bullying was more front and center. The passive aggressiveness was real, and I’m grateful I don’t have to be involved with cyberbullying. Something I couldn’t imagine dealing with at the age of fourteen. At the same time, they are privy to the most liberal that society has seen in the past. Yes, that doesn’t include everywhere in this world. At least their primary space is safe. These kids are fortunate, but so glad I don’t have to be one of them. I continue to be the enigma that floats around the halls and cleans it like the fairy that I am!
Day Two Hundred & Thirty-six: 9/15/2023
Wore a jacket to work today! I’m so grateful for this fall weather. I was prepared to not have a reprieve for months after suffering throughout the summer. Yet, here I am stating gratitude for the weather. I still haven’t acclimated to the temperatures here in Denver. Though, today reminded me so much of Seattle. It was raining for most of the morning and it remained cloudy as I got to work. It’s a win!
This week hasn’t been too bad. We have four people working in the evening and so our workload is manageable. Technically, we are supposed to have five people working in the evening. We are still missing a part time employee. I’m appreciative of my new coworkers, because at the end of the day we are a team. It takes a team to keep this whole building clean.
So much work to keep this place clean. I barely had much down time today because there was so much to do. I suppose that’s what a job is supposed to feel like. I’m honestly more familiar with jobs that have zero downtime. However, one of the pluses of working as a custodian is having the extra time to work on my writing. Without that, then I seriously ponder why I continue to clean up after others when I have a bachelor’s degree. Not saying that my degree automatically propagates me above others, but it is a level of education that does put me ahead of the requirements of some menial jobs.
I’m so glad it’s Friday! Made it through another week. I’m proud of myself for showing up to work each day. It takes mental and physical work to get me out of the apartment. I literally stand for a few seconds staring down the flight of stairs. Holding my bike Gladys for emotional support. I have to pick up her forty-five pound body and carry her down to the first floor. From there we travel to work. Once I clock in, then I have a sense of resolve.
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