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 Three Hundred & Eighty-nine: 6/3/2024
The summer has begun. Though, we have teachers this week…there are no students at least. The summer is here and of course I had to be in charge tonight. I’m not annoyed by that, my boss never calls out sick so if he needed to take the day then I say take the day. Luckily I didn’t have to do too much. I was a bit spent from my wild weekend, so I’m grateful all I had to do was trash the building and clean a few bathrooms.
It allowed me extra time in front of my computer. Although, I’m not sure if I’m going to continue the blog throughout the summer. I didn’t last year because what am I going to write about when I’m deep cleaning. Is there anything entertaining about that? I’m not even doing my full glam looks. I don’t want to lose any more lashes this summer and I don’t feel like wasting product that is just going to be sweated off. Even when the air conditioning is running, I will most likely break a sweat.
Part of me feels like something is missing when I don’t do the look. As if I’m not really The Teal Fairy without a layer of teal makeup that makes Craig disappear. As you can see from the picture I took I’m having a bit of a gray day. Because I wasn’t going to be the fairy, maybe I could be the fellow underneath. I don’t really like it.
Day Three Hundred & Ninety: 6/4/2024
I’m quite exhausted and this week has only begun. The perk about summer is not having the students in the building. However, at the beginning of the summer there is so much TRASH! The teachers have waited all year to dispose of their useless items. Since I’m in charge of the building at the end of the night I’ve also been responsible for the majority of the trash. When I tell you there has been a lot, it is an understatement.
Last night I had to do the whole building and I completely forgot to do the basement. Today was different. My other coworkers helped out, but I still had to do the whole upstairs by myself. I had many hours to complete this task and it was needed. When I think I have enough barrels to hold off the discarded materials, then one is filled after only going through three rooms.
I know this all sounds super boring, but these barrels are over filled with substances that make them weigh more than fifty pounds. They’re intense by yourself. Since I’m alone I’ve found a way to lift the barrels up to the lip of the extra large trash receptacles. Since they’re outside the sun shines on my back as I lift these heavy gray barrels up to as high as I can lift them. Then I use my left knee to pry the barrels up higher until I can grab them from underneath. With all my strength, I’m able to slide the opening into the large receptacle. The contents tumble out with a loud thud as the heavy trash hits the metal.
By the time the barrels are completely empty I’ve effectively broken a dirty sweat. Then, I have 3-5 more barrels to empty before my shift is over. So, once I’m sitting in front of my computer I’m thoroughly ready to go to bed. I’m completely pooped. I even slept twelve hours last night. I’d meant to go to the gym this morning, but I was so tired. Then, after I worked out all throughout my shift I don’t have that guilt anymore. The summer season is exhausting. It’s only just begun too.
Day Three Hundred & Ninety-one: 6/5/2024
I feel so blah without the makeup. Without the glamor I’m lacking that spark that fulfills me while I’m cleaning. Except, there’s no way that I can afford to waste product during the summer. I think that’s why I’ve decided that this will be my last posting until the end of the summer. I will still keep track of my thoughts, but I won’t be taking any pictures of myself. I don’t want to see my drab self everyday. Especially a sweaty, red faced, and boring looking Craig.
Instead, I’ll hold off and abstain until the school is back in session. At least then, the student body will appreciate my efforts. I’m like a fallen tree in the woods. If I glam up, if there’s no one around to see it am I really glammed up? Don’t get me wrong, I don't think I’ll come to work without mascara. I mean, a fairy can’t go completely naked. Right?
I really am tired today too. As my other coworkers were down in the basement starting the deep cleaning process, I was in charge of dumping all of the trash and cleaning all of the bathrooms. Within the first two hours of my shift I had already walked the building four times. There’s a lot from the first and second floor. I felt that there was enough for one person.
Well, it might not have been enough for one of my coworkers. I don’t think he was trying to be rude, but I don’t appreciate it when someone questions my tasks. I had already discussed my duties with my boss. If he didn’t agree to those terms then he should make himself the boss. Oh yeah, you can’t just do that. Anyway, it annoyed me. I don’t need to be annoyed on a day that I’m already going physically demanding by the tasks at hand. Summer is here and it’s going to be a struggle.
Day Three Hundred & Ninety-two: 6/5/2024
Today is the end of my evening hours. At the beginning of my shift I was told that I’ll be working in the morning tomorrow. I suppose I’m the oddity that prefers to work the evenings. I like to have the mornings to myself. Like today, the morning was mine. I didn’t sleep well last night, and since I didn’t have to work until noon I was able to sleep in, enjoy some coffee, and run an errand. For the rest of the summer, that will not be the case. I’ll have to wake up when the alarms go off and I’ll only be able to sleep in on the weekends.
However, I’m not sure how much sleep I’ll be getting since the temperatures have begun to rise. I’m already dreading next week when it’s going to be in the upper nineties. NO THANK YOU! I don’t like the snow in the winter but I hate the heat in the summer more. It’s my choice to not have air conditioning, so can I actually complain?
I’m exhausted after another long day, though I checked my steps and I’m not walking more than usual. So, why am I so spent? Am I asking because I want someone else to answer my questions. I’m not trying to be introspective at this moment. I’m trying to figure out how I can adjust my routine so I’m not feeling this way the entire summer. There will be eleven weeks of the summer. Over fifty days to get through.
Today was a day of preparing the building for one of our summer programs. All of my coworkers were in the basement prepping the rooms and floors to be rewaxed. Don’t worry, I’ll be doing that soon. Instead, I was prepping the first floor for our summer program. I thought they were going to take over the second floor as well, but plans changed. There was enough for me to do anyhow. The program is called Achieving Excellence Academy and will have students and teachers operating in our classrooms and hallway throughout June.
Day Three Hundred & Ninety-three: 6/7/2024
Well, I made it to work on time today. At least it will be an easy day even though I had to be here before noon. Majority of the staff are attending the custodial picnic. I choose not to attend. I haven’t gone any of the years that I’ve been employed with the school. It’s been held at locations that aren’t close to me and honestly I’d prefer to work than hangout in a park with people I don’t know. I feel somewhat elitist when I say this, but I don’t have a desire to get to know other custodial workers from around the district. What am I going to talk about? How much I disdain my profession and how much I’m trying to become a writer. I’m good.
Besides, if I really wanted a break from the school I would prefer to have an actual day off. I don’t want to spend the time out in the sun. Typing out these feelings makes me sound like such a brat, but oh well. I suppose I am a brat. I want what I want and I don’t do what I don’t want to do. Unless I don’t have an option.
Talking about not having an option. I’m getting overtime tonight. Not what was expected. I suppose I should be grateful that I’ve had a pretty low key day. There were only 3 of us working since the rest went to the picnic. To strip the floor of a room, it takes 3 people. So we completed 2 rooms thoroughly before one coworker left. Really, since 2:30 I haven’t had to do much. However, the summer program started today. I was told that they would be done by 4:30. LIES LIES LIES! They won’t be done until 8pm tonight.
This fairy will be receiving overtime because there’s no other option. It’s not like I can just leave at my designated time. Which was 5:30pm. I’m not mad at the program organizers. I’m mad that my boss had me come in at 9am. I was perfectly happy to come in at 12pm, like I’ve been doing all week. This mistake is going to cost someone, and it’s not going to be me.
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