Day Two Hundred & Ninety-one: 12/18/2023
I really thought about it and I decided I won’t be doing any social media posts while I’m working during the holiday break. Yes, I’ll technically be working, but I won’t have the energy to be The Teal Fairy. It requires extra work and supplies that I’m not willing to waste when no one is in the building except the custodial staff. Also, since I’ll have to wake up so early that the sun hasn’t risen, I don’t want to put on a full face. It makes me happy to be The Teal Fairy, except, I won’t have the fortitude to present as my character when Craig has to be at work so early.
I’ve said this to others and now I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it here, well, having the students out of the building is a double edged sword. I’m grateful that there won’t be anyone behind me making a mess. However, when they are out of the school we, the custodial staff, work different hours. I prefer the evening shifts. This allows me to have my mornings to myself and I’m much more creative in the morning than I am any other part of the day.
Well, when you take that away I’m not really happy. Also, there is work that we have to do that makes me want to quit. Like today, we had to work in freezing temperatures to clean up discarded leaves off the campus of the elementary school. It was daunting and we will have to continue the work tomorrow morning.
I took this job to be a custodian inside the building. Each and EVERY time that I’m required to work outside makes me feel extremely indignant. I’m already performing a menial task so that I have time to fuel my creative side. I long since hung up my desire to ever be a laborer. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever aspired to work outside. I hated it as a child and I don’t like it now. You can’t pay me enough to want to do these tasks. Except, I don’t have a choice. I believe that is where I become most irate. When you take away my choice, I wish I had the actual authority to refuse such demands from my superiors.
I’m not pleasant to be around and I’m not going to pretend to be otherwise. It is extremely immature on my part, but I don’t care. I’ve advised my coworkers that I’m not a morning person. I’m the first person to volunteer to work the later hours. I also don’t pretend to be decent at physical labor.
I had so many moments today where I stopped doing what I was doing to contemplate how I got here. I hadn’t felt this level of frustration as when we had to shovel snow when school was canceled due to inclement weather. I’m working diligently to remove myself from these menial responsibilities, only, things haven’t come to fruition as I wish. I wonder if I would be in such a state if I would have been notified ahead of time. If my boss knew that we were working outside, then he could’ve told us to dress accordingly. I would’ve worn the appropriate clothing. I would’ve used the appropriate work gloves to perform this task and I would’ve been mentally prepared for it.
I’ve been suffering from neck and shoulder pain for a month, and recently I’ve been muddling through a chest cold. The last thing I needed was to work outside in the freezing temperature, unprepared for such conditions. The only thing I can be grateful for at this moment is that we will have some extended time off. Intermittently between the end of year holidays. I will embrace these paid days off with such joy and merriment that I hope my indignant behavior will be squashed. At least until the students arrive to destroy all the cleaning that we’ve done.
Day Two Hundred & Ninety-two: 12/19/2023
It’s funny how twenty degrees can make all the difference. Yes, twenty degrees can make a morning much more tolerable than the day before. It also helped that I was more prepared for the day. Even when my boss can’t seem to take ownership of his shortcomings, I had a better day. I don’t like being in a sour mood. I don’t appreciate the indignation that I feel when I have to perform certain tasks. However, I’m still unsatisfied with how things have turned out. I know that it was I that applied to be a custodian, it was my choice. I’m struggling with aspects of my profession that doesn’t feel like a choice.
I don’t choose to wake up at five in the morning unless it's for something fun. Not to rake leaves! At least after today that project is done. That’s all that I can be grateful for. Oh, along with the increase of temperature by twenty degrees. It really made such a difference.
I’m leaving work tired, but not as angry as I was yesterday. Let’s hope that I can make it through the rest of the winter break without quitting out of frustration.
I was at least given the head’s up that I’ll be working outside again tomorrow. I’m going to try and think positive about this endeavor since tomorrow is also going to be a warmer day. Especially for a December day in Colorado. Sunny and sixty degrees is quite ideal to work outside. Even though I hate working outside.
Day Two Hundred & Ninety-three: 12/20/2023
Surprises and luck can go either way, good or bad. Well, I feel like today brought good luck and a good surprise. Most needed for sure. The last two days were physically hard and I’m quite grateful that I didn’t have to work outside again today. It was a shock since I was advised that we wouldn’t be doing more outside duties. Well, a change of plans meant that I would get to work inside. Deep cleaning my designated area.
I wouldn’t say that I necessarily enjoyed my day because I had to be at work, but I wasn’t as indignant as I felt earlier this week. I would prefer to sit at my writing desk and create fantastical stories than scrubbing walls and trash bins. However, we don’t always get what we want in life. If I’m going to have to do a job, I would prefer to do the work that I did today. I’m familiar with the space and I can take my time to effectively make the doors, glass, and surfaces gleam with cleanliness. All while escaping into my mind, drifting along with audiobooks and podcasts.Now, I wasn’t given the choice of what I would be working on today, but I was blessed with an activity that I didn’t despise.
Staff was given a lovely surprise today, notification that we would be excused two hours early tomorrow. The whole district was given this lovely surprise. Something kind before the holiday break. It’s a very good surprise. Mostly because it’s two free hours of pay! Who could ask for more? Not this fairy. I’ll take my luck and my blessings whenever they decide to make an appearance.
Day Two Hundred & Ninety-four: 12/21/2023
I need to figure out how I can continue to be paid for working a full day, but only putting in a fraction of those hours. Today was ideal. I only had to perform a few small tasks. Mostly, small things that I missed from the day previously. Simple things that allowed me to stretch the hours. Scrubbing, wiping, and a little bit of dusting. All to be done before a lunch provided by superiors and a very friendly coworker. Perfection!
How this week started I’m thrilled of how it is ending. We will be off from work from today through Tuesday. Then, next week I only have to work Wednesday and Thursday. Just two days next week. I believe that a four day work week is fantastic, but I’m elated that I’ll only need to show up for two eight-hour shifts. I’m not saying that I’m lazy, but there are far more things that I would rather be doing than working a menial job.
I know, I know! There are far worse jobs than what I’m doing right now, except I want to spend my time writing and researching. Not vacuuming and mopping. I’ve been actively pursuing my dreams and I’ve found that what was a plan two years ago has turned into a situation that I can’t escape. There is no upward mobility for me in this current position. Unless I moved to another school, which doesn’t seem ideal. Though I complain and vent about this job, I really wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Day Two Hundred & Ninety-five: 12/27/2023
Made it to work without any fatal incidents. It snowed yesterday and I wasn’t sure how the roads were going to be. Especially since I was going to be riding a bike before the sun had risen. The rays of the sun never penetrated the light gray clouds yesterday and so I was hesitant to get on the roads this morning. I’ve fallen really hard these last few winters and I wasn’t ready to have another tumble. Particularly for a job that I have zero passion for.
Anyway, I’m here! This week we are only working Wednesday and Thursday. It’s odd to me because I’m not sure why they won’t give us the whole week. What is the point of working two days in between the holidays? At this very moment I’m sitting in the break room, enjoying my coffee, and waiting to get my marching orders from my boss. I prepared to work outside in case we have to shovel snow, but I’m hoping that I won’t have to embrace the outside elements today. Since the sun won’t be making an appearance until this afternoon.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Twas a winter miracle. I didn’t have to shovel snow today. Even though there was about two inches of snow covering all of the walkways, the sun came out and it wasn’t a priority. What was a priority was to perform more deep cleaning. An activity that I can certainly get behind. I can disappear into my audiobook while I scrub and scrape and goop and grime from ceiling to floor. It’s a short week so I’m going to try and put in some effort without breaking my back.
Day Two Hundred & Ninety-six: 12/28/2023
Today concludes the last day of work in 2023. I’m proud of myself for completing this year without quitting out of anger or frustration. Because, as you have read or even spoken to me you know that I’ve had plenty of annoyances throughout this year. I’m quite curious about what this next year will bring. Will it be fortuitous? If only I had the ability to see the future like a true psychic, oracle, or seer. Unfortunately, my abilities are limited to only knowing what’s happening one day at a time. Which leaves a lot to the imagination.
I have some plans, but I'm not sure if my efforts will pay off. I’ve done my best and I’m actively seeking a career as a writer. It all depends on others’ opinions of my work. Which is such a subjective point of view. Which also leads me to be thankful for those that have given me support over the years.
Back to this job, we’ve also done our best. There were only a few of us working this week. Rightly so, it still feels odd to me that we work only two days in between the holidays, but what do I know?! Anyway, the few of us that didn’t request time off have put in extra elbow grease to clean the area as thoroughly as possible. Specifically, I was tasked to diligently scrub my bathrooms. I’m actually grateful that I was given a run-down of exactly what needed to be done. It’s not that I try to do a bad job, but sometimes the bare minimum just isn’t enough. Thus, I had to get down on the floor and polish the porcelain far more extensively than I have in the past few months. I’m not complaining, because I was enthralled with an audiobook that I wanted to finish as soon as possible.
I’ll be back in the beginning of the new year and I’m hoping that I’ll have the fortitude to bring back the full Teal Fairy glam looks. As I won’t be working the 7am shift again. If all things happen the way that I want, then I hopefully won’t have to work the early morning shift ever again. All depends on what happens in the next few months.
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