holliday

There's a full moon over Monterey bay tonight...nestled in a clear sky of stars...

It makes me wonder when the last time I saw stars was...

I wonder if there were stars in Houston...
I'm sure there were...I just can't remember taking the time to look up and see them...

***

Tomorrow I will be finishing off my first two weeks at my new job...and I have to admit...it's been bumpy.

It's hard to be the new kid...but it's even harder to be the first woman to ever work in this shop.

Me and everyone else has their guards up...

I don't have any of my own work...I'm like a lost puppy.

And every time I say something like, "Really? That's not what they taught me in school." I come across as negative and unteachable. At least in the paint shop...where when asked, workers were reporting that they didn't want to teach me anymore...

Or at least that's what my boss said when he sat me down on my second Monday and said that he didn't think I was going to work out.

Yeah, that's right folks...I nearly got fired after just a week.

Don't worry...your faithful hero pleaded her case and explained herself. Promising to keep my seemingly misunderstood mouth shut...

Truth is...I don't like the paint shop much anyway. It's a mexican boys club...and while I'm not against mexicans (my last boyfriend was a beaner)...let's just say they haven't been real warm to me and the idea of having me there...

The body shop side is a little better, but without any work of my own or any idea on how their whole process works...I've been spotted just standing around and smoking a cigarette...

The good news is that my boss and I have worked this out.
I've kept my mouth shut and the mexican painters have been more open to me.

And as per my request, the boss has kept me in one part of the shop for more than a day in a row and I've begun to learn how things go...which ends up in my being better able to self-initiate.

In fact, today I sought out a co-worker I respect in the body shop and for the second day in a row he got me my own projects...which I've been working on with his supervision.

Today my boss came to me and asked if I was happy working out in the body shop...to which I reported it was like making mud pies as a kid out in the backyard...

He then explained that one of their office personelle was leaving...meaning he was offering me an office position...to which I promptly answered...no, thank you.

Truth is...I'm as happy as a pig in shit when I'm out in the body shop bloodying my knuckles on all kinds of things.

I certainly don't mind being versitile and moving around the shop some...but as I told my boss in regards to his issues with my being a chick...I said, "Gene...just remind yourself...I HAD an office job...I left it to come here and get dirty...don't worry about me."

Good lord...just don't put me behind a desk!!!!!!


Entitled..."Happy hands are hands with busted knuckles..."



***

In other news...

My roommates are fabulous.
They're a bit younger than me...skaters...surfers...pot heads...

They're friendly and mellow and I enjoy coming home to them after my long days of busting knuckles. They're interested enough to ask about my day...but aren't personally involved. It's a nice balance...

I'm sure I'll share more about them as time goes on...

***

My first Saturday I spent in my jammies writing that previous entry while sitting out at the table in our back yard. Because yeah, I have a backyard.

And yeah, I have to smoke my cigarettes out there...but I don't even mind.

I sit there and gaze at the palm tree and the evergreens growing there...thinking how lucky I am to be in such a place.

I even went ahead and took myself out on a date Saturday night...the movies...Harry Potter...

This might seem trivial to you...but you should know...I never bothered to find the movie theater in Houston. Not because I didn't have the money or the time (which I didn't) but because I knew I wasn't staying.

Sunday I had a date with the sunset over the Pacific, but it was too cloudy. I'll try again this weekend.

***

The first time I walked into Alberton's grocery I nearly cried with joy at the array of juicy produce...the tofu...YUM!

I'm already smoking half as many cigarettes and drinking even less.

I cook for myself...I eat breakfast...I pack a lunch...

I'm returning to normal.

Returning to a life routine that makes sense.

Things that are so mundane...but all the things I've missed about life. Laundry...taking out the garbage...cooking...cleaning...washing myself and my dishes...

My nightly tv watching...

Buying and reading a book...just for the fun of it.

***

There are moments I even recognize myself.