Lighting Up

Ed. Note: This shyt right here made me laugh!! It’s work safe. Check it out: http://www.milkandcookies.com/links/25512/

No, this isn’t about drugs. Damn addicts.

This week has been one of transition for me not just in the blog address but some other shyt. First, I’ll talk about work. I make it a point not to say anything bad about my work situation here. After all, I do use my real first name and it’s not that hard for co-worker to find the page or for readers to find out where I work. There are a couple of you who I IM and who I’ve shared some things with. Then there are my real-lifers who I’ve also talked to about this.

Yesterday, after a meeting, there was a discussion in my suite. My co-worker, let’s call her D, quit. She quit to be a stay at home mom. And let me tell you, her baby is absolutely yummy. What I noticed was that when she started talking about her baby and husband her eyes lit up. She didn’t seem sad to be leaving at all. And the guy she was talking to, he was sharing how he and his wife decided that she wouldn’t go back to work after she had their first child. He went on to say that they’d been planning this since before they got married. From day one, they lived on one person’s income…his. His wife doesn’t make much as a teacher (I think). Anyhow, he pointed out how instead of going out and upgrading everything they had upon getting married, they planned and lived way beneath their means. And as he talked about his ability to do this, his eyes lit up too.

These two conversations got me to thinking. Am I really following my life plan?? And what is it that I do that makes my face light up?? It damn sure isn’t working this job. For my entire career, I’ve worked in education. I thought I was passionate about it. I thought I liked it. But truth is, I really don’t. I get nothing from the education piece of my job. The piece I truly enjoy has nothing to do with education. Go figure. And I’m scared that if I keep at the rate I’m going, getting the otherwise decent to great jobs I’ve gotten, I will paint myself into a corner and be stuck in an industry for which I care little.

In my previous position, it was the people that made it very enjoyable. Made me think this was the industry I wanted to be in. And until recently, the same was true with my current job. Recently…Let’s just say I absolutely hate, Hate, HATE people, especially women, who punctuate their sentences with giggles. As a matter of fact, I stopped chatting with a friend of mine because she too punctuates her sentences with that stupid ass giggle. You know the one? The one they throw on the end of a sentence that might be offensive?? I hate that shyt almost as much as I hate passive aggressive men. But that’s another story.

Thus far, I have gone where the universe has led me. And I believe that the universe has led me here and will continue to lead me to where I belong. What I know, without a doubt, it sure isn’t ‘here’. I kinda know what it is that makes my eyes light up. I’m not that much of an idealist that I believe I’m entitled to a job I love. Hell, I’m not entitled to a job at all. But for the love of GAWD, can I at least be in an industry I enjoy?? One where there’s always something NEW to learn…Not just re-interpret!!! Now what should I do??

The other transition…It’s kinda happened without me even knowing. In the back of my mind I knew it would come. Who am I kidding? In the front of my mind, I knew it was coming. I just hadn’t set an official plan in motion to make it happen. Presently, there are way too many people in my life who add no value. I used to be content with saying I had separate groups. One for socializing, the other for genuine friendship. As time goes on though, I find myself turning those genuine friends into the people I socialize with. And it feels great. It feels great to be able to engage in open honest conversations in the midst of socializing. It feels good to exist around people who have my absolute best interest at hand. People on the same page as me.

Isn’t life about growing though?? And isn’t it true that in the process of growing, some branches have to break?? Or even be pruned back??

Lastly, I drive slow!! I’m talking so slow that last night two people almost hit me because they were speeding and trying to ‘encourage’ me to do 70 in the slow lane. Da hell?? Maybe this is why my insurance gets cheaper as I get older. I’m not in a rush to get too many places because with proper time management, I can get anywhere on time…And so can you. Late people, habitually late people, are often some of the most self-centered bastards ever. Many of them think the ‘insert event here’ starts upon their arrival. Gethtefuggouttahere!!!! Plus, if you are habitually late, it also says you don’t respect others’ time. Needless to say, I am not a fan of habilitually late mofos!!

But about this driving…I take my time with damn near everything now. Unless I’m rushing home to watch Being Bobby Brown. I don’t know if it’s that I’m more settled in life, getting old, or what. But I take my time. You should try it.

Oh and last night, guess who my bartender was?? Oh and guess who rents an apartment from my boy. These are two differenct people. I’ll give you a hint. The first one dated someone on Real World Philly and the second started out on Road Rules (I think) and has appeared on several post show challenges.