the pieces of my life

Since I’m taking Monday off, this is officially my last day on the DVD & Video team (good-bye free DVDs!). Very odd feeling. The intranet already shows my new title, and I’m feeling neither here nor there at the moment. Occurred to me yesterday that out of everyone who launched DVD & Video, there’s only one person still on the team (and that’s not just editorial, either). I’ll have a few loose ends to tie up next week, but I’m hoping to start sitting in my new office on Wednesday, to remove myself. I hear things going on in DVD & Video, and I want to put in my two cents, but I realize that there are things going on that folks will have to deal with without me. I’m feeling a little angsty about starting my new job–I have no idea what I’ve gotten myself into. This place has changed so much in the past 3 3/4 years (although who’s counting?).

On a happier note, our house no longer smells like oil. Our bright and shiny new furnace is heating the whole house happily. And how do I love our new programmable thermostat (Peter said to me, “If you’re moving, why do you want to bother with a programmable thermostat?” Obviously someone has lived too long in a warm weather state). I remember when an exciting splurge used to be dinner at a new restaurant. Now it’s a programmable thermostat.

I’m so looking forward to a nice quiet four-day weekend (my first in an age, since I worked the day after Thanksgiving and the day before Christmas. Retail sucks). I want to do nothing but read and relax and catch a couple of flicks. Try to be less tense (or as Peter says, “Just be past tense”).

It’s the last blog from Fernley…EVER! (Adam, you’d better get into grad school).

Everything hurts. I’m tired. But there’s only an hour and a half to go.

Sarah’s here with me. Sarah, anything to say to the folks in Seattle? “Don’t ever send me here again,” she says. “And at least give me a gun if you do.” Sarah actually got tricked into coming out here–she was told it would be “fun.” She works in the public policy office in D.C., so she knew no one who could speak the truth of the horrors of Fernley. She’s my gift-wrapping buddy, even if she is only twenty-two.

And that’s all she wrote from Fernley.

I don’t care if it’s my last day–I STILL hate Crisplant. Still breaking them.

Another gift card (and really, this stuff is too good to be made up) on a c.d. Two presents, one went to a guy, one went to a girl. This one was for the girl: “[Girl’s name ending in i] study her moves, learn them, know them! Then you can tempt my soul like Sakira does. But you can honestly say you have mountainous breasts. Merry Christmas to the two of you.”

I am so tired. I cannot wait to get on that plane. When I’m not sleeping, I’ll be moisturizing my disgusting hands (cuts, dry skin, general nastiness). When I’m not moisturizing my hands, I’ll be sleeping.

LAST FRIGGING NIGHT!!! As Sarah says, “It’s so sad. Minus sad.”

Don’t drink and dude. Anyone who has spoken with me in the past 24 hours understands this statement (sorry, Adam).

Four and half hours of sleep simply is not enough for me. I knew I was in trouble when full-out daylight hit.

At least I’m not as bad off as Jayson. I was headed back to my room after I had picked up my lunch because I had forgotten my club card, and I ran into Jayson who was walking toward his room with one of the Amazon beach towels (this years gift) on his head. I said (what else?), “Dude, what’s that on your forehead?” He pulled the towel down, and across his forehead was written “Elvis Lives” in permanent marker (Jayson’s been wearing his Elvis glasses a lot). He said he had fallen asleep in the hospitality and woken up ten minutes before (it was 4 p.m.). He went up to his room and realized he didn’t have a key. So he went back, grabbed a towel to cover his head, and went to the front desk for a new key. Funny thing was I had just been in the room to get my Diet Coke and return the many beach towels Scott had given me the night before (oops, that morning), and I hadn’t even noticed him. When tonight starts to drag, I’ll think of Jayson and just start laughing all over again.

Did really well at the tables last night. I was down to about eight bucks, so I threw it all on the table and hit blackjack. Then, later, I was ready to leave. Didn’t know how much I had but I threw it all down and hit blackjack again! When I went to cash out my chips from the trip, I got back just over $65, which puts me pretty even for my own bets (actually, a little ahead). I’m leaving with almost half my per diem still in my pocket, thanks to John Ascuaga. Plus I had $18 on my club card, so breakfast for two of us was free today.

No more fried food. No more cheese. No more iceberg lettuce. No more canned green beans passing as a real vegetable. No more!

Okay, it’s past midnight, which means while I still have an entire workshift to go, I’m actually leaving tomorrow. Soon, very soon, I can stop playing the “48-hour” game (you know, “48 hours from now I will be eating a home-cooked meal”; “48 hours from now I will be fast asleep in my own bed”; “48 hours from now my feet won’t be hurting”) and start playing the “24-hour” game.

Tonight’s moving along, but I can’t remember the last time I was this tired. And I have to stay up tonight for my last night at the Nugget. There’s a party in the hospitality suite after work. I’m going to make it up till 9 a.m. come hell or high water. How’s that for living on the edge?

What’s with all the people giving World Trade Tower remembrance and tribute books as Christmas presents? Doesn’t seem too cheery to me.

One more hour until we start cleaning and one hour and fifteen minutes until I get to fall asleep on the bus.

Almost done, almost done. Today was the first time I slept late enough to be awoken by the alarm. Tonight though will be a very late night, as it’s our last night to hang in the casino after work. After Tuesday’s shift, it’s straight to the airport!

Speaking of the casino, I’m way ahead. Dolphins won tonight, easily covering the spread. And while I didn’t get first place in the slots tournament–that sneaky Chad played at the last minute and swooped into first place–I did come in second, which was still a lovely $100.

And my team leader saved me tonight. They needed folks to break in Crisplant, and he sent others, even though the Crisplant team lead requested me (I’m a fast chuter).

Some woman is unknowingly getting two holiday gifts. A guy had sent to himself two items: 1) a gift-wrapped Visor, with a gift card, “Merry Christmas to the bestest sweetie in the whole wide world.” 2) a non-gift wrapped copy of How to Make Love All Night (And Drive a Woman Wild: Male Multiple Orgasm and Other Secrets for Prolonged Lovemaking)

It was close: almost came to blows when Deb took over my gift wrap station. Luckily, she saw the error of her ways and moved. You don’t mess with my gift wrap station.

A gift to “Mom and Dad”: The Wrinkle Cure, which promises, “look years younger in days–without surgery!”

What do you think this person’s deal is. In one chute: The Art of Seduction, How to Get Anyone to Do Anything You Want, Never Be Lied to Again, 48 Ways to Power.

Another package grouping: Norman Rockwell’s Christmas Book, Erotic Confessions, Penthouse: Between the Sheets. I guess that will be a very Normal Rockwell kind of holiday, no?

Crisplant all morning–not too bad today, although they kept changing their minds about where I should work.

Amazon slot tournament at the Nugget: so far, I think I’m in first place (I got 6402 tonight, which means little to those not playing, but it’s good).

Another gift I do not want: The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Handwriting Analysis

Success! The ice cream vending machine has been refilled. I have not only an ice cream sandwich, but a neopolitan one, and it’s one of those cool vending machines that uses a vacuum to suck the ice cream up.

I was going for a personal best the past hour, and I missed. My best is 33 presents in an hour, and I only did 32 last hour. However, we are out of DVD sleeves (oh joy), which slows me down considerable.

An odd gift grouping: The Best of George Harrison, Manhattan Unfurled (drawings of the skyline of NY), and Miles Davis: Complete in a Silent Way Sessions.

Honest-to-goodness, real-live, I’m-not-making-this-up gift cards for a set of presents (rather bland presents, I might add):

Card 1: Amazon, your Customer Service is getting pretty lousy. Merry Christmas, [name]. Love, [name]

Card 2: Amazon, your gift process is lousy too. You said I could write one note and have it put on each package, but you lied. Merry Christmas, [name]. Love, [name]

Card 3: Amazon, what the hell is the deal with selling cars? What are you trying to do, create your own nation? And you’re still not even making a profit, for God’s sake! Merry Christmas, [name]. Love, [name].