Day 1: New Job

How was my first day at my job? It rocked the house. Plus, I learned five very important things:

1) Getting my work out done in the morning is a GOOD idea. Yes, I felt like death warmed over when my alarm clock went off at 5:20 a.m., but once I was whipped into shape -- today was Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred Level 1 -- I felt like the bombdizzle!

When I got home after work, I was attacked by kids, errands, basketball practice, must-go-buy-a-white-shirt-its, and the pizza got dropped face-down on the floor so clearly we weren't having THAT for dinner anymore! Let's just say I was glad the workout got taken care of earlier in the day.

2) Dressed In All Black Like The Omen: I know why I like black clothes so much. It's because I'm no good with coordinating outfits... and I spill stuff on myself all the time. Or my pen explodes on me... or one of my kids wipes his mouth on me while giving me a hug. For this reason, I wore black pants and a black twinset. And black shoes. Hey, wait...I'm black, too! Go figure! I was 100% black power today!

3) Making Your Six Year-Old Sleep In His Clothes Isn't An Inherently Bad Thing: Think of it this way - if the kid is psyched to sleep in his clothes and you don't have a nervous breakdown on your first day of a new job because you're trying to get him dressed, how is this wrong? Especially when said six year-old has been known to fly into a tizzy over which shirt to wear.

4) Riding the bus to work in Los Angeles is awesomely possible. I only had to wait eight minutes for it to arrive. Fare was $1.25. The ride took about 15 minutes. I got to surreptitiously check out a guy who had on an old-skool fake gold dookie chain along with a green and yellow track outfit. And a jheri curl. Whoo! This bus riding is going to be awesome observational fodder for my writing notebook!

Added bonus:
I got more exercise walking to/from the bus stop.

5) Take A Small Personal Item With You: Just when you thought I couldn't possibly work Depeche Mode into a post about the first day of work, behold! How you like me now!

I took my Depeche Mode mug with me
because, well, I drink tea all day, I like Depeche Mode. The mug is black. I like black. It's also part white. I racially identify with it... it's reconnected me with my roots!

****
Any downsides? The only downside is that my first day back with the full-time masses has clearly NOT cured me of my insomnia issues. I'm going to go give sleep one more try!

Comments

nick said…
Glad it's going well so far. Didn't you write about SYO sleeping in his clothes before or was that another practical mum? Yeah, black does hide a multitude of mishaps. I don't understand those folks who always wear white or some pale colour which just gets scruffy in about half an hour. They must be in love with their washing machine....

One of these days we'll find DM are sneaking into EVERY post by hook or by crook!
Mes Deux Cents said…
Congrats on the new gig, Liz! Do they still call the buses RTD or is it Metro now?


"or one of my kids wipes his mouth on me while giving me a hug."

Lol
Leili said…
100% Black power!
Sundry said…
Oh, yeah, you're gonna love the bus. That's a reasonable ride time, too. Some of my most vivid memories of my early days in L.A. are from the bus.
Hurray for a great first day! Congratulations!! Whooo hoooo!! I'm certainly impressed. What a journey you're on!
Jeremy said…
Congratulations on the new gig, but I still find Metro here to be unbearably painful. :(
Daniel said…
Los Angelista,
You Got A J.O.B.?! Did I miss something somewhere?! Have I been sleep-reading through your posts?!
My, I feel foolish. Didn't know.

But bus ridin' is FUN! I love it when I get to commute by bus. Especially when I work late and miss all the other boring commuters and get to ride with the "regular" night-time ridership. Free entertainment, free dribble to talk about (and keeping my Survival skills alive, lol)! And ogling the women! LOL! Life’s best stuff is often right in plain view, where everybody else Doesn’t see it.

Sleeping in his clothes? No prob. Shoulda seen the winter my girl decides she’s wearin’ her swimsuit all winter. I’d come home, house would be 95+ Degrees, gas furnace glowing red (utility bill bordering on Bankruptcy) and she’d be “Sunning”.
Kids! Ain’t they great?

Hope everything goes well!
Anonymous said…
Congratulations on your job, dear Liz. I know you'll do brilliantly. And, as WC Fields said, the best cure for insomnia is to get a little sleep.
Jen said…
Congratulations! It sounds like it went pretty well so far. I've been doing the 5:20 so I can get my work-out thing in, too. (5:15, actually). And yes, it's, um, ugh, worth it.
Liz Dwyer said…
Nick,
I've always been horrible with white clothes, and I don't really like using bleach because it's just not environmentally friendly. I did write about T sleeping in his clothes when he was a baby/toddler. He didn't sleep in them last night though so I have to make sure he doesn't try to put on shorts this morning!

Mes,
Thanks for the congrats! The bus is Metro now and it's $1.25 a ride. I like that they have an AAA price comparison so I know that the same drive would cost me $1.67 in gas. There's limited parking around my new office so busing it is doubly good.

Leili,
That's right!

Sundry,
The bus is so cool. I don't like waiting for it too much but it's not so bad.

Claudia,
It is definitely a journey and I hope I can tell lots of great stories and share the cool things people are doing.

Jeremy,
It's not as easy, that's for sure. Especially when I want to run errands or drag a lot of stuff with me.

Daniel,
Yes, I did! I'll email you about it - you might know of some interesting stuff I can tap into for it.

Ian,
Yes, and the other cure is not watching the History Channel's Armageddon Week. That mess is a total insomnia causer!

Jen,
Thank you! Whew, I wish I could fall asleep earlier b/c I'm up so early, but no luck!
Daniel said…
Los Angelista,
Feel free to do so! I'll help any way I can, if I can (which, like everybody else these days, is less than before (sad face)).
1969 said…
So proud of you. Congrats. I took public transportation to work too for years. Cheap, no paying for parking downtown and it was easy.

Yes, you must take a personal item with you. It makes work more tolerable.

My first day rocked as well. And I wore black! LOL
Congrats on the new job!!!
Unknown said…
Congrats again on the full-time gig. I've done the put kids to bed in tomorrow's clothes thing before too. Invariably, however, one of them will accidentally wet the bed and it all ends up to be so much more trouble than intended! :) Press on and enjoy your new work-life!

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