Gave my notice at IKEA today. It was almost a little bit sad. Almost, but not quite. I have met some very nice people there, but truth be told, some creeps as well. Among the highlights:

• The older gentleman (I think he's 70) who was transferred out of our department because he can't run a computer. I felt sorry for him until I heard that he'd tried to pursue one of the younger gals (she's 24) in our department and wouldn't leave her alone about his marriage offer. Eww.
• The guy who brought in a teddy bear for that same 24 year old woman on Valentine's Day, then asked her out. She said no. He then turned to me, bringing me a volume of his poetry and sitting down, uninvited (I bring schoolwork there every day and spread out, taking up the entire table so it's abundantly clear that I'm not looking for company. Or love, thank you.) with me twice. It doesn't sound like much but it was creepy enough for me.
• The real gem: a former military man with no 'real-world' work experience, education or manners. No matter what the topic of conversation, he brings it back to himself (even and especially if he's not part of the discussion) and how The Man, in some form or another, is bringing him down. He's the same guy who could snap his fingers and get a PhD (honestly, I think he means GED) but he doesn't need to 'read no damn Socrates to know how to get around in this world.' To which I replied 'have another great day in food service. Your experience serves you well.'

  That guy has also explained that women have it made, because we're magically eligible for the kind of lovely free housing that is forbidden to him. When I pointed out that those women get that housing because of the babies made by men like him, babies that these women are raising on their own, he didn't hear me. Funny how the wax buildup only blocks outside sounds, not the sound of his own lovely, charming, intelligent voice.

And with that, I bid the House of Poang chairs and the Many People a somewhat lukewarm farewell.

I came home this afternoon to write. I have 15 pages of fiction due on Monday but now that I sit down, I am so exhausted from all the power skating, step aerobics and the continued stress in my life that I don't see how I'll manage. Damn!

I do have one less thing to stress about. Through the grace of God (and Carol) I've landed a so-called 'real job,' starting on Monday. I'll work part-time until school is out for the summer, then see how it's going. This means that I'll be gleefully giving notice at IKEA tomorrow. Not a moment too soon.

Why it's Okay if I'm Slow

Because I can still do this.

Went to session one of the power skating class last night. It was fun skating with Andrea, though it's never fun to get my ass kicked by kids, even when I'm expecting it. The good news is that this year, the teenagers aren't too far ahead of me. I have to remember that where I skate, it's not necessary to be fast like a teenager, that I am pretty fast for the group I skate with.

Right now, I am so tired, stressed and physically banged up that I've developed a twitch in my left eye. Fan-tastic.

I just caught Zeus, who had eaten half a bottle of hot sauce. He now has a belly full of the stuff and can't understand why he's so thirsty. Dumb.

Farewell, sweet Northie
Friday night, I was running out of the house to get to Oakland for Seals practice on time (a practice, by the way, that kicked my ass so hard I actually cried out in pain) when the phone rang. It was Thoma, calling with the shittiest of news, that his wonderful, sweet, funny lab Northrup had died on Feb. 5 from cancer. The big guy was almost 10 but that's irrelevant, it was still way too soon for him to leave. He was a guide dog reject, making him a well-behaved (though scared of gunshots, who could imagine why?) gentleman. Alice adored him, he was the only dog she liked. They shared a common love of all things edible. Thoma put a note in with Northie's body, asking him to say hi to Alice for all of us.

They just don't make 'em like they used to. Farewell, sweet guy. May you and Alice wreak havoc at the buffet until we all get there. Save some Baron of Beef for me, okay?

Northie, with Alice and Ellie. All three of them live only in our hearts now.

I can't win
I am utterly winless as a red goalie. Each game, I let in 5. Tonight was the same story, though this time I let in all 5 in the first period, including a beatiful wrist shot scored by none other than Andreatan, who aimed right at the net, not the goalie, just like I told her to and wham, it sailed right by me. Though my first words were 'fuck you!,' I was, and am, proud of her for playing her first red game (as a sub, her first time to get the call!!!) and for scoring. I just wish she'd scored on someone who wasn't me. But I'm proud as hell.

I went on to have 2 shutout periods, having let in all 5 at once, I was then free to actually play well. We lost it in overtime when I thought I had the puck but it dropped out of my arm (I was holding it between my arm and my body) and a free winger was right there to poke it in.

I ended up playing 3 games today, skating out in my final maroon game of the season (we won, 2-0), then subbing in for Andrea's green team as a goalie (my first real shutout, 6-0!, I faced 19 shots), then I lost the third, facing 33 shots and letting in a total of 6. Though I'm pleased about the two wins, thrilled about Andrea's lovely goal, I'm still bummed at being winless for my regular red team. I think I'll try to demote myself to green next season, build some confidence in net, then come back to red, if they'll have me.

Until then, Andreatan's personal highlight reel now has an amazing clip. In a way I'm lucky, that that clip features both of us but she's the one getting the glory. Rock on, my loo.