PixlBit

There's nothing wrong with challenging yourself, especially in areas that you wouldn't think to. I have a job that, while not physically difficult, makes me feel the strain after it's all over. In my previous blog post, I was dreading the long Friday in which the main event was the basketball game I'd have to clean up after. It would be the last home game of the season (the teams are wrapped up in district tournaments for the next 2 weeks; they're being conducted elsewhere) but it was Senior Night so it attracted more people (people that don't normally attend the games will come to see certain students play; there was probably some fancy schmancy pep rallies and shit) and the opposing team happened to be their archrival so that brought even more people.

The gym was packed tighter the contents of a sardine can. I come to work an hour early or so to clean the facilities (bathrooms, lobby area, bleachers, trash cans) before the crowd arrives. During the game, I attend to other buildings that I have to clean and pop back into the gym to see if anything needs my attention. Imagine my surprise when I came in at one point and say the lobby floor covered with leaves. I couldn't sweep up everything because the whole lobby was crowded, so I did what I could near the entrance. No one seemed to care.

So, where does the challenge come in? Despite the fact that I would be there until the crack of dawn, I felt I could complete everything: the gym cleanup, regular duties (auxillary gym, football field house, 5 small middle school buildings) and the smaller half of the intermediate building (the janitor felt she needed to switch from full time to part time, so until my boss comes up with a replacement, there was a vacancy that needed to be filled). I ended up finishing everything except the field house and the 1/2 of the intermediate building by 6 a.m. before I felt - in every muscle in my body - that I couldn't continue. I needed food and sleep. But I didn't want to head home and drive all the way back to work (it's about a 25-30 minute trip) so I bought some breakfast from the local grocery store, ate and went to the intermediate building. I found a classroom that has a sofa and since teachers don't normally come to work on Saturdays, I fell asleep on the sofa for 6 hours, undisturbed. It sounds a bit unnecessary but I wanted to leave the campus with all my work done. When I woke up, I resumed what work I had left and finished around 5 p.m.

I came home and crashed. I ordered pizza, watched tv and then fell asleep again. Sunday consisted of video games, naps, laundry and dish washing. Despite the excellent weather outside, I didn't go out for anything. Laziness felt justified.

Played a lot more of Red Dead Redemption and some Mass Effect 3 multiplayer with friends. I downloaded TxK, the new PSN shooter for the Vita, and it's a blast. If you're familiar with Tempest or Dyad, it plays like a combination of those. It's easy to learn but the later levels get really challenging: it's not just the onslaught of oncoming enemies but the shapes you navigate around change with every level. The movement controlls (left stick or tilting the Vita; the latter didn't work for me) takes some getting used to (especially in the later levels) but the game felt very addicting. It's still available for $7.99 and will probably go to $9.99 after Tuesday.

I went to bed after watching the first 2 episodes of True Detective (I'm really REALLY going to like that show). Today, I assume that a regular workday will transpire, only the weather won't be as shitty and there will be no basketball games or any sports whatsoever until next August. While typing this, I got a call from my boss telling me that a recent new employee has just quit (after 2 days, my god) so my schedule will have to accomodate that. Whatever. After that fucking Friday, anything else should feel like a cakewalk. Challenge accepted.