I'm A Big Girl Now... Where Are My Keys??

Well today was my first day back to the workforce. I should be sleeping right now, but because I have led a bum-lifestyle the past thirty days, my internal clock is a bit skewed. It was NOT pleased at 7:00 this morning-- nor will it be tomorrow morning! But I'll take this chance to provide an update for you all. The first day at work was as boring as expected-- two hours watching a movie regarding HIPAA regulations (no worries- your health information is confidential at Catholic Charities), four hours of reading policies and procedures, 15 minutes eating lunch, and approximately 2.75 hours spent staring at my empty desk. Half of my co-workers are out for training and so there was only one girl in the office with me. She wasn't super talkative and so I was concerned about our future friendship (yes.. I need to be friends with all my coworkers). That is, until this conversation took place. I will use CW as her initials...

**Following about two straight hours of no talking, only listening to really bad R&B (redundant?)**

CW: So... how's your appetite?

S: (confused) Um... I'm sorry, what?

CW: Your appetite.

S: (I already had lunch-- what's she saying??) My appetite? Um.. what..?

CW: Do you like to EAT?

S: Oh... yeah, I mean absolutely, I love eating!

CW: Okay good, you'll fit in good here then. We really like to eat.

Whew... I'm totally fitting in. Next week I'm bringing cookies to seal friendships with the absent co-workers. I'm not above it! I feel good about my new work environment. Too bad we work in the ghetto and there's no Starbucks to take "team-building" trips to. I miss you, STARRY! I guess there's always the corner deli. A good old fashioned honey bun is good any time of day!

I also need to share my Labor Day story. Angie was hanging out with me for the day and we were at my apartment and hadn't really done anything all day and decided we would go see a movie. It was about 4:30 and we were about to leave when I realized I needed to show Angie the roof and how cool it was. It's actually not that cool and I'm not sure why it was imperative that I show her right then at that moment, and not just on our way out. I decided I'd just leave the door unlocked- we'd be right back down in a minute. So we shut the door, perused around the roof, then came back down. To a locked door. Apparently my bottom lock locked on its own and so there we were-- no keys, no phones, no wallets, no NOTHING. In an empty apartment building. With the landlord out of town. Awesome.

So, Angie has some amateur lock-picking skills and she went to work with the bobby pin she found in the foyer (such a little MacGyver!). Meanwhile, I'm knocking on all the doors of the apartments surrounding me trying to find someone with a phone. You see, I always knew I would eventually lock myself out, which is why I entrusted my spare key to my good friend, Andrew. However, I was not prepared for a situation in which I did not have my phone-- and I did NOT have Andrew's cell phone number memorized. I finally found some neighbors, used their phone to track down Andrew's number... no answer. The neighbors gave us some tools, I found some more scrap metal on the roof, and Angie continued to work at the lock. It is now 6:30. The movie had come and gone. Thankfully, about this time, the neighbor's husband came home as I'm once again using their phone. He grabs a shockingly large screwdriver, heads upstairs and mutters something about his "special forces training" and proceeds to work some magic with the screwdriver and bust in the door with his body. Without breaking anything. Angie and I stood there with our mouths hanging open in awe. It was one of the most impressive things I've ever seen... also I was beyond relieved that we no longer had to stand and sweat in the hallway! I must give it to Angie though-- I believe she would have had that lock picked eventually. She's so bright! I basically stared at the door for two hours, pretending to help with the flashlight now and again. Bottom line-- Labor Day was more laborious than my first day of actual work. Oh the irony. I think I'm going to give a spare key to the special forces family downstairs.

All in all-- a productive couple of days... kind of? I did meet two guys from Austin tonight at a church event-- so that was cool! Apparently there are a lot of Texans at my church... I knew I liked that place. I hope we have a barbeque soon!