Typical Minnesota. Yesterday it just snowed and snowed and snowed, for all the hours I was awake, trudging and blowing and swirling like winter didn't know it was March 31, and it was time to go out like a lamb. There was no light in the sky, and the flakes that fell were huge clumps of wet, heavy, plus-sized flakes, almost turning to slush before hitting the ground. And then today, April 1, it's like yesterday was an April Fool's joke a day early, with the sun shining as hard and as brightly as any day so far this spring, melting the snow off the roof of my building in loud, clunky, flailing chunks.
And here I am, at home, listening to R.E.M.'s new album, and I'm feeling so good. Even though I am jobless and trying to assemble some freelance and I have no promises or paychecks, the new album is so good that I feel like if I got out of my chair and jumped around that I might stay suspended, midair, because that is the power of R.E.M., especially with this new album which feels so much like old R.E.M. plus the best parts of new R.E.M. (and here I am talking about Berry-era and post-Berry-era) and "Supernatural Superserious" just makes me want to write notes in class and giggle. And that, my friends, is the transformative power of music, because, good God, this is otherwise a dark time in my unemployed bubble.
In another way, though, I feel more superserious than ever about my career. For example, I am now the proud owner of my very own copy of the Chicago Manual of Style, and come on, they're not cheap and usually you can get them at work and expense them. But this big ol' orange manual, with the dust jacket still shiny, is mine all mine. All unedited texts are shaking in fear. Fear this pen, text! Or you know, I went to OfficeMax today and it was actually because I needed office supplies, and really I've only ever wanted supplies, not needed them. And I can be a grownup and write them off on my taxes because, hello, I am now like Willikat incorporated, sorta. Now I just need clients. Binder clips? Check. Jobs to use them on . . . Let me get back to you.
Photos to come.
9 comments:
You'll find something. I am confident you will. Schizpphrenic seasons are definitely something I did not escape here in Chicago.
This weather is driving me nuts, too. My husband were walking downtown on the way to the home opener last night and my wool coat was HEAVY with all the slushy stuff landing on it.
I just finished reading your posts about your job. How rotten is that? And what crummy timing.
You have a fantastic attitude (not to mention binder clips--the duct tape of the home office) and I'll bet a great freelance job is just around the snow-covered corner.
*and I
so sorry to hear about the icky weather, but glad you are feeling good thanks to REM. i won't tell you about the weather out here.
binder clips and pens are my favorite office supplies. good for you for buying a chunko reference book. i still haven't bought my industry's bibles.
you are just too cute.
i love buying office supplies "for fun," too!
Sorry about the snow, but I'm glad it waited until I left. Monday it rained all day here, yesterday it was cold with flurries, and today the sun's out. Fucking upper midwest.
I'm sending you lots of good job-hunting vibes!
And yes, you're not the only blogger I've been neglecting in the comment world - but know that I *am* reading and thinking good thoughts for ya! :)
New legal pads with the really stiff backboards so you can use them anywhere. Not those cheap, waffle in the breeze pads provided by the office manager one at a time, along with that look that says good supplies are wasted on your type of ne'er-do-well. THAT's what I like best about being an independent. It's worked for me since the nineties (um, not the 1890s. It will for you too. Now, what sort of freelance are you after?
At what age does a person actually like buying office supplies? It's a strange phenomenon but I'm a part of it. And I don't care. ;)
P.S. I am fearing your pen even if the orange book isn't. :)
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