Employed and Alive…with some sobriety strewn in for good measure

A job, society’s current measuring stick of an individual. The peremptory second question after “what’s your name.” And now the single largest time consumer in my life. A brief foray of two weeks into a world centered around preparing, participating, and departing from a job has surprisingly been not the insurgent life changer that I dreaded…or hoped it might be. I spend less of my day idling around in my room listening to songs on repeat and stumbling over facebook or a few broken words, but other than that if anything it has just added structure and consistency to what was once a directionless stagger through days. I had high doubts I would ever be able to find a position labeled “financial analyst” interesting or enjoyable, but I have been pleasantly surprised at my mind’s reception thus far. Maybe it’s just the opportunity to throw my hat in the wind and learn something I had absolutely no conception of previous to two weeks ago, or perhaps it’s the exciting thrill of meeting a whole other side of people, the working side. What’s that mother of 3 like when she’s analyzing volume and brand deployment? How’s that newlywed when he’s away from his new wife and agonizing over numbers that just don’t match up? And how’s the plight of the single professional who stays late because she has nothing to go home to? It’s a fascinating mix of transition and life decisions…and some finance as well I suppose. I’m not sure if there’s humor in this piece as much as reckless observation and pondering, but I don’t see any other suitable cell for ruminations as careless as these. Now, that I get home with nothing of absolute substance to occupy my time I’m wondering which world I prefer, the dark unexplored waters of the working world waiting to be discovered, or the unnamable pull of my apartment and Manhattan, an option of endless choices and absent decisions. However, I have stopped drinking…for a limited time at least. A non practicing Catholic makes a heavier sacrifice then most devout church goers. Heavier in the sense that for the past 4 years it has occupied more of my social life then conversation, not too mention a hefty amount of my personal time as well. Going cold turkey on the old cure all is no easy task when it is still the center of all of your friends’ attention but I consider lent to be more a test of inner strength and will then a resolute withdrawal of some careless mini vice like hot dogs, a favorite brand of cookie, or a murky goal of cutting down on something without any clear guidelines. Not to say I haven’t done the traditional abstaining from soda or dessert but this year I felt like goin balls out and dropping not only my best friend Jim Beam, but his brother Jack Daniels, their Mexican cousin Patron, and all the rest of assorted alcoholic delicacies that this great planet has to offer. March 23rd has never loomed so far in the distance. Until then, here’s a toast of Gatorade to your tequila sunrise.