Dearest MarotiCats:
I write you today, the official last day of my reign as Administrative Assistant at The University. I know, the blog entries have been building up to this day, preparing you for it. And now, alas, it is afoot. It is true that the Kristen you now know, is about to change once again, as she embraces full-time student life in a world of artists and designers. The time has come to close this chapter and start another.
This new chapter promises to be exciting, challenging and stimulating on so many levels. There will be new projects, new computer programs, new processes to learn. Office Mates will soon be replaced by Art Faculty, boring black Dell's to be backseated by shiny new Macs, Excel spreadsheets and orientation schedules to be replaced by typography assignments and bookbinding. Nothing could be more exciting than this!
Since the end[beginning] is here, I think a list is in order:
Please note, I use fond lightly...the memories I am listing were not necessarily fond at the time. However, now that I have resigned, they will become fond, as I will say goodbye to them today and the slowly encompassing sugar-coating and nostalgique will envelop said memories and any future reflections will be primarily positive, as is typically the case when one says goodbye.
Okay, here are the memories.
- Stopping at the coffee vendor on H Street for my hazelnut soy latte on the way to the office.
- Spending hours decorating the Institute's bulletin board, using good ol' Crayolas to create pretty signs and add a creative element to an otherwise dull scientific board.
- Having The Director walk in and catch me listening to The Moody Blues, Tom Petty, Supertramp, Yes, Huey Lewis and the News (yes, you heard me right), etc.
- The Director being impressed by my taste in music older than myself.
- Staring at the ceiling while walking down the halls, watching each square flourescent light panel as I pass in silence and thinking that it would be a perfect shot for my future indie film project.
- Listening to the building's heartbeat from the 6th floor bathroom on The Good Side.
- Running up the stairwell and panting my way into the office.
- Instant Messaging tracie and nugget while avoiding the workload.
- Hiding said messages when anyone important walked in.
- Slamming drawers on the copy machine when it was being bitchy, swearing at it under my breath.
- Swearing in my head at faculty and other unpleasant creatures while walking past them and their ungreeting attitudes.
- Rockin' out to Rilo Kiley and being productive.
- Going to lunch with tracie.
- Talking to The Boyfriend multiple times a day, baby talking so all could hear.
- Fighting and ignoring the Office Mate.
- Laughing and chatting with the Office Mate.
- Wobbling around the building sore after running anywhere from 10-20 miles on Sunday a.m.
- Putting my Amy's frozen organics in the freezer door slot on the left in grocery bags.
- Using the key to open the filing cabinet in room 664 while pretending I'm an Indiana Jones/McGyver type on a mission to find clues...yeah, so, I entertained myself.
- Giving students attitude.
- Saying 'Hi, How are you?' to Maintenance Lady, hearing her constant response of 'I'm fine, thank you' and knowing that she will never ask how I am doing.
- Mildred asking 'How's Charlie and Roxie?' and me responding, 'Mildred, the kitties are doing great!'.
- Reading my favorite celebrity websites and gossip columns first thing in the a.m. to start my day off right.
- Blogging when in need of a desperate creative fix.
- Watching my plants grow, as I continue to root them and replant.
- Unfulfilling ABP lunches catered for Orientation, Interview Days, etc.
- Listening to my keys jangle on my id clip, attached to my belt loop.
- Wearing chucks to work when I know it's sooo wrong.
- Going to Froggy for lunch with tracie and watching Mrs. Froggy Owner Lady run over and yell 'Hey girls!'
- Changing into my server clothes and wondering if anyone in New Hall could see me.
- Getting out of the elevator, putting on my sunglasses, pulling out my cell, and walking out the front door on those beautiful rare dry summer DC days.
