Wes Putt - Play by Play

Real Work

I was given several warnings about working for Roark. The hours would be ruthless. The breaks short. The job itself is easy, but the sheer amount of work made it seem as though we'd never finish. Regardless, I needed the extra money. Plus, there was no bitter aftertaste from the three days I worked for Roark locally.

So, I piled into my coworker-to-be's car and we took off for Kansas City. I never really considered myself a "small-town" kinda guy, but after seeing Kansas City's downtown, the tall buildings and the convention center where we'd be working... I have to admit, I felt like a yawlin' country bumpkin. The KCCC-- Kansas City Convention Center is no less than two city blocks in size. It's so big that the main entrance are on both sides of 13th street, which cuts straight through the middle. One of the guys on my team wore a pedometer, and since we all did the same work, walking everywhere, etc., I figured his pedometer would tell me how many miles we had walked in the course of a 16 hour day. I was a little shocked to find that we each had walked over 24 miles.

There were a lot of perks about this job. For one, I stayed in a pretty cozy hotel while I was there. It was an extended-stay lodge, a part of Marriott, which was neat. Also, I got to help push a few of the race cars that are going to be in NASCAR, including none other than Dale Earnhart Jr's ride. Not that I even like racing... in fact, I think it's a total waste of time. But seeing that kind of muscle with a steering wheel attached was pretty dang cool.

The other perk was a total lack of distractions. I slept like a baby knowing that it'd be quite some time before I could check e-mails, have a drink, or smoke a leisurely cigarette. Also, I managed to wake up at 5:30 AM without an alarm (I had one, but it was set to go off at 6 AM). That was pretty cool too. It also helped me forget about DC for a little while, which was refreshing after all the brain cramming she'd been responsible for lately.

Anyway, I've gotta head out. Got a game of pool or two to play.

Goodbye, Morning News.

I can't stay mad forever. Either I sit here and bitch about it all day long or I dry those almost-tears forming in the corner of my eye and start filling out applications. Do I have a choice? So many people expect me to be strong and carry on. Some people even laughed and said "No way". My mother didn't even believe me when I told her. It took my sister's firm confirmation in order to gather her acceptance.

I really wonder, even though I have no way of knowing, if anyone will miss me. I know exactly who won't, but I hope the ones I liked will. I know I'll miss them.

Anywho... tomorrow I'll be heading over to the unemployment office and filling out paperwork most of the day. Then around 4:30, I have a date with Ms. Danielle, who finally agreed to hanging out with me. Part of me thinks it shouldn't be so hard to get a date with someone you might be destined to be with, the other part thinks it definitely shouldn't be easy.

Also, something that's much harder than finding a new job, harder than leaving the best job I ever had behind, and harder than telling everyone I know all at once that I lost it.....

Telling my dad.