temporary retirement

...or, unemployment, to put it more bluntly.

It's been over a week since my last day at the job that defined much of my life the past couple of years. I can't imagine too many things I have involved myself in that wasn't connected in some way, shape or form in this thing called access control. I remember how I was first intrigued by the job, how I had known few people who were in it, how I applied, was 20 minutes late for the interview, and how I finally met the faces I recognized behind those tall green desks and black machines. Little did I know how much this job which required me to be a professional piece of nighttime decorative furniture would affect me.

And though I can thank this job for many of the friends I've made, many of the parties I've attended/hosted, many of the hours of sleep I've lost, much of my love life and most of the times I've blacked out, I can't help but wonder why I was able to just give it up so easily this year. It was a fun and memorable experience, and I'll probably be talking about it for years on out, but I guess this is just an indication that I've decided to move on and "grow up," cause as I've always said, there's so much more we could be doing in the 8 hours we sit in these chairs and slide identification cards through a machine.

But I've been wondering lately, "what else could I be doing?" as I sit at my desk at night reading through the anonymous confessions of people through homemade postcards. Naw, I can't say I regret leaving this job. I don't miss the hours and I don't miss the residents. I will miss the people though. It was a tough job, and after those long nights we would come out of it better friends cause we survived through that 8 hour long "battle" (as Alan put it) together. Yeah, I'll miss that. But it's time to move on, it's time to get back to sleep.

And besides, as long as the facebook invites keep coming, I'm happy.

"Rieber 1 to OCH Dispatch, I'll be signing off my radio for the year. If you need to reach me, you can do so via facebook, email, or landline. Thank you and have a good night. I have officially stopped caring."
-Solo's last radio call