I woke up this morning... three times...
The last time I awoke this early I was overseas and, unbeknownst to me, about to become Denmarks next E.R. patient... This time it was because my mom was busting down the door and getting after me for some reason (yes, I still live with my parents).
Half falling out of bed and half looking at my clock I realized I was half an hour late for work, which of course isn't unusual when I'm scheduled for 7 in the A.M.; So, I hurried upstairs to the dryer where a fresh batch of underthings were waiting for me from the night before. You know... you don't really appreciate putting on a pair of clean clothes until it's been a few days...
Skipping breakfast I could taste my breath as I turned the ignition to my 13 year old fire engine red GMC Sierra. Luckily for me, and anyone else that I might be coming in contact with the rest of the day, There were two shiny quarters, one from Iowa and One from Delaware, waiting for me in the garbage filled cup holder... so I could purchase some breath freshening accoutraments from the vending machine just outside the Theatre.
For those of you that don't know, I work at The Ragan Theatre, a glorified conference hall in the heart of UVSC's Sorensen Student Center... where I do a lot of babysitting of dancer's, band geeks and motivational speakers... with the occasional Tech crew work (Lights and Sound) on the side.
I pulled into the parking lot just outside the SSC and noticed that not only could I find a parking spot, but I found the one closest to the door because there were NO other cars in the lot. Mind you... the spot closest to the door still had a 200 yard walk.
It was turning out to be a good morning. Only half hour late, and a shorter walk than usual- by my standards I might as well have won the lottery.
7:45. I walked into the building with plenty of time to purchase a caffeinated soda and a pack of gum to get me through the day. That's when I discoverd that my boss wasn't there yet. Was I too early? Did I read the schedule wrong?
No.
But, I wasn't going to let this ruin my goings ons. Figuring I had plenty of time, I started back towards my truck with the mission of finding a notebook that I might be able to pass the creeping hours by writing. I tend to write alot when I'm bored (i.e. this.).
Now, I was walking through the pay parking lot, which, ironically is right next to the door and cheaper to use than the parking sticker that gets me (on a good day) 200 yards from my job, when I noticed something that I may never had noticed if it weren't so early: The outside smelled like breakfast.
This brings me to the point of this weblog... which is a question: Have you ever felt like the place you are most familiar with wasn't familiar at all?
For some strange reason, as I walked toward my truck the smell of pancakes and sausage trickling through my nostrils, the overwhelming feeling that I was a stranger in a different country and had only been here a few days, came over me. That even though I knew where I was, I was struggling to make it look like I knew where I was going, to make it look like I wasn't a foreigner in this odd new land... and that's when I realized... I am... I am a foreigner...
No, not because I was born and raised in a different country, not because the only family I have here is my immediate family and my friends... but... because I've become SO entrenched.
Alright that may or may not make sense, but the truth is; I am so familiar with my surrounding that they are foreign to me. I am so used to what I know that that which I don't, is more appealing... more... comfortable... more... safe...?
Well, my boss finally showed up... so... here's looking at you kid.