The existential dilemma

Anyone who knows me in real life probably knows that I have a job that I generally enjoy, that pays OK-not-stellar-no-benefits. Anyone who sees me on a daily basis (probably more or less limited to other people who share said job) probably knows that this job pays hourly.

In general, this system is actually good because I work a lot of overtime and time and half almost makes up for no benefits. (Almost. Monetarily if not psychologically. In that capacity it's still a little sad.) Sometimes it also has other perks, like I have unlimited unpaid vacation and could go to China because if I'm not here they just don't pay me and can put a temp in my place for the same net cost.

On days like today and tomorrow (Labor Day weekend, more or less), things get a little more uncertain. The head of our department gave us all license to leave a few hours ago. People are slowly filtering out and no one is coming in tomorrow, but if I make myself sit here for a little while longer, and get myself out of bed to log a few hours tomorrow, I'll be catapulted straight into super-lucrative overtime, rather than just the 40 hours that constitute full time (which I easily log in 4 days, but then no overtime so no extra dough). Probably I will leave, and then do something productive like go to the gym or clean my apartment or take a nap. Something productive like a nap.

p.s. If you google image search the word "recline," many of the results are NSFW

Infiltrating Reality Television

After returning from China on Saturday night, I've been fighting jetlag (and more or less winning) and trying to get settled into my new apartment (that, on the other hand, is more or less a draw -- I came home yesterday and a poster had fallen off the wall and was lying on my bed, and the six thumbtacks that had been holding it up were nowhere to be seen and presumably nestled somewhere into my pillow).

In the process of getting back into the daily grind, I've also recommenced my project to make plans after work so I don't become a friendless loser just because I spend 50+ hours a week at my desk. Last night, for instance, I had dinner with a friend who lives in the same building as Lauren Conrad and Audrina Whatsherface from the Hills. I suggested that, considering the dramatic content of this week's episode was a birthday party in which both Spencer/Heidi and Lauren/Lo (and apparently no one else) showed up (crisis!), if he were to gently tap their car with his, or break into their apartment and be sitting on their couch when they got home, this would be sufficient conflict to make him a guest star for an entire episode.

So that miniscule-but-tragic fender bender they get into next season? That was me.