For the first time in months I worked a full work week and it felt great. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about getting the opportunity to do so many readings and events. I even feel a little guilty that I happened to write a non-fiction book on a trendy subject while other writers I know try and write more challenging fiction that may not ever get printed.
Not too guilty mind you, just a little. That this is my lowest paying second job ever right now, mitigates it a little. Some day in 2011 when I theoretically get a royalty check I may be able to take more days off without feeling it, but I’m a by-the-hour worker (as we all are at the co-op) so – logically to me, unbelievably to everyone I mentioned it to – I went from Goat Fest at the Ferry Building to working my closing shift at Rainbow, which also included deep cleaning of a cheese cooler.
Here’s me and an old sales rep at the Goat Fest:
I didn’t take a picture of cleaning out the cooler because 1. I was dirty from cleaning out a cooler and didn’t want to touch a camera and 2. It probably would have shown my plumber’s crack, but maybe I will next time. If memory serves, the pictures of me composting 100 lbs of bad Mozzarella made everyone happy. Hey, that was a Saturday night as well!
But I really love my Saturday night closing shift. I like the pace of Saturdays and I also like that I don’t get phone calls from reps (no offense!) on the weekends. It’s all cheese, all the time! It’s the purest form of everything I love about my job.
Of course on Friday I’m driving four hours to Mendocino after working 7 AM – 1 PM so I can do a reading there at 6 PM. Then Santa Rosa in two weeks. Then my Pacific Northwest Tour… Actually, that’s all pretty great too.
Gordon ("Zola") Edgar 